Vegetables in Our Lives at SIBU

As the title mentioned, this post will be all about the common vegetable in our lives:

Since there are a lot of vegetables in Sibu, it'll take for me to do researches on each ... I'll try to do it as complete as I can ....

1. Cabbage  (pak choy, 白菜) 

Nutritional Label for Cabbage:

- contains anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acid (alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA)
- polyphenol content & rich supply of glucosinolates = detoxification and anti-cancer




2. Broccoli (花椰菜)

Nutritional Label for Broccoli:

-anti-inflammatory; anti-oxidant; detoxification; cancer prevention; digestive support; cardiovascular support;
-eye health; skin support (against sun damage); metabolism of Vit D


3. Cauliflower (菜花)

Nutritional Label for Cauliflower:

same family as broccoli

4. Mushroom; Shiitake (蘑菇)

Nutritional Label for Mushroom:

- protect us against cardiovascular diseases 
-a very good, non-animal food source of iron

5. Long Bean (yard long bean; 长豆) - Green Bean is used to describe this food

Nutritional Label for Green Bean:

-strong carotenoid and flavonoid content of green beans - anti-inflammatory 
-small amount omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
-antioxidant 




6. Eggplant (terung ; 茄子)

Nutritional Label for Eggplant:

-anthocyanin phytonutrient found in eggplant skin: nasunin - 

-Nausin - potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger that has been shown to protect cell membranes from damage. In animal studies, nasunin has been found to protect the lipids (fats) in brain cell membranes

- Nausin - iron chelator. Although iron is an essential nutrient and is necessary for oxygen transport, normal immune function and collagen synthesis, too much iron is not a good thing. Excess iron increases free radical production and is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and cancer.

7.Cymbopogon (serai ; 香茅 ; lemon grass)

Nutritional Label for Lemon Grass:

-citral or lemonal, an aldehyde responsible for its unique lemon odor. Citral also has strong anti-microbial, and anti-fungal properties
-contain other constituents of the essential oils such as myrcene, citronellol, methyl heptenone, dipentene, geraniol, limonene, geranyl acetate, nerol etc. These compounds are known to have counter-irritant, rubefacient, insecticidal, anti-fungal and anti-septic properties
-very good in folic acid (100 g leaves and stems provide about 75 mcg or 19% of RDA). Folates are important in cell division and DNA synthesis. When given during peri-conception period can help prevent neural tube defects in the baby
-antothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish.
-Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids, which helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.


8. Sweet Potatoes (ubi keledek ; 红薯)

Nutritional Label for Sweet Potatoes:

-Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes - vitamin A
-purple-fleshed sweet potato: anthocyanins—primarily peonidins and cyanidins—important antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory properties.
-improve blood sugar regulation—even in persons with type 2 diabetes.
-significantly increase blood levels of adiponectin in persons with type 2 diabetes. Adiponectin is a protein hormone produced by our fat cells, and it serves as an important modifier of insulin metabolism.




9. Cue Chai (Kiu Chai


10. "Sa Chai"


11. mustard (sawi; 芥末 jiè mò)

Nutritional Label for Mustard Green:

-cholesterol-lowering ability of steamed mustard greens
-glucosinolates - converted into isothiocyanates (ITCs) that have cancer-preventive properties
- the body's detox system; its antioxidant system; its inflammatory/anti-inflammatory system
-Indoles, mainly di-indolyl-methane (DIM) and sulforaphane - against prostate, breast, colon and ovarian cancers 






12 spinach (bayam; 菠菜)

Nutritional Label for Spinach:

-Glycoclycerolipids are the main fat-related molecules in the membranes of light-sensitive organs in most plants - protect the lining of the digestive tract from damage, especially damage related to unwanted inflammation

-unique anti-cancer carotenoids—called epoxyxanthophylls — are plentiful in spinach

-Regular consumption: prevent osteoporosis (weakness of bones), iron deficiency anemia and is believed to protect from cardiovascular diseases and colon and prostate cancers.

13. water spinach (kangkong; 空心菜)

Nutritional Label for Water Spinach:

-Despite the fact that it requires very little care, Kang Kong is a highly nutritious plant with high levels of protein, calcium, iron, potassium, & vitamins A B & C.






14. celery


15. white leek


16. Yaw


17. carrot


18. lotus


19. Pumpkin (labu


20. Melon (peria


21. Ridged Gourd (petola


22. corn (jagung


23. Bean curd (tofu


fdsfds

What Does Kampua Offer?

When talking about Sibu, one must not miss out his/her favorite: Kampua.

Today, I'm gonna share a little about Kampua in term of its nutritional value.

First, we need to find the recipe of Kampua. After browsing a few blogs, I managed to come out with my version of Kampua:

• 80 grams of noodle
• 1 tablespoon of 14 grams of pork lard (based on 1 tbsp of butter = 13 grams of butter)
• 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce
• 1/8 tablespoon of MSG
• 1/8 tablespoon of salt (1.875 g)
• 15 grams of meat (char sui)
• 1 tablespoon of spring onion (chopped in pieces)
• 1 tablespoon of cooked shallots (chopped in pieces)

Now, let's calculate the calories in my Kampua based on the formulate that I learned from school: 

1g Carbohydrate = 4 calories; 1g Protein = 4 calories; 1g Fat = 9 calories

The main source of Carbohydrate in Kampua is Noodle. Therefore, 80g x 4 = 320 calories

(I did not factor in the carbohydrate from meat since the amount of fat in it is too small)


The main source of Protein in Kampua is Meat. Thus, 15g x 4 = 60 calories
(meat comprised of the combination protein and fat. In this post, I assumed that the meat has all its fat trimmed is really high in protein. I did not factor in the protein from noodle since the amount of protein in it is too small)

The main source of Fat in Kampua is Pork Lard. Hence, 14g x 9 = 126 calories
(I did not factor in the fat from noodle and meat since the amount of fat in them is too small)

The total calories that my version of Kampua offers will be 506 calories. 

(The recommended dairy calories intake for women is 2000 calories while for men is 2400 calories. These values are vary with ages.)

The amount of sodium, which my version of Kampua offers is 1.867g. 

(The advised intake for salt is no less than 6g per day. Daily consumption of more than 6g salt per day increases the risk of getting high blood pressure and heart problems)

As for MSG (Monosodium Glutamate), it is linked with overweight, brain damage, and liver disease. 

As for Pork Lard, it can be the main sources of bad LDL cholesterol and saturated fat that can damage our heart.

Although we got chopped shallot and onion (1 tbsp each), the amount of fiber offered is way too low and insignificant. We should never rely on it as our source of fiber.

Solution:

• reduce the frequency of consuming Kampua as breakfast. Substitute or alternating your weekdays and weekend with healthier oat or other cereal meals
• reduce salt, MSG, and/or pork lard in Kampua.
• use less pork lard or substitute with other oil from plant origins (The only sources of cholesterol is animal product)
• exercise/work/move a lot to get rid of those calories and sodium
• eat more fruit and vegetables

The Malaysian Food Guide Pyramid & The Determination of Serving Size

As an introduction to this blog, I will share with you the Malaysian Food Guide Pyramid. Check out the following image:

From: the Nutrition Society of Malaysia (http://www.nutriweb.org.my/).

Actually, what does serving size mean? Is a cup of rice count as 1 serving? If it is the case, how large should the size of the cup be?

Here are a few useful guidelines established by the Canada's Food Guide:

So, to answer the question just now, 1 cup of cooked rice is equivalent to 2 servings or 250 ml of cooked rice. And, the Malaysia Food Guide Pyramid recommends 4 - 8 servings of grains (cooked rice is one of them) per day or 500ml - 1000ml of grains per day. 

500ml is about the size of a small regular bottle water ... 

That's all for the introduction. I hope that all the readers find this post helpful.

Lastly, the recommendations from this blog are intended for those who are healthy and intended to stay healthy.