I originally began this post as an essay on the health benefits of chocolate but have been side tracked (hard to believe any subject could be more pressing than chocoalate) this week by kids and nutrition. There have been questions on what’s best to feed kids to concerns over kids’ sensitivity to nutrition information and a cool study done by kids on the safety of produce in Shanghai.  So kids are on my mind.

What may surprise people about nutrtition and kids is that the time to think about what is best to feed your child is when you are thinking about getting pregnant.  Yes, even before the white strip turns blue you need to be getting your diet in shape.  The most pressing nutritional need before pregnancy is getting enough of the vitamin folic acid. Getting enough folic acid is very important before and in the early months of pregnancy to protect your child from neural (spinal) tube defects.  China does not fortify foods with folic acid ( many developed countries do) so if you are thinking about getting pregnant , take a supplement.

I won’t go through every stage of childhood nutrition but if you are struggling with how to feed your kids a nutritious diet  I recommend you check out  a web site called www.feedingyourkids.com   The site has lots of straight forward tips on how to offer healthy, fun and delcious foods that kids will enjoy.  And you can always send questions to me at info@eatwellshanghai.com

When parents ask me how to get kids interested in the food they eat, my first suggestion is to bring them in to the kitchen and get them cooking and baking.  Even small children can stir and wash fruits and vegetables..  All kids need to know what goes into bringing food to the table. And I would suggest going even farther; take them on local farm visit ( see March 4th blog), and show them where the food they eat comes from before it gets to the supermarket.  Another way to get kids thinking about the food they eat is to experiment with food.  This can be as simple as changing an ingredient in a dish to something more sophisticated like the recent science fair project taken on by a group of Shanghai 8th graders.

The group entered an online science fair with a project called Shanghai’s Dilemma, looking at the best place in Shanghai to buy safe, fresh produce.  The study compared the bacteria and pesticide levels of fruits and vegetables from local wet markets and  the  international supermarkets.  I encourage you to check out the team’s  website for the results; radians.weebly.com <http://radians.weebly.com/    The concise  website  documents the project, the findings and the science behind it.

The team will head to Washington D.C. in June to participate in the final round of the competition and I wish them the best of luck.

I will end by reminding you that it is never to early to teach kids to Eat Well and Live Well !

According the Shanghai Daily, summer has officially started.  That means a return to heat, humidity and yummy summertime eating. And to eat well in the summer ( or anytime) means choosing what’s in season.

“Eating seasonally” has become a buzz word in the nutrition and health media but it is certainly not a new concept. Actually up until the advent of refrigerated transportation  it wasn’t a “concept” at all. Eating what was in season was just what people did. Strawberries in the northeast of the United States were available from June until mid July. When that was over  you didn’t eat fresh strawberries again until next June (unless you froze some for later). But that was ok because you had raspberries in July and peaches and sweet corn in August to take their place at the table. Nature herself provided the variety in your diet.

Turns out people knew what they were doing even before they knew what they were doing. Somewhere that seasonal rhythm to eating  got lost along the superfood highway and now there are national efforts to get us back to what came naturally, eating foods in season.  But how to tell what’s in season ? With globalization and the ability to create plants and environments that will produce all year round, it is quite difficult to know what is in season.

So what is all the fuss about ?  If it is so easy to get strawberries all year round, why bother to eat seasonally ? Food grown in season is cheaper, might possibly carry fewer pesticides, is more likely to be local and therefore has fewer travel miles on it and it tastes better ( really it does). Most importantly, eating seasonally automatically adds a delicious variety of foods to your diet and all that adds up to better nutrition for you and your family.

With just  a bit of effort you can have a good list of seasonal fruits and veggies to shop for.  Start at the wet market,the cheapest items are usually the ones in season.  For a good clue as to what is in season today, just walk along the Shanghai streets and see what great piles of fruit are being sold off the trucks.  Don’t want to do the legwork ?  Use the internet. Fields, the online grocer, identifies which items are in season in the fruit and veg categories.  Most local organic farms will also feature whats in season.  And with a few clicks of the mouse you can Google the information.

For this early summer season EWS has done some of the work for you.  Great seasonal choices now include:

FRUITS:  Mangosteen ( my favorite), Rambutan,Dragon Eye, Xinjiang Melon,Watermelon

VEGETABLES: Edamane, Asparagus, Water Spinach, Beet Root, Daikon, Sweet corn

Eat Well, Live Well, Have Fun !

Last week as I perused the bevy of Shanghai English monthlies, I came across a small article on Shanghai’s first, at least since 1949, kosher market.  Now I am not Jewish and I don’t keep kosher but I love seeing new places open that enlarge the culinary options here.

The market is located in the Jingan district at 233 Wuding Lu.  At first glance from the street, the shop appears empty but…proceed up the steps and once inside you will find a small, but I am sure,  highly desired group of products. There are different canned and dry goods, freezers with kosher meats and a decent collection of wines from Israel and New York.  There is also a growing selection of spices at very reasonable prices.

Kosher foods, for those readers who are unfamiliar, are foods that are prepared according to Jewish dietary laws and have not subsquently come in contact with non-kosher foods. The meats in particular, are slaughtered in a specific custom that is overseen by a rabbi.

Many people outside the Jewish community buy  kosher foods because they feel they are cleaner and safer due to the extra care in preparation before the sale.  I left with a few parcels myself and look forward to seeing the market expand.

I did have a deja vu moment when I first went in the store. To a person used to shopping in one of the many grocery stores now available  around town, this specialty market might seem lacking but I remember way back when, before Carrrefour and Pines, when there was only one City shop and it was about the size of an AllDays, how relieved I felt just to find anything familiar on the shelf.  I can just imagine how much the members of our Jewish community here appreciate finally being able to pop over to the Kosher Mart for that special dinner item or take-out sandwich.

Kosher Mart:  233 Wuding Lu, near Changhua Lu.  Hours: 9 am -5 pm daily. ph. 6255-7770   Delivery is available. Email:  intownsjc@chinajewish.org

Eat Well, Live Well, Mazel Tov!

As I mentioned in my blog of March 28th,  I did commit to the 21 day Vegan challenge organized by Physician’s for Responsible Medicine.  I am half way through at this point and I have to say, it hasn’t been too much of a challenge.

I have figured out that I was eating vegan/vegetarian style already fror almost two of every 3 meals/day anyway and this is the biggest reason why the complete vegan lifestyle has been more of an inconvenience then a challenge.

With the exception of chocolate, I haven’t really missed eating anything in particular.  Not having cheese has made pizza and nachos a bit dry but other than that I have managed to feed my self better than ever and have not been hungry one day.  Do I feel better ?  I will let you know on day 22 !

In the next week Shanghai has plenty of opportunites for you to try eating vegan- style or raw style or  just eating well.

This weekend, Saturday April 21 The Market is back on at Jiashan Market , 550 Shanxi Nan Lu.  Go help yourself to a wide range of organics, smoothies and yummy cookies or just absorb the relaxing vibe over a hot cup of joe at the Melange Oasis.

On Sunday, April 22, join  The Wellnees Works and Slow Food Shanghai for a spring jaunt out to Chongming Island, the center of organic farming around Shanghai, for a tour of the Mahota Farm. For more information contact: events@the-wellness-works.com

And finally, the raw chefs are back! I encourage everyone to experience a raw food event at least once.  You may not adopt the lifestyle but the food is delicious and the atmosphere delightful. On Tuesday April 24th, The Wellness Works will be hosting a raw food dinner party at the Melange Oasis Cafe. To learn more about this event contact: events@the-wellness-works.com

So you have no excuse now not to Eat Well, Live Well and Have Fun this week !

The Eco Design Fair is here.

This not to be missed event is one day only, Saturday April 14th from 10 am – 5 pm. Innovative thinkers and leaders in sustainable design in Shanghai will gather for the Eco Design Fair at the Cool Docks and Waterhouse, located at the South Bund area. The venue is both indoor and outdoor with presentations on sustainable living, fashion shows, cooking demos, activities for kids AND at 10:15 am a talk  on Seasonal Eating and Eating Well in Shanghai by yours truly and Kimberly Ashton of The Wellness Works.

For more information go to     http://www.ecodesignfair.cn

We all need to find out more about taking care of the world in a responsible way so that we can continue to Eat Well and Live Well for years to come.

We would all like to believe  that we are capable of changing our  not so healthy lifestyle habits on our own, that we haven’t yet doesn’t mean we couldn’t if we wanted to.  Whether that is true for you or  like most us, you could use a little structure to help move the process along, there are a couple of helpful, if not fun ways,  to challenge yourself this spring right here in Shanghai.

The first is the World Health Store 12 week Challenge (www.whs-12weekchallenge.com).  Right there in the title is a good sign for any reluctant participant,  the challenge is time limited.  In just 12 weeks you are ready for summer. This successful program will not only guide you to a better body,  with weekly presentations from local nutriton and fittness experts, but also to a healthier lifestyle that will benefit you for years to come.  Hurry and sign -up as the official start date will  be here before you know it.

For those of you who have wondered about the vegan lifestlye and how a person could possible live without meat, let alone cheese and eggs, we have a challenge for you.  This one calls for a bit more self-motivation. Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine, www.pcrm.org  is offering a 21 day challenge for anyone wanting to experience a vegan diet.

The hope is that  the experience will raise awareness of the health and environmental  benefits of this eating approach and as a result people will go on to adopt all or part of the vegan  lifestyle .

The 21 Day Challenge (www.21daykickstart.org ) is a great way to test the vegan waters. Again the challenge is time limited, long enough for a person to experience positive the health changes and to work out the old eating habits and work in the new vegan  ones. Once you sign up you get daily online support, a 21 day menu with recipes and nutrition webcasts, ALL FOR FREE. This Challenge begins April 4th.   I just signed up.  I am curious for all the above reasons.  I will let you know how it goes along.

One of the docs involved in the 21 Day challenge is Dr. T. Colin Campbell of the China Study fame.  He assisted  the group in developing the 21 Healthy Challenge for Chinese. The beauty of the challenge is that it is adapted to the local market, in other words the 21 day menu and the recipes all use foods typical to the Asian diet. If this strikes your fancy go to www.21DayHealthyChallenge.org   You definitely need to be able to read Mandarin for this site or better yet, grab a local partner and challenge eachother.

Spring is a time of renewal and rebirth , as all the sages and Hallmark cards remind us. Whatever your challenge is , be it weight-loss , exercising  more or  eating a meatless meal once a week, take this opportunity to  set yourself a “Spring” time  goal to meet that challenge.

Eat Well, Live Well,Have Fun !

Dietitians are taught to be skeptical of any diet trend that professes to be the answer to all your physical ills. Over the past few years the gluten-free diet has been gaining just this sort of notoriety. The gluten-free diet is said to have cured headaches, promoted weight-loss, improved sex and energy levels and even your child’s behavior. The difference in this case is that the gluten-free diet is a genuine diet presciption for people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance. And no doubt if you have celiac disease you are going to feel lots better once you remove the irritating gluten from your diet.

But the question is, if you don’t suffer from celiac disease, will a gluten-free diet benefit your health?

An EWS Glossary of terms:

Gluten: protein that is found in wheat, rye and barley. Gluten gives baked goods their texture, strength and structure. Celiac Celiac disease: ” a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents it from absorbing parts of food that are important for staying healthy. The damage is due to a reaction to eating gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats”. Per the PubMed Health. A service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. Wheat allergy: This is different from celiac disease because the allergic reaction does not involve the intestinal tract but people still need to avoid wheat products, so they must follow a wheat-free diet.

As a skeptical dietitian my first answer is that there is no added nutritional benefit to this diet unless you have one of the above medical conditions and I would stand by that in almost every case but,as usual, there are exceptions. Celiac disease is becoming more common among the general population in almost every countries. Even in China, where it was once thought that ethnic Chinese didn’t get celiac disease, the prevalence is growing. There is a consensus that more people are sensitive to gluten than previously thought and are probably going undiagnosed.

The best way to find out if the diet can improve your well being is to have a blood test. If the test is positive then change your diet. Changing to a gluten-free diet is much easier said than done. Gluten-free means eliminating all wheat products from your diet and that will be more than just your morning bowl of Wheaties. Eliminating gluten means avoiding pasta and pancakes as well as muffins and naan bread. And you will discover that wheat is added to much more than baked goods, you will need to read labels and avoid soy sauce, no small task in China. If you would like to find out more about living on a gluten-free diet sign up for an excellent workshop on the subject this Saturday at The Wellness Works. http://www.the-wellness-works.com/living-a-gluten-free-lifestyle-seminar.html

If you are really interested in losing some weight, improving your stamina and sex life then eat more fruits and vegetables and get 30 minutes of exercise a day and do it for the next 30 days. I guarantee your life will improve. Not trendy, but it works.

Eat Well, Live Well, Have Fun !

Despite the rain and the cold, Spring is on its way to Shanghai.  All over the northern hemisphere this is the traditional time of year when farmers head out to the fields to sow the seeds of a bountiful summer.  Here in Shanghai, local organic farmers are keen to show the public just  how their farm can provide the freshest vegetables in a sustainable  environment.  Don’t believe it ?  Then you definitely need to go down on the farm and see for  yourself.         

I hear all the time from people that they are worried about the safety of the food , especially fruits and vegetables, here in Shanghai.  Visiting a farm is your chance to allay or confirm those fears.  Actually , I think you will find that the small organic farms around Shanghai are doing their utmost to bring you fresh, safe and delicious fruits and vegetables.

A day trip to a farm is not only educational but a terrific outdoor activity  for the whole family.  Many kids today don’t even know what a strawberry plant looks like, maybe you don’t know either.   A good way to find out and score some delicious ,fresh berries is to take a advantage of  City Shop pick your own strawberries days. Check the website, www.cityshop.com.cn for more information.

What about vegetables?  How does a carrot grow anyway? On a tree, under ground ?  What about cabbages? Can you really find a baby in a cabbage patch ?  Ask your kids where their favorite veggie comes from and then head out on a farm tour to discover the truth. Fields offers tours at the farms of their organic produce suppliers. Contact Fields at  customer_service@fieldschina.com to find out the spring tour schedule.  The Wellness Works also offers farm tours on a regular basis. To find out their next event contact them at www.the-wellnessworks.com

If you order your veggie box from one of the other organic farms, ask them if they offer tours of the farm premises. You may be pleasantly surprised at a helpful response.  Don’t be alarmed if they don’t want guests.   Some farms are just not set up to handle visitors.

 Visiting a farm is fun, it is educational and it is also way to support the Slow Food movement in Shanghai and discover the organic producers in this area.   The more you know about where your food comes from the more confidence you will have in making healthy food choices here in Shanghai.

Eat Well, Live Well, Have Fun !

When is a vegetarian not a vegetarian ?  If you are a pescatarian are you still a vegetarian ?  How about if you are a pollotarian ? Then there are those who are the vegetarian “inclined”.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of being part of the studio audience for the ICS program Culture Matters.  The show was titled Vegetarians vs Meat Eaters and while the title sounds a bit antagonistic, the show aimed at informing the audience  about the wide variety of vegetarian lifestyles  people are adopting and the vegetarian scene here in Shanghai.

Being called a vegetarian today is like being labelled an Asian or an American.  The group has a common denominator, namely limiting animal products in their lives to different degrees , but nowdays there are all types of eating proclivities that fall under the umbrella of vegetarianism.  

If you are old school, a vegetarian is someone who doesn’t eat meat for a variety of reasons, from health to religion to animal compassion. And that means meat, the flesh of any animal be it a cow or a snake.  Over the years this lifestyle has grown to include ovolacto-vegetarians, people who still eat eggs and dairy but avoid meat. Then there are the vegans, who don’t eat or wear anything that comes from an animal,( they are ones wearing sneakers).  As of yesterday I learned that there are people who don’t eat meat except chicken ( pollo people) and those that eat only fish ( the pesky group).

Now to my audience that thinks I am making fun please read on.  I will admit that I am kidding a bit on the labels. I believe that people should eat any way they want and make any lifestyle choice that feels comfortable to them without having to have a label attached.

The most important and only  label  that should be attached to your eating style should be  HEALTHY ! Vegetarians who make poor foods choices can be just as unhealthy and subject to the same chronic disease risks as your steak eater. Kudos to the guest speakers on Cultures Matters for emphasizing this point more than once.

The best part of yesterday’s taping was getting to sample the delicious vegetarian dishes provided by KUSH and Dashuwujie restaurants. Both these establishments promote healthy eating  and subscribe to the tenets of the Slow Food Movement, including local, clean and seasonal food. I hesitate to “label” them vegetarian restaurants because the food is so tasty that everyone who is looking for a good meal should give KUSH and Dahsuwujie a try.

The ICS  show, Culture Matters, airs on Saturday nights at 7 pm and this particular segment will be on sometime in March.  If you would like to know more about vegetarianism or just about good food, contact the Shanghai Vegetarian Club, all eaters are welcome, at www.shanghaivegetarians.com

Eat Well, Live Well, Have Fun !

Often I hear expats say that the one thing they like about living in Shanghai is that almost everyday you will see something that you haven’t seen before. For me I would extend that sentiment to my occasional trips to Carrefour. It seems like each time I go I  see something I have never seen before, either on the shelf or in the aisles.

Like the day I obliged the enthusiastic women hawking buffalo milk. I find it very interesting that in a population that less than 20 years ago did not drink any animal milk on a  regular basis, that someone thought  buffalo milk would be a big seller. Perhaps that is the point. The Chinese are not in the habit of choosing cow’s milk so why not try buffalo milk? So I did.

Buffalo milk which comes from the Asian water buffalo,( not the kind of buffalo I thought of first that  is ”home on the range” in the western United States),  is similar in color to soy milk but far richer in consistency and a bit sweeter. The taste is fairly bland just like cow’s milk. From a nutritional standpoint, buffalo milk and cow’s milk  have two important differences.  Cup for cup, buffalo milk has twice the calcium of cow’s milk, which is important for women and children, but cow’s milk has half the cholesterol.  Still buffalo milk would make a good alternative for people trying to increase their calcium intake.

More importantly I was hoping to find another calcium-rich alternative for people with milk allergies and intolerances, sorry follks, not this time.  Generally people allergic to milk will also be allergic to  buffalo milk.  Same goes for lactose-intolerance. 

I don’t remember the cost so it must not have been too different from the UHT boxed cow’s milk.  Water buffalo are reported to be less exposed to hormones and anti-biotics so the milk would  have  less of these additives as well. 

In the spirit of eating well and having fun, I say give it a try.  You might just like having buffalo milk with your bedtime animal crackers.

Eat Well Shanghai Around Town:

This weekend from 10 am – 3 pm  drop by Jiashan Market for the bi-weekly Outdoor Market for some great fresh food choices, although I don’t think they have worked up to featuring buffalo milk yet.

Eat Well, Live Well, Have Fun !