Vegetarians have long reported the benefits of tofu food – a soy product that is often used as a meat alternative in a variety of dishes. But the benefits of tofu food have reached beyond the vegetarian community as more and more health-conscious eaters have turned their attention to this versatile product. Tofu food lends itself to a variety of delicious uses and, as such, continues to be a staple in many household kitchens.
Made from soybean curd that is pressed into blocks, tofu food has a variety of uses depending on its different moisture content. Derived directly from soy milk, soft tofu contains the highest moisture content of all varieties of tofu. Its texture is likened to custard and as such it lends itself to a multitude of dessert recipes. Firm tofu contains less moisture than its soft counterpart and because it can hold its shape better is often used as a staple in most tofu food recipes. Dried tofu is extremely low in moisture likening it to cooked meat. Most cooks use this tofu food crumbled, sliced, or formed into noodles. Tofu food also has the ability to be frozen – or made into a puree – so that it can be used anytime throughout the week in whatever capacity it is needed.
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But the versatility of tofu food ultimately lies in its flavor – or lack thereof. Tofu actually has very little of its own natural flavor. Instead, it absorbs the flavor from the other ingredients in the dish. Served in soups, as a filling or stuffing, raw, stewed, fried, or grilled, tofu food can be used in a multitude of cuisines.
But most importantly, the health benefits of tofu food are difficult to ignore. Low in calories and high in protein, tofu contains no cholesterol and in some cases has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease. It’s no wonder that more and more people have begun to include tofu food as a part of their healthy lifestyle.
The Health Benefits Of Tofu Food
Glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant and detoxifier, is one of the 14 “Superfoods” listed in SuperFoods Rx : Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life, co-authored by Dr Steven Pratt.
Glutathione levels cannot be increased to a clinically beneficial extent by orally ingesting a single dose of glutathione. (1) This is because glutathione is manufactured inside the cell, from its precursor amino acids, glycine, glutamate and cystine.
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Hence food sources or supplements that increase glutathione must either provide the precursors of glutathione, or enhance its production by some other means.
The manufacture of glutathione in cells is limited by the levels of its sulphur-containing precursor amino acid, cysteine.
Cysteine – as a free amino acid – is potentially toxic and is spontaneously catabolized or destroyed in the gastrointestinal tract and blood plasma. However, when it is present as a cysteine-cysteine dipeptide, called cystine, it is more stable than cysteine.
Consuming foods rich in sulphur-containing amino acids can help boost glutathione levels. Here are some food sources and dietary supplements that help boost glutathione levels naturally.
1. N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC)
It is derived from the amino acid L-Cysteine, and acts as a precursor of glutathione. NAC is quickly metabolized into glutathione once it enters the body. It has been proven in numerous scientific studies and clinical trials, to boost intracellular production of glutathione, and is approved by the FDA for treatment of accetaminophen overdose. Because of glutathione’s mucolytic action, NAC (brand name Mucomyst) is commonly used in the treatment of lung diseases like cystic fibrosis, bronchitis and asthma.
2. Milk Thistle, Silymarin
Milk thistle is a powerful antioxidant and supports the liver by preventing the depletion of glutathione. Silymarin is the active compound of milk thistle. It is a natural liver detoxifier and protects the liver from many industrial toxins such as carbon tetrachloride, and more common agents like alcohol.
3. Alpha Lipoic Acid
Made naturally in body cells as a by-product of energy release, ALA increases the levels of intra-cellular glutathione, and is a natural antioxidant with free radical scavenging abilities. It has the ability to regenerate oxidized antioxidants like Vitamin C and E and helps to make them more potent. ALA is also known for its ability to enhance glucose uptake and may help prevent the cellular damage accompanying the complications of diabetes. It also has a protective effect in the brain.
4. Natural Foods That Boost Glutathione Levels
Asparagus is a leading source of glutathione. Foods like broccoli (2), avocado and spinach are also known to boost glutathione levels. Raw eggs, garlic and fresh unprocessed meats contain high levels of sulphur-containing amino acids and help to maintain optimal glutathione levels.
5. Undenatured Whey Protein Isolate
Whey protein contains proteins like alpha-lactalbumin which is is rich in sulphur-containing amino acids. Heating or pasteurization destroys the delicate disulphide bonds that give these proteins their bioactivity. Undenatured whey protein is a non-heated product that preserves bioactive amino acids like cystine. It has been shown in numerous scientific studies and clinical trials to optimize glutathione levels.
6. Curcumin (Turmeric)
Treatment of brain cells called astrocytes, with the Indian curry spice, curcumin (turmeric) has been found to increase expression of the glutathione S-transferase and protect neurons exposed to oxidant stress. (3)
7. Balloon Flower Root
Changkil saponins (CKS) isolated from the roots of the Chinese herbal medicine, Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC (Campanulaceae), commonly called Balloon Flower Root or Jie Geng, have been found to increase intracellular glutathione (GSH) content and significantly reduce oxidative injury to liver cells, minimise cell death and lipid peroxidation. (4)
8. Selenium
Selenium is a co-factor for the enzyme glutathione peroxidase. Selenium supplements have become popular because some studies suggest they may play a role in decreasing the risk of certain cancers, and in how the immune system and the thyroid gland function. However, too much selenium can cause some toxic effects including gastrointestinal upset, brittle nails, hair loss and mild nerve damage.
Disclaimer: The information here is not provided by medical professionals and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Nutritional supplements, while usually benign, can produce adverse reactions in some people. As with prescribed drugs, long-term effects from supplements are often unknown. Pregnant women and children should not take supplements except after consultation with their healthcare provider. Never exceed the recommended dosage on the container. If you observe adverse effects stop taking the supplement immediately and contact your healthcare provider.
References:
1. The systemic availability of oral glutathione Witschi A, Reddy S, Stofer B, Lauterburg BH. [Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1992;43(6):667-9.]
2. Dietary approach to attenuate oxidative stress, hypertension, and inflammation in the cardiovascular system Wu L, Ashraf MH, Facci M, Wang R, Paterson PG, Ferrie A, Juurlink BH. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 May 4;101(18):7094-9. Epub 2004 Apr 21.]
3. Can Curry Protect Against Alzheimer’s? American Physiological Society (APS) Press release; 16-Apr-2004
4. Protective effect of saponins derived from roots of Platycodon grandiflorum on tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced oxidative hepatotoxicity Lee KJ, Choi CY, Chung YC, Kim YS, Ryu SY, Roh SH, Jeong HG. [Toxicol Lett. 2004 Mar 7;147(3):271-82.]
Copyright © 2004 Priya Shah
Food Sources That Boost Glutathione Naturally
Many tourists like to visit Kuching city, fondly known as the Cat city in Sarawak, Malaysia. Some tourists come on their own based on Lonely Planet guide recommendations of where to go, see and experience. What better ways to experience the city than through a local person’s recommendations.
1. Upon checking in at the hotel in the morning, go for a Kuching city tour. If you follow one of those guided tour, the tour will bring you to the top of Civic Centre Tower for a panoramic view of Kuching city skyline, Sarawak Museum to learn about the past histories and then drive past the gigantic Cat Monument. Many tourists would stop by to take pictures. If you come during the Chinese New Year, the Cat could be seen wearing a traditional Chinese costume. If you come during the Ramadhan month where the muslims celebrate Hari Raya, the Cat would be wearing a green Malay costume. You will also get a glimpse of Kuching South city council, drive through Chinatown, visit Sarawak’s older Taoist Temple, Catholic church, pass through the Malay village and then visit the old State Mosque with 5 golden domes.
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2. Next, you will go to one of those famous Sarawak Pottery Factory. If you visit it in the morning, you may get a chance to see the skilled workers carving the lamp, vase and etc. The tour will then end at Kuching Waterfront where most of the pre-colonial buildings are situated.
3. Next, you will go for souvenir shopping at Waterfront or along Gambier Road. You may even chance upon some antiques that you like to buy home.
4. In the afternoon, go visit Semenggoh Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre. You may want to check with your guide or the travel agent counter the feeding time of these orang utans so that you can catch them in action.
5. You will then come back to city and have your dinner at Topspot Seafood Restaurant. There are several seafood centre for you to choose from. The dishes that you MUST order are stir fried midin, a local jungle fern stir fried with belacan, a type of prawn paste, bamboo clam fried in curry powder and oyster pancake.
6. The next day, you will have the famous Sarawak Laksa for breakfast. You can easily find stalls selling them at any of the coffee shops in the city. The food is spicy. If you cannot eat spicy food, then you are recommended to have Sarawak kolok mee for breakfast.
7. Then you will set off to Sarawak Cultural Village and spend the whole morning there. As it is almost an hour drive from the city, you are recommended to take shuttle service to there. You may purchase the shuttle service ticket at Grand Margherita Hotel entrance. Otherwise, you can easily inquire from the hotel receptionist. When you have reached Sarawak Cultural Village, do visit the various ethnic houses and do not miss the cultural performances. You should be back in the city by noon time.
8. You will then have stir fried tomato noodles for lunch. It is a specialty dish available only in Sarawak.
9. Next, you may want to go for a foot massage by this blind masseur located beside Mc Donald outlet opposite Grand Margherita Hotel. The service is not expensive.
10. Then you head for dinner at any of the fine city restaurants in Kuching. Some of my recommended restaurants are Jambu Air, Magenta and several others.
After an evening of fine dining, you will head back to hotel to catch a flight home the next day.
My Recommended Top 10 Things to Do in Kuching in 48 Hours
The chicken is one of the tastes that are most enhanced using a fry pan, weather pan frying or deep-frying, the chicken- if done correctly, chicken will always have the best results when cooked in oil.
Frying has the ability, if done correctly to turn the coating into a tasty addition yet, at the same time, enable the chicken to cook in its own juices and become tender and delicious.
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What you need to make certain when frying is that the oil is hot enough- if the chicken is put into boiling oil the heat of the oil turns the juices of the chicken into a powerful steam pushing out from the chicken, that steam is what in actual fact cooks the chicken (that is why fried chicken is so tasty) at the same time the oil is prevented from penetrating the chicken and only fries the batter into a crisp coat that adds spice and flavor.
The rules are almost the same for all pieces in the chicken:
The center parts (that have the longer, thicker muscles and slightly whiter meat) have less natural juices and dry out faster.
Chicken thighs, drumsticks have a slightly softer, browner meat and a succulent taste (wings are an exception to both groups, they have darker meat but are so thin they must be fried quickly to avoid drying out)
When frying a chicken it should really be sliced into the different parts (whole stuffed chickens are best in the oven, food generally doesn’t fry uniformly when different sizes of pieces are cooked at once). The larger breast pieces are best fried when separated from the bones and skin, whereas the legs (drumsticks) and thighs are best when left with their bones (skin is optional as it is tasty to some, unappealing to others and has a high fat content that should be taken into account).
All chicken pieces are better when covered up before pan-fried or deep fried. Unlike beef that has the ability to close inside all juices when on a heat source (grill, pan, or cast Iron skillet) the chicken meat doesn’t have the same ability, and it loses moisture and dries up. If there is a coating (batter or other) the oil remains on the outside while the chicken cooks in the steam formed from its own juices- so the fried chicken doesn’t lose neither the moisture nor the flavor.
Two quick recipes for either type of chicken meat, and a SECRET revealed in each one:
The chicken thighs, drumsticks and wings should be covered in a softer batter and deep fried:
The secret for the batter is to dip the chicken parts into Yogurt! a simple sour yogurt (it adds moisture, while softening the meat and enriches the taste) leave it in the Yogurt for 30 minutes, then roll it in a mixture of seasoned bread crumbs and gently put into deep hot oil until golden, make sure you take out immediately when ready and soak off all excess fat (another tip is not to fry too many pieces at the same time, they need room to properly fry).
The chicken breast and back-the “Schnitzel Oriental”:
The chicken breast should be cleaned from bones and skins and cut into slices 0.2 inch high (0.5 centimeter) than put dipped into scrambled egg (a small secret is to add milk and half a teaspoon of mustard into the egg batter for extra taste!) and dip into a seasoned mix of breadcrumbs. The secret to the breadcrumbs is to use Oriental seasoning-Turmeric, Cumin, Dried Garlic, Curry powder, Dharma Masala, and for the brave- Sambar Powder. Fry in a flat pan in boiling oil (the level of the oil should reach half the height of the chicken fillets) when Gold on the bottom flip over and when golden on both take out and soak excess oil onto a paper towel. These are just as good if frozen and reheated at a later date (even in a microwave) so you can make a large batch that will last a long time. Note that these spices make the “Schnitzel” a darker Golden shade so make sure they are ready before removing them from the oil.
Enjoy!
Michelle Blu
The Secret to Crispy Fried Chicken Batter
From time to time the one thing that home pizza makers want to accomplish when baking pizza is a nice crispy, crunchy pizza crust.
It’s quite difficult for a pizza lover to resist the crispy texture of flavorful pizza crust layered with a blend of savory toppings.
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A common question asked by newbies and veteran home pizza makers alike, is simply this, “How can I make my pizza crust crispy”? Today is your lucky day because I’m going to give you a couple of ways to achieve crispier pizza crust.
One of the most important aspects of making good pizza at home relates to oven temperatures. Oven temperatures vary when using typical home ovens. Though some home pizza makers have access to brick ovens or more elaborate forms of home ovens, many pizza lovers do not. These types of ovens are fantastic for pizza baking but the typical conventional oven found in most home kitchens require a slightly different approach.
Generally, typical conventional ovens do not compare, in terms of temperature generation with commercial ovens found in professional pizza parlors. Don’t worry pizza lovers, there’s still hope for home pizza makers.
Due to the “temperature factor”, there are a number of things you must consider when preparing your pizza dough and baking your pizza pies at home, especially if you want a pie that’s delightfully crispy, crunchy and irresistible.
The first consideration is water content when mixing the pizza dough. If you use olive oil as a fundamental ingredient for your pizza dough, consider using slightly less olive oil and replace this with a little more warm water. Adding a little more water to your mix of pizza dough will contribute to a crispier and flaky crust.
In addition, it’s a good idea to roll your dough to a “paper thin” thickness. You can do this by “rolling out” your pizza dough directly onto the pizza peel. Of course before doing this, sprinkle cornmeal on the pizza peel to insure an easy transfer to the baking surface you plan to use.
Next, you’ll want to use one of two techniques for baking your pizza to make sure your completed pizza boasts that delicious crispy pizza crust that we all crave. You’ll want to choose a suitable “baking platform” or “baking surface”.
Try one of the two techniques below for baking your pizza pies:
1- Use a “pizza stone”
or
2 – Use a “pizza screen”
If you decide to use a pizza stone, make sure you give the stone plenty of time to heat before transferring the pizza from the pizza peel to the stone. You’ll want to follow the instructions provided with the pizza stone very accurately.
The transfer from pizza peel to pizza stone will be much easier if you lightly cover your pizza peel with cornmeal. This makes the transfer process from pizza peel to pizza stone a breeze.
When using a pizza stone, the goal is to have the ingredients of the pizza complete the cooking process about the same time the crust “completely” browns. Depending on your specific oven, temperatures, 425 to 450 should suffice. Of course you’ll have to experiment with cooking times for your specific oven.
Be careful not to remove the pizza to early, as this is a common mistake. Allow plenty of time for the crust to brown, without burning the cheese. If need be, CAREFULLY take a peak underneath the pie to check your crust if you like. Remember, ovens are extremely hot!
The second way to achieve a nice crispy crust is to use a pizza screen. Though this can be a bit messy, this baking platform produces wonderful crispy pizza crust. The porous nature of a pizza screen allows heat to pass through the screen directly to the bottom of the pizza.
This helps with the moisture absorption process. Direct heat helps reduce the moisture content within the pizza dough and adds to the crispy nature and texture of pizza crust. Mmmm…I’m getting hungry just thinking about it…
Pizza screens are fairly cheap, and that’s great because they get a bit “clogged” with toasted cheese and ingredients after several uses. Clean them thoroughly after each use to extend the life of your screen. Besides, you’ll forget about the mess when you slide that first slice of crispy pizza into your mouth, I promise.
Try these techniques to improve your pizza making adventures and remember to save me a slice!
A Pizza Lovers Dream – Making Pizza Crust "Crispy"
