Thai Rice Puff Cereal

“Let food be your medicine.” Hippocrates

Rice puff patties (Khao Tann), with or without black sesame seeds and caramel drizzle, are a popular snack in South East Asia and they make it so delicious in north of Thailand. They are very healthy and when I lived there, I used to eat them like cereal in the morning with adding some milk, banana, and black sesame seeds. It was very satisfying breakfast! Sometimes I made my own rice puffs by making white and black sticky rice and turned them into patties. Then I deep fried them and while they were frying, they all puffed up and didn’t absorb so much of the oil. I assume that you can even do this process in boiling water instead of oil, something similar to the process of making bagels. I have to try it and let you know 🙂 Sticky rice, the rice that we use in sushi, has a lot of fiber, essential minerals, and vitamins such as selenium, magnesium, copper, and vitamin B, plus carbohydrates and antioxidants. Therefore it is good for balancing Thyroid hormones because of selenium, healthy metabolism because of magnesium, and strong connective tissue & immune system, and healthy brain function due to vitamin B.  Sesame seeds are in different colors like white, yellow, brown, black, and red and all of them have a lot of health benefits. Black sesame seed is a good source of essential minerals and vitamins such as magnesium, calcium, and vitamin E. It is believed that black sesame seeds are protective against many conditions including migraine headaches, menopause sleep disorder, colon cancer, and osteoporosis. This ancient seed is also known for its anti-aging quality because it is a rich source of vitamin E. In the hospital of the town that I used to live in Thailand, they served cancer patients with black sesame seed milk everyday.

“Let’s always eat and drink healthful food and beverages and do it in moderation.” Dr. Sii

 

Organic Passion Fruit & Thai Passion Fruit

“Let food be your medicine.” Hippocrates

Passion fruit is one of my favorite sub tropical fruits that off and on I can find them in the markets in America. The three kinds that I have tried are purple, yellow, and Thai and I like the taste of all of them. Passion fruit not only has a unique tropical taste that is so refreshing, but also it has a lot of health values. I remember when I was in Thailand, I had leg cramps because of sodium-potassium imbalance and I didn’t know that, because I neither liked fish sauce nor monosodium glutamate (MSG), which are the main source of sodium in Thai food and like others I lost sodium by sweating a lot in hot tropical climate. Of course some of the tribes that live in the mountains and can’t afford to make or to buy fish sauce, use salt in their food and apparently according to studies they are healthier than those who don’t use salt at all 🙂 Well, back to my sodium-potassium imbalance, I enjoyed hundred different kind of bananas grown in Thailand that were full of potassium. Anyhow, the reason that I found out about my problem was I went to a friend’s house and she gave me a bunch of passion fruits. Thai people are not so much fan of passion fruit, because they don’t like sour taste. Listening to my body, I was craving for those passion fruits with salt and after I ate them, I felt much more energetic and I didn’t have any leg cramps that day and following day. In Thailand you could see passion fruit vine everywhere on the fences and they are very cheep to buy. I liked to eat them fresh, mixed with yogurt, ice cream, making jam, making juice, making cheese cake and other pastries, and making fruit patties. I heard in my town somebody even used to make wine out of those fantastic passion fruits. They are sweet and sour and they have lots of soluble fiber, antioxidant, potassium, iron, vitamin C, B, and A. The potassium in passion fruit can balances sodium level and prevents high blood pressure, heart problem and stroke. Passion fruit juice is good for eye and for preventing both cold and constipation and it is a good colon cleanser and it helps digestion. Because of the fiber in passion fruit, it is also good for reducing bad cholesterol (LDL) and increasing good cholesterol (HDL). Next time that you are in the market and see crinkled passion fruits that are not so light and not cracked, buy them and enjoy them. 🙂

“Let’s always eat and drink healthful food and beverages and do it in moderation.” Dr. Sii

   

Papaya Seed Tea and Salad Dressing

“Let food be your medicine.” Hippocrates

Papaya, another tropical super fruit that when it is green, it is used vastly for papaya salad in Thailand, which is a mixed of slightly smashed garlic, chili, long green beens, shredded papaya, tomato, lemon juice, sugar, and fish sauce. In East districts of Thailand they also add small shrimps and crabs to their papaya salad. When they are ripe and orange, they are sweet, which can be served fresh by itself or with some fresh lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Papaya has a lot of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Papaya has been suggested to have anticancer, anti diabetes, and anti hypertension qualities and it is a valuable ingredient for weight loss diet. The seeds however are the most neglected part of the fruit and taste something similar to mustard. Papaya seeds  are historically known to be against intestinal parasites, a common condition in tropical areas and they have anti bacterial effect as well. Isn’t that amazing that we can find all our needs in our local natural environment? Papaya seeds also are good for detoxifying liver as Japanese say. Pregnant ladies better not to eat the seeds. It is said that papaya improves fertility in both men and women, but the seeds might cause infertility in men. To make the tea, you can dry the seeds and crush them, add some boiling water, and let it steam. The tea is slightly sweet and doesn’t need any sweetener. For salad dressing, blend crushed fresh seeds, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper and serve it with your favorite seasonal salad. I served it in bamboo cups.

“Let’s always eat and drink healthful food and beverages and do it in moderation.” Dr. Sii

 

Organic Coffee / Expresso

“Let food be your medicine.” Hippocrates

I can’t imagine anything more inviting than smell of a good coffee for starting a day. Recently coffee has gain good reputation for its so many health benefits such as reducing the risk of prostate cancer, endometrial cancer (ladies’ reproductive system), oral and skin cancer, liver cancer, and diabetes 2. It is said that coffee drinkers less likely will develop parkinson, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. Caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee can reduce the risk of heart disease and strengthen body muscles. However, it is not recommended to pregnant women, children, and people with insomnia. Coffee has a lot of antioxidants, but that doesn’t give us a pass to be a heavy coffee drinker (4-7 cups a day), because then it can cause irritation, anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia.  Also it is important to watch sugar and milk that is added to each cup. Honey and organic fresh milk is a good choice. I like home made cappuccino maple yogurt as a light dessert (Creams and Coffees) 🙂

“Let’s always eat and drink healthful food and beverages and do it in moderation.” Dr. Sii

  

 

Garlic pickle and Tamerind

“Let food be your medicine.” Hippocrates

Garlic is known for its many health benefits all over the world. Today many give garlic credit for fighting a variety of cancers and reducing blood cholesterol and risk of heart attacks. Garlic is full of vitamin C and potassium and boosts your immunity system. Historically garlic has been used in East Asia and Middle East for reducing blood pressure and blood sugar, fighting against infections and inflammation such as bronchitis, diarrhea, intestinal warm, and even rheumatism. Hippocrates, ancient Greek physician, who is known as the father of Western medicine suggested garlic for many conditions such as tiredness, indigestion, intestinal parasite, and some respiratory problems. It is used globally as food and for its medicinal qualities, but it is very common in Middle East, East and Far East countries. In Iran for example it is kind of competition and a pride to be able to make good garlic pickle and preserve it naturally for years even as long as thirty years till the pickle turns into a soft black and sweet substance. It is amazingly delicious. Recently with the fast pace living and in order to make the pickle ripe faster, some people cook the garlic before preserving it, but by heating, garlic looses its anti-imflamatory effects. I make garlic pickle with adding tamarind to the vinegar and some salt and sugar over garlic and leave it in a cool and dark place and forget about it for a year or two:-) Tamarind can also add some health benefits to this pickle, because it has almost the same health qualities as garlic and it is full of vitamin C and Vitamin B. It boosts immunity and fights against cold. No wonder that in  Iran people love to eat all kind of pickles, including garlic pickle as their side dish, specially during winter 🙂

“Let’s always eat and drink healthful food and beverages and do it in moderation.” Dr. Sii

Organic Red Clover Tea

“Let food be your medicine.” Hippocrates

Red clover is a flower that can be used as medicine, tea, and flavoring ingredient for food and beverages. It has an estrogen like hormone and some women use it for menopause hotflashes and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and they beleive that it is effective, but that is not scientifically approved yet. This flower is also used for cancer prevention, cough, allergy & asthma, skin eczema, wounds, and sexually transmitted diseases.

“Let’s always eat and drink healthful food and beverages and do it in moderation.” Dr. Sii

Organic Rose Petal & Green Tea

“Let food be your medicine.” Hippocrates

Adding eatable rose petals to tea like green tea can add beautiful aroma, taste, and health benefits to your tea. The aroma can reduce the stress and the tea can improve blood circulation, gives fresh breath, fights against insomnia and depression, and reduces inflammations such as gum inflammation. It is known to improve the health of skin, eye, and hair. It is soothing for the eyes of those that sit in front of the computer for long hours and even washing your eyes with this tea or just with rose water can help as well. Rose petals have vitamin B, D, E, and specially Vitamin C. it is a light laxative and works against bad bacteria in your intestine.  In north of Iran people like to make rose petal jam that is one of my favorite preserves. in the past skillful cooks made stuffed rose petals as ordure. In Middle East rose water is a common ingredient in food and desserts and in Europe it is a luxury ingredient. In America, people are gradually getting familiar with this wonderful source of nutrition and health. We use rose water in some of our pastries, specially in our cream puffs, the main pastry in Si’Mama Cafe.

“Let’s always eat and drink healthful food and beverages and do it in moderation.” Dr. Sii

Top 10 Foods With Trans Fats

Become a better shopper — learn to avoid the foods high in trans fats

By Jeanie Lerche Davis

WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature

Reviewed by Charlotte E. Grayson Mathis, MD

If you’re like most people, you’re probably confused about trans fats. Which foods have them, and which don’t? Which are the worst foods, which are the best?

Print out this list to become a wiser, safer shopper. And remember to check the food labels. Manufacturers will probably begin reducing the amount of trans fats in packaged foods during the next few years, so this information may change.

The Top 10 “Trans Fat” Foods

1. Spreads. Margarine is a twisted sister — it’s loaded with trans fats and saturated fats, both of which can lead to heart disease. Other non-butter spreads and shortening also contain large amounts of trans fat and saturated fat:

• Stick margarine has 2.8 grams of trans fat per tablespoon, and 2.1 grams of saturated fat.
• Tub margarine has 0.6 grams of trans fat per tablespoon, and 1.2 grams of saturated fat.
• Shortening has 4.2 grams of trans fat per tablespoon, and 3.4 grams of saturated fat.
• Butter has 0.3 grams of trans fat per tablespoon, and 7.2 grams of saturated fat.

Tip: Look for soft-tub margarine, because it is less likely to have trans fat. Some margarines already say that on the packaging.

[Important note: When you cook with margarine or shortening, you will not increase the amount of trans fat in food, says Moore. Cooking is not the same as the hydrogenation process. “Margarine and shortening are already bad, but you won’t make them any worse.”]

2. Packaged foods. Cake mixes, Bisquick, and other mixes all have several grams of trans fat per serving.

Tip: Add flour and baking powder to your grocery list; do-it-yourself baking is about your only option right now, says Moore. Or watch for reduced-fat mixes.

3. Soups. Ramen noodles and soup cups contain very high levels of trans fat.

Tip: Get out the crock-pot and recipe book. Or try the fat-free and reduced-fat canned soups.

4. Fast Food. Bad news here: Fries, chicken, and other foods are deep-fried in partially hydrogenated oil. Even if the chains use liquid oil, fries are sometimes partially fried in trans fat before they’re shipped to the restaurant. Pancakes and grilled sandwiches also have some trans fat, from margarine slathered on the grill.

Examples:

• Fries (a medium order) contain 14.5 grams.
• A KFC Original Recipe chicken dinner has 7 grams, mostly from the chicken and biscuit.
• Burger King Dutch Apple Pie has 2 grams.

Tip: Order your meat broiled or baked. Skip the pie. Forget the biscuit. Skip the fries — or share them with many friends.

5. Frozen Food. Those yummy frozen pies, pot pies, waffles, pizzas, even breaded fish sticks contain trans fat. Even if the label says it’s low-fat, it still has trans fat.

• Mrs. Smith’s Apple Pie has 4 grams trans fat in every delicious slice.
• Swanson Potato Topped Chicken Pot Pie has 1 gram trans fat.
• Banquet Chicken Pot Pie has no trans fat.Tip: In frozen foods, baked is always heart-healthier than breaded. Even vegetable pizzas aren’t flawless; they likely have trans fat in the dough. Pot pies are often loaded with too much saturated fat, even if they have no trans fat, so forget about it.6. Baked Goods. Even worse news — more trans fats are used in commercially baked products than any other foods. Doughnuts contain shortening in the dough and are cooked in trans fat.Cookies and cakes (with shortening-based frostings) from supermarket bakeries have plenty of trans fat. Some higher-quality baked goods use butter instead of margarine, so they contain less trans fat, but more saturated fat.
  • Donuts have about 5 grams of trans fat apiece, and nearly 5 grams of saturated fat.
  • Cream-filled cookies have 1.9 grams of trans fat, and 1.2 grams of saturated fat.
  • Pound cake has 4.3 grams of trans fat per slice, and 3.4 grams of saturated fat.

  Tip: Get back to old-fashioned home cooking again. If you bake, use fat-substitute baking products, or just cut back on the bad ingredients, says Moore. Don’t use the two sticks of butter or margarine the recipe calls for two. Try using one stick and a fat-free baking product.

   7. Chips and Crackers. Shortening provides crispy texture. Even “reduced fat” brands can still have trans fat. Anything fried (like potato chips and corn chips) or buttery crackers have trans fat.
  • A small bag of potato chips has 3.2 grams of trans fat.
  • Nabisco Original Wheat Thins Baked Crackers have 2 grams in a 16-cracker serving.
  • Sunshine Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers have 1.5 grams per 27 crackers.

  Tip: Think pretzels, toast, pita bread. Actually, pita bread with a little tomato sauce and low-fat cheese tastes pretty good after a few minutes in the toaster oven.

  8. Breakfast food. Breakfast cereal and energy bars are quick-fix, highly processed products that contain trans fats, even those that claim to be “healthy.”

  • Kellogg’s Cracklin’ Oat Bran Cereal has 1.5 grams per 3/4 cup serving.
  • Post Selects Great Grains has 1 gram trans fat per 1/2 cup serving.
  • General Mills Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal has 0.5 grams per 3/4 cup serving.
  • Quaker Chewy Low Fat Granola Bars Chocolate Chunk has 0.5 grams trans fat.

  Tip: Whole-wheat toast, bagels, and many cereals don’t have much fat. Cereals with nuts do contain fat, but it’s healthy fat.

  9. Cookies and Candy. Look at the labels; some have higher fat content than others. A chocolate bar with nuts — or a cookie — is likely to have more trans fat than gummy bears.

  • Nabisco Chips Ahoy! Real Chocolate Chip Cookies have 1.5 grams per 3 cookies. If you plow through a few handfuls of those, you’ve put away a good amount of trans fat.Tip: Gummy bears or jelly beans win, hands down. If you must have chocolate, get dark chocolate — since it’s been shown to have redeeming heart-healthy virtues.10. Toppings and Dips. Nondairy creamers and flavored coffees, whipped toppings, bean dips, gravy mixes, and salad dressings contain lots of trans fat.Tip: Use skim milk or powdered nonfat dry milk in coffee. Keep an eye out for fat-free products of all types. As for salad dressings, choose fat-free there, too — or opt for old-fashioned oil-and-vinegar dressing. Natural oils such as olive oil and canola oil don’t contain trans fat.

    Can you eliminate trans fats entirely your diet? Probably not. Even the esteemed National Academy of Sciences stated last year that such a laudable goal is not possible or realistic.

    Continue reading below…

    Instead, take this suggestion from Cindy Moore, MS, RD, director of nutritiontherapy at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation: “The goal is to have as little trans fat in your diet as possible. “You’re not eliminating trans fats entirely, but you’re certainly cutting back.”

From WebMD

Important Nutrition News

WASHINGTON (AP) — Heart-clogging trans fats have been slowly disappearing from grocery aisles and restaurant menus in the last decade. Now, the Food and Drug Administration is finishing the job.

The FDA plans to announce later Thursday that it will require the food industry to gradually phase out all trans fats, saying they are a threat to people’s health. Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said the move could prevent 20,000 heart attacks a year and 7,000 deaths.

Hamburg said that while the amount of trans fats in the country’s diet has declined dramatically in the last decade, they “remain an area of significant public health concern.” The trans fats have long been criticized by nutritionists, and New York and other local governments have banned them.

The agency isn’t yet setting a timeline for the phase-out, but will collect comments for two months before officials determine how long it will take. Different foods may have different timelines, depending how easy it is to substitute.

“We want to do it in a way that doesn’t unduly disrupt markets,” says Michael Taylor, FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods. Still, he says, “industry has demonstrated that it is by and large feasible to do.”

To phase them out, the FDA said it had made a preliminary determination that trans fats no longer fall in the agency’s “generally recognized as safe” category, which is reserved for thousands of additives that manufacturers can add to foods without FDA review. Once trans fats are off the list, anyone who wants to use them would have to petition the agency for a regulation allowing it, and that would be unlikely to be approved.

Trans fat is widely considered the worst kind for your heart, even worse than saturated fat, which can also contribute to heart disease. Trans fats are used both in processed food and in restaurants, often to improve the texture, shelf life or flavor of foods. They are created when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil to make it more solid, which is why they are often called partially hydrogenated oils.

Scientists say there are no health benefits to trans fats, and they can raise so-called “bad” cholesterols, increasing the risk of heart disease — the leading cause of death in the United States.

Many companies have already phased out trans fats, prompted by new nutrition labels introduced by FDA in 2006 that list trans fats and an increasing number of local laws that have banned them.

Though they have been removed from many items, the fats are still found in processed foods, including some microwave popcorns and frozen pizzas, refrigerated doughs and ready-to-use frostings. They are also sometimes used by restaurants that use the fats for frying. Many larger chains have phased them out, but smaller restaurants may still get trans fats from suppliers.

As a result of the local and federal efforts, consumers have slowly eaten fewer of the fats. According to the FDA, trans fat intake among American consumers declined from 4.6 grams per day in 2003 to around one gram per day in 2012.

FDA officials say they have been working on trans fat issues for around 15 years — the first goal was to label them — and have been collecting data to justify a possible phase out since just after President Barack Obama came into office in 2009.

The advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest first petitioned FDA to ban trans fats nine years ago. The group’s director, Michael Jacobson, says the move is “one of the most important lifesaving actions the FDA could take.”

He says the agency should try and move quickly as it determines a timeline.

“Six months or a year should be more than enough time, especially considering that companies have had a decade to figure out what to do,” Jacobson said.

From Yahoo News

Organic Hoary Basil Seeds

“Let food be your medicine.” Hippocrates

Hoary basil is one of the most popular herbs in Thailand, South East Asia, and Middle East. They eat it fresh as a side dish or add it to many different kind of dishes. Since basil grows in direct sunlight and in hot weather, not only I could see them in almost every backyard, but also I saw them growing along the road when I was biking in my town in Thailand. Hoary basil seeds in another hand are used to make drink and desserts. You could buy this drink in a can from store or in a cup from the market. One of my favorit desserts is a mixture of a few tropical fruits and jello including coconut jello, basil seeds, and crushed ice with syrup and coconut milk on top.  When I was in Thailand, I had it every Monday when we had a Monday market. It is a common belief that hoary basil seed drink  can help you to loose weight. However, I like its taste and texture, so I add it to my kefir and add some honey to make a light and satisfying dessert.

“Let’s always eat and drink healthful food and beverages and do it in moderation.” Dr. Sii