I have to dash off to get my regular supply of quinoa before the stores close,” my health buff of a friend tells me as we exchange goodbyes posthaste after dinner.
Quin what?
“Quinoa,” she repeats, a trace of impatience creeping into her voice. “What? You don’t know quinoa!” she asks, her high-pitched tone betraying more impatience.
I don’t, so please introduce me to quin-whoever! She left in a huff so I was left with no choice but to do a little research on it.
First off, you pronounce it as keen-wah or kinwah. They say if you can’t pronounce it, you can’t afford it. As I would find out later, it’s not really cheap.
Pricey or not, these little seeds from the goosefoot plant growing in the highlands of the South American Andes region are making big news because of their much-touted health benefits which include: promoting weight loss, preventing heart disease, and fighting migraine.
Chock-full of nutrients, it’s easy to see why a lot of people are going nuts over the quintessential quinoa. It’s an excellent source of magnesium and loaded with protein, calcium, iron, copper, phosphorus, making it a great meat substitute for vegans. It’s an excellent source of fiber and starch, low in calories and fat, making it ideal for dieters (but watch what you add to this pseudo-cereal when you’re cooking it).
So, what are the other health trends as we turn a new leaf this year?
Health advocate Angelo Songco of Sugarleaf gives us his winning green list:
• Going organic. But this does not necessarily mean you have to give up on our favorite foods or even meat. Going for organic and natural foods simply means making smarter ingredient choices. Commercially grown fruits and vegetables and raised animal products may contain remnants of chemicals from pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, and antibiotics that we do not need in our bodies. The extra peso you spend on organic and natural ingredients will go a long way towards providing quality nutrition for you and your loved ones. Since you’re spending extra on these wholesome ingredients, might as well go the extra step and prepare these in ways that preserve the valuable nutrients.
• Living a low glycemic lifestyle. This is not only for diabetics or those with high blood sugar. More and more health advocates and even doctors are recommending not consuming too much sugar for many reasons — it’s highly connected to diabetes, weight gain and obesity, and even cancers (most excessively sweet foods also contain chemical preservatives, artificial colors and flavors). However, those of us with a sweet tooth need not fret as there are natural sweeteners that are both organic/natural and low glycemic, which can be used to sweeten our favorite dishes. Sugarleaf Makati goes for coconut sugar as this is the most versatile of natural sweeteners and can be used for cooking savory dishes and baking sweet confections — simply replace regular refined white sugar with cocosugar. Your dish will turn out a bit less sweet and a bit darker in color, but it can be consumed by diabetics with less worry of a sharp rise in blood sugar. Cocosugar or other naturally sweetened treats should, of course, still be consumed in moderation.
Be aware that honey, muscovado, brown or raw sugar, though these are at least more nutritious than refined white sugar (and artificial sweeteners), still fall in the category of high glycemic sweeteners and should be consumed in moderation, especially by diabetics.
• Going vegetarian, vegan, and raw vegan. All these trends are gaining ground. Though a bit on the extreme side, from the Facebook support groups and Sugarleaf workshop attendance, these indicate that people are becoming more and more conscious of their health — one reason could be the desire to prevent lifestyle diseases that we all know deep inside are attributed to diet. People follow these lifestyles for various reasons, but most are grounded on the desire to be healthy. The proliferation of restaurants and delivery services offering detox meals, low-carb, Cohen, low-calorie meal options is encouraging in the sense that there are entrepreneurs who now prioritize health (usually weight loss is their main marketing tool though). Just be careful in selecting as some are more well-thought-of than the others. Take note which uses organic and natural ingredients, which proprietors are educated in what they are doing, etc.
• Turning to slow juicing and truly energizing beverages. Though most are going for “healthier” tea-based drinks and super-sized smoothies, in reality these are still highly sugared and artificially flavored with health benefits that are somewhat questionable. Read the labels and see that refined white sugar and high-fructose corn syrup are the main ingredients in commercial bottled health teas. Artificially sweetened beverages should be avoided as these are laced with chemicals. In some tea joints, the level of sweetness can be controlled. Best to go for real fruits and vegetables slow juiced without water, sugar, and ice. Some sell these via delivery — again inquire about the raw materials used and ask if they added anything else. Or better yet, invest in a slow juicer (not high speed) and juice it yourself at home.
Other truly energizing beverages include kombucha (a fermented tea) and kefir smoothies that use a probiotic much more potent than yoghurt as this has more species of beneficial bacteria. Make your own nutritious drink using your favorite fresh fruits in season — leftovers from your 13 fruits during the New Year’s Eve celebration and add your preferred base of coconut water, dairy or non-dairy milk or kefir, sweeten with a natural sweetener as needed; then, very importantly, add a handful of vegetables like spinach, kangkong or any talbos (you may need a high-speed blender for this). Power it up even more with a superfood such as the super nutritious kale, malunggay or omega-rich chia, energy-boosting maca powder or raw cacao nibs.
• Incorporating superfoods into food preparation. You need not go for imported and expensive superfoods like chia, acai or maca as there are a lot of local superfoods available in the market and grocery — coconut (milk, oil, and bucomeat), mangosteen, malunggay (fresh, powdered or flakes), guyabano, durian, and raw cacao. Familiarize yourself with the nutrients and health benefits of these foods so you can use more of them when you feel your body needs them. A default for most dry superfoods like powders is to blend them into smoothies and oatmeal; with a little creativity, you can easily sneak in superfoods in the meals and snacks of your children.
• Using smarter cooking methods. In short, not too much prito-prito and going easy on the oil — use coconut oil if you need to for cooking and olive oil for dressings and other raw dishes. Steaming, stir-frying, roasting, baking, though these require more time and effort, retain more nutrients especially if you use organic produce.
• Attending healthy cooking classes, talks, and seminars. It is the hope of Sugarleaf Makati that the health aspect of food preparation be an additional focus in the curriculum of cooking schools. In the meantime, Sugarleaf will continue to partner with health food advocates and resource speakers in mounting learning events for the benefit of audiences who are hungry for information about living well through nutrition. Sugarleaf has done talks — from preschool kids to university students, offices, Rotary Clubs to religious gatherings — in its desire to share with more people its unique perspective of health and wellness through nutrition. (Facebook Sugarleaf Makati, Instagram @SugarleafMakati or email angelo@sugarleaf.ph for inquiries about holding a health talk or event in your community.)
• Promoting health and wellness in restaurants and stores. Sugarleaf Makati has been doing this since it started. It should be stressed though that health shouldn’t only be a trend followed at the start of the year or for a short time. Like pure, unadulterated love, it should be a lifelong unconditional commitment.