One of the most distinctive aspects of the cuisine is its use of herbs and spices

Thai food has become in recent years one of the world's favorite cuisines. When we speak of "Thai food ", we are in fact talking of four very distinct regions in the country, each with their own culinary traditions. We are speaking too of the dishes created in the royal courts and palaces of Old Siam, that have been passed down through many generations of chefs, and finally into public domain. Good food also comes up from the street level, and many of Thailand's most popular dishes can be found at the smallest food stalls and restaurants. And there is the influence of China, India, Malaysia and other neighbouring countries. So all these different factors come together under the label "Thai food", and you will find them in varying degrees at any Thai restaurant you care to visit, anywhere in the world. One of the most distinctive aspects of the cuisine is its use of herbs and spices. With regard to the spices, some Thai dishes are very hot, but by no means all of them. The herbs have another function, in addition to providing flavour, in that they all have to varying degrees various medical and therapeutic benefits. Thailand has a long history, going back to ancient times, of the use of herbs for medical purpose, and this in turn has permeated the ways of cooking and preparing food. Coupled with its low-fat qualities and its essential freshness, this helps make thai food one of the healthiest anywhere. Another important aspect about Thai food is the hospitality and friendiness, the sheer enjoyment of good companionship and of eating that is such a powerful element of the Thai personality. Sharing a meal is an important part of the day for any Thai person, and meal are very seldom taken alone. That is why all the dishes are generally served at once during Thai meal, and why there is a communal spoon placed alongside each dish for people to help themselves and to serve others. A Thai meal ideally is a communal affair, principally because the greater the number of dinners the greater the number of dishes that can be sampled. Diners choose what ever they require from share dishes and generally add it to their own plate of rice. All the dish are serve simultaneously, or nearly so. The object is to archive a harmonious blend of the spicy, the subtle, the sweet and sour, and a meal is meant to be equally satisfying to the eye, nose and palate. Thailand is blessed with many varieties of plants, herbs and spices which ensure s balanced diet. Today, visitors can both relish classic Thai menus and the benefits of a natural diet, and study the art of Thai cooking at several specialist schools in Bangkok and major beach resorts.

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Daily Tips For Good Health

Coffee, Your Liver and You

The effects of excess consumption of alcohol on your liver are well-documented and include cirrhosis, which is the loss of functional liver cells. And while a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests coffee may offset alcohol's effects on the liver and aid in the prevention of cirrhosis, the researchers say they don’t know whether the caffeine or another ingredient in the coffee provides the apparent benefit to your liver.

The study also found coffee drinkers had better results on blood tests used to measure liver function, whether or not they were heavy alcohol users.

In general, your best defense against alcohol-related liver disease continues to be the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans that recommend moderate consumption of alcohol — defined as two drinks per day for men, and one per day for women.

A Toast to Heart Health

Do you wonder if a drink a day can help prevent heart disease?

Red wine and other alcoholic beverages have been the subject of heart disease research. While the answers aren't yet conclusive, it appears that moderate alcohol consumption may help reduce heart disease risk.

This potential benefit is not a reason to start drinking. The research reports that moderate amounts of alcohol, one to two drinks per day, can help increase HDL cholesterol and may slow formation of LDL, the bad cholesterol. Alcohol consumption was part of a routine that included a low-fat eating plan and regular physical activity, two habits anyone can benefit from.

More and more research is looking at compounds in foods that may maximize health. Until research makes a positive conclusion, don't deviate from the tried and true, consume a wide variety of food from the Food Guide Pyramid and include regular physical activity.

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Guava , one of the best fruits

Guava Fruit

The guava is native to the Caribbean. Its skin is thin, light yellow and blushed with pink. A ripe guava softens to the touch. Guavas emit a strong, sweet, pungent fragrance. The flesh is white, red or salmon-colored and flavor ranges from strawberry to lemon to tropical.

The largest guava plantation in the United States, with 480 acres under cultivation, is Guava Kai Plantation in Kalauea. Hawaii —half of Hawaii’s total crop is produced here.

Guava are one of the best fruits available. Guava's are cholesterol, saturated and sodium free, plus low in fat and calories. Guava are high in fiber.

The edibile rind of a guava contains 5 times more vitamin C than an orange.

Guavas like other tropical fruits should not be refrigerated unless over ripe. The seeds of a guava can be eaten and the taste is often described as a cross between pears and strawberries.

Guava is a great fruit because it contains key nutrients like: vitamin C, carotenoids (vitamin A), folate, potassium, fiber, calcium and iron.

Good quality guavas should be firm and free of bruises. Ripe guavas should exhibit a fragrant fruity aroma. They will continue to ripen after harvest and should be stored at room temperature unless it is very ripe it should be refrigerated.


Recipe: Guava Berry Pie

1-1/2 cups cake flour
1/4 cup butter, cold
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups strawberries, sliced
2 cups guava, peeled, seeded and chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together flour, butter and salt. Add water by drops to mixture until all water is used. Separate the crust mixture into two equal parts. Cover and refrigerate one part while working with the other part.
For filling: Mix together corn starch, sugar and nutmeg. Add prepared fruit and lemon zest and toss to coat. Set aside.
On lightly floured surface, with lightly floured rolling pin, roll out one half of the crust to fit a deep 9" pie pan. Carefully place bottom crust in pan and add reserved fruit filling.
Take other half of crust out of refrigerator and on a lightly floured surface, roll out top of pie crust to fit. Place on pie pan and crimp bottom and top crusts together.
Lightly brush top of crust with cream and sprinkle with sugar. Cut air slits in crust and place in oven for 30 - 40 minutes or until crust is golden.
Yield: 10 slices

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Good fats - Omega-3's

Polyunsaturated fish oils have always had a stellar reputation but now, three new studies show the omega-3 fats in fish oil protected people from sudden death. (In "sudden cardiac death", which causes half of all heart disease deaths, the heartbeat goes awry and then stops. Most victims have clogged arteries). *Healthy men who had more omega-3 fats in their blood were less likely to die of sudden death.

• Healthy women who reported eating fish at least five times a week had a 45-percent lower risk of dying of heart disease.
• Men who survived a heart attack and were randomly assigned to take fish oil supplements (1 gram or 1,000mg a day) were 53-percent less likely to die of sudden death than survivors who were given a placebo.
• Due to these results and earlier studies, experts can now say that fish oils prevent arrythmias and sudden death. At higher doses, omega-3 fats may also protect the heart by lowering triglyceride levels and preventing blood clots, though that would not explain why the stave off sudden deaths.

In any case, the message is clear that eating more seafood is of great benefit to heart health. The American Heart Association now recommends at least two servings per week, preferably of fatty fish. (See list below). If you don't care for fish, there are other options. Among them: alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 that is largely found in flaxseed, canola and soy oils as well as flaxseeds, walnuts and soybeans.

Fish sources (and amounts) of Omega-3's
(6 ounces unless otherwise noted):

• Salmon, Atlantic, farmed -3.7 grams
• Salmon, Atlantic, wild - 3.1 grams
• Sardines, in sardine oil (3-ounces) - 2.8 grams
• Salmon, coho, farmed - 2.2 grams
• Trout, rainbow farmed - 2.0 grams
• Salmon, coho, wild - 1.8 grams
• Herring, kippered (3 ounces) 1.8 grams
• Trout, rainbow, wild - 1.7 grams
• Swordfish - 1.4 grams
• Sardines, in tomato sauce (3 ounces) - 1.4 grams
• Herring, pickled - 1.2 grams
• Oysters (3 ounces) - 1.1 grams
• Mackerel, canned (3 ounces) - 1.0 grams
• Pollock - 0.9 grams
• Flounder or sole - 0.9 grams
• Whiting - 0.9 grams
• Rockfish - 0.8 grams
• Halibut - 0.8 grams
• Sardines, in vegetable oils (3 ounces) - 0.8 grams
• Tuna, white, canned (3 ounces) - 0.7 grams
• Scallops - 0.6 grams
• Perch, ocean - 0.6 grams
• Cod, Pacific - 0.5 grams
• Tuna, fresh - 0.5 grams
• Crab, blue (3 ounces) - 0.4 grams
• Haddock - 0.4 grams
• Catfish, wild - 0.4 grams
• Fish sticks (six) - 0.4 grams
• Cod, Atlantic - 0.3 grams
• Crab, Dungeness (3 ounces) - 0.3 grams
• Shrimp (3 ounces) - 0.3 grams
• Catfish, farmed - 0.3 grams
• Tuna, light, canned (3 ounces) - 0.2 grams
• Clams (3 ounces) - 0.2 grams
• Crayfish (3 ounces) - 0.2 grams
• Lobster (3 ounces) - 0.1 grams

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The Nutritional Value of Asparagus

Asparagus is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables in existence. It leads nearly all produce items in the wide array of nutrients it supplies in significant amounts for a healthy diet.

Asparagus is the leading supplier among vegetables of folic acid. A 5.3 ounce serving provides 60% of the recommended daily allowance for folacin which is necessary for blood cell formation, growth, and prevention of liver disease. Folacin has been shown to play a significant role in the prevention of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, that cause paralysis and death in 2,500 babies each year.

Asparagus nutrition information:

• Low in calories, only 20 per 5.3 oz. serving, less than 4 calories per spear.
• Contains no fat or cholesterol.
• Very low in sodium.
• A good source of potassium.
• A source of fiber (3 grams per 5.3 ounce serving).
• An excellent source of folacin.
• A significant source of thiamin.
• A significant source of vitamin B6.
• One of the richest sources of rutin, a drug which strengthens capillary walls.
• Contains glutathione (GSH).

Recipe: Spring Asparagus and Biscuits

2 cups (8 oz.) cut, trimmed, fresh asparagus or
1 package (10 oz.) frozen, cut asparagus
1 cup plus 2-tablespoons packaged buttermilk biscuit mix
1/3 cup fat free milk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
2 cups fat free milk
2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon
1 cup diced, cooked chicken
1/3 cup fat free Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup toasted, slivered almonds, optional

Cook asparagus in small amount of water until crisp-tender; drain. Set aside.
Using biscuit mix and 1/3-cup milk, prepare biscuits according to package directions. Cut biscuits with 2-1/2 inch cutter. Bake according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, mix together margarine, flour and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to bubble. Add milk and bouillon. Continue cooking and stirring until mixture boils. Cook and stir one minute longer. Add remaining ingredients except almonds. Cook about three minutes longer or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Serve over hot biscuits garnished with almonds.
Note: If using bakery biscuits, omit buttermilk biscuit mix and the 1/3-cup milk.
Yield: 4 Servings
Nutrition information per 1-cup creamed asparagus, 1 biscuit:
Calories: 420
Protein: 23g
Carbohdyrates: 38
Total Fat: 12g
Cholesterol: 23g
Sodium: 1,223

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