Eating Well – Page 4 – Suria Helang Lui

08 Mar 2017

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Growing Food: There is always a way

I advocate everyone growing some of their food, whether it be in their gardens or in their apartment balconies. You can even grow beautiful flowering edibles. Somehow, some people have the idea that edibles don’t have pretty flowers. There is so many options to chose from. You will also get the added benefit of relaxing with your plants on top of getting something good to eat. Just imagine yourself harvesting a lemon to make a drink, some turmeric and ginger to seasons your food or some vegetables for dinner – it feels great to be able to do so. I rate the food growing options as below:

organically grown
hydrophonic
grown with chemical fertiliser and pesticide
GMO (avoid at all cost)

There is a plant for everyone depending on the time and effort you want to put in. Listed below are some examples and in no means an exhaustive list. There are many others but it is presented to give you an idea.

If you can only plant in pots and want to have flowers, try:

Aubergine or brinjal – purple flowers with a yellow centre which when pollinated forms a purple fruit
Okra (Lady’s finger or bendi) – yellow flower with a red centre which when pollinated turns into green okra
Cosmos caudatus (ulam raja) – pink flowers with yellow center
Roselle (Asam belanda) – pink flower with a maroon center which turns into dark red calyces
Turmeric – light green flower with the added benefit you can harvest the turmeric once it matures as you want them
Ginger – pink/purple flower with the added benefit you can harvest the ginger once it is mature as you want them.
Small galangal – spray of white/red small flowers
Varieties of chillies – white flowers and when the fruit forms, various colours.
Misai kucing – purple or white flowers
Calamansi – white flowers with the added benefit of green calamansi fruits
Lime – white flowers with the added benefit of green lime fruits
Lemon – white flowers with the added benefit of bright, yellow lemons when they mature
Varieties of tomatoes – yellow flowers and looks even better when the tomatoes have formed and ripened

If you want to plant in pots but want leaves only, try:

Cabbage
Cauliflower
Spinach – there are so many varieties from green, red/green and red color leaves in various shapes
Choy sum
Kailan
Kale – many varieties with different leaf shapes
Sambung nyawa batik
Aloe vera

If you want to have flowering on a trellis say your balcony railing or fence, try:

various varieties of cucumber – yellow flowers
mini pumpkins – yellow flowers
bitter gourd – yellow flowers
varieties of gourd – yellow or white flowers
long beans – white or purple flowers
french beans – pink flowers
Blue sweet pea (bunga telang) – blue flowers

All the above can be grown organically – using organic fertilisers and pest control. If you have lots of space, and have options, then you can grow them all. Happy gardening and producing great food :).

24 Jan 2017

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Corn: GMO or non-GMO

As I try to get a grasp of the corn story, I first had to understand the elements that make corn bad for you. In researching, I found that corn can basically be categorized into two groups: GMO and hybrid/non-GMO. It is very hard to find traditional corn seeds any more. GMO or Genetically Modified Organism corn means that the corn has been modified through genetic engineering at the genes level and contains genes that are not naturally occurring. Basically, it is modifying the DNA or cellular structure of the corn.

Most of the commercial corn has been modified so that it can withstand glyphosate (as in the commercial chemical herbicide Roundup) and it also termed as RR Corn (Roundup Ready Corn). This means that Roundup can be applied without affecting the corn plant as the plant absorbs the glyphosate to the individual corn kernel level. The result is you can get beautiful corn filled with glyphosate so from a commercial aspect, corn can be produced in quantity at a reduced overall production cost as you get a higher yield since no insects want to eat it no will it be affected by any disease or bacteria. If the insects try to eat them, they die.

The Big Chem will say that it is safe to eat corn that is filled with glyphosate. The US Pesticide Trade organizations also say it is safe. The major GMO corn seed producer is Monsanto and the produce for Roundup is Monsanto. In the 2012 Nutritional Analysis – Comparison of GMO Corn versus Non-GMO Corn conducted by an independent, outsourced, major food company found the GMO corn contains a similar amount of nutrients to non-GMO corn but also contained a number of elements absent from traditional corn, including chlorides, formaldehyde and glyphosate, and in harmful quantities. In case you are wondering what formaldehyde is used for – it is used in preserving corpse!

You will find conflicting studies and outcomes depending on who did them. Personally, I look for independent studies done by groups or companies not affiliated with Big Chem. It is also interesting to note that you get conflicting results from studies done within an organization in US. I guess it depends on what the policy or interest-to-be-protected is. At the same time, we all know the lobbyist play a big role. Other than the studies done by independent entities in US, I also read up on the studies done in Europe and it should be noted that the major sentiment is against GMO.

The International Agency on Cancer Research has concluded that glyphosate can possible cause cancer in humans. Monsanto discredits this study by saying that it is inconsistent with their finding. An international study has also found that it causes hormone disruption as well as resistance to antibiotics in humans.

What are these GMO corn used for apart from eating it as “corn on the cob”? The corn are used for many things:

1. Ingredient in production of feed for animals such as cows, sheep, goats and chickens. This means that these animals also become contaminated with these chemicals and are introduced into our food intake by products from these animals.

2. To make corn oil. Corn oil has been touted as being the great alternative for cooking oil and good for the heart. In exchange you may get damaged livers and kidneys and hormone disruptions.

3. To make corn syrup, a cheap sweetening alternative which are bad for your liver and kidneys.

4. To make corn flour.

5. Ingredient in cereals that are touted as being healthy alternatives. My thinking: How can it be a healthy alternative?

6. To make snacks such as popcorn and many others. There are many alternatives snacks.

I am opting for hybrid corn that has not undergone the GMO process. Hybrid corns are grown from corn seeds that were produced by crossing 2 types of corn to create a new variety with the characteristics of the “parent” corn. It involves no genetic engineering at the gene level. Some of the characteristics the hybridization seeks is drought-resistant, sweetness and color of corn. From a commercial production perspective, it costs more to produce hybrid seeds and they are not immune to chemical herbicides such as Roundup so you cannot flood a field with Roundup but will have to use alternative means to control weeds. Hence, it costs more from the production of corn perspective.

At the end of the day, I see my choices as simple:

Do I want to eat corn that can possibly cause liver and kidney failure as well as a host of other possibilities and later pay the medical costs to “cure” these diseases and endure the suffering

Do I eat good corn and pay more for it but have a better chance of not getting liver and kidney diseases and other problems and avoid the suffering?

I love corn so now we plant our own hybrid corn without the use chemical pesticides or herbicides or fertilizers. We use organic pest control and fertilizers and control weeds the “old-fashioned” way, manual weeding. The end result is we get good tasting, healthy corn. It is not difficult to plant and care for them, just requires more time. However, I find it well worth the effort.

I find it interesting that the manufacturer of Roundup and GMO corn seeds, Monsanto bought a major pharmaceutical company, Bayer. To me, it is making profits from both ends.

The onus is on us to educate ourselves. The debate continues with those with commercial interest categorically saying that GMO Corn is safe and those without, saying it isn’t or further studies needed as initial study indicates it is possible not safe. For the adults, we can make our own choices. For our children, I hope we make the right choices. Personally, I do not want my son to suffer from liver and kidney diseases as a result of the choices I made for him.

21 Jan 2017

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Possibilities in dehydrating Part 1

This is part 1 of my new series on dehydrated foods. All the produce that we dehydrate are produced at the farm hence it is natural and grown in an organic manner. I remember growing up, my grandmother, grand-aunts and aunts often things were dried to preserve them especially in the villages where there was no electricity supply which means no refrigerators, chillers or freezers. They did it to various fruits and also fish. They didn’t use low quality items but fresh, good quality items to create these foods that can be preserved for later consumption. With our weather and tropical fruits, once ripe they do not store for long periods well so dehydrating them is a good option.

We only do market once a week and the fruits ripen when they “feel” like it. To me, they will not be in its prime for market so I had to come up with a way to not waste them. I also had to come up with an alternative on the occasion that we are left with some produce after market. After all the hard work in growing and caring for them, it would be a shame to just have it rot away although at the farm, it becomes food for the animals. After evaluating various options, I decided to invest in a dehydrator as to me, the fresh produce can then be dried in a clean manner free from flies and the like, preserving as much as the nutrients and allowing for storage without the need for chillers or refrigerators.

Two of the fruits that we dehydrate and convert to an on-the-go snack which is healthy and tasty are papayas and bananas. By dehydrating it, there is a minimal loss of the nutrients and the flavour is intensified. It is packed in a suggested fruit serving size so it is easy to take it with you. It can also serve as your breakfast fruit if you are on the run – you can munch it on your way to work. The idea is to have your fruit servings easily accessible as a snack without any additives, sugar, colouring or preservatives. Seasonally, we will also have dehydrated jackfruit.

One of the often used plant as a condiment that we dehydrate is lemongrass. It comes in a crushed form and can be used in multiple ways. By steeping in hot water, it can be turned into lemongrass tea. This drink can be served either warm or cold, either sweetened or unsweetened or added to another drink as flavouring. In the crushed form, it can also be used for cooking. Being in a dehydrated form, it can be stored in your kitchen, ready for use whenever you want. One stalk is approximately 1 teaspoon. We do not add anything to our dehydrated lemongrass so it is pure lemongrass. Lemongrass is an alternative therapy or home remedy used for various conditions such as to aid in digestion, improve skin condition, fighting cancer, controlling cholesterol levels, for cleansing and detoxifying – there are quite a few others. Some of the properties of the lemongrass are analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anticancer, antibacterial and diuretic. It is from these properties that it is used as alternative or complementary treatment. I find the taste to be pleasing and add it to drinks and used it for cooking. Although I prefer it fresh, for the times when I do not have any fresh lemongrass, this works just as well.

Ginger torch is also another commonly used herbal condiment in local cuisine. By having the
dehydrated crushed ginger torch flower within easy access, you can use it as a seasoning that is sprinkled over the top of hot rice, giving a wonderful fragrance to plain white rice. It can also be used to season various dishes. namely savoury dishes. Each pack contains only ginger torch flowers without any preservatives, The color of the crushed ginger torch is also all natural – the color of the flower. With the dehydration process, it retains its aromatics and flavour. There is no need to refrigerate it, just store it the same manner that you would store dried herbs – in a cool area.
In traditional or alternative therapy, it is used to reduce diabetes and hypertension and also to treat loss of appetite. No wonder I like the plain rice better when I sprinkle some bunga kantan on it. It is said to also have anti-inflammatory properties.

Blue sweet pea flower (bunga telang) is a bright, depp blue flower which is often used in Malay cooking especially for making nasi kerabu, colouring the rice a nice blue. This flower is a natural food colouring and with its color also have antioxidant properties as well as other healing properties. To make a food colouring, just pour hot water over a few friend flowers and allow it to steep until the liquid is cool. This liquid can then be used as a food colouring for making cakes, agar-agar, etc. Apart from using it as a food colouring to make both savoury and sweet dishes, it also makes a nice blue tea with a subtle floral flavour. To make the tea, pour hot water over a few pieces of the dried flower and you will immediately see the water turning blue. It can be served hot or cold, sweetened or unsweetened. It can be combined with other ingredients to make a drink and I find it interesting that when calamansi (limau kasturi) juice is added to it, it turns into a royal purple color. This would make an interesting and good tasting drink especially for children in providing them with a healthy alternative. The flowers are picked at full bloom and dehydrated making it easy to store and have readily available.

I grow all kinds of plants that lends itself to being dehydrated and in part 2, I will describe the other dried products that we have 🙂

01 Jan 2017

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Fish Story: Part 2: The Fishes

Whenever we harvest the fish, I do enjoy cleaning the fish because the fish are not smelly, they are firm and fresh and look good and my mind is filled with endless possibilities of what to do with them. Three things that I have invested in that I find serves me well is the chiller, the freezer and the dehydrator. These three heavy-duty equipment backs me up in processing my fish and retaining the quality and freshness of the fish.

Once the fish are harvested, and there normally is a lot of it, the ones waiting to be cleaned are placed in the chiller. This ensures that the fish does not spoil and remains fresh until I clean it. As the water
used to clean the fish is also from a clean, fresh uncontaminated source, this further adds quality to the fish and keeps it clear of chemicals. Once cleaned, I then decide what to do with it.

Live catfish

Catfish fillet

For catfish, all the larger ones are filleted, packaged and frozen in the freezer. The catfish do not go into the chiller before being processed but is kept alive. The mid-sized ones are cleaned, marinated with herbs from the farm and then smoked with unprocessed wood being the source of the fire. Once it is smoked to the degree desired, it is then dehydrated, reducing the moisture content to a level that will inhibit microbial or bacteria activity. It is then packaged and ready for sale. We do also sell live catfish at our market stall but it all depends on what the demand is at that time – fillets, smoked or fresh.

Smoked catfish

Fresh red tilapia

Marinated red tilapia

The red tilapia is also processed to be sold either as frozen fresh which means it goes directly into the freezer and depending on order, are sometimes cleaned before frozen. Some are marinated in herbs and are then dehydrated and sold packed as dehydrated marinated red tilapia. For the dehydrated fish, I will remove the scales as I do not enjoy eating the scales. Once dehydrated, this fish can simply be fried or cooked in other savoury dishes with a gravy like asam pedal or masak lemak (with a coconut milk based grace).

Smoked and dehydrated eel

Marinated eel

From the river water coming in, we also get river eel which then find our fish pond as the place to live. They eat the small river fish and flourish. They are cleaned and filleted, producing long strips of fish meat. We cut them to shorter strips and then marinate them in a herbal mixture for at least 12 hours. It is then smoked and then dehydrated. We use all natural ingredients with the aim to keep it as natural and tasty as possible. Many people tend to say that they don’t eat eel because of how it looks. Strangely enough, many of these people eat Unagi (the Japanese name) and didn’t realise that they were eating eel. They can be steamed to rehydrate or made into soups. I just like to cut them up into pieces and eat with rice porridge or cook them in a savoury coconut milk based gravy like masak lemak cili. It can also be used as a topping in salads.

Packed dehydrated lampam

The lampam is a fish with many bones but it is tasty. Since I am too lazy to pick out the bones, I find that by turning them into dried fish, they taste great and I do not have to worry about the bones and I can just munch my way though it as it becomes crispy.
It is cleaned including removing the scales and then marinated with a slightly salted herb marinate. I leave it to marinate at least 12 hours before placing them in the dehydrator. Once dehydrated, you can just enjoy them as is. The smaller sized ones becomes a pure fish cracker. The larger ones, can either be further fried or eaten as is with or without sambal belacan. It can also be cooked with a sambal sauce or in a savoury dish with a coconut milk based gravy. It is packed ready for sale and does not require refrigeration for storage as long as it is stored in a cool area as the dehydration process removed moisture thus preventing bacteria or microbial activity.

Packed, dehydrated selling

Fresh seluang

The seluang is a small river fish that is tasty but delicate. Improperly handled when fresh, you will end up with a mush on your hands. Sometime we sell it fresh but it has to be sold and cooked within 24 hours so this makes it tricky. We get lots of it in the pond so it is a waste if I do not handle it correctly. As such, most of the time I will dehydrate it. I will place them in a draining bowl to minimise handling of the fish. This bowl is them placed in water that has sea salt and various herbs added and gently shaken so that the fishes are coated with it. It is left to sit in the liquid for about an hour before draining. This process firms up the fish whilst at the same time adds flavour to the fish. They are then arranged on the dehydrating tray and placed in the dehydrator.

All the fish wastes are collected from cleaning the fishes serve as the main ingredient in creating my fish amino acid (FAA) fertiliser which is then used in fertilising the vegetation at the farm. I use the water from cleaning the fishes to water the plants. I find this is a good way to return to nature as it improves the soil at the same time that it nourishes my vegetation. The FAA it then formulated with other ingredients and becomes one of the fertiliser produced by the farm for sale.

I use the dehydrator a lot and not the traditional way of drying the fish in the sun for several reasons:

I can dry my fish any time and am not dependent on the weather.
I can be assured that my dried fish will be free from air-borne contaminants.
I can be assured that my dried fish are free from flies, fly eggs and worms.
The fish are dried more evenly and to the level where the bacteria or microbial activity will be prevented.
Once in the dehydrator, I can just leave them until they are ready and not have to keep checking on them.

The herbal marinate contains herbs that are grown on the farm so I can be assured that they are free of chemicals. I use sea salt because they are better for us.

Why do I do all these? Simple. It doesn’t make sense to ruin good quality, fresh and tasty fish by adding chemicals or ruining them with improper handling and processing. At the end of the day, it is the taste that counts and so far, I have got good feedback on them and that makes me happy 🙂

23 Oct 2016

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Papayas, our local delight with options

Papaya is one of the highest nutrition local fruits, rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber and enzymes including protein-digesting enzyme. We are blessed to be living in a climate where papayas can be grown easily with minimal care. There are many varieties of papayas and the shape and size differs. Not all papaya trees produce fruits, there are some that just produces flowers. To produce healthy papayas, it is important to ensure that it is free from chemical pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilisers. For me, I avoid GMO papayas as well as the usage of hormones to modify size, taste and texture. t would be silly to eat something to care for our health when it also contains toxic chemicals. There is no need to put herbicides to kill off the weeds around the plant and have it be introduced into the fruits that we eat. Just clear the weeds manually and you can just leave it to dry off or place it in your compost pile. I also practice salting the ground with coarse salts on a quarterly basis for several reasons. The type of papayas we grow are less fibrous is texture giving a creamier taste.

It is a great fruit to start the day, having middle of the day and also in the evening supplying us with loads of antioxidants and helping our digestive system. The fiber in papaya binds with the cancer-causing toxins in our digestive system, keeping them away from our healthy colon cells hence it is a good preventive against colon cancer. The other nutrients in papaya such as the vitamin C, vitamin E, folate and beta-carotene have been found to reduce the risk of colon cancer. A healthy digestive system further promotes our overall health.

For adults, this fruit is a great fruit to eat as protection against rheumatoid arthritis based on a study that was reported in the Annals of the Rheumatic Disease. So great for women who tend to suffer this as we age. For men, in a cancer study reported in the Asian Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it was found that this lycopene-rich fruit helps to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. The nutrients in the papaya also helps to inhibit the oxidisation of the cholesterol, protecting our heart.

So, with one fruit, you get to cover your digestive system, bones, heart as well as immune system, it is definitely sitting high in my list of fruits to eat. I get easily bored or tend to “forget” to eat it if there is only one way of eating them. There are many ways of eating papaya and still get the necessary nutrition so it makes it easier to incorporate into my daily diet.

We are most familiar with eating the ripe papaya raw but we can also eat the unripe papaya in many ways. It can be fermented to make it into a probiotic-rich food. The fermented green papaya can be eaten similar to sauerkraut or turned into a salad or our local kerabu. The free papaya can also be skinned and cut into pieces and turned into nutrition soups or used in cooking savoury dishes like curry. A simple soup is to brown shallots and garlic, add water and the cut pieces of green papaya and bring to boil and allow it to simmer until the pieces are soft. You can add salt and other condiments to taste. This soup can be dressed up with other ingredients such as chicken, beef, seafood or other vegetables.

The ripe papaya can also be turned into nutritious drinks like milk shakes or added with other fruits and vegetables to create a healthy drink. It can also be turned into a healthy, nutritious and delicious snack by dehydrating them. The dehydration process removes the moisture and it is best to dehydrate it to contain less than 15% moisture as this will inhibit the growth of bacteria that will result in the dried papaya to spoil. When dehydrating papaya pieces, it is best to use the ripe papaya of good quality and not spoilt or mushy papayas that has already started to spoil. The end result is a great snack that has minimal loss of its nutrients and ready to be enjoyed at any time. It is also easy to store them and does not require refrigeration and lasts for months (although you will find that you consume it much faster). What I do is to pack them in serving sizes as this means that I do not expose the dried papayas to the environment unnecessarily. The thickness of the papaya pieces will determine whether you end up with crispy pieces or slightly chewy papaya chips.

With its nutrition and health benefits along with its versatility, why not go local and consume our papayas 🙂

16 Oct 2016

0 Comments By admin Articles, Banana, Eating Well

Pisang Embun Wangi a.k.a. Bunga – fragrant delight

One of my favourite bananas to eat raw – either on its own, in a banana split or in my greek yoghurt

with honey – all natural, no hormones or chemical pesticide or fertiliser, non-GMO with a fragrant honey sweet taste beats the GMO, often with chemical inducements commercial Cavendish hands down. In size and shape they are similar to Cavendish. In the age where we have a choice, I choose Pisang Embun Wangi over the Cavendish any day. The Kedahans also call it Pisang Bunga. In Indonesia, it is called Pisang Ambon.

The plant itself grows quite tall, about 5m so it does need a bit of room to grow in a home garden. However, if you love fresh bananas, this tree might be your choice. The inflorescence (jantung pisang) is bitter so it is not eaten.

The taste is similar to Pisang Emas and Lemak Manis although the texture is softer but not mushy. This banana ripens with a light yellowish-green or pale yellow skin so if you are waiting for it to turn fully bright yellow, you would probably end up with an over-ripe, mushy brown/black skin banana. As with most local bananas, it is best stored in a basket or fruit bowl, not on a cool surface like ceramic tiles. When stored in the fridge, the skin will turn brown-black even though it may still be good to eat. It is funny how many are still tuned in that for a banana to be ripe, it must be yellow. There are many varieties of banana which ripen with a green skin so it is best not to “judge the book by its cover”. The flesh is also a cream color with a pale yellow tinge in the centre.

This banana is best consumed raw and is not suitable for turning into banana fritters because it tends to “soak” in the oil. However, it is also good when roasted with the skin still on or turned into smoked bananas (pisang salai). Another option is to use it to make cakes and pancakes especially when it is overripe as it tends to be mushy to mashing them up would be easy.

From a nutrition standpoint, as with other bananas, it is high in fiber and also contains vitamin A, C and calcium. In traditional medicine, this fruit is eaten when you have a fever and the pseudo stem is heated and used to treat sore muscles.

21 Aug 2016

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ORGME: Mangosteen, the booster range

Mangosteen is one of our great local fruits, also known as the Queen of Fruits. Its scientific name is Garcinia mangostanaWith the exception of the stem and seed, the whole fruit provides us with many wondrous health benefits naturally. Personally, it is a fruit that tops my list. Unfortunately, it is seasonal. So when it is the season, I tend to stock up on the fruit and process it so I can have a longer supply. Living in the land where this fruit can be grown naturally and organically, it is an opportunity that I like to maximise.

It is important to select good quality fruits that is at its prime when all the beneficial nutrients are at the maximum. Mangosteen is low in calories and is a good source of vitamin C and dietary fiber as well as providing a good amount of Vitamin B and minerals such as Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorous and Zinc. It also contains Carotene-a, Carotene-ß and Cryptoxanthin-ß (Source: USDA National Nutrient Database).

It also contains Xanthone, a class of naturally occurring polyphenol compound. The fruit contains two types of zanthones – alpha mangosteen and gamma mangosteen – which have been shown to have several benefits including anti-inflammatory. These antioxidants have healing properties which heals cells damaged by free radicals, slow down raging and prevent degenerative diseases and physical and mental deterioration – what we Malays say as “awet muda”. The xanthones also helps to burn fat to prevent weight gain.

The high content in Vitamin C makes it a good natural source of this vitamin which provides for improved immune system and defence against free radicals. An important nutrient in cell development is Folate, which is found in mangosteen.

Amongst the properties of the fruit are:

anti-inflammatory
anti-fungal
antioxidants
antibacterial

Mangosteen are being used in various cancer studies with the key element of Xanthones (source: National Centre of Biotechnological Information- NCBI). Among the studies being conducted is the use of mangosteen as a “chemopreventive” in the treatment of cancer, arresting tumor growth as well as a preventive and curative treatment for cancer.

In summary, the mangosteen provides healthy benefits:

Strengthens the immune system
Fights free radicals
Good for the brain helping to fight against mental deterioration and degenerative diseases
Helps to fight against cancer
Helps the fight against cardio-vascular diseases
Reduces cholesterol
Helps in weight control

With all these benefits, that is why I have chosen it to be one of range of our healthy but delicious drinks, without preservative, additives or colouring, with the following selection:

Mangosteen Tea (unsweetened)
Mangosteen Tea (sweetened with pure cane sugar)
Mangosteen Nectar (which has a higher dietary fiber content with the inclusion of the fruit flesh)
Mangosteen Concentrate which can be diluted to make other drinks either hot or cold.

These drinks are designed for normal consumption, as part of the daily food intake, an alternative to the normal drinks like juices and carbonated drinks. Personally, I drink it almost everyday and make it a part of my normal diet. Like anybody else, I will be more inclined to drink it if it tastes good so taste is also an important criteria. No-one wants to feel like they are drinking medicine or else it will not be easy to incorporate into our daily beverage intake. For my son, I like to add 1 teaspoon of the concentrate in his drinks to make it “drinkable” for him.

For more information, you can whatsApp or message to 0172821219.

EAT TO LOVE LIFE

04 Aug 2016

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SHL: Tasty healthy drinks

I prefer to have drinks that provide me health benefits but it must taste good and not make me feel that I am drinking medicine. It needs to be enjoyable and I like to have a selection of hot or cold drinks, all as natural as possible. I prefer to avoid refined or white sugar.

After working on my recipes and combinations, I have now come up with the SHL line of drinks and concentrates, with some being served hot, some cold and some either way. Some of the drinks and concentrates can be combined to produce a different drink. All the drinks and concentrate contains no preservatives, colouring, artificial flavouring, food additives or stabilisers hence it needs to be stored refrigerated and the recommended shelf-life of 3 months.

The purpose of this article is to share briefly the information on the drinks.

The Bentong Ginger and Turmeric Range
The Bentong Ginger and Turmeric Concentrate (RM 20.00) is made from organically grown Bentong ginger and turmeric to produce a concentrate that can be diluted with water or added to other beverages and served either hot or cold. A serving size is around 40-50ml a day although some have consumed larger servings. It depends on
the person. In some people, when they consume higher servings, they find that they get a stomachache or diarrhoea so it is best to start slow and observe how you body reacts to it. It makes a drink that is rich with antiseptic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It can also be used to flavour dishes such as soups, as a marinate for chicken, beef or seafood and for flavouring when cooking rice.

The Bentong Ginger and Turmeric Drink (RM 3.00) produced by SHL is sweetened with either pure cane sugar or pure palm sugar. It too can be consumed either hot or cold.

Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, some of my customers take it for their joint pains as well as for gout. This is my go-to drink when I have had a workout or lots of physical activity. It also has the properties for helping in digestion and bloating. Often, the fastest effect is to “pass gas” as well as better bowel movement.

The Soursop Leaves Range

The source leaves are organically grown and processed to produce a tea concentrate. The Soursop Leaves Concentrate (RM 20.00) can be diluted with water or added as a flavouring to other drinks like tea or fruit juices. It is best to avoid white sugar and when sweetened, it is often done with honey or pure cane sugar or organic sugars. Based on various research, no known adverse reactions have been found.

The SHL Soursop Tea drink (RM 3.00) is sweetened with pure cane sugar.
Soursop leave tea is often used as a complementary or alternative therapy for cancer. The soursop leave is rich in iron, calcium, potassium and vitamins A, B and C. Thus it has been taken for overall health, improving skin conditions, anaemia amongst others.

The leaves also contain nutrients that help to strengthen the immune system hence the tea is often drank as a preventive measure. With its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it can be used for skin treatments as well as for cough and colds.

In some traditional therapies, it is used to treat diseases related to the gall bladder and liver.

The Cat’s Whiskers (Misai Kuching) Range
The Misai Kuching Concentrate (RM 18.00) is made from organically grown leaves and flowers. No woody parts of the plant are used. The concentrate is diluted with water and generally drank unsweetened, similar to Chinese tea and with floral undertones. It can be consumed hot or cold.

This tea is often taken as an alternative treatment or complementary therapy for diabetes and high blood pressure. In traditional Chinese Medicine, it is used to cleanse the kidney and the gall bladder as well as treating kidney stones. It has antibacterial , antioxidant as well as anti0fungal properties. In traditional medicine and alternative therapies, it is used to flush out metabolic wastes as well as a diuretic flush in helping cleanse the urinary tract and kidneys. Amongst its other uses in traditional or alternative therapy is for reducing high blood pressure, for reducing cholesterol, improving blood circulation and cleansing of toxins from the body.

This is my favourite drink when I eat durians or rich, sweet desserts. It helps to re-balance my blood sugars and seem to reduce the “heaty-ness” or the durians.

The Mangosteen Range
This Mangosteen Tea Concentrate (RM 20.00) is made from the various part of the fruit, excluding the seeds. It can be diluted with water or added to other drinks like tea and fruit juices. It is best to avoid white sugar and when sweetened, it is often done with honey or pure cane sugar or organic sugars. It can be served hot or cold.

The SHL Mangosteen Tea (RM 3.00) drink is lightly sweetened with pure cane sugar. It is also available unsweetened.

It is rich in vitamin C as well as has a good amount of vitamin B-complex along with various other minerals. It is also rich with Xanthines, which has antioxidant properties which heals damage by free radicals, slow down raging and ward off degenerative diseases and physical and mental deterioration.

Apart from being an antioxidant, it also has anti-inflammatory properties and in alternative therapies is used to treat people with sciatic pain.

The Mangosteen Nectar (RM 5.00) is a seasonally produced drink that comprises of the fruit without the seeds. It is lightly sweetened with pure cane sugar and contains fruit pulp. It is most often consumed cold.
The mangosteen nectar has similar benefits to the mangosteen tea with the added benefits of fiber from the fruit pulp thus making it a delicious fiber source that will help in the digestive process and bowel movements.

I like to enjoy it as a breakfast drink, providing me with vitamins and minerals as well as fiber.

09 Jul 2016

0 Comments By admin Eating Well, Healthy Options

SHL Recipe: Bentong ginger and Turmeric Marinated Chicken Pops

Our Bentong ginger and turmeric concentrate is not only consumed as a drink but makes a great marinate for chicken. The chicken can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated ready-for-use. It is also child-friendly which is important for me as I like to prepare good food for my 3-year old and one that he will enjoy eating without me having to coax him.

Ingredients:
2 slices of chicken breast
50 ml of Bentong ginger and turmeric concentrate
Pinch of sea salt (regular salt is also ok)
1 tablespoon of corn starch
2 tablespoons of organic coconut oil ( can use any oil. you like)

Method:
Mix ginger-turmeric, salt and chicken and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour.
Cut chicken breast into pieces toss it in the corn starch.
Fry until brown.

Thought behind the ingredients:
Chicken breast for the lean meat and quick to cook. It is cut into smaller pieces so children can eat by themselves.
The ginger-turmeric for its digestion, antioxidant, acid neutralising properties. By incorporating this, I hope to provide some benefits as well as preventive measures in the dish.
Sea salt as opposed to regular salt for all the additional minerals.
Organic coconut oil for the benefits from this oil which is also trans-fat free. It also adds a degree of richness to the chicken pops. With its medium chain fatty acids (MFCAs), the fats are easily converted into energy and not stored as fats – something important for my high-energy toddler.

10 Jun 2016

0 Comments By admin Eating Well, Healthy Options, SHL Products

SHL Product: Pure Calamansi Juice (Limau Kasturi)

OK, I admit it. I love to have a glass of cool calamansi drink but am lazy to squeeze the juices out of the fruits each time. I want it to be available as and when I want to make a drink; This product was born out of my desire to have it ready-to-make whenever I want to have a calamansi drink or to add to my tea or to any other drink mix. This juice is versatile can be used to make drinks as well as other culinary uses. It is also less expensive than lemon.

The source of these fruits are from the farm so it is organically grown without any chemical pesticide or herbicide use. The fruits are picked at its prime, when it is loaded with juice and squeezed, straining the seeds. What is left is pure juice without any dilution hence it is concentrated. It is a great source for vitamin A and C. The main acids in this fruit is citric acid and ascorbic acid.

Calories	12	Sodium	0 mg
Total Fat	0 g	Potassium	37 mg
Saturated	0 g	Total Carbs	3 g
Polyunsaturated	0 g	Dietary Fiber	1 g
Monounsaturated	0 g	Sugars	0 g
Trans	0 g	Protein	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Vitamin A	12%	Calcium	1%
Vitamin C	10%	Iron	0%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Suggestions for consumption:

Calamansi drink made by diluting with water and sweetened with honey, raw sugar or molasses. served either warm or cold
Added to your regular tea drink to make a citrus-flapored tea
Used in marinating fish
Used to flavour “soupy” dishes such as laksa and soups
Used to make salad dressings
As a natural preservative to cut fresh vegetables and fruits

To help maintain the freshness of cut fruits and vegetables (such as for salads when you are serving them without the dressing at parties), you can toss the cut fruits or vegetables with a 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of the calamansi juice to prevent discolouration of the fruits as well as to retain the freshness.

The pure juice when stored in the refrigerator lasts for 3 months. You can also turn them into “ice cubes” and store in freezer bags for longer storage. When you want to use them, just add as many calamansi ice cubes as you like.

In alternative therapy, it is also used to treat coughs and colds, similar to how lemon is used.

All in all, this is a handy juice to have at hand as it can be used in many ways for consumption and provides nutrients to our daily food consumption without pain or undesirable taste 🙂

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Category: Eating Well