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Archive for the ‘Natural Wonder Foods’ Category

White fungus (tremella fuciformis), also called snow fungus, is traditionally eaten for its medicinal health benefits. Also called Silver Ear fungus, it naturally grows on a variety of trees in many countries with tropical or sub-tropical climates. It has been cultivated in China for at least a century. Read the rest of this entry »

Traditionally used in Chinese cooking, the health benefits of black fungus or ear mushroom are often overlooked by modern Chinese themselves. They are also called cloud ear, wood ear mushrooms or tree ear mushrooms   and it derives its various names from where it grows and its shape. It grows on a variety of dead woods and looks like the ear in its original dry form. When soaked, it expands to many times its original size, forming a rubbery mass of twirls that look like the shape of a billowing cloud.

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The Acai Berry (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) grows on acai palm trees in the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil. It looks like a purple grape, about one inch long. The Acaí berry is 90% seed and 10% pulp and must be carefully handled before it can be consumed. The Acai berry has been gaining a lot of popularity due to its superb health benefits.

The Acai Berry has the following great nutritional and health benefits:
Antioxidant
Cardiovascular System
Anti-inflammatory
Antimutagenic
Antibacterial
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Okra, also known as Ladies Fingers, Gombo, Bendi or Gumbo, appears to have originated from the West Africa and is well known for its great health benefits.

Benefits of Okra
According to research done by Ms. Sylvia Zook (Ph.D, nutrition, University of Illinois), Okra is full of valuable nutrients, nearly half of which is soluble fiber in the form of gums and pectins. Soluble fiber helps to lower serum cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease.

The other half is insoluble fiber which helps to keep the intestinal tract healthy, thus decreasing the risk of some forms of cancer, especially colon cancer. Colon Cancer is the third most common form of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the Western world.

The superior fiber found in okra helps to prevent diabetes and constipation. Okra is a rich source of many nutrients, including vitamins A, B6, C, iron and calcium.

Okra seeds can be used as a form of substitute for coffee and is often used in Indian curries. To retain most of okra’s nutrients, it should be cooked as little as possible, with low heat or steamed. It can also be stir-fried, deep fried, stewed or eaten raw but may be a bit tough to chew and a bit too bitter. Pickled okra is also a popular food to some people in America.

The seeds of the okra contains a high amount of oil which is rich in unsaturated fats such as oleic acid which is a healthy source of fat. Found also in olive oil, avocados, almonds and cashews, oleic acid helps to lower the level of cholesterol and reduce blood pressure in the body.

Okra also contains glutathione, a protein molecule that is naturally produced in the body.  Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant that helps the body against the harmful effects of germs and bacteria that cause cancers and other diseases. It helps to improve liver, heart and lung functions and boost the immune system. The levels of glutathione produced in the body decreases as a person ages.

Okra is also reported to be beneficial to those suffering from diabetes as it helps to stabilize the blood sugar. Some people have even claimed to have cured their diabetes or their condition greatly improved with the daily consumption of water that has been soaked with okra.

Since okra has so many health benefits and if you are conscious of your well being, you should start eating okra regularly in your diet. There are many okra recipes that you can find online to suit your taste.

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Luo Han Kuo Instant Beverage

Luo han kuo or luo han guo (Momordica grosvenori), grown mostly in Southern China, had  traditionally been used in China for nearly three hundred years for treating throat and lung problems and constipation. The name literally means monk’s fruit due historic writings of Song dynasty monks brewing the fruit as a medicinal beverage.

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