Tofu, Wara, Soy cheese...!

Tofu is and always been a favourite of mine growing up in Ijebu-ode, Nigeria and when i grew up and could make mine still remains the best of my meals, while researching i discover a whole lots of benefits you can get from eating this beautiful snack. As you read, endeavour to make it and add to your household meal, so many ways you can eat it, plain, fried, or add to your stews for rice,yam,plaintain...name it.

Diehard meat-eaters are considering tofu products as a way to improve their diets and provide a variety of health benefits.High in protein, vitamins and minerals while low in calories, sodium and fat, tofu packs a one-stop nutritional punch not found in many other foods.

Tofu, made from the curds of soybean milk, is primarily available in three textures: firm, extra firm and silken.Silken tofu has a custard-like consistency and is usually substituted into dressings, protein shakes and desserts.Firm and extra firm varieties are usually cut up into chunks that stand up well to marinating and can be sautéed, grilled or baked.Tofu itself is rather bland, but strongly absorbs the flavors used to prepare it.
Tofu's primary health benefits stem from its soybean base.Soybeans are very rich in protein, minerals and plant components called isoflavones, which act as a form of estrogen hormones in the body.This combination of nutrients, coupled with tofu's low sodium and fat content, delivers some significant health benefits for those who consume tofu regularly.

• Heart Health; Proponents of tofu for heart health point to the low incidence of heart disease in populations that consume tofu regularly, such as in Asia.The soy protein and isoflavones in tofu are considered a powerful cholesterol fighters - studies show that regular tofu consumption can lead to up to a 30% drop in overall cholesterol.Tofu is believed to lower LDL, or bad, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, strong indicators of heart disease.
•  Menopause Hormone Balance; The isoflavones in tofu act as a form of estrogen in the body, and have been shown to be beneficial to women in both peri-menopause and menopause.In peri-menopause, some believe that the plant estrogen in tofu can help the body regulate the dramatic fluctuations of the hormone during this time.When estrogen levels are low in menopause, isoflavones can help maintain hormone levels and fend off estrogen loss.The body's supply of estrogen affects many potential health conditions, including osteoporosis, breast cancer and gynecological cancers, so regulating this hormone is of vital importance to women.
• Prostate Health; The same isoflavones that protect women in menopause can be beneficial in fending off prostate cancer in men.Studies have shown that isoflavones can help slow prostate cancer growth and protect against enlargement of the prostate gland.
• Strong Muscles and Energy; One 4 ounce serving of tofu packs 18% of an adult's daily requirement for protein, and protein is crucial in building muscle.That same 4 ounce serving also contains one-third of the daily requirement of iron, as well as strong doses of antioxidants manganese, copper and selenium.These nutrients contribute to maintaining energy levels. Anti-oxidents are also believed to help prevent against a myriad of cancers by protecting DNA.
• Bone Health; Tofu is a good source of dietary calcium, protecting against bone weakness, loss, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis.A single serving delivers 10% of the daily value for calcium, yet has less calories than many dairy products.
• Weight Loss; because tofu packs so many nutrients into a serving of between 70-100 calories, it can be a great part of a weight loss regimen or a way to maintain a healthy weight.It delivers the protein benefits of meat while still being low in saturated fat and sodium.
• With all these health benefits, adding tofu to your diet, in moderation, can improve your overall well-being and help protect against serious health problems.

Ukpo (Mucuna slonei)

Ukpo (Mucuna slonei) is among one of the legumes found in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. It is a food thickener known to originate from Asia and was introduced into the western hemisphere via Mauritus (Nkpa, 2004). It is known as “horse eye bean”; and with other local names in respect to different tribes and ethnic groups. It is called ‘ukpo’ by Ibos; ‘karasuu’ by Hausas and ‘Yerepe’ by Yorubas. They belong to the legumefamily fabaceae.
Nutritionally, the importance of Mucuna sloanei (Ukpo) lies in high content of protein and lysine. They are usually limited in the sulfur containing amino-acids particularly methionine. They are better source of phosphorous, but only fair in their supply of iron and calcium . Ukpo (Mucuna sloanei)
contain 20.0 – 25.4%, crude protein, 43.5% – 49% CHO; 5.05 - 7.0% fat; 25.0 - 27.4% crude fibre, and about 6.46% - 14% moisture.
‘Ukpo’ (Mucuna sloanei) is used in preparing various soups as soup thickeners (Ezueh, 1997). In
addition to their thickening property, Ukpo has gelation properties and imparts a gummy texture when used in soups. This is a desirable attribute for the eating of ‘gari’, ‘fufu’, pounded yam etc.

A bundle of benefits!

Cocoyam otherwise called Taro or dasheen corms have more calories than potatoes. Their calorie mainly comes from complex carbohydrates known as amylose and amylopectin. However, they are very low in fats and protein than in cereals and pulses. Their protein levels are equivalent to that of other tropical food sources like yam, cassava, potato, banana etc.
*The corms, however, are free from gluten. They feature high quality phyto-nutrition profile comprising of dietary fiber, and antioxidants in addition to moderate proportions of minerals, and vitamins.
*It is one of the finest source dietary fibers; 100 g flesh provides 4.1 g or 11% of daily-requirement of dietary fiber. Together with slow digesting complex carbohydrates, moderate amounts of fiber in the food helps gradual rise in blood sugar levels.
*Taro leaves as well as yellow-fleshed roots have significant levels of phenolic flavonoid pigment antioxidants such as ß-carotenes, and cryptoxanthin along with vitamin A.Altogether, these compounds are required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes, skin and vision. Consumption of natural foods rich in flavonoids helps to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
 *It also contains good levels of some of valuable B-complex group of vitamins such as pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), folates, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and thiamin.
*Further, the corms provide healthy amounts of some important minerals like zinc, magnesium, copper, iron, and manganese. In addition, the root has very good amounts of potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that help regulate heart rate and blood pressure.
 However in Nigeria particularly among the calabars, it is made into a tasty delicious soup that is actually a delicacy,i have included the recipe,so go ahead and make it,lets have your comment.

Who Says Fufu (Akpu) Has No Nutritional Value?

Fufu is a staple food in West and Central Africa. It is in a thick paste-like form usually made by boiling starchy root crops and pounding with a mortar and pestle until the desired texture is attained. Fufu tastes wonderful especially with groundnut soup, dried fish and assorted vegetables soup but it takes many hours of aborious work to prepare. First, you prepare any soup of your choice, boil the plantain, yam or cassava then you pound into a paste-like mix; something you can swallow without first chewing it. A lot of people think making fufu is very tedious. yet but it does has its nutritional value too which is mostly dependent on the soup and meat or fish that it is served with. Cassava is rich in carbohydrates which supply the body with energy. Plantain is extremely low in fat, high in fibre and starch, very low in cholesterol, rich in potassium, and is commonly prescribed by doctors for people who have low level of potassium in their blood. Vegetables used in the soup preparation provide important minerals and vitamins in human nutrition. Vegetables are also low in fat and calorie. In addition to proteins, vitamins, and minerals, fish oils contain polyunsaturated fats. These are essential for healthy skin, and the normal operation of the liver and kidneys. They also reduce the cholesterol level in blood, decreasing the chances of heart ~eNow Now.com ~

"Food"...Onje!

Hello friends, this was written by a friend of mine Bimbo Adebajo and posted on my Facebook group page, just thought i should share it with you, very insightful and oh so true.

For the WEEKEND folks...!

"FOOD".....onje..Chikula.....small but MIGHTY......!

Looking at the whole cooking process, from the very thought of hunger in the right side of the brain, the salivating of the ideas coming to our mind, checking the purse, should we go to MacDonald s, Tantalizers or Mama put by the mechanic shop under the bridge or should we rather go home and steam some vegetables and live healthy or should we go for our regular dodo and egg, indomie concussion or better still eat our regular Peanut Butter and Jelly (PBJ) sandwich.

Suddenly we remember the weight issue, we have been trying and using all available skills from Dr Oz to Dr Phil to Weight Watchers to 'mama alagbo' at the corner street on how to get our weight issue balance.

We all put on weight easily but find it chaotic to let go of the excess fat, our regular cat and rat game.... so what do you think of these simple everyday living recipes...!

•Get a smaller size plate for eating
•Eat inside and less Eating outside
•Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and less carbohydrate
•Eat small quantity on at least a 5 hours interval; no matter the job shift or life style
•Exercise regularly either by walking or going to the gym
•Drink more water and less soda
•Avoid eating late
•Divide your plate into 4 parts making service room for vegetables, carbohydrates, chicken or beef and protein

&......On the lighter mood, buy exactly your dress size and not a size bigger!
ENJOY your Weekend....!
BB.7.27.12

Health benefits of dates

I love this wonderful fruit, make for a great snacks and it's sweet taste is just right to satisfy my sweet tooth, you can imagine my pleasant surprise when i found that it's actually good for my health,take a look at the following fact about this fruit;

• Wonderfully delicious, dates are one of the most popular fruits with an impressive list of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, required for normal growth, development and overall well-being.
  
• Fresh date is made of soft, easily digestible flesh with simple sugars like fructose and dextrose that when eaten replenishes energy and revitalizes the body instantly; thus, for these qualities, dates are being used to breakfast during Ramadan months.
  
• The fruit is rich in dietary fiber, which prevents dietary LDL cholesterol absorption in the gut. It is also a good bulk laxative. The fiber content helps to protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure time and as well as binding to cancer causing chemicals in the colon.
  
• They contain many health benefitting flavonoid polyphenolic antioxidants known as tannins. Tannins are known to have anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hemorrhagic (prevent easy bleeding tendencies) properties.
  
• They are a good source of Vitamin-A which is known to have antioxidant properties and is essential for vision. Vitamin A also required maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin A is known to help to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
  
• The fruit is very rich in antioxidant flavonoids such as beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants have the ability to help protect cells and other structures in the body from oxygen free radicals and thereby found to be protective against colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers.
  
  
• Dates are an excellent source of iron, contains 0.90 mg/100 g of fruits (about 11% of RDI). Iron, being a component of hemoglobin inside the red blood cells, determines the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood.
  
• In addition, They are good in potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that help controlling heart rate and blood pressure; thus offers protection against stroke and coronary heart diseases.
  
• They are also rich in minerals like calcium, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Calcium is an important mineral that is an essential constituent of bone and teeth, and required by the body for muscle contraction, blood clotting, and nerve impulse conduction. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. Magnesium is essential for bone growth.
  

Coconut Milk; Add ons or Delete?

1.  Coconut milk is extracted by grating mature coconuts and squeezing them by using cheesecloth or both bare hands. This milky white liquid is used in several food recipes like sauces, delicious curries and desserts. Apart from making foods tastier and creamier, coconut milk is also a healthy addition to various food preparations. 
    The following are some of the health benefits of coconut milk:
2. Helps to maintain blood sugar places: Glucose intolerance may cause manganese deficiency in your body. Coconut milk is a rich source of manganese. Whole grains, legumes and nuts are some other excellent sources of manganese.
   
3. Keeps skin and blood vessels flexible and elastic: Copper is a very important mineral for most of the bodily functions. Copper and vitamin C help to maintain the flexibility and elasticity of the skin and blood vessels.
   
4. Aids in building strong bones: Coconut milk is not rich in calcium, but it is rich in phosphorus. Phosphorus is an essential nutrient that the body needs for strengthening bones. It is must to take phosphorus with calcium particularly to prevent bone loss because it supplies phosphate to the body.
   
5. Helps to prevent anemia: Lack of iron is the most common nutrient deficiency among the people throughout the world. Iron deficiency in body does not allow the body to develop enough hemoglobin for keeping sufficient oxygen levels in red blood cells, resulting in anemia. Each cup of coconut milk supplies the body with nearly a quarter of daily value of iron.
   
6. Decreases the risk of joint inflammation: Selenium is an important antioxidant. It controls the free radicals and thereby helps in relieving the symptoms of arthritis. It is observed that people with low levels of selenium may suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.
   
7. Helps in lowering high blood pressure: People who are concerned about their blood pressure will not face any problem consuming foods containing potassium. Potassium helps in lowering blood pressure levels in the body.
   
8. Helps in maintaining healthy immune system: Coconut milk helps in warding off colds and coughs by keeping the immune system healthy. It supplies vitamin C to the body which boosts the immune system.
   
9.  Coconut milk contains many vitamins, minerals and electrolytes, including potassium, calcium and chloride.
   Saturated Fat: The saturated fat in coconut is made up of short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids the body quickly turns into energy instead of storing as fat. Therefore, even though it's high in saturated fat, coconut can aid in weight loss.
   Lauric Acid :Half the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut milk are composed of lauric acid, which is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-fungal. Coconut milk can help boost the immune system.
   Dairy-Free :Coconut milk is a dairy-free alternative for those who are lactose intolerant or allergic to animal milk. This vegan drink is also soy-free, gluten-free and nut-free.
   Skin Care: Coconut milk is used in skin-care products to moisturize the skin and relieve dry skin and rashes. It also can be used on the hair and in baths.