Uyghur Region is the area that has the highest longevity rate in China. It has 25% of the total of people who live over a hundred years in China. In October,1985, the area was listed as The World Longevity Area by the International Natural Medical Science Commitee in Tokyo, Japan. According to researchers, the reasons for the high longevity rate in the area are related to the region's weather, environment, and people's life habits and physical quality. Yet it is also directly because of their food structures. Uighur food is characterized by mutton, beef, camel, chicken, goose; carrots, tomatoes, onions, peppers, eggplants, celeries etc.; variou dairy foods; and various fruits.

The food this lady is holding in this picture is called Sangza which is crispy and tasty fried wheat flour dough twists, a holiday specialty. The following are some more pictures of Uighur food. Please click on them for a better view. To get a more detailed introduction to them, please go to Xinjiang-Style Cuisine. Finally to really taste them, please go to Uighur Restaurant in Montreal, Canada if you are in Montreal or happen to be visiting there. Appetizers (Uighurs like to treat guests with tea, nan and some fruit snacks before the main dishes are ready.) Nan (Very crispy, tasty, and nutty baked bread using seasame seeds, butter, milk, vegetable oil, salt, and sugar.) Lamb Kabab (Seasoned with chilipowder, salt, blackpepper, and Zir, a kind of special herb which gives a unique taste to Kabab.) Sumsa (Delicious lamb pies baked using a special brick oven.) Roasted Whole Lamb (using that special brick oven) Youtazi (Steamed multilayer bread.) Guxnan (Pan grilled Lamb pies) Pamirdin (Baked pies with lamb, carrots, and onion inside.) Fried Lamb Meat Balls Xurpa (Lamb soup) Tohax (Baked bread.) Tunurkawab Kabab and Nan Kabab and Nan Lahman (Specially handmade noodles toped with stir-fried lamb and vegetables)