Category Archive: Healthy Food

November 22nd, 2009
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Goat’s Milk

The other day while I was on my way to pick my gals up from school, a lady in a car waved to me. I couldn’t see her face clearly and I waved back at her. I thought she was a friend of mine whom I couldn’t recognize. She then drove her car towards me, stopped the car, wound down the window and then passed me a leaflet. She told me that she distributes goat’s milk. I was astounded. That lady looked rich, she drove an expensive MPV and she was aggressive in marketing her goat’s milk, so much so that she would stop someone on the road to pass her a leaflet.

I gave the leaflet a reading and after reading it, I am now quite tempted to let Baby try goat’s milk.

According to the Journal of American Medicine, “Goat’s milk is the most complete food known.” It contains vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, trace elements, enzymes, protein and fatty acids that are utilized by your body with ease. In fact, your body can digest goat’s milk in just 20 minutes. It takes 2-3 hours to digest cow’s milk.

Goat’s milk is a very good source of calcium and the amino acid tryptophan. It is also a good source of protein, phosphorous, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and potassium. Perhaps the greatest benefit of goat’s milk, however, is that some people who cannot tolerate cow’s milk are able to drink goat’s milk without any problems. It is not clear from scientific research studies exactly why some people can better tolerate goat’s milk. Some initial studies suggested that specific proteins known to cause allergic reactions may have been present in cow’s milk in significant quantities yet largely absent in goat’s milk.

Goat’s milk can sometimes even be used as a replacement for cow’s milk-based infant formulas for infants who have difficulties with dairy products. Unfortunately, goat’s milk is lacking in several nutrients that are necessary for growing infants, so parents interested in trying goat’s milk instead of cow’s milk-based formula for their infants should ask their pediatricians or other qualified healthcare practitioners for recipes and ways to add these important and vital nutrients. For older children and adults, however, goat’s milk can be an excellent calcium-rich alternative to cow’s milk as, in addition to calcium, it contains many of the same nutrients found in cow’s milk.

Goat milk is as close to a perfect food as possible in nature. Its chemical structure is amazingly similar to mother’s milk. It is a complete protein containing all the essential amino acids without the heavy fat content and catarrh producing materials of cow’s milk.

The nutrient composition of goat milk is very different than that of cow’s milk. In addition to containing 13% more calcium than cow’s milk, goat milk also has 25% more vitamin B-6, 47% more vitamin A, 134% more potassium and 350% more niacin. Goat milk is also higher in chloride, copper and manganese and contains 27% more of the essential nutrient selenium. Goat milk contains none of the controversial Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH).

Is anyone feeding their toddler with goat milk? How does it taste and does it taste like cow’s milk?  I am gamed to let Baby try it.  Hopefully she likes it, so that I don’t have to painfully spoon-feed her with formula milk powder three times a day again.


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Goat's milk, Healthy Food
November 13th, 2009
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My Light And Healthy Lunch

When I am in no mood to cook a proper meal for the kids for lunch, they get to eat green tea noodles with cold cha soba sauce and fried eggs, sandwiches or toasts. As for me, I’ll either eat toasts and sandwiches (which are my favorites) or simple yoghurt with muesli and lots of nuts and seeds.

Here’s one of my lunches :

Anlene high calcium mixed berries yoghurt with muesli, cashew nuts, pine nuts and roasted almonds.

Anlene strawberry yoghurt with pine nuts, cashew nuts and almonds.

I know some of you will be saying “OMG, what yucky lunch! How can she swallow such stuff?” but I tell ya, it’s a matter of getting used to healthy eating.

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Healthy Food, Me
November 8th, 2009
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How Many Eggs Can We Eat?

I have always loved eggs. Eggs are inexpensive, contain the highest-quality protein on the planet and are loaded with small amounts of vital nutrients, including folate, riboflavin, selenium, B12, and choline. At 75 calories a piece, eggs are also a nutrient-dense food that makes a smart and low-calorie contribution to any menu.

I try to include an egg a day into my kids’ diet. For me, I have been eating an egg a day since aeons ago. A friend of mine who is trying very hard to conceive has been advised by her fertility specialist to consume up to 5 eggs a day!  I have always wondered if there is a limit to the number of eggs that we eat and whether eating too many eggs will have negative effects on our health, especially on our cholesterol level.  I did a google search and the information that I have gathered is EGG-citing :

New research shows that, contrary to previous belief, moderate consumption of eggs does not have a negative impact on cholesterol. In fact, recent studies have shown that regular consumption of two eggs per day does not affect a person’s lipid profile and may, in fact, improve it. Research suggests that it is saturated fat that raises cholesterol rather than dietary cholesterol.

1. Eggs are great for the eyes. According to one study, an egg a day may prevent macular degeneraton due to the carotenoid content, specifically lutein and zeaxanthin. Both nutrients are more readily available to our bodies from eggs than from other sources.

2. In another study, researchers found that people who eat eggs every day lower their risk of developing cataracts, also because of the lutein and zeaxanthin in eggs.

3. One egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein and all 9 essential amino acids.

4. According to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health, there is no significant link between egg consumption and heart disease. In fact, according to one study, regular consumption of eggs may help prevent blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks.

5. They are a good source of choline. One egg yolk has about 300 micrograms of choline. Choline is an important nutrient that helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system.

6. They contain the right kind of fat. One egg contains just 5 grams of fat and only 1.5 grams of that is saturated fat.

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

8. Eggs may prevent breast cancer. In one study, women who consumed at least 6 eggs per week lowered their risk of breast cancer by 44%.

9. Eggs promote healthy hair and nails because of their high sulphur content and wide array of vitamins and minerals. Many people find their hair growing faster after adding eggs to their diet, especially if they were previously deficient in foods containing sulphur or B12.

Thanks to more recent research, we now know the cholesterol in food has little effect on our blood cholesterol levels. What really affects blood cholesterol is the amount of saturated fat we eat. This means if you need to lower your cholesterol, the most important thing you can do is cut down on the amount of foods you eat that contain saturates, such as fatty meats, full-fat milk, butter, lard, cream, pastry, cakes and biscuits. Eating more fruit, vegetables and foods such as oats and pulses, which contain a type of fibre called soluble fibre can also help to lower cholesterol.

Thanks to this new found knowledge, the Food Standards Agency doesn’t recommend limiting the number of eggs you eat, unless your GP or a dietitian has specifically advised you to do this. This is great news for slimmers as eggs contain just 85 calories each but are packed with nutrients including protein, zinc, iron, iodine and vitamins A, D, E and some B vitamins (see chart below).

See, eggs are such a wonderful food that are bursting with nutrients. Forget about your expensive high-protein drink mix, just pop an egg a day and cook it any how you want it  – poach, steamed, hard-boiled, half-boiled, omelette, scrambled, fried, you name it. But go easy on the oil and butter.

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Healthy Food, Nutritional Information On Food
October 28th, 2009
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Getting Mushy Over Mushrooms

I have always loved mushrooms, especially fresh ones – shiitake, enoki, oyster, portabella, ear wood, cloud wood and just about any type of edible mushrooms. Of course not all mushrooms are edible. Most mushrooms you find growing in the jungle or in your garden are poisonous. Of my 3 gals, Alycia is the only one whom I can never force her swallow any type of mushroom for she will puke!  Baby the health freak baby takes on mushrooms very well.  Sherilyn is really mushy over mushrooms and she polished off almost the entire plate of this fresh mushrooms, which I had cooked with tofu pok, minced garlic and fermented soy bean paste:


When we stopped her from eating further mushrooms, she made sure that I reserved that plate of mushrooms for her the following day! The next day over dinner, I thought she had forgotten all about this plate of mushrooms but I was wrong. She asked for it!

Next time you are in the produce aisle of the supermarket, pick up an immune booster—the mushroom. The health benefits associated with this edible fungus are numerous and wide-ranging. Mushrooms are high in antioxidants, selenium, riboflavin and other healthful substances that protect the immune system and may even fight cancer, according to a session at the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Food Expo in New Orleans this past July.

Mushrooms are low in carbohydrates, calories and sodium and are cholesterol and fat free! They are high in riboflavin and contain as much fiber as 1 medium tomato. They are also a good source of niacin, pantothenate and copper.

Shiitake mushrooms have been used for centuries by the Chinese and Japanese to treat colds and flu. Lentinan, a beta-glucan isolated from the fruiting body of shiitake mushrooms, appears to stimulate the immune system, help fight infection, and demonstrates anti-tumor activity.

While medicinal mushrooms have been used in China and Japan for more than 3,000 years to boost immunity and fight diseases such as cancer, only in the last decade has their power begun to be recognized in the United States. In more scientific terms, a number of compounds in fungi have been found to stimulate the function of the immune system, inhibit tumor growth and boost intestinal flora. Particularly, mushroom substances called terpenoids help kill bacteria and viruses and exert anti-inflammatory effects, while complex chain-like sugars called polysaccharides have been shown to exert antitumor and immuno-stimulating properties. – The Natural Foods Merchandiser, March 2005

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Healthy Food
October 26th, 2009
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Goji Berries

One of Baby’s favorite food is keiji / wolfberries / Goji berries. I normally toss a handful of goji berries into her porridge and soup. I use goji berries to steam chicken too and the chicken dish tastes really good. She can eat about 6-8 berries from her soup in one sitting. I guess she likes the sweetness from the berries. Some people eat dried goji berries on its own, without cooking them, like how they would eat dried cranberries or raisins. I’ve tried eating them straight from fridge and they taste very much like dried cranberries.

The goji berry contains 19 different kinds of amino acids and 21 trace minerals. In addition, the wolfberry has more beta carotene than a carrot, nearly as much vitamin C as an orange and almost as much protein as bee pollen.

Goji berries are rich in antioxidants, particularly carotenoids such as beta-carotene and zeaxanthin. One of zeaxanthin’s key roles is to protect the retina of the eye by absorbing blue light and acting as an antioxidant. In fact, increased intake of foods containing zeathanthin may decrease the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in people over the age of 65.

Goji berries have been used for 6,000 years by herbalists in China, Tibet and India. Here are the health benefits of goji berries:

Strong Bones and Teeth
The high amounts of calcium in the goji berry make it useful for building strong teeth and bones. It also helps to protect and preserve tissues, keeping them safe from damage and disease.

Enhance Vitamin Intake
The riboflavin in the goji berry works to help the body receive all the other vitamins and minerals taken in. It is required to helps breakdown these vitamins and process them into usable enzymes the body can then administer through the bloodstream.

Immune Booster
Goji berry is a powerful antioxidant that can work to boost the immune system by seeking out harmful free radicals and toxins. By purging these from the system, it helps to prevent sickness and disease as it bolsters the body’s natural defenses.

Eye Health
Goji berry can help promote proper eye function. By aiding in tissue repair and lowering stress levels, it can help to preserve the eyes and keep them in working order.

Anti-Inflammatory
Goji berry is an anti-inflammatory which works to curb certain inflammations in the body. Swelling and the pains of arthritis can be helped by the calming effects it contains. Additionally, respiratory problems, such as the common cold, are lessened.

Anti-Aging
As an antioxidant, goji berry works to combat oxidation of the cells, which can cause premature aging of the skin. It slows the process, lessening fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in younger looking skin.

Anti-Fatigue
Goji berry can work to combat the signs of fatigue through its ability to help energy production in the body. It helps to hasten the metabolism, resulting in balanced energy levels throughout the day.

For longevity

Possible drug interactions
Goji berries may interact with anticoagulant drugs (commonly called “blood-thinners”), such as warfarin (Coumadin®). There was one case report published in the journal Annals of Pharmacotherapy of a 61-year old woman who had an increased risk of bleeding, indicated by an elevated international normalized ratio (INR). She had been drinking 3-4 cups daily of goji berry tea. Her blood work returned to normal after discontinuing the goji berry tea.

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Cassandra, Healthy Food
October 22nd, 2009
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Chrysanthemum Tea

I boiled a pot of chrysanthemum tea for everyone today since everyone has been having chesty cough. Plus, we have been gorging on durians for the past 2 days, Baby inclusive! My 3 girls love durians and it’s in their blood coz their daddy, mummy and grandparents all love durians!  And yes, the durian season is back again!

My pot of chrysanthemum tea boiled with ‘kam choa’ (Chinese licorice).  Chinese licorice tonifies the spleen and benefits Qi, moistens the lungs and stops coughing and therefore it is good in treating upper respiratory ailments. It has an anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effect. It reduces the toxicity of many substances including nicotine and caffeine.
Sometimes I’ll toss in a handful of ‘keiji’ (goji berries or wolfberries) into my pot of chrysanthemum tea. Goji berry is another super food and I’ll write another post on it soon.

Health Benefits Of Drinking Chrysanthemum Tea
Chrysanthemum tea is known by the Chinese to be cooling and good for expelling ‘heatiness’ and toxic materials from the body. This is recommended whenever we have had too much fried, baked and barbequed foods. It is also good for relieving dizziness, migraines, gummy eyes, painful gums, slight toothache and headaches. Chrysanthemum tea can aid in digestion when the tea is taken along with meals.

Drinking Chrysanthemum tea can also help reduce shortness of breath and strengthen the lungs. The cooling effect of the tea can also treat heat-related illnesses such as fever, flu and sore throat. Regular consumption aids in the removal of toxins trapped in the lungs as well as breakdown of mucous formation. Chrysanthemum flowers also make a great rinse for red, swollen and irritated eyes.


I prefer to buy this type of chrysanthemum flowers, which are small compressed flowers, than the bigger flowers.


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Health Tea, Healthy Food
October 7th, 2009
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Delicious, Healthy Tofu

Weight watchers, you’ll love this tofu dish. No cooking is required. You don’t even need to heat up the tofu, though you can if you want to if you have young kids eating. It can be eaten chilled, direct from the fridge. All you need is a pack of firm tofu (I use Anzen organic tofu), Japanese Cha Soba sauce (cold sauce for Japanese green tea noodles) and some toasted sesame seeds (toasted sesame seeds are really aromatic and healthy too).  Would be even tastier if you toss in some chopped spring onions.  Total preparation time is under 5 minutes! My 3 kids absolutely loved it, including Baby C. Something so simple can be so tasty!

This is my organic tofu with Cha Soba sauce and toasted organic sesame seeds:

I heated the tofu up because my kids were eating them. If I were to eat it myself, I’ll eat it chilled and it’s really very, very refreshing, soothing and tasty, as if I were slurping in chilled tofu far or bean curd. If this is a tad too bland for you, you can fry some shallots or dried shrimps or fry some minced meat and put it on the tofu. Sprinkle some chopped fresh spring onions and add in some soy sauce and you’ll get a real tasty and wholesome dish.

Food For Thought:

Heart Health
Proponents of tofu for heart health point to the low incidence of heart disease in populations that consume tofu regularly, such as in Asia. The soy protein and isoflavones in tofu are considered a powerful cholesterol fighters – studies show that regular tofu consumption can lead to up to a 30% drop in overall cholesterol. Tofu is believed to lower LDL, or bad, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, strong indicators of heart disease. One serving of tofu also contains 15% of the daily requirement of omega-3 fatty acids, a heart-healthy substance normally found in fish. These fatty acids not only improve cholesterol but are also believed to aid in helping blood to clot properly.

Menopause Hormone Balance
The isoflavones in tofu act as a form of estrogen in the body, and have been shown to be beneficial to women in both peri-menopause and menopause. In peri-menopause, some believe that the plant estrogen in tofu can help the body regulate the dramatic fluctuations of the hormone during this time. When estrogen levels are low in menopause, isoflavones can help maintain hormone levels and fend off estrogen loss. The body’s supply of estrogen affects many potential health conditions, including osteoporosis, breast cancer and gynecological cancers, so regulating this hormone is of vital importance to women.

Prostate Health
The same isoflavones that protect women in menopause can be beneficial in fending off prostate cancer in men. Studies have shown that isoflavones can help slow prostate cancer growth and protect against enlargement of the prostate gland.

Strong Muscles and Energy
One 4 ounce serving of tofu packs 18% of an adult’s daily requirement for protein, and protein is crucial in building muscle. That same 4 ounce serving also contains one-third of the daily requirement of iron, as well as strong doses of antioxidants manganese, copper and selenium. These nutrients contribute to maintaining energy levels. Anti-oxidents are also believed to help prevent against a myriad of cancers by protecting DNA.

Bone Health
Tofu is a good source of dietary calcium, protecting against bone weakness, loss, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. A single serving delivers 10% of the daily value for calcium, yet has less calories than many dairy products.

Weight Loss
Because tofu packs so many nutrients into a serving of between 70-100 calories, it can be a great part of a weight loss regimen or a way to maintain a healthy weight. It delivers the protein benefits of meat while still being low in saturated fat and sodium.

With all these health benefits, tofu isn’t just for vegetarians anymore. Adding tofu to your diet, in moderation, can improve your overall well-being and help protect against serious health problems.

The extract of this health information was obtained from www.essortment.com/lifestyle/foodinformation_ttwz.htm

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Healthy Food
September 25th, 2009
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Nutrients-Packed Almonds

I have been nuts over almonds ever since I went on a high protein-low carb diet 8 years ago, due to PCOS. Almonds are my all-time favorite snack, apart from walnuts, hazelnuts, cashew nuts, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.  I love roasted almonds but they are not as healthy as raw almonds as the beneficial almond oil would have been destroyed in the heat during roasting.

Almonds are one of the most nutritious nuts. One teeny ounce of almonds contains 12 percent of your daily allowance of protein. And there is absolutely no cholesterol. You’ll also get 35 percent of your daily allowance of vitamin E, that valuable antioxidant with so many cancer-fighting qualities. And most of the fat in almonds is monounsaturated, also known as the “good” fat.

I bought a tub of ground almond the other day.  I would sprinkle it on my toasts, my eggs and on Baby’s eggs and porridge too.

This little super nut is also loaded with minerals like magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, folic acid and zinc, as well as lots of healthy fiber.

Of all the newly discovered benefits of almonds, one of the most exciting is the potential they may have to reduce cancer risks. Many of the nutrients found in almonds are believed to have positive effects on several different types of cancer. The monounsaturated fat in almonds may have a positive impact in the reduction of colon cancer. The phytochemicals in almonds can also inhibit tumor cell growth. A one-ounce serving of almonds provides more than 35 percent of your daily value of vitamin E. Many studies suggest this powerful antioxidant may protect against prostate and cervical cancers.

Reduce Heart Attack Risk – A Loma Linda School of Public Health study showed those who consumed nuts five times a week had a 50% reduction in risk of heart attack.

Lower Cholesterol –  almonds added to the diet have a favorable effect on blood cholesterol.

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Healthy Food, Nutritional Information Of Nuts
September 19th, 2009
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Crispy Seaweed Rice Puff

This is Baby’s new favorite snack :

Crispy rice puff with seaweed and sesame.  This was purchased from an organic shop.

The ingredients of the crispy seaweed rice puff:

Baby loves it so much she can chomp down 4-5 balls in one sitting. 

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Healthy Food, Snacks
September 4th, 2009
post by admin | | 42

Healthy Snacks

Munching on nuts and seeds is the healthiest snacking ever, for both adults and kids. I was at Village Grocer and bought these:

Pine nuts. Cost almost RM20 for a small box. Freaking expensive!

Walnuts. This brand of sugar-free roasted walnuts produced by VitaWide Trading is by far the tastiest – the walnuts are really crunchy and there is no rancid taste. It’s pretty hard to buy sugar-free walnuts that taste fresh and crunchy. What turns me off is biting on a walnut that is bitter and has a rancid smell.  Walnuts that are dark colored are normally bitter and taste rancid.

BTW, did you know that cold is the walnuts’ best storage friend? Walnuts go rancid when exposed to warm temperatures for long periods of time. Refrigerator storage is good, but if you have larger quantities, freezer storage is best. Walnuts from opened packages keep well for up to six months when they are cold (refrigerator) stored in sealed containers. Walnuts are good to eat when opened for up to a year when kept in the freezer.

Fresh walnuts smell mildly nutty and taste sweet. If your walnuts smell like paint thinner, you know they’re rancid. And if they’re rancid, you should throw them away!

Even my health freak Baby C likes nibbling on walnuts (cut into small pieces).

This is Baby’s bowl of snack consisting of pine nuts and cranberries, cut into small bite size. Young toddlers choke easily on nuts and dried fruits like raisins and cranberries, so be really watchful when you feed them these. Make sure the nuts and dried fruits are cut into really small pieces and let them eat under your watchful eyes. Baby C had choked on the cranberries twice and puked, though I’d cut them into really small pieces. I was spoon-feeding her milk and she was nibbling on the cranberries.

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Healthy Food
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