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 !

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 !

But after considering that several million people a day are eating breakfast in Shanghai I thought I should  know  a few more details about what was fueling this crowd, more than just “vegetable  = good, fried dough = bad”. Not a lot more (sometimes it is best not to watch the street vendor too closely) but at least how many calories are really in a jian bing and does it have as much protein as I think it does.  How about that pearl tea, is it just a Chinese version of a latte?

So with a bit of investigating I found out that a big steamed baozi can run you between 180 – 200 calories. The delicious greens and mushroom variety will have less fat than the pork but it is the bun that really accounts for all the calories.  Figure the smaller sizes ( ie. golf ball ) run between 85-100 calories.  Reasonable for sure. Now if you add a 16 ounce bubble tea to that order then you pile on 300 to 400 additional calories, yikes ! The health meter just drooped.

Bubble tea aka pearl tea or zhen zhu nai derive all those  sweet calories from the milk, the tapioca pearls and any number of sweetners ( powdered sugar, brown sugar, honey).  Alternatively Chinese milk tea will add only 150 calories ( tea and sweetened condensed milk) and green tea will add zero calories and plenty of  healthy anti-oxidants to your morning.

I do want to end on a positive breakfast note and thankfully we have the jian bing.  This scrumptious morning meal is high in protein, low in fat ( I know , that’s a surprise) has a bit of fiber and all for only a bit less than 300 calories.  An added nutritional plus is the millet flour used to make the pancake.  Millet flour is  rich in B vitamins and gluten-free to boot. (If you are gluten sensitive, be sure to ask the vendor if they are using millet flour or a combination.)

Remember the calorie levels listed here(and most other places),  are  average  figures taken from a few sources. Depending on the cook the actual calorie level may vary. 

Eat Well Shanghai Around Town: 

On Saturday, February 11th, skip that morning baozi and head over to the Jiashan Market for the  fresh and friendly Farmer’s Market. The weekend market is back on the every other week schedule so if you miss February 11th, they will be back on Saturday February 28th.

Organic Kitchen has a home.  Recently the delivery service opened a restaurant at 57 Fuxing Xi Lu.  Same fresh, organic ingredients, same great taste.  My chicken shwarma wrap and French potato soup  today were delicous !

Eat Well, Live Well, Have Fun !

Over the next 15 days families and friends around China will gather to celebrate the New Year with tables full of symbolic , if not delcious dishes.

If you are lucky to be included in a Chinese New Year’s eve feast, you might start the evening by helping to make jiaozi, the familar pork and vegetable dumplings that are cleverly shaped to resemble ancient Chinese money, something everyone wishes for in the New Year. The meal might also include Tang Yuan soup, a sweet concoction of round and slippery glutinous rice balls stuffed with the magical black sesame paste.  The smooth round shape of the rice balls symbolizes the togetherness of the family for all time. And without a doubt the New Year’s eve meal will end with a  platter of steamed fish,  a  traditional wish for abundance in the coming year to all who partake. 

These are just a few of the dishes you are most likely to see on a banquet table set for the New Year. There are plenty more.  Mandarin oranges and kumquats both “abundant” at this time of year, are not only round but their bright colors remind the family of the happiness of being together. If  your host offers you  extra long noodles symbolizing a long life, be flattered, but don’t cut them. The Chinese believe that by cutting them you just might be “cutting  your life short”. This is the time to twirl. 

From a nutrition standpoint all these dishes have something good to offer and you won’t go wrong trying each and every one.  Like most holidays, eastern or western,  moderation is the key to survival.  Gong Xi Fa Cai !

Turns out the magic of black sesame seeds, a seed that has been roasted and toasted  in Asia for thousands of years, comes from the powerful nutritional mix that is found within.  These potent little seeds are chock full of minerals, including copper and manganese( important for joint health), tryptophan ( the amino acid famous for its relaxation properties)  and cholesterol-lowering lignans and phytosterols. Along with being  another good source of calcium for you non-milk drinkers, sesame seeds with their high content of   iron, are great for vegans/ vegetarians , or those that just don’t eat much meat.

Black sesame seeds ( hei zhi ma) are prominent in both Traditional Chinese medicine and Aruyvedic medicine. In TCM the seeds are used to treat yin deficiency and help nourish the kidneys and liver. They also lubricate and moisten the intestinal tract, so the seeds are great for anyone with a sluggish digestive system. Of course if you have a tendency toward diarrhea then you want to avoid the magic of the black sesame seed.

Sesame seeds ( black and white) are quite versatile and should be easy to incorporate into your diet with just a bit of forethought. Whole seeds can be added to baking and stir-frys and substituting sesame oil for olive oil will add a new taste twist to your usual salad dressings and marinades.   Powdered sesame seeds blend easily in to smoothies and soups and don’t forget to spread tahini          (sesame butter) on your toast in the morning.

Eat Well, Live Well, Have Fun !

Eat Well Around Town:

The Market at Jiashan Lu is back  in business this weekend. Drop by on Saturday from 10 am-3 pm to pick up organic produce, yummy cookies and fresh meats and dairy.

On of my favorite shopping stops, Les Garcons Bouchers, has a new second location in the former French Concession. Stop in and say ”bonjour” to Pierre at 31 Yongkang Lu, (near Xiangyang Lu).                                             Hours:  10am to 7pm Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5 pm Sunday.

There is one sentiment that I have always thought a useful tool when trying to decide if any of these helpful holiday hints are really for me. ” If you keep doing what you have always done, then you will keep getting what you have always got.”  What I like most about this statement is that it gives you the responsibility and choice to make changes in your life.  It suggests you review your current approach to  life and then you can evaluate if you like what you are getting or you don’t. If you want something different then what you have, then you need to make the changes. 

The best part of this directive is that it  highlights two of the core tenets of Eat Well Shanghai, being mindful and the power of choices.  Eating well is about  making healthy choices and enjoying every bite of that choice. Make this the year that you find delcious  food that is good for you.  Think about what would taste best at this moment, think about what makes you feel satisfied and then enjoy every bite.  Shanghai has street after street of food that will give you the energy and pizzazz you need to get the most out of your time in this  crazy place. 

So for the upcoming New Year Season my EWS healthy tip for 2012 is:  Keep what  works well, change what isn’t helping and  enjoy every eating experience this city has to offer.   That suggestion alone should  keep you busy right up to 2013 and we here at EWS will be right along  with you discovering the healthiest and tastiest bites in Shanghai.

Eat Well, Live Well and from all of us at EWS, we wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year !

This past Saturday I attended one of the most fun foodie events I have been to in many years.   The Shanghai Slow Food Convivium chose the lovely Top of the Hilton to host Shanghai’s very first public event celebrating the Slow Food principles of Good, Clean and Fair food.   For the lucky people that attended , there were yummy samples from restaurants, who can forget the Soletta mozzerella cheese featured by Mr. Willis?  and Anna Maya’s delectable vegan black sesame balls as well as the individual home chefs that offered samples of their delicious meals available for private catering.  There was  a nice array of  small and family run organic farms and a good supply of organic wines to round out the afternoon.

The relaxed atmosphere reflected the philosophy of the Slow Food Movement. The attendees  had time to savor the many food samples and share ideas with the vendors on why this movement makes sense,especially in the frenetic enviornment of Shanghai. And if you weren’t sure what the buzz was all about there were several speakers from the Italian consulate ( Italy pioneered the Slow Food movement), Greenpeace and local organic farm experts.

If you want to know more about the Slow Food Movement you can read my previous August blog on the subject and I encourage you to contact www.slowfood-shanghai.org    Watch for more Slow Food events coming in the  new year. You won’t want to miss another one.

You can also enjoy the fruits of the movement at any one of the following restaurants and small food purveyors.

Restaurants: Kush, Mr. Willis, Origin, Qi Min Hot Pot,Annamaya,Downstairs,Melange Oasis,Madison,Organic Kitchen.

 Catering Services: The Elmz( Jamaican cuisine,mohini1008@hotmail.com),food by emma p.(eprigent@yahoo.fr) and Quiche Me (quichemeshanghai@gmail.com)

Many of these vendors and a few more can be found at the Jiashan Market this Saturday, December 17th.

Eat Well Live Well Have Fun !

Eat Well Global, among other pursuits, is introducing a whole new approach to travel with nutrition travel apps for your iPhone and iPad. And of course, one of the first to hit the “shelves” is Eat Well China. 

 The Eat Well China app is perfect for anyone traveling and/or living in China.  The app has much of the information found in the Eat Well Shanghai Guidebook but we have expanded our resources to include Beijing and Guangzhou.

 On a business trip to Guangzhou and you want to find a good vegetarian restaurant, tap on the listings and several will pop up before your eyes.  You have a visitor coming that is allergic to gluten ? Tap on the special diets tab and find restaurants, support groups and Mandarin phrases to help you along.  How about you just want to take a cooking class in Shanghai or Beijing ?  Eat Well China has that information ready to download at the tap of your finger.

This app is different from the wonderful Eat Well Shanghai Guidebook, which is written for expats living in Shanghai, in that there is much more in-depth information about the cuisine of China.  If you want to know what that unusual fruit is in the market, chances are you will find it complete with photo and description on the Eat Well China App. Interested in the advantages of the Chinese diet over a western diet, the EWC app has that information too.

In my humble opinion, if you are living in Shanghai you should own both the Eat Well Shanghai Guidebook and the Eat Well China App. With both at your finger tips will be you ready to Eat Well anywhere you go in China.  And while we are on the subject, the Eat Well China app makes a great holiday present for any of your visitors this year.

The Eat Well China App is available from the iTunes store and the Eat Well Shanghai Guidebook is available from this site.  Just shoot an email to info@eatwellshanghai.com and we will deliver one to your door.

                              Eat Well, Live Well, Have Fun !

Turns out persimmons are one of the fall fruits  that packs a powerful nutritional  punch. This fruit is so good that in one study comparing the heart healthy benefits of apples to persimmons, persimmons came out tops in almost every category from having more fiber to being far richer in helpful anti-oxidants. Prompting one researcher to quip” a persimmon a day will keep more doctors away”.

Persimmons have been cultivated in China for “1000’s of years” and part of the Chinese diet for just as long. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, persimmons are a “cold” food (yin energy) and  powerful in expelling pathogenic heat. Persimmons are used to treat diarrhea,high  blood pressure and hardening of the arteries among other ailments.

This time TCM aligns very well with western nutrition as the persimmon is a very good source of fiber, one medium fruit has 6 gms of fiber, nearly 25% of the recommended level for a heart healthy diet. Persimmons are rich in the anti-oxidants, beta-carotene and lycopene, both powerful anti-cancer agents . One persimmon provides over 50% of the recommended daily levels of vitamin A and 25 % of the recommended level of vitamin C. Vitamin A plays an important role in strenghtening your immune system while vitamin C is an important anti-oxidant , reducing inflammation that can lead to artery damage. 

 All this in a sweet, creamy fall fruit.   Persimmons are in season through November so don’t delay and treat yourself to a healthy bite today.          

Eat Well, Live Well, Have Fun !

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, brown sugar is a warming food ( yang energy) nourishing for blood and  helps to reinforce Qi (energy).  Brown sugar will also reduce gastrointestinal pain, promote blood circulation and production and fight blood stagnation.  All of which sounds very positive for a weary body.

TCM specifically recommends brown sugar tea for women with painful monthly cramping, women who have just given birth and the weak and the elderly. Plenty of candidates for nourishment on that list.

Apparently drinking brown sugar tea for menstrual cramps is something every Chinese woman knows.  And from my anecdotal survey the prevailing opinion is that it works.  Thanks for letting your western sisters in on the secret, ladies.

Back to the ORGANIC brown sugar.  Brown sugar in China is processed in a way that does not use any artificial additives or colors. The sugar cane is boiled for 5 -6 hours which gives the sugar the rich brown color. It is most often sold in cakes.  For the package I found the cake had been ground.  Of course just because they don’t add artificial stuff does not make it organic. To get the organic seal the brown sugar must be made from organically grown sugar cane.

It does not appear that this brown sugar, even though it is marked “For Women”,  contains any thing other than brown sugar.  According to TCM, the  magic ingredient is the brown sugar.  From what I can tell, any Chinese brown sugar will do for  a nice hot cup of the  pick-me-up tea.  Perhaps this pink packaging was just a not so subtle reminder to women to grab a bag for next month.  It definitely caught my eye.

Eat Well, Live Well, Have Fun !