I love Asian food but I also know Mediterranean diet is good for me. What do I do?

If this thought has ever crossed your mind, you’re not alone. You crave the vibrant, umami-packed flavours of a stir-fry, the comforting warmth of a curry, or the perfect bite of a dumpling. But you’ve also heard the relentless praise for the Mediterranean diet—lauded for its heart-healthy fats, longevity benefits, and scientific backing.

It can feel like a culinary standoff: your taste buds versus your health goals. But what if I told you it’s not an "either/or" choice? The best diet for you is one that is both healthy and sustainable—and that means it must include the foods you love.

Let’s reframe the goal. Instead of abandoning one for the other, let’s find the beautiful, delicious common ground between them. Here’s how you can embrace the principles of the Mediterranean diet while enjoying your favourite Asian flavours.

The Goal: Principles, Not Prescription

The magic of the Mediterranean diet isn’t just olive oil and feta cheese. Lets understand the core principles behind a Mediterranean diet (or rather style of eating).

1. Abundance of Plants: Vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and whole grains are the foundation.

2. Healthy Fats: Emphasis on unsaturated fats from oils, nuts, and fish.

3. Lean Proteins: Prioritizing fish, seafood, and legumes over red and processed meats.

4. Flavour from Herbs and Spices: Using natural flavour powerhouses instead of relying on excess salt.

   
   

Sound familiar? These principles are not exclusive to the Mediterranean! Asian cuisines have celebrated them for centuries.

Your Fusion Guide: Getting the Best of Both Worlds

You don’t need to choose. Create a hybrid approach that honours both traditions:

1. Pile on the plant foods

This is the easiest win. Both culinary traditions celebrate vegetables.

• Do this: Choose a variety of vegetable as the base of your dish or meal. My trick is to measure out around 1.5 cup of vegetables for each person for each meal. This can be wombok, Chinese broccoli, carrots, snow peas, capsicum, snake beans or okara.

  
  

2. Swap Your Fats

The Mediterranean diet champions olive oil. Asian cooking often uses sesame oil, peanut oil, 'vegetable oil' or even lard.

• Do this: Use extra virgin olive oil for sautéing your vegetables and aromatics (like garlic, ginger, and onions) for your Asian-style dishes. Its mild flavour works perfectly. Then, use a small amount of fragrant sesame oil as a "finishing oil" drizzled at the end to get that classic Asian aroma without overheating it.

• Extra virgin olive oil is perfectly good for stir frying. Don't think so? Read this in-depth analysis from a scientist for facts.

  
  

3. Choose Lean Proteins Wisely

• Do this: Embrace fish and seafood! A Mediterranean-style grilled fish fillet with a ginger-scallion sauce is a perfect fusion. Tofu and lentils are celebrated in both diets—think a hearty dal or mapo tofu with extra vegetables.

  
  

4. Master the Art of Seasoning

This is where the magic happens. Instead of heavy, salty sauces, build flavour from the base up.

• Do this: Create a flavour base with garlic, ginger, chilli, and scallions (all heart-healthy!) sautéed in olive oil. Use low-sodium soy sauce or tamari sparingly. Amplify flavours with a splash of citrus (lemons or limes are universal), and fresh herbs like cilantro or Thai basil.

  
  

Here is a meal idea to demonstrate the idea:

The Fusion Bowl

• Base: Brown rice or quinoa (a whole grain common to both)

• Plants: Steamed broccoli, shredded carrots, red peppers, edamame

• Protein: Grilled shrimp, baked tofu, or chickpeas

• Healthy Fat: A drizzle of olive oil-based dressing with lime juice, a little soy sauce, and a touch of sesame oil. Top with avocado slices and crushed nuts.

  
  

The Bottom Line:

You truly can have it both ways. Health doesn’t live in a single geographic location. It’s found in the shared principles of eating whole foods, celebrating plants, and using fats wisely.

So, keep enjoying that bowl of ramen or those delicious dumplings. Just make them at home where you can pack in extra veggies, control the salt, and add a generous pour of heart-healthy olive oil. Your taste buds and your health don’t have to compromise.