Category Archive: Interesting Information

I have always soaked my beans before cooking them. Sometimes when I have a sudden craving to have red beans tong sui, I will pour the beans right away into the pot (after rinsing the beans) and cook the tong sui without soaking the beans. I have always thought that the main purpose why we should soak the beans is to soften them, thus this cuts down on cooking time, gas or electricity. But there is more to soaking beans…

There is some dispute over whether or not soaking beans before cooking is necessary and there are certainly some advantages to taking this step.  There are also some distinct advantages to using soaked beans rather than dried ones that you may want to consider when preparing bean recipes.

Whether or not you soak beans, it is essential to wash and pick through them before using them. Otherwise, you may cook in pieces of gravel, twigs, insects, bugs and other objects from the field the beans were grown. It helps to rinse beans in a large colander, allowing them to spread out as you rinse them so that you can pick out any foreign objects. That is how I wash my beans and grains — in a colander or a small stainless steel sieve.  If you plan to soak the beans, cover them in warm water, changing the water every now and then until the beans have swelled to twice their original size.  Or you can also simply leave them in filtered water overnight.

The primary reason people soak beans is to cut down on cooking time. Beans that have been soaked cook in much less time than dried beans do, saving energy in the cooking process along with time. In addition, by slowly allowing the beans to fill with water, you will encourage them to cook all the way through, rather than cooking on the outside while the middle remains raw and hard. Soaked beans are also less likely to fall apart during the cooking process.

Some people also believe that the longer you cook beans, the less nutritional value they have. It is true that heat damages some essential vitamins and minerals, but the beans will still be extremely nutritious. You should also simmer the beans slowly, rather than boiling them, to encourage gentle, even cooking without burning.02

All of the above reasons are pretty strong arguments to soak beans, but there’s a clincher: soaking helps to break down the sugars in beans that your body finds hard to digest. These sugars are the root cause of the gastrointestinal symptoms that are infamously associated with beans, and by soaking them before cooking them, you can drastically reduce gas, bloating, and other discomfort.

When you soak beans in water, you will see froth /scum on top of the water. What is all that scum?  They are anti-nutrients.  And those anti-nutrients such as phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors are going to be in your guts causing you gas, heartburn, reflux and whatever other digestive ills beset you when you eat something that isn’t particularly digestible unless you soak your beans before cooking them.

If you are running out of time to soak your beans overnight, you can have a “power soak” method, which is just pre-boiling the beans for two minutes.  Once you have finished the two-minute boil, you let the beans stand for about one hour. In that time, some of the more complex sugars that may…contribute to gastrointestinal distress after eating, dissolve in the water, which is then discarded prior to cooking the beans. After the hour’s rest, your beans will be ready to use in any recipe, as though it had been soaking for hours.

So the next time before you plan to cook a beans dessert or soup, do soak the beans first!

Today I found a punnet of fresh portobello mushrooms in the fridge. It has been sitting there for over a week. My MIL bought it but she is now away for a few days and would not be cooking it for the next few days.  So I decided to cook mushrooms omelet with it.  As I took the punnet of mushrooms out from the fridge, I noticed that the plastic cling wrap on the punnet was very oily. When I removed the plastic cling wrap, the mushrooms felt extremely slimy. Even after washing them under running water and soaking them, the mushrooms felt unusually slimy and I knew something wasn’t right!  Flashes of news that I had read in the past on fatal food poisoning of the entire family caused by consumption of fresh mushrooms  started to make me feel peevish and I was doubtful if I should really cook those mushrooms. I felt that it was really wasteful to bin the mushrooms that cost over RM10 but what is RM10 for buying peace of mind?  Since I wanted to know if it was safe to eat mushrooms that have turned slimy, I did what I normally would do to get the answer!   I raced to my computer and tapped…

This was what I found from eHow.com on ‘How To Know If Mushrooms Are Bad’

1) Look at the mushroom. Mushrooms should have evenly-colored flesh. Avoid using mushrooms if the skin is mushy, spotted or shriveled.

2) Feel the mushroom. Heavy, firm-fleshed mushrooms are ideal. The mushroom should be dry and relatively clean. Avoid mushrooms that have a slimy coating around them.

3) Look at the gills. Flip a mushroom over and look to see if the gills are open. Closed gills indicate mushrooms are young, while open gills signify that mushrooms are older. If the mushroom has shriveled or wet gills, they have spoiled.

Read more: How to Know if Mushrooms Are Bad | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_8456104_mushrooms-bad.html#ixzz2Pfo1MRq8

After reading this, I dumped the entire pack of mushrooms into the bin and cooked scrambled eggs with milk and herbs.   I felt so much relieved after getting the confirmation.

Sea salt and table salt have the same basic nutritional value, despite the fact that sea salt is often marketed as a more natural and healthy alternative. The most notable differences between sea salt and table salt are in their taste, texture and processing.Sea salt is produced through evaporation of ocean water or water from saltwater lakes, usually with little processing. Depending on the water source, this leaves behind certain trace minerals and elements. The minerals add flavor and color to sea salt, which also comes in a variety of coarseness levels.

Table salt is typically mined from underground salt deposits. Table salt is more heavily processed to eliminate minerals and usually contains an additive to prevent clumping. Most table salt also has added iodine, an essential nutrient that helps maintain a healthy thyroid.

By weight, sea salt and table salt contain the same amount of sodium.

Regardless of which type of salt you prefer, limit total sodium to less than 2,300 milligrams a day — or 1,500 milligrams if you:

Answer from Mayoclinic.com

Leftovers can be kept for three to four days in the refrigerator. Be sure to eat them within that time. After that the the risk of food poisoning increases. If you don’t think you’ll be able to eat leftovers within four days, freeze them immediately.

Food poisoning — also called foodborne illness — is caused by harmful organisms, such as bacteria in contaminated food. Because bacteria typically don’t change the taste, smell or look of food, you can’t tell whether a food is dangerous to eat. So if you’re in doubt about a food’s safety, it’s best to throw it out.

Fortunately, most cases of food poisoning can be prevented with proper food handling. To practice food safety, quickly refrigerate perishable foods, such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy and eggs — don’t let them sit more than two hours at typical room temperature or more than one hour at temperatures above 90 F (32 C).

Uncooked foods, such as cold salads or sandwiches, also should be eaten or refrigerated promptly. Your goal is to minimize the time a food is in the “danger zone” — between 40 and 140 F (4 and 60 C) — when bacteria can quickly multiply.

When you’re ready to eat leftovers, reheat them on the stove, in the oven or in the microwave until the internal temperature reaches 165 F (74 C). Because they may not get hot enough, slow cookers and chafing dishes aren’t recommended for reheating leftovers.

Answer from Mayoclinic.com

I am a coffee lover. I need my cuppa in the morning to kick start my long day.  Sherilyn and Cass love coffee too.   On days where they need some coffee boost to jump start their mood, I will add a pinch of instant coffee (less than 1/4 teaspoon) into their fresh milk.  That will normally do the trick! And no, they did not get a caffeine rush. Instead, the caffeine will set them in a cheery mood and the milk will be gulped down in just a jiffy.

Food For Thought:

Coffee has a long history of being blamed for many ills — from the humorous “It will stunt your growth” to the not-so-humorous claim that it causes heart disease and cancer. But recent research indicates that coffee may not be so bad after all. So which is it — good or bad? The best answer may be that for most people the health benefits outweigh the risks.

Recent studies have generally found no connection between coffee and an increased risk of cancer or heart disease. Why the apparent reversal in the thinking about coffee? Earlier studies didn’t always take into account that known high-risk behaviors, such as smoking and physical inactivity, tended to be more common among heavy coffee drinkers at that time.

However, the research appears to bear out some risks. High consumption of unfiltered coffee is associated with mild elevations in cholesterol levels. And another study found that two or more cups of coffee a day can increase the risk of heart disease in people with a specific — and fairly common — genetic mutation that slows the breakdown of caffeine in the body. So, how quickly you metabolize coffee may affect your health risk.

Newer studies have also shown that coffee may have benefits, such as protecting against Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes and liver cancer. And it has a high content of antioxidants. But this doesn’t mean you should disregard the old maxim “Everything in moderation.” Although coffee may not be very harmful, other beverages such as milk and juice contain nutrients that coffee does not. Also, keep in mind that coffee accompaniments such as cream and sugar add fat and calories to your diet. Finally, heavy caffeine use — on the order of four to seven cups of coffee a day — can cause problems such as restlessness, anxiety, irritability and sleeplessness, particularly in susceptible individuals.

Article extracted from mayoclinic.com

I fired my very first maid 10 years ago when I found out that she poured urine into my drinking water in what she thought could have ‘charmed’ me. I almost drank it but stopped to have a sniff when I smelled something foul in my water. Last week, there was an article in the newspapers on an elderly couple. I was reading the article with much interest until I read the part on the secrets to their longevity and vitality. The couple extolled the benefits of drinking their own urine. In the interview with the couple, the grand old dame revealed that she and her husband woke up at 4am every morning to pee… and then to drink their own urine and dab a few drops onto their face and eyes before going back to sleep! I was shocked to have read that and felt nauseated. Isn’t urine confined to only the toilet bowl or at most poured onto the soil as natural fertilizer for plants, like what my late maternal grandma did? I have heard of victims stranded in the jungle and under the rubble after an earth quake who survived only on their own urine. I never really gave it a thought about its life saving benefits until I decided to google search more on this subject of drinking one’s own urine.

Foul Food For Thought:
For its advocates, it is a miraculous elixir that has replaced the morning coffee as their first drink of the day; for most other people, it is bodily waste that should strictly confined to the toilet bowl. But is drinking one’s own urine really as good for you as its fans believe?

Last week, British hiker Paul Beck was stranded in the Spanish mountains for six days – and survived by drinking his own urine. The 33-year-old slipped and dislocated his hip while walking. As he waited for rescuers to find him, he tried to exist on powdered chocolate and raw oats, but eventually resorted to urinating into a cup and drinking a few drops a day. He said: “It was pretty awful but in all I did it around five times to keep myself hydrated.”

And last year, yachtsmen Mark Smith and Steven Freeman spent 11 days stranded in the South China Sea after their boat capsized and put their survival down to urine.

But apart from possibly helping to keep one alive in extreme circumstances, is drinking urine really good for your health?

Auto-urine therapy, or urotherapy as it is sometimes known, dates back to several ancient cultures and even, arguably, the Bible. Egyptian medical texts and Chinese and Indian documents mention the benefits of drinking one’s urine, while the Aztecs used it to disinfect wounds.

Contrary to popular perception, urine is not a by-product of the body’s waste disposal system but of blood filtration. Nutrient-filled blood passes through the liver, where toxins are removed and excreted as solid waste. The purified blood then goes through another filtering process via the kidneys, where components for which the body has no immediate use are collected in a sterile, watery solution. For that reason, it is highly sterile, consisting of 95 per cent water and five per cent nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, proteins, antibodies and other beneficial ingredients.

Advocates of auto-urine therapy believe that this combination can help cure everything from the common cold to cancer, boosting energy levels and sexual performance along the way. While the practice has always been popular in China, India and South-east Asia, a small but growing band of Western fans are also downing a daily dose. Books with titles such as The Golden Fountain all extol the virtues of urine.

One of the prime movers in the movement, Martha Christy (author of Your Own Perfect Medicine) says that the first toilet visit of the day is the most beneficial. She recommends a regime beginning with five drops of “fresh morning urine” under the tongue before gradually increasing the dosage to as much as a cupful, morning and night. Urine can also be used as eye and ear drops, for gargling with or in the bath.

Ms Christy, who claims that drinking urine cured her of a host of medical problems, says that doctors have deliberately not highlighted the benefits of auto-urine therapy because there are no profits in it for them.

But there is little firm proof for the claims made about the therapy and medical experts have remained unconvinced. Dr Michael Stroud, an expert in nutrition at Southampton University and who has been in many extreme situations during his record-breaking expeditions with explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, says that people who believe that their urine can cure them of Aids and improve their complexions are “daft as brushes”.

Sceptics have even poured cold water on the theory that it can save lives on the high seas or frozen mountain tops. They say that the concentration of nutrients such as sodium will take more water to get rid of than is present in urine – meaning it will dehydrate you rather than helping to keep you hydrated.

Helen Andrews, of the British Dietetic Association, said: “There are no health benefits to drinking your own urine, and in fact I think it could be quite detrimental. Each time you put it back it will come out again even more concentrated and that is not good for health as it could damage the gut. If you are stranded, your body will try to conserve as much water as it can. Drinking your urine would be like drinking seawater.”

Perhaps the last word should be left to that embracer of all things alternative, Jennifer Saunders’ character Eddy in the sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. “It’s urine therapy darling; it’s not to be sniffed at.”

Bring your own – the guide to urotherapy
* Urine is 95 per cent water, but it also contains small quantities of nutrients including calcium, folic acid, iron, magnesium and zinc.

* The actress Sarah Miles is an aficionado of drinking her own urine, while the author JD Salinger was also a fan.

* Self-urine therapy dates back 5,000 years to ancient India, where it was known as “shivambu shastra” and seen as a way of rejuvenating body and soul.

* Male porcupines use their urine to soften the female’s quills before mating, while vultures urinate on their legs to cool themselves.

* Advocates claim it has antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral and anticancer properties.

* Research in the 1990s claimed that drinking urine could cure jet lag.

* It is highly sterile. The Aztecs used it to prevent wounds becoming infected.

* The practice is particularly popular in China, where millions of people drink a daily dose of their own urine.

* In Cameroon, people were banned from drinking their own urine in 2003 amid health concerns. They were warned that transgressors would be prosecuted.

* Some fans believe the Bible recommends urine therapy. A verse in Proverbs advises: “Drink waters from thy own cistern, flowing water from thy own well.

Article extracted from http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/urine-the-bodys-own-health-drink-467303.html

After reading this, are you prepared just yet to have a sip or two of your own pee??

Alycia had her first taste of chewing gum when she was 6yo last year. It was my dad who bought her some chewing gums when we went back to Ipoh. Since then, she has been hooked on chewing gums. I did not quite like the idea of her chewing on sweet gums until I read an interesting article from The Reader’s Digest on the health benefits of chewing gum. Now, whenever Alycia does her homework, she will be chewing on a piece of gum to increase her focus, alertness, concentration and to improve her memory!

Alycia’s favorite chewing gums, which I used to heart when I was her age!

Food For Thought
Article extracted from www.chewinggumfacts.com

New research is indicating that chewing gum offers the surprising health benefits. However, there are no standard benefits on everyone. Each person is a unique, individual and will have different responses to chewing gum.

The results of scientific research indicate chewing gum may be good for a number of things that include: improve memory, stress reduction, increase focus, alertness and concentration, manage weight, improve oral health and etc.

Chewing gum improves memory
Psychologists say, the chewing gum can help in improving memory and enhance cognitive powers. They found that people who chewed throughout tests produced significantly better scores than people who did not. There are a number of potential explanations for that.

The act of continuous chewing or moving of our jaw actually improves our memory. The activity in the area of our brain that is important for memory (the hippocampus) increases while people chew. Some research shows that insulin receptors in the hippocampus may be involved in memory. Chewing gum increases the glucose level which is body-and-mind fuel.

Chewing gum increases blood flow to the brain. Increased heart rate improves oxygen delivery to the brain which can enhance our cognitive powers. Some studies have reported that blood flow to the brain increases by as much as 25 percent to 40 percent during gum chewing. Also the act of chewing speeds up our heartbeat and blood pressure just enough to wake up both left-and right hemispheres to work together.

Chewing gum produces more oxygen, more glucose and disposal of more CO2. This is way chewing gum improves memory.

Chewing gum reduces symptoms of stress
Some teachers encourage students to chew gum during tests to help increase alertness and concentration. Psychiatrists and psychologists believe that chewing gum reduce tension and help to release nervous energy. Chewing gum may provide an outlet for frustration and irritation.

Recent research has shown that the rhythmic motion of chewing gum has a stress-reducing effect because relaxed and satisfied feelings.

Chewing gum helping to manage weight
With low calorie count (5 to 10 per serving), chewing gum is an inexpensive snack. According to some studies the adults who chewed the gum ate 36 calories less of the snack than adults who did not chew gum. Both regular and sugar free chewing gum helped the adults to eat less.

The physical act of gum chewing may help to reduce your cravings for high calorie snacks. According to a group of scientists chewing gum can burn about 11 calories per hour.
Chewing gum improves digestion

Chewing gum helps to improve intestinal motility, also helps to increase saliva flow which promotes more frequent swallowing. This helps to prevent reflux of acid from the stomach back into the throat.
Chewing gum improves oral health
Watermelon Chewing Gums

The results of scientific research demonstrate that chewing gum is good for oral health and teeth specifically. Chewing gum increases saliva, which is the most important component of oral health and powerful protector of the oral cavity.

Stimulated saliva corrects a potentially harmful environment using its high concentration of buffers, minerals and antibacterial components. That helps to flush sugars, food debris and decay-causing acids out of the mouth.

Sugar free chewing gum has a number of dental benefits. Sugar free chewing gum doesn’t cause tooth decay. It demineralises tooth enamel and has an antimicrobial effect. Those who chewed sugar free gum after eating had fewer cavities than those who did not.

Chewing gum freshens breath, whitens teeth by reducing stains and preventing stains from accumulating and reduces plaque.
Others benefits of chewing gum

Some people become more attentive and feel more alert when they chew gum. Chewing can take away sleepiness. Chewing gum that is sweetened with xylito doesn’t raise blood sugar. Also chewing gum has good taste.

As remind there is no standard effect on everyone. Therefore it is difficult to make a general rule that applies to everyone.