The fruits and vegetables are high in fiber and add to the protection against heart disease while providing extra vitamins and antioxidants. Except in India, milk, cheese and other dairy products are rarely eaten. This is an excellent for lowering fat but the lack of dairy foods can lead to calcium deficiencies. When adopting the Asian diet, the use of calcium supplements is recommended. Another important component of this diet is soy.
Soy foods provide a main source of protein in the Asian diet.
Soy foods such as tofu, miso and tempeh can be found more often in supermarkets rather than health food stores. Soy contains isoflavones, which are compounds that can stop the mutation of regular cells into cancer cells. Soy foods also lower cholesterol and are a good source of iron. New to the food market are soy milks, which contain no lactose, and tofu pizza and hot dogs, for those who wish to introduce smaller amounts of soy to their diets. Finally, the beverages consumed in the traditional Asian diet help in the fight against cholesterol.