How Spicy Sichuan May Be the Healthiest Chinese Cuisine, According to the Research
- Alastair Hunt
- May 3
- 9 min read
Updated: May 4
When it comes to Chinese food, few can resist the rich aromas, vibrant colours and deeply satisfying flavours that define the country’s eight great regional cuisines. And we cannot resist this latest study on the Chinese cuisine! New research has found that these beloved dishes may not just differ in taste - they also vary widely in how they affect your body’s inflammation levels.
As ever, please talk to your doctor or medical practitioner most familiar with your medical history before implementing any changes in diet, exercise or lifestyle, especially if you are under treatment. Links to all studies at bottom of page.
The Eight Great Regional Cuisines of China
These represent the most influential and historically significant culinary traditions in Chinese gastronomy. Each reflects its region’s local ingredients, climate, geography and cultural heritage. Here's a brief overview of each:
Sichuan (川菜, Chuān cài) – Famous for bold, spicy, and numbing flavours using Sichuan peppercorns, dried chillies, garlic and fermented bean pastes. Dishes like Mapo Tofu and Kung Pao Chicken are classics.
Shandong (鲁菜, Lǔ cài) – One of the oldest cuisines, known for its hearty, savoury dishes, especially seafood, soups, and stir-fries. Signature techniques include braising and crisp frying.
Cantonese (粤菜, Yuè cài) – The most internationally recognised style, celebrated for its freshness, subtle flavours, and techniques like steaming and stir-frying. Dim sum originates here.
Fujian (闽菜, Mǐn cài) – Delicate and light, with an emphasis on broths, seafood and umami-rich ingredients. Soups and red yeast rice are hallmarks.
Jiangsu (苏菜, Sū cài) – Elegant and refined, often associated with imperial cuisine. Known for precise knife work, sweet-savory sauces and beautifully presented dishes.
Zhejiang (浙菜, Zhè cài) – Fresh and mellow, often highlighting seasonal vegetables, bamboo shoots, and freshwater fish. Cooking methods include steaming and slow braising.
Hunan (湘菜, Xiāng cài) – Similar in spiciness to Sichuan, but more fragrant and sour. Uses a lot of fresh chile, pickled vegetables and smoked meats.
Anhui (徽菜, Huī cài) – Rustic and hearty, drawing from mountainous regions. Wild herbs, mushrooms and slow-cooked stews are typical, often with a medicinal bent.
Scroll down to bottom of page for a deep dive (video) into the fantastic multitude of regional cuisines and their local specialisations.
A Taste of Inflammation?
Inflammation plays a central role in many chronic conditions - from heart disease and diabetes to depression and cancer. While occasional inflammation is a natural immune response, a diet that constantly triggers low-grade inflammation can have long-term consequences.
The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) was designed to measure a diet’s tendency to promote or reduce inflammation. In a 2025 study, researchers analysed nearly 1,000 recipes from China’s eight major cuisines to calculate DII scores and nutrient content. The results challenged some widely held assumptions about fat, spice and health.
Worth to highlight that this study did not look at long-term health outcomes based on actual cooking and eating practices (say, in restaurants) but rather the nutritional make-up of the diet.
How the Eight Great Cuisines Compare
The Surprising Star: Sichuan Cuisine
Despite its reputation for being indulgent, bold, and oily, Sichuan cuisine emerged as the least inflammatory of China’s eight great regional cuisines. 58.1% of its dishes were anti-inflammatory, the highest percentage among the cuisines analysed. This was largely due to its high content of dietary fibre, β-carotene and B vitamins, particularly when standardised by energy intake.
Though many Sichuan dishes are oil-rich - thanks to methods like stir-frying, deep-frying or oil-based sauces. They also frequently include vegetables and spices such as garlic, ginger, scallions, chillies and Sichuan peppercorns. These ingredients are rich in phytochemicals, all of which have demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. High-fibre vegetables like aubergine, bean sprouts, lotus root and leafy greens help offset the effects of fats, while nutrient-dense combinations (including high vitamin C and polyphenols) create a synergistic effect that supports immune function and reduces dietary inflammation.
Anhui: High Protein, Low Protection
At the opposite end, Anhui cuisine had the highest percentage of pro-inflammatory dishes - 63.1%. While it offers robust, hearty dishes with high levels of protein and niacin, it was notably low in fibre and vitamin E. This may be due to its reliance on preserved ingredients, wild meats and slow-cooked stews, which can dilute or destroy sensitive nutrients. The limited inclusion of fresh vegetables and antioxidant-rich spices reduced its anti-inflammatory profile.
Fujian: Light and Delicate but Missing Fibre
Fujian cuisine also scored poorly, with 60.8% of dishes pro-inflammatory. Known for light broths and seafood, it had the lowest fat content and the highest carbohydrate content per energy unit. However, the dishes often lacked fibre, folate and vitamin E, contributing to their inflammatory potential. Its lightness, while refreshing, doesn't compensate for the absence of protective plant nutrients, especially when starchy foods like refined rice and noodles dominate.
Shandong: Aromatic Strength
Shandong cuisine ranked second after Sichuan in anti-inflammatory potential. It heavily features scallions, garlic, and ginger, which boost its content of anti-inflammatory compounds. Though not as fibre-rich as Sichuan, Shandong benefits from its extensive use of aromatics and cooking methods that retain nutrient density. It also has moderate levels of fat and protein, balancing its profile.
Zhejiang: High in Carbs, Lower in Fibre
Part of the Jiangnan region, Zhejiang cuisine had the highest carbohydrate content among the eight. It is known for delicate flavours and seasonal vegetables. However, the study found that many of its dishes were low in dietary fibre, possibly due to the use of refined grains and starches. Despite the inclusion of seafood and vegetables, the nutrient density did not offset the carbohydrate load, leading to a less favourable DII profile.
Jiangsu: Refined Yet Sweet
Jiangsu cuisine, renowned for its refinement and mild sweetness, featured moderate pro-inflammatory scores. While it incorporates seafood and vegetables, its higher sugar content and emphasis on visual presentation may come at the cost of lower fibre and antioxidant density. The preference for lightly sweetened and delicately cooked ingredients results in elegant meals, but not always the most protective from an inflammation perspective.
Hunan: Heat with Variation
Hunan cuisine is often compared to Sichuan due to its love of spice, but it ranked lower in anti-inflammatory potential. While it uses chilli, garlic and preserved vegetables, it includes fewer fresh herbs and less dietary fibre than its Sichuan counterpart. Additionally, it features more animal-based ingredients and oil without the same compensatory mix of fibre and phytochemicals, pushing it toward a more pro-inflammatory profile overall.
Cantonese: Clean but Cautious
Finally, Cantonese cuisine - famous for its clean, subtle flavours - occupied a middle position in the inflammation spectrum. It values freshness and minimal seasoning, which preserves ingredient integrity but also results in lower levels of spices and phytochemicals.
While dishes often include fish, vegetables, and soups, the relative absence of strong antioxidant or fibre-rich components limited its anti-inflammatory score. Its strength lies in gentle cooking methods, like steaming and braising, which preserve vitamins, though it may benefit from more fibrous and spice-rich additions.
A Note on the Dietary Inflammatory Index
One of the more surprising conclusions was that macronutrient profile alone didn’t predict DII score. High-fat, high-protein dishes weren’t necessarily pro-inflammatory, nor were high-carbohydrate ones always protective. Instead, micronutrient density - particularly fibre and antioxidant vitamins - proved more influential.
Cluster analysis further divided dishes into “high fat-protein” and “high carbohydrate” groups, but this classification didn’t consistently align with inflammation scores. For instance, Sichuan cuisine had the highest proportion of high fat-protein dishes yet still achieved the lowest average DII. This further supports the notion that fibre-rich plants and spices can mitigate the inflammatory potential of fats.
The Jiangnan Study. How Does the "Chinese Mediterranean" Diet Compare?
The 2025 findings echo earlier research into the Jiangnan diet, a traditional Southern Chinese dietary pattern native to the Yangtze River Delta, encompassing regions such as Zhejiang, Jiangsu and parts of Anhui. This diet has been described as the Chinese analogue to the Mediterranean diet, praised for its focus on seasonal vegetables, legumes, non-refined grains, freshwater fish and moderate use of oils - particularly rapeseed (canola) oil, which is rich in polyunsaturated fats.
Historical records and nutritional reviews, link the Jiangnan diet with lower rates of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, particularly when compared to diets from Northern China. It favours small portion sizes, a wide variety of dishes per meal, and cooking methods like steaming, light stir-frying and simmering in clear broths, which help preserve nutrients. Protein typically comes from white meat (poultry), tofu and freshwater seafood, while dairy and red meat play minimal roles.
Although the 2025 study found Zhejiang cuisine - one of Jiangnan's modern representatives - to be high in carbohydrates and relatively low in fibre, this likely reflects contemporary adaptations rather than traditional Jiangnan principles. Modern recipes may include more refined starches and added sugars, shifting away from the whole grain rice, dark leafy vegetables and minimal processing that originally defined this diet.
Crucially, what unites both the Jiangnan and Sichuan diets - despite their distinct flavour profiles - is their emphasis on plant-based diversity, moderate animal protein and an avoidance of heavily processed foods. Both diets utilise local oils (rapeseed in Jiangnan, often vegetable blends in Sichuan) and regional ingredients that offer rich nutritional value and bioactive compounds.
Together, these patterns suggest that flavourful, culturally rooted cuisines can also be nutritionally protective, as long as core principles - fibre, nutrient density, freshness, and culinary restraint - are preserved.
What about SE Asian cuisine? Learn about the Singapore Healthy Diet.
Home Cooking Tips
For readers looking to cook more anti-inflammatory meals at home, consider these tips drawn from both Sichuan and Jiangnan traditions:
Choose fresh, seasonal vegetables, especially dark leafy greens and legumes, which boost fibre and vitamin intake.
Use aromatics generously - garlic, ginger, scallions and fermented sauces not only add flavour but also bioactive compounds.
Steam, stir-fry, or boil rather than deep-frying. These methods preserve the healthy fats in oils like rapeseed and soybean.
Opt for whole grains like brown rice or millet in place of white rice or refined noodles.
Include tofu, freshwater fish, or small portions of lean meat, all staples of Jiangnan and Sichuan diets.
Final Thoughts
This research adds nuance to our understanding of traditional Chinese diets. Not all spicy or rich dishes are bad for you - and not all light and sweet dishes are good. Sichuan cuisine, long adored for its bold heat and deep flavours, might offer anti-inflammatory benefits that surprise many. Likewise, the Jiangnan diet continues to provide a compelling model of health-conscious eating grounded in Chinese tradition.
Ultimately, the healthiest meals aren’t about following a single cuisine or diet label. They’re about balance, variety and respecting the natural strengths of whole, minimally processed ingredients - whether they come from a fiery Sichuan wok or a gently steaming Jiangnan clay pot.
Changing health for the better is about progress, not perfection, and even small changes can have a powerful and positive effect on health. For most people, improving health is about finding motivation and prioritising self-care - with an ultimate goal of taking action. If you want to take effective and targeted steps that fit into your unique lifestyle and circumstances, The Whole Health Practice is here to help.
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Stay Healthy,
Alastair
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Related Studies
Zhao, W., Jia, Z. & Shi, H. Nutrition and dietary inflammatory indices of the eight major cuisines of China. BMC Nutr 11, 63 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-025-00999-2
Wang J, Lin X, Bloomgarden ZT, Ning G. The Jiangnan diet, a healthy diet pattern for Chinese. J Diabetes. 2020 May;12(5):365-371. doi: 10.1111/1753-0407.13015. Epub 2020 Jan 26. PMID: 31846221; PMCID: PMC7216939.
Other
Niu J, Li B, Zhang Q, Chen G, Papadaki A. Exploring the traditional Chinese diet and its association with health status-a systematic review. Nutr Rev. 2025 Feb 1;83(2):e237-e256. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuae013. PMID: 38452296; PMCID: PMC11723156.
Halawa, A. Analysis of the health effects of the transition of traditional Chinese food on the emergence of nontraditional eating behaviors. J. Ethn. Food 8, 14 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s42779-021-00087-3
And we have to recommend this incredible culinary overview of Chinese cuisine...
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