Japanese Home-cooked Dinner Menu

Menu

• Chinese Style Egg Drop and Green Onion Soup
• Shrimp Mayo Salad
• Stir-fried Eggplant and Green Pepper with Miso Sauce
• Fried RIce with Mustard Green

Omega-3s May Boost Risk of Aggressive Prostate Cancer

The largest study ever to examine the association of dietary fats and prostate cancer risk has found what's good for the heart may not be good for the prostate.

Researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center found that men with the highest blood percentages of docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, an inflammation-lowering omega-3 fatty acid commonly found in fatty fish, have two-and-a-half-times the risk of developing aggressive, high-grade prostate cancer compared to men with the lowest DHA levels.

Conversely, the study also found that men with the highest blood ratios of trans-fatty acids – which are linked to inflammation and heart disease and abundant in processed foods that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils – had a 50 percent reduction in the risk of high-grade prostate cancer. In addition, neither of these fats was associated with the risk of low-grade prostate cancer risk. The researchers also found that omega-6 fatty acids, which are found in most vegetable oils and are linked to inflammation and heart disease, were not associated with prostate cancer risk. They also found that none of the fats were associated with the risk of low-grade prostate cancer.

The mechanisms behind the impact of omega-3s on risk of high-grade prostate cancer are unknown.

Currently there is no official recommended daily allowance for omega-3 fats for adults or children, although many nutrition experts and physicians recommend 450 milligrams of omega-3 DHA per day as part of a healthy diet.

Resercher however said the overall beneficial effects of eating fish to prevent heart disease outweigh any harm related to prostate cancer risk.

These findings were published online in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Read more ….

Savoury Pancake Roll

Ingredients

150 g all-purposed flour
1 egg
200 ml milk
100 g water
pinch of salt
20 g unsalted butter
100 g fresh cream
250 g smoked salmon
1 tsp capers
a few chives

Method

1. Beat egg, milk and water together. Stir in some salt.
2. Steam the capers and set aside.
3. Mix the egg and milk mixture with the flour. Add chopped chives into the batter.
4. Heat butter in pan over medium heat. Pour batter into pan. Cook both sides of pancake until golden. Set aside to cool down.
5. Spread fresh cream on the pancake, then put salmon and capers on top.
6. Roll the pancake tightly. Cut salmon roll into slanted pieces before serving.

Source: Hong Kong magazine

Bento Made by Man

The bento below is made by a single man in Osaka, Japan for himself.

Man’s Bento 男子の弁当

Menu

• Rice with Pork
• Fried Sakura Shrimp with Egg
• Namul of Bean Sprout and Bell Pepper
• Simmered Dish of Potato and Carrot

Note: Namul is a Korean seasoned vegetable dish.

Glycemic Index 101

GI measures a carbohydrate’s effect on blood glucose compared to a reference food of either glucose or white bread. Foods that are digested and absorbed rapidly, resulting in a sharp spike in blood glucose after consumption, such as potatoes and watermelon, are given a high GI (70 to 99). Foods that are digested slowly, resulting in a slow release of glucose into the bloodstream, such as vegetables, are given a low GI (55 or less). Foods with a moderate GI, including whole-wheat products and brown rice, fall within a GI range of 56 to 69 (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1981; 34:362-366).

The GI has sometimes been confused with the glycemic load (GL). GL is defined as the GI of a food (divided by 100) multiplied by the grams of carbohydrate from one serving of the food. GI and GL do not go hand-in-hand; a food with a high GI will not necessarily have a high GL (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2002; 76(1):5-56).

Many factors affect a food’s GI. Fat, fiber and protein slow the digestion of carbohydrates and release of sugar into the bloodstream. In addition, cooking and processing methods also affect GI by altering the structure of starch and subsequently speeding up the release of sugar into the bloodstream. For example, raw carrots have a GI of 16, whereas cooked carrots have a GI of 92. And finally, ripeness, storage time, cooking method and type of carbohydrate affect the GI (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2002; 76(1):5-56).

GI can be incredibly confusing and misleading for consumers. First, published GI values for the same foods vary based on testing methods and the physical and chemical characteristics of the food. In addition, a GI given for a particular food, a slice of whole-wheat bread for instance, may vary from brand to brand of whole-wheat bread based on ingredients and processing. And, GI values for commercially prepared foods may change over time based on ingredient changes. Plus, there may be differences in products, say a nutrition bar, depending on the SKU (an apple-cinnamon bar versus an almond-flavored bar, for example). Additionally, GI may vary depending on where the food is grown. Rice, for instance, varies based on botanical differences. And finally, GI values may also differ because some labs use white bread as the reference, whereas others use glucose (dextrose).

Making matters more confusing, the GI of a food does not correlate to the GI of a meal that contains that food, and many people eat mixed meals versus single foods. So, for instance, white bread consumed as part of a sandwich loaded with fiber-rich vegetables, cheese and meat will elicit a different glycemic response than plain white bread.

Read more ….

See my related post:

• Fruits with Low GI