Last week I met with  the Shanghai Bumps & Babes group, a very gracious and well informed group of Moms and babes.

I have decided to share a summary of our discussion here as I think all of us, not just Moms ,are confused about whether organic food is necessary here  or anywhere.

Whether or not to spend money on organics is a major question for people here in Shanghai, especially due to the uncertainty that the product labeled organic is truly organic.  Organic foods are a new industry in China and like most new things in China the industry is growing faster than the structure to regulate it.  There are regulations regarding organic farming in China and the certification process has been in place for several years now.

Our best advice is to get to know your supplier.  Find out where they get their produce. We also recommend that you take advantage of the offers to visit the farms.  Not only is this a fun day out for the family but you will get a first – hand look at the farm and what surrounds it. Many of the organic farms around Shanghai offer farm tours.

Eat a variety of fruits and veggies from a variety of suppliers.  Include in-season organic produce in your meals. If your produce isn’t organically grown, eating a mix of foods from a variety of sources can minimize your risk of ingesting too much of any one pesticide.

Wash well. Wash and scrub all fresh fruits and vegetables. Soaking is fine to loosen dirt and debris, but studies have shown that running water is the most effective means of physically removing pesticide residues as well as dirt and bacteria. Scrubbing with a soft brush can help remove contaminants in crevices.

Many of you had questions regarding meat and fish and dairy here in Shanghai.  This gets a bit more complicated, especially for the meat because there are not as many alternatives to buy organic meat.

I recommend that you follow the principle of variety.

Choose a variety of meats, both imported and exported.  Look for small butchers that are appearing around town offering Chinese grown meat without anti-biotics and hormones.  Try Korean and Japanese markets and ask about where their beef and other meat products come from.   Reduce the amount meat in your diet.  By this I mean serving smaller portions.

The same idea of variety goes for dairy products. The exception being that I recommend that pregnant, nursing women and children drink UHT milk (boxed). The ultra high pasteurization process kills any harmful bacteria. You can find organic boxed milk in Shanghai. I also recommend introducing soy milk to the family, just for variety.

Fish is another tricky one.  Make sure it is alive, if you are buying a whole fish from the wet market or grocery chain.  As in many countries, the fresh water fish will carry more contaminants, so I recommend eating it less than once a week and using more ocean going fish.

Variety is the key to safe, nutritious eating.

For more detailed information on organic foods and labeling in China , pick up a copy of  the Eat Well Shanghai Guidebook.

Kid Friendly Recipe of the Week:

Invite your kids into the kitchen and let them crush the cereal to make these delicious French Toast Bites with Yogurt Dipping Sauce. http://bit.ly/oAwM4Q

Eat Well, Live Well, Have Fun !

I have to admit that most dietitians are reluctant to recommend supplements in place of real food.  And I still go by that rule when I talk to people about healthy eating and using supplements.  But, as in most things in life, there are always exceptions.

Here in China, dietitians and nutritionists are often of another view; that being precisely because you live here you should take anti-oxidants and a multivitamin on top of your healthy diet. The prevailing opinion is that we are all exposed to far more external pollutants than we would be in almost any other part of the world and additional multivitamins and anti-oxidants would provide a layer of protection against the effects of this additional stress.  Just one gray smoggy day in Shanghai makes it hard to argue with that statement.

The term supplements includes much more than just multivitamins.  Super foods like acai berries, protein powder and alternative products like spirulina are all considered in the supplement category.

This week I had the pleasure of visiting the newest branch of the World Health Store at the Kerry Center Parkside in Pudong. The World Health Store,  also located at the Shanghai Center on the Puxi side, is the  one  place in town that you can get a wide variety of  high quality, imported supplements.

If you want to give your child a multivitamin but you need  a wheat or yeast-free one, the World Health Store has them. If you have decided to take prenatal DHA, the World Health Store has it.  You are having tummy troubles since your arrival in Shanghai and want to try pro-biotics, you guessed it, they have them. Your high school athlete wants to use protein powder after a work-out, the WHS carries several  safe protein supplement products ( WHS is the official protein powder supplier to the Shanghai Sharks basketball team).

Not sure what you need…the WHS has well-trained staff to answer your product questions.

The World Health Store  now carries high protein smoothie mixes, gluten-free cereal and environmentally friendly soap nuts (for washing clothes, not eating).  They also have a terrific line of  essential oils at reasonable prices.

I often hear from many people  here about the difficulty in finding a trusted source of  quality supplements   The World Health Store is filling that gap as a resource for safe, imported  supplements, if and when we decide to add them in to our diet.

Eat Well, Live Well, Have Fun

I have come to realize that Chinese cuisine has so many wild,wonderful, crazy and delicious foods to try,  that it just might take you a lifetime to taste them all.

I am a bit late getting on this taste testing journey but I recently screwed up enough courage to try, what a CNN poll recently rated as “one of the world’s most horrible foods”, the Chinese Century Egg or 100 year old egg or 1000 year old  egg, depending which laowai description you happen to read.  The Chinese simply refer to it as a pí dàn and as you can  imagine, they don’t think it is horrible at all.

The Century egg is a  preserved egg, usually a duck egg, that is coated with mixture of clay,ash,lime,salt and rice hulls and then left for a couple of weeks to a couple of months.  What results is a translucent egg that is the color of a black opal with a greenish , greyish yolk. Yum !

The best way to eat this Chinese delicacy is sprinkled with salt or Sirachi sauce ( a spicy southeast Asian sauce).  Unfortunately I didn’t learn this part of the procedure until after I had eaten my egg.

In any case I did eat it ( although I had to close my eyes on the first bite) and I was pleasantly surprised. The custard-creamy like texture gets you first, followed by an emerging aftertaste that I can only imagine is mitigated by the toppings mentioned.  The aftertaste wasn’t really unpleasant but it did have a hint of a sulfur flavor.

It is definitely worth a try.

Eat Well Shanghai on the Road

EWS will be at  the Shanghai American School in Puxi on Wednesday ( September 7th) this week from 10 am-2 pm.

EWS will be at the Shanghai Expatriate Association’s monthly coffee on Monday, September 12th at the JC Mandarin.

Come on by to say hello and pick up a copy of the EWS Guidebook .

Don’t forget the Jiashan Farmers Market this Saturday at the Jiashan Market.  Plenty of great food vendors but alas no 100 year old eggs!

Eat Well, Live Well, Have Fun !

It has only been a year since the Eat Well Shanghai Guidebook rolled off the presses  but in Shanghai that one year means time for an update.  We have printed an update for some of the listings in the book. Not every new place is listed but we added those restaurants, shops and delivery services  that were highlighted in this blog since the book came out.

If you have purchased a book in the last year, just send me a note and I will be happy to send you a copy of the update.  All new purchases from today will have a copy of the EWS update.

The book is still available from Nest at Taikang Lu and Melange Oasis.  Of course you can always contact me here at EWS for a home delivery.  Even better, look for Eat well Shanghai this weekend at the Jiashan Market on Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm.

JIASHAN FOOD MARKET! ! !         SATURDAY AUGUST 27TH   !! !                                                                                                                      10am – 3pm
BAGELS, YOGURTS, DIPS, OLIVES, PRESERVES, FRESH SAUSAGES, BBQ’D SAUSAGES, DUMPLINGS,
JAMAICAN FOOD, BEERS, COFFEE, VEGAN GOODIES, COOKIES AND CUPCAKES.
Shanxi South Road, Lane 550, Nu. 37, also accessible from jiashan lu nu. 259.
www.jiashanmarket.com

Eat Well, Live Well ,Have Fun !

“Does it ever stop?” That is the question I hear most often from my visitors to Shanghai, especially after I take them for a nighttime walk down the Nanjing Lu Pedestrian street. Shanghai may not advertise its 24 hour open for business status but anyone who has spent time here knows that  it is not NYC, but Shanghai which is truly “the city that never sleeps”.

So I was a bit skeptical when I was invited to hear about the introduction of the Slow Food Movement to Shanghai.

The Slow Food Movement champions the idea of good, clean and fair food for all. What that amounts to is the promotion of  fresh, seasonal and local foods that are produced and consumed in a way that does not harm the environment, animals or our health and provides food at accessible prices for consumers while fairly supporting small farmers and producers. That is, pardon the pun, quite a mouthful.

This is not a movement that is necessarily organic or vegetarian or gourmet but  this philosophy concerns itself with the idea that food should taste good naturally, that  traditional foods are important and should be preserved in their authentic state and by supporting small producers, all our lives will be healthier.

Sounds great,  but what does that mean for you today, and tomorrow when you are on the run from here to there with maybe a couple of kids in tow? Actually if you are interested in providing a wholesome,nutritious diet for yourself and your family, then slow foods will fit right in. People eat better when they take the time to chose fresh foods from wholesome sources, maybe that means organic, maybe that just means knowing and trusting your grocer. People eat better when they take the time to cook together and eat as a family or with friends.  When we share a good meal, we eat slower and we often pay more attention to our food, the taste, the smell and  the texture, that is eating well. Children will often chose a wider variety of foods when the family eats together, and variety means better nutrition. People eat better and learn more about the culture they are living in when they try traditional foods made by a local cook. These are the small steps that make up the Slow Food Movement.

Slow Food doesn’t mean you have to eat every meal at home. Look for chefs that promote the Slow Food ideas and visit their restaurants. A chef who is part of the Slow Food movement is using fresh, local ingredients and paying attention to his dishes. Now that sounds like a good meal.

I have no doubt that Shanghai will continue to operate at break neck speed but perhaps slowing down for a meal is just the thing we need to keep up the pace.

For more information check out www.slowfood.com  and watch the local listings for more information on Shanghai’s new chapter, I mean convivia.

Eat Well, Live Well, Slow Down !

Eat Well Shanghai is back online after an extended summer holiday.  Alas it was not all play and no work.   Part of my time was spent looking at the differences between the Chinese and the western diet. (More on this project in upcoming posts. )  Many of the differences are quite obvious to those of us living here in China but I am always amazed when reality matches the stereotypes.

Sitting in the airport in Canada waiting to board my flight to China I was struck by a  literal contrast in how the Chinese eat versus a western person. While  we were all indulging in a pre-boarding snack, most of the Chinese passengers were eating apples and oranges and the westerners were enjoying Tim Horton’s mini-bites and croissants from Starbucks. It isn’t hard to reason why Asians tend to be thinner than westerners. It comes down to choices, people !

Being a frequent traveler I often look at the variety of food offered in airports and roadside stops.  It helps me gauge how the seemingly ever present  nutrition messages are succeeding in changing peoples’ habits.  To my surprise, I did see fresh fruits, vegetable plates with hummus and sandwiches on whole grain breads being offered at most traveling venues. My amateur conclusion is that the healthy options are there but that it will be awhile before nuts and berries and yogurt parfaits are the first choice.

Being an expat in China automatically qualifies you as a frequent traveler and being a frequent traveler puts you into a position where you will have to make food choices within limited boundaries.  You can have some control over what you eat on the road.  If the healthy choice is there, choose it.  If you have the opportunity to pack food ahead of your trip, do that. Generally the sandwich you make and the  fruit/ nut mix or the yogurt you bring from home will be healthier and tastier than what you will find at the airport or on the plane.  You may only be able to do this for part of the trip but all studies indicate that every little bite of good nutrition helps.

Frequent travel doesn’t have to be an obstacle to a healthy diet.   Changing your mind about food on the road is the first step to changing your habits and once you realize that traveling doesn’t equal fast food and candy bars,  you will be eating apples at the departure gate too.   Make the right choice because, to be sure, someone is always watching !

Moving on….starting next week I will be back to updating you on the nutrition scene in Shanghai and predictably there is lots going on.

Mark your calendar for the return of the Jiashan Market on Saturday, August 27th. Eat Well Shanghai will be there as well as plenty of your favorite food vendors.

Eat Well, Live Well , Have Fun !

Whew!  I have finally surfaced from two weeks of ongoing jet lag; European jet-lag followed by North American jet-lag, and while it is never fun to have my head in the clouds for more than a day, the trip has been worth each and every foggy moment.  Whether you are tripping around the world or staying in Shanghai for the summer, most of us have shifted in to vacation mode.  And that often means throwing off our healthy eating habits for a week or two weeks (and for a lucky few, most of the summer).  While I can’t condone throwing the veritable baby out with the bath water, (a food analogy just doesn’t work here) I do believe that you should enjoy the fruits of your labor when on holiday and that means eating well.

The philosophy here at Eat Well Shanghai has always been to enjoy eating delicious food that can be as good for you as it tastes, and this includes vacation.  Every culture and holiday has unique foods and flavors and those should be enjoyed as part of the holiday experience.

On our recent stop in the Swiss Alps, my friend encouraged my daughter to eat crepes as we wandered along the shores of Switzerland’s Lake Geneva because “how often do you get the chance to eat crepes sitting under the trees by Lake Geneva”. She was right of course…it was a completely different taste experience from the crepes we get on Hami Lu.

And just as every place offers distinctive food experiences, there are also activities unique to every location that enhance meals and treats.  For instance I can attest that every wheel of cheese in Switzerland from the village of Gruyere to Lausanne tasted sublime but none tasted as good as the tete de moins we shared after a rambling alpine hike.

I often tell people it isn’t the foods that you eat on vacation that influence your health but what you eat on a daily basis every other day of the year that really counts.  So enjoy all the flavors of summer wherever you may travel, even if it is just to the former French concession to try a new restaurant.

And if you are new to Shanghai or have decided to read up on Eating Well in Shanghai, the EWS Guidebook is available this summer from the fabulous online healthy grocer, Fields at www. fieldschina.com and also at Nest at Taikang Lu and the Mélange Oasis Café at Jiashan Market (550 Shanxi Nan Lu).

Eat Well, Live Well, Have Fun!

Finally some good food news in China !                                              

Anyone who has lived here in Shanghai for more then a year knows that besides strawberries, most other berries, in particular blueberries are pretty scarce, and when you do find them, they are  imported and  you generally have to offer your favorite arm or leg to buy a pint.  But hang on to those arms and legs ! As of last month, Chinese blueberries have appeared in the Shanghai market.

I first spied them on the Fields website(www.fieldschina.com), Wallen organic blueberries from Shanghai and then lo and behold more organic blueberries , Sapphire Blueberries, from Shangdong, turned up in my favorite wet market.

During the week as I was applauding the appearance of this super food, I heard a rumor that China is one of the largest producers of blueberries in the world. Wow!  Well like many things in China that really wasn’t the whole story.  They are not the world’s largest producer or even exporter of blueberries, but to be sure,  they are working on it.   Over the last 8 years farmers in the north have been cultivating blueberries and raspberries. Most  of these berries have been exported frozen or processed .  The theory is that blueberries will start appearing in the local market as the Chinese people begin to develop a taste for this non-native fruit.

Blueberries are considered nutrition powerhouses because of their high antioxidant content as well as being sweet sources of vitamin C, vitamin K and that little known but important mineral manganese. Research studies are also showing that regular consumption of blueberries boost memory function and improve cholesterol levels. Truly a fruit to win over your heart and mind.

So enjoy your blueberries Shanghai !   Have them on cereal, in yogurt , added to smoothies , salads and pancakes or just naked by the handful.

Eat Well, Live Well Have Fun

Over the last several months I have had the chance to spend more than a couple of occasions enjoying a meal or a coffee in the lovely courtyard of Melange Oasis. And judging by the bustling  lunch time crowd, I am not the only one to discover that this bistro meets the definition of Eat Well Shanghai, with a menu that is both healthy and delicious !

Now there is another reason to stop by Melange Oasis in the Jiashan Market at 550 Shaanxi Nan Lu. As of Friday the Eat Well Shanghai Guidebook is  available at the restaurant for perusing and purchasing.

Not far from Melange Oasis is the second shop of the Freshary. Julie wrote about the Freshary on this blog when it first opened up last fall (11/19/2010).

The Freshary is an “ice cream” shop and bakery ( the only one in Shanghai) that offers organic, totally vegan products.  So no animal products are used in the production of the tasty muffins and brownies.  They offer several baked good products and two kinds of frozen dessert, creamy vanilla soy and black sesame, which is a really cool purplish – black color.  I admit it took me way too long to get over to the shop but since then I have been back twice for the black sesame cream cones.

Unfortunately the last time I stopped by the Julu Lu shop ( Friday) it was closed for “some changes”, so I recommend you call first (6445-2137) or go on over to their other shop at SML Center,618 Xujiahui Lu,B2, T-13  for a heart healthy taste treat.

Eat Well , Live Well, Have Fun !

Yesterday, I made my initial visit to the world of raw food cuisine. Actually the more accurate description is Raw Living cuisine. The Living part is important because the diet is based on fruits,veggies,nuts and seeds in their unprocessed and uncooked state. Seeds are often soaked,  starting the germination process ( thinks sprouts), which offers even greater nutritional benefits.

A raw food dish can be as simple as a salad with homemade dressing or just a bit more complicated like the yummy Lime Mousse Mango Parfaits we devoured.  I learned yesterday that raw food cooks will use oven dehydrators ( not to exceed 118degrees F or 48 degrees C) to prepare foods to use in recipes.

I also had the opportunity to taste some delicious pumpkin seed milk. The “milk” is slightly sweet and very creamy.  And, with just a little forethought easy to prepare.  Forethought is important when it comes to soaking the seeds for a couple of hours which, while not necessary, turns out a smoother product. What I found even more exciting is the pumpkin seed flour that is leftover when your strain the liquid off. It was as fluffy as any other flour and can be used to substitute for wheat flour.

Jennifer McClelland is a trained chef so you knew the food was going to look good and taste good, and it did.  Did the two-hour workshop convert me ?  Well no (I did mention my affinity for caffeine) but I do think there are plenty of reasons to move toward this type of diet.

The Pros:

• The emphasis on unprocessed foods. If you follow this blog you will remember my suggestion that we all “eat outside the box” .
• It is a diet based on fruits and vegetables and therefore full of color and variety. You can’t go wrong if you have a rainbow on your plate.
• It eliminates white sugar, which has no nutritional value so you really don’t need it in your diet anyway.

The Cons:    ( If you have pros you must have cons….)

• Preparation can be time consuming.
• Difficult to maintain if you frequently travel.
• Requires some  vitamin/mineral supplementation

The verdict:  I would recommend including many of the principles of a raw food lifestyle to anyone interested in improving their health and well-being with food.  As Jennifer said” It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.”

Eat Well, Live Well, Have Fun !