Category Archive: Nutritional Information On Food

December 3rd, 2009

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Crazy Over Edible Fungus

Sherilyn my pernickety eater who does not fancy eating veggie and meat much surprised me about 2 years ago (when she was about 2.5 years old) when she showed keen interest in eating mushrooms and edible fungus. Well, I’d say not many 2.5 year olds would like the texture and taste of mushrooms and edible fungus like moke yue (wood ear fungus) and wan yue (cloud ear fungus) but my wierdo toddler was hooked on them. Whenever there is a dish that has fresh mushrooms, wood ear fungus or cloud ear fungus cooked with it, she will surely polish off every mushy and jelly-like black stuff in the dish, so much that she’d puke them all out, during her younger days. Now that she’s a little older, she has outgrown her puking phase. I used to call her Spitty-Spat as she spat a lot during meal times and Miss Pukey Sherilyn as she puked super easily during meal times and at night (around 12 midnight and I thought it was jinx!)

My fussy eater helping herself to a plate piled up with wood ear fungus. She singled out most of the fungus from the plate of stir-fried gourd dish with pork and fungus.

I’m glad that this brat loves mushrooms and fungus as they are packed with nutrients and disease-fighting properties. Here’s a little information on the black edible fungus (wood ear fungus and cloud ear fungus):

Its translucent brownish beige flesh is gelatinous but firm, crunchy and relatively tasteless. They absorb the liquid in which they are cooked and take on the taste of the other ingredients.

Also known as cloud ear, tree ear, wood fungus, mouse ear, and jelly mushroom. It grows rapidly on a variety of woods including mango and kapok. Wood ear is prized in Chinese cuisine for its crunchy texture. It is sweet in flavor, mild in nature and absorbs the seasonings it is cooked with.

Nutrition Information:
Wood ears are rich in protein. Each 100g contains 10.6 protein, 357 mg calcium, 201 mg phosphorus, 185 mg iron. It also contains carotene, vitamins B1 and B2, mannan, glucuronic acid, lecithin, and cephalin.

Health Benefits:
A very good blood tonic, contains 7 times as much iron as pig’s liver. It has a reputation in Chinese herbal medicine for increasing the fluidity of the blood and improving circulation. It is given to patients who suffer from atherosclerosis. Recent reports reveal that constant consumption of this fungus is also helpful for the prevention of tumors.

It is also low in calories and are therefore a useful food to include in weight-loss diets.

Nutritional Information On Food, Sherilyn

November 19th, 2009

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Health Benefits Of Cordyceps

Last night, we had a very scrumptious soup. My mil double boiled abalone with some lean pork, Chinese wolfberries and ‘toong choong choa’ or cordyceps. That pot of soup cost a fortune as 2 of the ingredients used were really expensive – the abalone and the cordyceps.

Cordycep is a type of fungus mushroom. The fungus mushroom is a product from a type of fungus which parasites upon the larvae of the Chongcao bat moth and forms a fungus/larva composite body which takes five to seven years to complete its life cycle! I never knew that cordycep is a type of fungus. All the while, I had thought that it is a kind of root, just like ginseng because it tastes very much like ginseng.

Due to its scarcity and high price, cordyceps were once reserved exclusively for the Emperor’s Palace in China. For generations, cordyceps have been considered the premier agent in the Chinese culture for:

* helping the body build strength, endurance and stamina.
* offers energizing support to people experiencing fatigue.
* aids the upper respiratory tract and promotes healthy lung function.
* supporting male potency and female vitality.
* supporting the kidneys.
* helping the body maintain proper blood viscosity.
* Has properties similar to those of ginseng.

The other day while I was at a Cosway outlet, I saw cordycep pills on the display shelf. I was really tempted to buy a bottle for myself and my 2 older gals since all of use were having cough and phlegm. My mum who recently developed asthma (yes, she only developed asthma at a ripe old age of 60+ years old!) has been popping cordycep pills and her asthma is now under control.

Cordyceps show good results in fighting against cough, chronic bronchitis and asthma, since it relaxes bronchial walls and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Enhancing and strengthening of the immune system. Cordyceps is supposed to increase the number of the Natural Killer Cells, which are responsible for the body defense against viruses and bacteria. Some trials show that the fungus works effectively in the leukemia stricken individuals.

Improving sexual function in men and increasing libido by stimulating the production of sex hormones. Cordyceps may also be a means for fighting female infertility.

Building muscles and improving physical performance. Those Chinese athletes, who use Cordyceps, tend to show better results than the other sportsmen.

Providing anti-aging and fatigue reducing effects. The fungus works as an antioxidant and increases cellular formation, especially in the elderly patients. It also promotes more restful sleep, soothes the nervous system, and reduces anxiety, thus working as a sedative.

Improving the respiratory function.

Enhancing cellular oxygen uptake. This benefits all the body systems, giving them more energy and vitality.

Benefiting vascular system by improving circulation, regulating blood pressure, and strengthening the heart muscle.

Protecting liver and kidneys. Cordyceps improves blood flow to these organs (as well as to the others), which results in their better activity and ability to fight the diseases, including Hepatitis and chronic kidney disease.

Cordyceps is said to be safe and has no side effects. However, pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as children are not recommended to use it, since no studies have been conducted on such persons.

Nutritional Information On Food

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.