Category Archive: Nutritional Information On Food

Savory Oatmeal Porridge & Health Benefits Of Oats

Today being a Saturday and a day where my kitchen is closed, I felt lazy to whip up a ‘proper’ lunch. Our 2 older girls have followed their grand-aunt to the shopping mall. Since it’s just Cass and me, I decided to cook a fuss-free savory meat-free oatmeal porridge.  This used to be my mum’s healthy instant meal for me too when I was growing up and I loved this comfort food.

 

My meat-free savoury oatmeal porridge ingredients:
5 tablespoons of oats. I used organic instant oats. If you like it thicker, add more oats. I like mine thin.
1 egg
A pinch of salt
A few shakes of ground pepper
A few shakes of organic soy sauce
A few shakes of Japanese flavored seaweed mix
A few shakes of sesame seed oil

Directions:
Boil water in saucepan
Add in oats and stir. Be sure you are at the stove to watch the flame as the oats mixture will bubble up and spew up foam from the pot if the flame is too big.
Add in egg and stir well
Add seasoning.

 

I like mine with a piece of spicy fu yue or fermented tofu to give it an extra kick!

This fuss-free and no-frills  savory oatmeal porridge requires only 10 mins of prep time. If you like it to be more ‘fanciful’, you can throw in some minced meat, salted duck’s eggs, chopped carrots, scallions, fish slices or anything of your choice. It would be even tastier if you fry some garlic or onions to flavor this bowl of oats porridge.

10 Reasons Why I Love Oatmeal:

1. Low calorie food; stops cravings.
A cup is only 130 calories! It also stays in your stomach longer, making you feel full longer. You will have less hunger and cravings.

2. Provides high levels of fiber, low levels of fat, and high levels of protein.
It’s on the short list for the highest protein levels of any grain.

3. Stabilizes blood sugar and reduces risk of diabetes (type 2)

4. Removes your bad cholesterol (without affecting your good cholesterol).
Many studies have shown that the unique fiber in oatmeal called beta-glucan, has beneficial effects on cholesterol levels

oatmeal mask

5. Gluten-free safe.

6. Contains lignans which protect against heart disease and cancer.
Oatmeal, like many whole grains, contains plant lignans, which are converted by intestinal flora into mammalian lignans. One lignan, called enterolactone, is thought to protect against breast and other hormone-dependent cancers as well as heart disease.

7. Contains unique antioxidants beneficial for heart disease.
A study at Tufts University shows that the unique antioxidants in oatmeal called called avenanthramides, help prevent free radicals from damaging LDL cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

8. Protects against heart failure.
A Harvard study on 21,000 participants over 19 years found that men who enjoyed a daily morning bowl of whole grain (but not refined) cereal had a 29 percent lower risk of heart failure.

9. Enhances immune response to disease. The unique fiber in oatmeal called beta-gluten also has been shown to help neutrophils travel to the site of an infection more quickly and it also enhances their ability to eliminate the bacteria they find there

10. It tastes good!
All oats whether in flakes or groats form have gone through a heat process which gives them their rich nutty flavor. This keeps them from spoiling. They have also been hulled. This process does not strip away all the bran and germ allowing them to retain a concentrated source of fiber and nutrients .

 

 

Share Button

Oat Bran Health Benefits And Slimming Benefits

At the supermarket earlier this week, I bought a packet of Love Earth organic oat bran to try. I know that oats are a heart healthy cholesterol-lowering food and I try to include 3-4 tablespoons of oats into my diet everyday. I have read somewhere that the most virtuous and versatile component of the oat resides in its outer layer – which is the bran.

Organic Oat Bran 400g [love earth] 0
The bran contains a high content of a unique type of soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which bestows some remarkable health properties and is incredibly beneficial for weight loss.

Technically, oat bran is not a whole grain (since it’s actually only one part of the oat grain). But because of its exceptionally high fiber content, it can be considered a whole grain.  A bowl of oat bran contains about 50% more fiber than the same size bowl of oatmeal, making it more effective at lowering cholesterol and in its weight loss properties. And because it is mostly fiber, oat bran has less calories than the same amount of oatmeal.  A three-quarter-cup serving of cooked oat bran contains only 66 calories, compared to 124 calories in the same amount of cooked oatmeal. Oat bran also has more antioxidants, protein, calcium, iron, thiamin, phosphorus, riboflavin, magnesium, and zinc than oatmeal.

See, oat bran is not only more nutritious, it also contains lesser calories!  I am now going to switch from oatmeal to oat bran! 🙂

Aside from fewer calories, there are two other combined properties that make oat bran a powerfully slimming food. First, because of it high fiber content, oat bran satiates you. As soon as you ingest it, the fiber in oat bran soaks up saliva and then expands in the stomach absorbing up to 25 times its volume in liquid, making you feel quite full, quite fast. It provides a prolonged feeling of fullness, so you eat less in between meals.

The second way that oat bran helps with weight loss is more biologically unique. It’s called intestinal caloric loss. In other words, oat bran blocks the absorption of calories from the intestine. Here’s how it works: when you eat food, it is broken down into its individual components of fatty acids, carbohydrate (glucose) and amino acids (the building blocks of proteins). The calories from these components are then absorbed into the body. But when you eat oat bran, it mixes with water in your intestine to produce a gel-like substance called bolus. The bolus absorbs some of the breakdown products, and then it is attacked by gastric juices and stomach acids that turn it into a pulp. This pulp becomes part of the stool, and thereby carries the calorie-dense components of fats, glucose, and amino acids out of the body through the stool. This process both slows down the assimilation of sugar (glucose) and removes calories from the body while keeping your blood sugar levels low and stable.

One key to make this action more effective is to reduce or eliminate other grains in the diet, especially wheat, and put oat bran in their place.

So how do you eat oat bran?  Here are some ideas:

1)  Oat bran can be cooked as a hot cereal by mixing 1 part oat bran to two parts water and cooking it the same as you would cook oatmeal
2)  Add a tablespoon or two to your yogurt, cottage cheese or a smoothie
3)  Add it to an omelet
4)  Bread meat, poultry, or eggplant with it
5)  Sprinkle it on salad
6)  Use it in place of bread crumbs when making meatloaf, meatballs and burgers
7)  Mix it in a soup or stew
8)  Make flourless muffins and pancakes with it

I eat my oat bran with chilled sugar-reduced chocolate milk and that’s the only way I like it now.  Perhaps I should even secretly throw in a couple of teaspoons of oat bran into my kids’ daily fruit smoothies! I’ll bet they will hardly even notice it 😀

 

 

Share Button

Maple Syrup Health Benefits

This morning I bought a bottle of organic 100% pure maple syrup from the mini mart.  I could not decide if I should buy it or otherwise as I think forking out RM34.90 for a 250ml bottle of syrup is just too expensive.  At the mini mart, I was also hunting for agave nectar (which is slightly cheaper) but it was out of stock.  In our household, we do not use white sugar.  We use healthier alternatives like agave nectar, palm sugar or organic raw brown sugar.  With no other choice, I bought the bottle of 100% pure maple syrup, simply because the new chicken recipe that I found requires maple syrup and I am very eager to try cooking this crock pot chicken drumstick cooked with maple syrup and dijon mustard.  It looks very easy to prepare and sweat-free too.

Besides using maple syrup to cook the new chicken recipe that I have in mind, I can also drizzle some maple syrup onto my sugar-free skinny yoghurt which I take on most weekday mornings.

 

 

 

 

 

Why is maple syrup one of the best sugar alternatives?
This healthy sweetener is 100% natural, pure and free of any coloring or additives. Boiled down directly from tree sap, which is harvested from the maple tree towards the end of winter, pure maple syrup is an unprocessed, authentic product of nature. White sugar, for example, is typically derived from sugar cane, and processed and purified before being sold. Because maple syrup is not processed, it contains higher levels of potentially beneficial minerals, including calcium, potassium, sodium and copper, making it the best sugar alternative.

A previous study published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2007 found that maple syrup contains polyphenols such as abscisic acid (ABA), which is thought to stimulate insulin release through pancreatic cells very much the same way berries increase sensitivity of the fat cells to insulin, which makes the syrup beneficial for those with metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

Maple syrup is one of the many wonders of the world and far more than a simple sweetener. Maple syrup is not only rich in essential nutrients such as manganese as well as zinc, but 34 new beneficial compounds discovered just a few years ago have been confirmed to play a key role in human health.

 

 

 

Share Button

Blackstrap Molasses

I bought a jar of organic unsulphured blackstrap molasses last week.  After reading up the health benefits of blackstrap molasses, I wanted to give it a try too.

Instead of popping iron pills for anemia every other day, I thought I might as well pop something more natural like blackstrap molasses.

Blacsktrap is a natural stool softener that can improve the regularity and quality of your bowel movements. I thought that I could try feeding Cass with this too.

When I tried a teaspoon of blackstrap when I got home from the supermarket, I was disappointed. It tasted awful on my tongue and I do not think I can bring myself to swallow down a teaspoon of this black, thick and gooey stuff neat everyday.

I have yet to try marinating my meats with blackstrap and then grilling them to mask the taste. I am going to try doing this one of these days. And I think I can substitute our regular Chinese thick dark sauce with blackstrap as it tastes somewhat alike.

I will have some experiments to do in the kitchen soon and I hope that my kids won’t even be able to point out the unusual taste in their grilled chicken and dry noodles darkened with blackstrap  😉

 

 

Health Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses

1)  Safe sweetener for diabetics – Unlike refined sugar, blackstrap molasses has a moderate glycemic load of 55. This makes it a good sugar substitute for diabetics and individuals who are seeking to avoid blood sugar spikes. Moreover, one serving of blackstrap contains no fat and only 32 calories, making it suitable for a weight loss diet.

2)  Laxative qualities – Blackstrap is a natural stool softener that can improve the regularity and quality of your bowel movements.

3)  Rich in iron – Two tablespoons of blackstrap contain 13.2 percent of our RDI of iron, which our bodies need to carry oxygen to our blood cells. People who are anemic (including pregnant women) will greatly benefit from consuming 1-2 tablespoons of blackstrap molasses per day.

4)  High in calcium and magnesium – Blackstrap molasses contains a mineral profile that has been optimized by nature for superior absorption. For example, two tablespoons of blackstrap contains 11.7 percent of our RDI of calcium and 7.3 percent of our RDI of magnesium. This calcium-magnesium ratio is ideal, since our bodies need large quantities of magnesium to help absorb similarly large quantities of calcium. Both of these minerals aid the growth and development of bones, making blackstrap a good safeguard against osteoporosis and other bone diseases.

5) Additional mineral content – Two tablespoons of blackstrap molasses also contains 18 percent of our RDI of manganese (which helps produce energy from proteins and carbohydrates), 9.7 percent of our RDI of potassium (which plays an important role in nerve transmission and muscle contraction), 5 percent of our RDI of vitamin B6 (which aids brain and skin development) and 3.4 percent of our RDI of selenium, an important antioxidant.

6) Colon Health
Blackstrap molasses is a very good source of calcium, which helps cleanse the colon of toxins. Calcium is often associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer.

7) Good Source of Selenium
Blackstrap molasses is a good source of selenium, providing about 5% of the DV per tablespoon. Selenium plays a key role in thyroid function, antioxidant protection, cancer prevention, cardiovascular health and inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Selenium deficiency can lead to these and other health conditions.

8) Good Source of Vitamin B6
One tablespoon of blackstrap molasses provides 7.5% the DV of vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is needed for the immunity, the nervous system, cell formation, blood health and energy production. It is also believed to have anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties.

9) Skin Health
Testimonials claim that blackstrap molasses is great for skin health and may help to cure eczema, psoriasis, acne and other skin conditions. Blackstrap molasses contains powerful antioxidants, which are believed to contribute to good skin health and lower the risk of lines, wrinkles and other skin conditions associated with premature aging.

With so many health benefits tagged to blackstrap, I really need to find innovative ways of concealing this syrup in the food for my kids and me! Or train my taste bud to accept it neat!

 

 

Share Button
post by admin | | 1

Health Benefits of Eating Eggs

Cass loves eating eggs. On some days, she can eat up to 4 eggs in a day.

Am I lucky or what? Yea, I think I am lucky that she loves eating this egg-ceptional superfood, cooked in any variety.

Eggs are considered the “gold standard” for protein quality because their amino acids are the most digestible to humans. Eggs are also a wonderful brain-healing food, rich in B vitamins and protein.

On most mornings, she will request for 2 half-boiled eggs. She likes it best this way, with a few shakes of pepper. Then she gulps down her cup of favorite strawberry-flavored yoghurt milk (color-free). On some mornings, she will eat her eggs with a slice or two of bread. She has a very wholesome and filling breakfast before she goes to school.

There are several nutrients specific to the egg yolk that help promote overall health. Egg yolks are one of the richest dietary sources of the B-complex vitamin choline, which is associated with better neurological function and reduced inflammation. There’s also evidence that dietary choline helps with fetal brain development when pregnant women eat it. Another side benefit of a diet rich in choline is, well, happiness!

One egg yolk has about 300 micrograms of choline, a nutrient that helps regulate the brain, nervous system and cardiovascular system.

Despite the hoopla of eggs being high in fat, it is the right kind of fat. One egg contains just 5 grams of fat and only 1.5 grams of that is saturated fat.

Eggs are one of the only foods that contain naturally occurring vitamin D.

Eggs may prevent breast cancer. In one study, women who consumed at least six eggs per week lowered their risk of breast cancer by 44%.

Eggs promote healthy hair and nails because of their high sulphur content and wide array of vitamins and minerals.

So if you are fed-up with your typical kind of food for breakfast, just cook 2 hard-boiled eggs, pack them in your lunch box and eat them on the go, in school or in the office! Eggs are very affordable and they are choke-full of nutrients.

 

 

Share Button
post by admin | | 0

Oats Health Benefits

Since I am very much in the mood for eating oats, I did a google search on oats health benefits today.  The information that I gathered from the internet was impressive, which makes me want to eat more oats! 🙂

Here’s what I found from some health-related websites and I have summarized the health benefits below:

Health benefits of eating oats:

Oats may boosts immune system
Oatmeal’s beta-gluten fiber does more than protect your heart. Beta-gluten can also amp up our immune systems and help fight bacterial infections by helping non-specific immune cells called neutrophils (our body’s first line of defense against pathogens) quickly locate and heal infected tissues.

Oats may help reduce cholesterol.
Among all grains, oats have the highest proportion of soluble fibre. This gel-like fibre transits your intestinal tract and may help trap substances associated with high blood cholesterol. Studies show that people with high blood cholesterol who eat just 3 g of soluble fibre per day can reduce their total cholesterol by 8% to 23% (remember that one cup of oats yields 4 g)!

Oats are diabetes-friendly.
For the same reason that the fibre in oats helps to stave off hunger, it also helps to steady the levels of glucose in the bloodstream. People with diabetes especially benefit from this awesome oat trait. Most people need about 26 g to 35 g of fibre per day, but those with diabetes need upwards of 50 g. A fibre-filled bowl of oats can provide some of the much needed nutrient. Just be sure not to tip the balance by adding too much sugar or other blood glucose-spiking toppers to your oats.

wooden sppon in a bowl of oats

 
Oats support healthy digestion.
The insoluble fibre in oats scrubs through the intestines, moving food along and helping to prevent constipation. Also, people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) who follow a diet higher in fibre and lower in total fat may experience fewer symptoms of GERD, such as heartburn.

Oats can shield your skin.
At some point in human history, someone discovered how nice it felt to apply oats to dry, itchy, irritated skin. Moms have been stirring raw oats into hot baths for generations to soothe children’s chickenpox symptoms, and many people make DIY facial masks by blending oatmeal with yogurt and honey. The starchiness of oats creates a barrier that allows the skin to hold its moisture, while the rougher fibrous husk of the oat acts as a gentle exfoliant.

Oats may reduce the risk of coronary artery disease.
A study titled “Oats at 10 Years”, published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, found that eating foods rich in whole-oat sources of soluble fiber (oats, oat bran, and oat flour) may help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

 

Strawberry Rhubarb Overnight Oats

 

Oats may help lower the risk of colorectal cancer.
Researchers in Britain and the Netherlands pooled published evidence that covered nearly 2 million people to evaluate whether a high fiber diet (mainly from whole grains and cereals like oats) is linked to a lower risk of colorectal cancer.
The study found that for every additional 10g of fiber in someone’s diet there is a 10% reduction in their risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Oats may help lower blood pressure
An article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that a diet which includes plenty of whole-grains (such as oats or wholemeal bread) is just as effective as taking anti-hypertensive medication in lowering blood pressure.

Mango And Banana Overnight Oats

 

Oats may prevent breast cancer
Studies have shown that a diet rich in fiber can protect against breast cancer, particularly if the fiber comes from whole grains. A UK Women’s Cohort Study found that pre-menopausal women who ate fiber from whole grains had a 41 percent less risk of developing breast cancer, while fiber sourced from fruit only offer a 29 percent reduction rate.

Oats are an affordable and nutrient-dense food that can be used in many ways. Beyond the breakfast bowl, oats can be added to cookies, breads, pancakes, or stuffing; sprinkled atop fruit cobblers or crumbles; plopped into a smoothie to boost its fibre and bulk; and grounded to make flour for baking. Anywhere you need a little texture, a little extra oomph, turn to oats. And oatmeal itself comes in several varieties (i.e., slower-cooking steel-cut, old-fashioned rolled oats, or quick “instant” oats) and can be dressed with fresh berries, bananas, honey, seeds, or nuts.

Risks and precautions
Although oats don’t contain gluten, in rare cases they are grown in the same fields as wheat or barley and these crops can sometimes contaminate oats with gluten. Therefore, those who suffer from gluten intolerance may have to exercise caution when eating oats.

Despite all of oats’ virtues, not everyone should eat them. If you have celiac disease, be warned – though oats may not be completely off-limits, some oat products are contaminated with wheat. Check with your doctor before deciding to try oats or oatmeal.

Oats fill you up. For all that nutritional intensity, one cup of plain, whole grain, cooked oats will only cost you 147 calories. But it’s not the calories in oatmeal that fill you up – it’s the fibre. In addition, the grain falls on the low end of the glycemic index (GI), which is a ranking of how carbohydrates affect your blood sugar levels. When you eat oats, your body will digest and absorb them slowly, keeping you feeling full, controlling your appetite, and delaying hunger pangs.

 

 

Share Button
post by admin | | 1

Mung Bean With Stinky Grass And Kombu Seaweed Sweet Soup

After fetching Cass from kindy just now, I brought the MIL to a nearby plant nursery to get some ‘chau choe’ or stink grass. She wanted to dish out a popular Hong Kong dessert consisting of mung beans + stink grass + shredded kombu seaweed.   This Hong Kong sweet soup concoction is well known to expel heat and toxins from the body.

I do not know how the stinky grass got its moniker  but it ain’t stinky at all. Well, at least not to us. In fact, we find the smell very sharp yet fragrant.  Cass kept telling me that the stink grass smelled like pandan leaves.   My kids love the taste of it, surprisingly. I think it is an acquired taste as many years ago, they did not quite like the smell of it.

I am unable to snap a sharp and nice picture of our mung bean sweet soup,  except for this one when it was still boiling in the pot.

 photo mungbeansoup_zps69e006b8.jpg

This is the healthy mung bean + stink grass + kombu seaweed sweet soup that the MIL boiled today.  The picture is however googled and copied from Christine’s Recipe’s blog:

Sweet Green Bean Soup

 

The is the kombu seaweed.  You will need to soak the dried kombu to soften it before slicing it with a knife into shreds . Amount used is optional and up to individual.

Seaweed02

 

The stink grass. One of our favorite aromatic and healthy herbs to prepare ‘tong sui’ (sweet soup).  My mil used about 10 sprigs to boil a big pot of mung beans.

Stingy Grass

 

Mung beans are rich in the following nutrients:
• protein
• vitamin C
• folic acid or folate
• iron
• zinc
• potassium
• magnesium
• copper
• manganese
• phosphorus
• thiamine

Mung beans are also high in fibre, low in saturated fat, low in sodium, and contain no cholesterol. Because of the wide range of nutrients contained in mung beans, they offer a whole host of health benefits for the immune system, the metabolism, the heart and other organs, cell growth, protection against free radicals, and diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

The Chinese believe that mung beans or green beans can expel heat, prevent heat stroke, clear skin, clear acne and clear toxins from the body and blood.

Mung beans are inexpensive and very nutritious. Instead of wolfing down a packet of nasi lemak for breakfast or lunch, try to boil a pot of mung bean sweet soup and have it instead.  You can store the excess sweet soup in a container and keep it in the fridge.  It tastes even more refreshing when eaten chilled.

 

 

Share Button

Red Bean Health Benefits

Ever since my ‘confinement period’ after the birth of Cass 6 years ago, I have never really stuffed myself with red meat and iron-rich food after my monthly menses. In fact, I have been cutting down on meat lately and have been eating more vegetables and eggs.

Lately, my heavy menstrual flow is taking a toll on my well-being. I feel lethargic most of the time. I feel like I have lost my once never-failing stamina. About 10 years ago, I could jog twice a day – morning for 20 minutes and evening for almost an hour. I cannot possibly do that now.

To replenish the massive blood loss every month during my ‘torrential flow’, I have started to increase my consumption of red meat and red beans during and after my menses. For 3 days this week during my menses, I have been eating red bean sweet soup for breakfast.

beans

 

Red Bean Goodness
They are rich in antioxidants, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B1, B2, B6 and packed with protein, folic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, selenium, Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, fiber , protein and energy including resistant starch.

Resistant starch seems to have several important benefits, like boosting the body’s ability to burn fat, helping you feel full, controlling blood sugars, and even reducing cancer risk.

1. Red Beans – wonderful source of antioxidants: red beans is one of the richest foods in antioxidants, even richer than blueberries or cherries, according to a study by researchers from the United States Department of Agriculture on 100 fruits, vegetables and nuts. Thus, Frequently consumption of red beans help your body fight free radicals and reduces the risk of cancer or other serious diseases, keeping your youth longer!

2. Red Beans – essential source of fiber: a cup of red beans provides half your daily requirement of fiber, which not only keeps the digestive system health, ease digestion and prevent constipation, but shrinks the cholesterol levels, lowering the risk associated with cardiovascular disease and regulate blood sugar levels.

3. Red Beans – a healthy alternative to meat: when you want a lighter meal or are in post, replacing the consumption of meat with red beans. Excellent source of protein, red beans will help to strengthen your body and muscles, to prevent cardiovascular disease and live a life full of energy! A cup of red beans is over 15 mg of healthy protein for your body
.
4. Red Beans – source of iron: let’s do a little test – keep your palm facing you and pull the fingers back. How pink are the lines of your palm ? If they are white, you may suffer from iron deficiency and red beans is a wonderful source of iron, low in calories and fat (as opposed to red meat). Pregnant women, children and teenagers need especially high intakes of iron, and a cup cover of red beans have 30% of the RDA.

5. Red Beans – for a great memory: source of thiamine (vitamin B1), red bean consumption stimulates attention and memory, is particularly beneficial during periods of intellectual overloaded, eliminate insomnia, combat depression, fatigue and anxiety and lowers Alzheimer’s risks .

Besides all the benefits mentioned above, regular consumption of red beans strengthens teeth and bones, can help you lose weight, lower the risk of heart attack and energize your whole body!

Another thing that I like about red beans is that they are very affordable, yet chock-full of goodness!

Share Button

Goodness Of Red Bean Sweet Soup

My Aunt Flow is here again for her monthly visits. As much as I resent her as she makes me moody, out-of-sync and lethargic, I know very soon I will miss having her around. Her absence will only mean that I have lost my youth and that it is time for me to embark on my next journey.

This month, I am more prepared to counter the aftermath of my Aunt Flow, which is torrential!  This always makes me feel very lethargic.  Hope that it is not a symptom of uterine fibroid. For three days straight, I have been buying red bean ‘tong sui’ (aka red bean sweet soup) from my regular ‘tong sui’ seller and have been eating it with fresh coconut milk for the extra kick and nutrition. The ‘tong sui’ seller knows that I love my red bean ‘tong sui’ with three huge scoops of coconut milk and she has never charged me extra for the delish coconut milk.

With a huge mug of red bean sweet soup topped with 3 huge scoops of santan, this can fill me up to lunch time.

 

red bean

 

If you have heavy menstrual flow like I do, you can increase your consumption of red beans during and after your menses as they are rich in iron and a host of other nutrients.

Check out my next post on how red beans can benefit you…

 

Share Button
post by admin | | 2

SWEETNESS OF MAPLE SYRUP !

Maple syrup is my latest love at breakfast!  I love drizzling maple syrup on my buttered bread slices.  I discovered my love for maple syrup by accident actually!  You see, there is this big bottle of maple syrup from Canada that my SIL gave me last year and I hardly ever use it as we hardly ever cook pancakes these days, ever since our helper returned home for good.  Since the maple syrup is near its expiration date, I have been drizzling it over my butter bread slices very often. The more I eat it, the more I am falling in love with this syrup that is full of goodness!

Sweet Facts On Maple Syrup:

It is a 100% natural, wholey organic food. There is no way to alter it
Maple Sugar is three times as sweet as cane sugar, AND it has few calories!
Maple Sugar is 100% pure. No reduction, processing or removal of anything
Maple Syrup contains manganese and zinc, natural antioxidents which are good for your immune system, male reproductive systems and helps prevent damage to the heart.

Five compounds have been found in maple syrup that have never been seen in nature before. Pure maple syrup has 20 known beneficial compounds for health and now researchers have discovered 34 more, five of which have never been found in nature before. The health benefits of maple syrup are even better than previously known and might help fight cancer, types 2 diabetes and infection.

Pure maple syrup tastes great, and it offers a myriad of health benefits. Here are just a few:

It’s an antioxidant powerhouse. Researchers at the University of Rhode Island found that maple syrup is filled with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds that may help prevent several chronic and inflammatory diseases like diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s. It also comes packed with phenolics — the beneficial antioxidant compounds in maple syrup — that may help diabetics keep their blood sugar levels balanced since phenolics inhibit the enzymes that are involved in the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar.
Here are more reasons why it’s good for us.

It settles digestion issues. Try swapping out sugar in baked-good recipes for maple syrup, and you may find that the usual gas and bloating you normally experience after consuming processed sweeteners is no longer an issue. If you do replace sugar with maple syrup, just be sure to reduce the amount of liquid the recipe calls for by about a half-cup.

It helps with muscle recovery. Real maple syrup is an excellent source of manganese, which helps repair muscle and cell damage; it also keeps bones strong and blood sugar levels normal.

It is filled with important nutrients. Maple syrup contains essential nutrients like zinc, iron, calcium, and potassium. Zinc not only supports reproductive health, but it also helps to keep your white blood cells up, which assist in the protection against colds and viruses.

As sweet as all of this sounds, keep in mind that at the end of the day, maple syrup is still just liquid sugar. Too much sugar intake can increase your risk of obesity, diabetes, unhealthy blood levels of fat and cholesterol, and high blood pressure, so regardless of its health benefits, be sure to use maple syrup in moderation.

Share Button