What are the dietary differences between the north and south

Not only is our country's population very large, but the geographical locations and climatic conditions of many regions are also different. Under such circumstances, the eating habits and food cultures of some regions have become different. There is an old saying that goes like this: rice in the south and noodles in the north. It can be seen that southerners prefer rice, while northerners mainly eat noodles. So what are the differences in diet between the north and the south?

First, what are the dietary differences between the north and the south? There is a saying that goes, "rice in the south and noodles in the north." People in the south love to eat rice, while people in the north mainly eat noodles. Because northerners believe that white flour has a very high starch content, which not only satisfies hunger but also tastes very good; however, rice is too complicated to eat, needs to be paired with multiple dishes, and is not filling. However, southerners believe that noodles can only be used to make some exquisite and beautiful snacks, which can only be used to entertain guests or as after-meal snacks, but not as staple foods.

Second, to sum up, when we look at the cuisines of the north and south, we can find that the cuisines of the north are rough, concise, and grand, while the cuisines of the south are small, exquisite, and delicate. Take steamed buns for example. The ones in the north are big in size, have lots of fillings but the fillings are monotonous; while the ones in the south are small in size, have many varieties and have very rich fillings. For example, our common pan-fried buns, barbecued pork buns and custard buns.

Thirdly, the dietary differences between the north and the south are also reflected in the fact that “the south is sweet and the north is salty”. The temperature in the north is low and cold in winter, while the temperature is high and hot in summer. Therefore, a large number of northerners will take advantage of the arrival of summer to pickle the leftover vegetables, and then eat them in winter when it is cold and there are no vegetables. They have a unique salty taste.

What are the differences in diet between the north and the south? We all know that the temperature is high in summer and bacteria reproduce faster. Salt can kill and inhibit bacteria, so it makes sense that the diet in the north is salty. Due to the geographical location and climatic conditions in the South, sugar crops such as sugarcane are more common. In addition, southerners are accustomed to adding sugar when making delicious food, so the characteristic of sugar consumption in the South is more obvious. For example, in Yunnan and Zhejiang, a lot of sugar is put into the meat filling of buns, which northerners really can't get used to. Another dietary difference between the north and the south is reflected in the drinking of soup. For Southerners, soup is served as a dish on the table. For example, in Guangzhou, Zhejiang and other places, people are accustomed to drinking soup before drinking, and they drink soup more frequently during the hot summer. People in the north drink it all year round, but they only drink the soup after meals, and it is not served as a dish.