Huaishan Greenbean Soup

I have been staying at home. There is no lockdown in Singapore but we have Stay Home notice. To curbed Covid-19, going out without a mask is against the law and so is gatherings. All food need to be packaged and to consume at home. No one is allowed to eat in hawker centers, restaurants and outlets in the open. Shopping malls are closed. Except for essential services, all are closed.

I did not stepped out since yesterday. With so much time in hand, I tried making a dessert to pamper myself. It is the Huaishan Greenbean Soup.

Green bean contain Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, C, E, K and minerals like iron, magnesium and potassium. It can be taken warm or chilled.

Huaishan or Shan Yao or Chinese Yam. It improves digestive system, reduce blood sugar, nourishes lungs and kidney.  Being an antioxidant it also boost immunity. It is also beneficial for both male  and female reproductive system. Huaishan can be eaten fresh or put into soup or stir-fry with other vegetables.

You may take it and improve your health.

For Eggs lovers...

Some good  news for eggs lovers like me. Eggs any type, any time of the day are always yummy!!

The seemingly simple eggs have a rich nutritional profile that can boost your overall health. Eating whole eggs is vital for your health – the yolk contains over 90% of the egg’s iron and calcium content, while the white contains half of the egg’s protein. Here are 10 reasons why you should eat eggs every day:

Eggs improve performance Eggs are a highly satiating food – a single egg contains about 6 gr. of protein and a variety of vitamins and minerals although without vitamin C, which is why it’s recommended to drink fresh fruit juice along eggs and whole grain bread for breakfast.

Eggs can resolve your iron deficiency People suffering from mild iron deficiency have reported symptoms of fatigue, headaches and irritability, but eggs can help you in this case due to their high heme iron content found in their yolk. Heme iron is the most absorbable and usable type of iron in food – it’s even more absorbable than iron supplements.

They improve the nutrient adequacy of the diet Eggs are a valuable contributor to nutritious diets thanks to their nutrient density. According to a study, people who don’t consume eggs havea shortage of vitamins A, B12 and E. On the other hand, eggs have supplied 10-20% of folate and 20-30% of vitamins A, B12 and E in the diet of egg consumers. This study clearly shows the important role of eggs in your diet.

Eggs don’t increase the cholesterol levels 20 years ago, eggs were scrutinized due to their high cholesterol content, but, numerous recent studies have found no connection between consumption of eggs and coronary artery disease. Foods high in saturated fats and trans fats can raise your cholesterol levels and harm your health, but eggs are not in the same group – they are an excellent source of protein, which is not harmful to your body.

Eggs promote weight loss Eating eggs and toast for breakfast have a 50% higher satiety index than a bowl of cereal. Many studies have shown that an egg for breakfast increases the satiety in overweight people and can stimulate weight loss.

Eggs promote brain health Choline is an important nutrient that ensures proper brain development in fetuses and newborns. It can be found in high amounts in eggs – 1 egg a day can provide about 28% of a pregnant woman’s choline requirements. This nutrient is very important during pregnancy and lactation, as its reserves in the body are depleted at that time. Animal studies have shown that the memory function of aged rats was determined by what their mothers ate during pregnancy, which shows how important eggs are during the 9-month period.

Eggs prevent cataract and protect your eyesight Regular consumption of eggs, spinach and broccoli is related to cataract and age-related lens and retinal degeneration decrease, which is the main cause of blindness in older people. Eggs are an excellent source of lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants which protect your eyes from many diseases. Getting proper supply of them is crucial for proper eyesight.

Eggs are the best source of protein Protein is one of the central elements in our diet, and it can be found in high amounts in eggs. Protein consists of certain amino acids which cannot be produced by the body and must be derived from our diet. A complete protein food contains all of the 9 essential amino acids which are used to build and repair tissues. Although milk and meat are complete proteins, eggsare considered the best protein source. Compared to eggs, which have a 100 protein rating, milk is rated at 83 while meat is rated at 75. A single egg has the same protein content as 30 gr. of meat, fish or poultry, and it’s also the cheapest protein source among them.

Eggs protect our bones Eggs are rich in vitamin D, one of the most important vitamins our body needs. We obtain some of our daily allowance of vitamin D from the sun, and the rest from our food. This vitamin is vital for calcium absorption and maintaining proper bone health, so eating eggs and dairy products regularly is crucial for protecting our bones from osteoporosis and similar bone diseases.

Eggs improve the quality of our hair and nails Biochemical imbalances and shortages in the body are reflected in the hair, but eating eggs regularly can promote healthy hair due to their high content of Sulphur-containing amino acids. Many people have reported faster hair growth after incorporating eggs in their diet, especially if their previous diet didn’t include foods rich in zinc, Sulphur and vitamins A and B12.

Healthy and Yet Dangerous Food

I am not a health fanatic but I do try to eat healthy. The above food are things that we are drilled that they are good for us but wait till you see what they will do to you.

1) Celery Celery is a vegetable that we all love to eat it raw or cooked. Many of us usually have left over food which we eat the next day. Here is the problem...reheating celery will cause it to release a harmful nitrites which is poisonous to our body.

2) Virgin Olive Oil You may heat you frying pan with this and frying eggs, steak, bacon etc. However do you know that when the oil is heated to a point where smokes arise, that is when it becomes carcinogenic.

3) Hard-boiled Eggs These are cooked egg and therefore should be eaten if possible they day it is made. Many of us love Stewed Pork and Hardboiled egg and the eggs are reheated again and again. This is a no no because reheated eggs are toxic!

4) Mushrooms Fried it with oyster sauce of simply stir-fried and it is yummy. Well like the above, reheating these are also poisonous. If you have left overs, eat it cold.

5) Tomatoes We all love a tomato and they are not poisonous. However if you pluck it from your garden, make sure to do not eat the leaf and the stalk. It contains a toxic called tomatine.

6) Kidney Beans Some buy and some make it themselves. Well here is the bad news - It contain a poison named Phytohaemagglutin. Kidney beans need to be boil properly so suggestion is you buy the canned ones and don't take it lightly.

7) Rhubarb - Vegetable Fortunately this is not common in Singapore. The part that can be eaten in the stem and the part that kill is the leave. The leave looks like yam leaf .

8) Wild Almond Not common in Singapore. Anyway we travel a lot and please remember that wild almond contain cyanide when eaten in large quantity.

9) Cherry Well it is cherry season now. Plenty of them are sold everywhere BUT remember do not bite the pit/ seed. Don't break it because it contain hydrogen-cyanide which kills.

10) Green Potatoes No easily found here in Singapore. Like I said we travel a lot so be careful. It is not your mashed potatoes or your green French fries, it kills. These green potatoes contain a toxin named solanine and it will cause vomiting. I may also cause cardiac arrest if taken in large quantities.

11) Apple An apple a day keeps the doctor away. This healthy fruit also has it poison. It is in the apple seeds. The small seed contain a small amount of amygdalin when combined with our stomach enzyme will produce hydrogen cyanide. It takes 100-200mg of this to kill an adult with minutes. Be wary.

There are many more but I hope this will served as a reminder. All these food look harmless but they are not if eaten carelessly. Wishing all those reading this have a healthy life.

Sweet Potatoes…

Sweet potatoes is definitely not a rich man’s food. It is consider desserts and there are many yummy desserts make of this. Many find it too sweet and it fills up your hunger very fast so for those wanting to slim effectively try this tuber. 

There are yellow sweet potatoes and purple sweet potatoes which are both fantastic. In Singapore we can find those from Vietnam and Indonesia, the more expensive ones from Japan. Initially I do not really enjoy this tuber. I supposed it is acquired and I prefer yam to sweet potatoes.

One day I instinctively bought sweet potatoes and throw it into a toaster. The sweet aroma filled my nostril and the yellow meat was so inviting, I started to consume it. At the same time I was suffering from this nagging pain on my knees and knee joints from over exercises and age of course. I never expected anything from this tuber except its fiber but over night, the pain on my knees are gone. Viola! So it is good for attacking inflammatory as well.

I have been sharing some of these vegetables and fruits and what they did to me, not from internet but by experiencing it myself. I am not a nutrient expert nor a food critics but I like to share the goodness from my own eating. So try this tuber if you have not started loving it. It is something that even Diabetic can eat and recommended by Doctors. (Trust Diabetics know that although fruits are good and healthy but there is sugar in some fruits that they must avoid but not this super sweet tuber.)

There are many ways to eat it. The most straight forward way is

1) To steam it or 
 2) You skin it and cut it into small pieces and boil it with coconut milk (you need not add sugar) 
3) Mashed it and roll it over grind coconut bits. 
4) Mashed it and bake a pie with it. 
5) Mashed and roll it into bit size balls and deep-fry but since we are looking at healthy eating, I am not for this although it is yummy. 
6) If you are camping, or doing a BBQ, you can wrapped them in aluminum foils and throw them into the fire and let it cook. This tuber does not need fussy cooking and is easy and handy to eat. Just unwrapped the foil and peel off the skin. 

It is ignorant just eating a sweet potato as a sweet potato and not knowing the goodness it brings. So here is to list some…. (quotes from the experts)

1) Carotenoids: plant compounds that squelch cell damage caused by everyday living
2) Vitamin E: an antioxidant that may protect against heart disease. 
3) Potassium: a mineral necessary for muscle contraction, nerve transmission, bone health, water balance, and normal blood pressure. (It got more than bananas, believe it or not.)
4) Copper: it assists in the production of collagen, which is responsible for keeping muscles healthy and skin taut. 
5) Quercetin: research shows this potent phyto nutrient may help you breathe easier by warding off allergies, hay fever, and asthma.
6) High fiber content – well it definitely has more than any other types of potatoes 
7) Vitamin B6 – which is crucial to  keep our blood vessels/ arteries from hardening 
8) Super rich in Vitamin A, an antioxidant which keeps away many types of Cancers. It keeps skin healthy and it is nutrients to the Eyes (this is important because it helps vision loss as well as protect muscle degeneration). 
9) It contains Manganese which helps to balance blood sugar 
10) It also contain Vitamin C and Vitamin E. We know that these two are also powerful antioxidants which helps to prevent diseases and aging. 

So much for Sweet Potatoes…wonderful tuber…staple food to some…good for Diabetic…and powerful antioxidant…keeping us healthy and long life. 

Start eating…