Philippine cuisine is as diverse as the different cultural groups that make up the Filipino people. It is flavored by a rich variety of herbs and spices found all over the islands. Aside from the many tropical fruits and vegetables grown in the mountains and plains, fish, meat and poultry are also a major part of the Filipino diet. Rice is a staple food. Contact with foreign cultures resulted in interesting blends of flavors with Philippine cuisine. Spanish and Chinese cooking are among the many influences on Filipino food preparation.