饮食：中国人如何看待西餐

What do the Chinese think of Western food?Ellen Li, studied at University of California, Berkeley (2017)I'm an ABC (American Born Chinese) with parents from the mainland. Here are some observations from my parents, relatives, and Chinese friends:Americans like to eat a lot of fried, greasy foods (e.g. fried chicken, pizza, and burgers). These foods are good occasionally but usually avoided for health reasons.The Chinese have a concept called “热气” (loosely translated to “internal heat”). Having a lot of internal heat is bad. Fried, greasy foods promote internal heat = no bueno.American desserts are generally considered too sweet. Frosting is usually scraped off cakes because frosting is too sugary and thick and fattening.Cold foods and drinks are a curiosity. Chinese people like to eat hot foods and drink hot beverages. Cold, raw salads aren't considered appetizing. Iced water being offered EVERYWHERE in the US is a source of wonder and amusement.Americans like to drink a lot of soda and other sugary beverages. Again, good in moderation but generally a no-no.Processed food and fast food weren't a thing in my family. My mom always insisted on fresh ingredients and home-cooked meals even though I coveted Lunchables and McDonald’s. Not sure why, but probably for health reasons.Overall, American/Western food is considered excessive compared to Chinese food: excessively sweet, excessively greasy/fattening, and excessively salty.American food is great as an occasional treat but definitely not for everyday consumption. Tasty in small quantities, overwhelming in large amounts.EDIT: Some people have commented that the answer is asking about “Western” food and not American food. I realize that American food is a subset of Western food. I focus on American food because for most Chinese people I know, the bulk of their experience with Western food is through American food.EDIT 2: Wow I didn't expect for this answer to get so much attention. Just wanted to clarify a few things after reading comments!China is a huge country, and this post and my comments on it do not and cannot represent the whole country and all of its people. I'm writing primarily from my experiences and conversations with family from the Guangdong region in China.I also realize that this post sounds overwhelmingly negative towards American food. I know most Americans don't eat like this and the US is also a huge country with a diverse population and palette. But this is the perception of American food held by the Chinese people I know. They've experienced American food through fast food, some American restaurant chains, and what's shown in the media. That's what they consider American food and this post is a reflection of their opinions on it.Thanks for reading!