| what can i and can't i eat and drink in China? | |
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| Feb 2, 2008 06:41 |   |
| guest34082 | Hi, I will be travelling to China soon from U.K. I've been told to only drink bottled water and canned fizzy drinks. I would like to know what food and drinks i can consume and what i should avoid. Are the food sold on the street corner O.K to eat, can i drink boiled water? All help on this matter greatly appreciated |
| Feb 3, 2008 06:25 | #1 |
 | I would only drink bottled drinks although I hear boiled water is ok. I carry large camera bag and have an outside part that holds the small bottled water bottles perfectly. Cost is about 1 or 2Y a bottle. As for food I am of the opinion that all food is there to try. I have never had any problems eating in cafes, restaurants or from street pedlers. If you are fussy about what you eat then stick to restaurants but if you are adventurous try everything you can. |
| Feb 3, 2008 07:21 | #2 |
| The standard of hygene is lower than we are used to in western countries so wherever you go there is a greater risk of an upset stomach. There are some street stalls and workers' eating places that are plain dirty but most are reasonable. I have had no worse problems from street stalls than restaurants. I suggest you take medication with you to treat 'the runs' or buy some as soon as you arrive. There are some great ones which are based on creosote...or so it seems from the smell. Generally, people avoid the tap water but the poor drink it of course. I use tap water for tea and coffee and for brushing my teeth. Wash fruit etc of course, though to be honest I do that with tap water too! I had quite a bit of stomach trouble initially but these days I believe my stomach has toughened up, more antibodies I guess. |
| Feb 3, 2008 07:32 | #3 |
| Meals are not normally accompanied with beverages other than very hot tea. This is of course safe. Cold beverages are not a normal part of the meal but can be ordered. Many Chinese will not drink cold beverages but younger ones are more open. Tap water is a subject for debate as it is purified locally and subject to different standards. Some people are subject to the runs even by drinking tap water in different areas than their home, within the United States. Some health problems are caused by the restaurant just not cleaning their dishes properly. In general, the cooking is done over such a hot fire that the food is safe. Chinese never eat the skins of fruits and vegetables so I suggest you do the same. |
| Feb 14, 2008 13:48 | #4 |
| China's tap water has different standard, and it's not drinkable. Buy bottled ones from standard shops and don't buy any of them from the street vendors, as they might be just tap water. Go to the restaurants where you see a lot of people, 'cause that means the quality is reliable, but of course, need to make sure it's clean enough at the first place. 'Cause there are some very small restaurants for farmer workers, and they are really messy...places like Sanlitun in Beijing normally have English menus, as it's the place where you can see a lot of expats. |
| Feb 14, 2008 22:54 | #5 |
| Yes, agree with most of this. Don't drink the tap water unless it's been boiled. Like Apault I use it to clean my teeth, for hot drinks and for washing fruit and veg. Bottled water and/or soft and/or fizzy drinks are available everywhere and are cheap. The Chinese absolutely DO eat fruit and veg with the skins on: eg: apples, pears, plums, cucumbers, aubergine (egg plant) etc and so do I. If you're in doubt, then peel it. I do notice some Chinese peel grapes! As with DaveC I've very rarely been ill in China as a result of food I've bought. In fact only 1 time that I can recall and I've been here for 3 years. Of course, it may just be that my stomach's pretty tough :) Apault's advice is sound, bring some over-the-counter medication just in case. Enjoy your trip. |
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