Better than Chicken Soup: How Miso Keeps You Young and Fresh

While miso has been a diet staple in China and Japan for centuries, in the West we are only just now realising the potential of this delicious fermented food. As well as bolstering your anti-ageing wellness, miso help to build up your inner ecosystem and assure your digestive tract is amply supplied with beneficial bacteria. In turn, these bacteria help your body to digest, synthesize, and assimilate nutrients so that you stay looking and feeling young. They also strengthen your immune system to help you guard your wellbeing against infection and cancer. But what exactly is miso, and how do you incorporate it into your diet?

 

According to wellness writer Barbara L. Minton, ‘Miso is a fermented soybean paste with a salty taste, a buttery texture and a unique nutritional profile that make it a versatile condiment for a host of different recipes, and a foundation for traditional miso soup. In addition to soybeans, miso can include rice, barley or wheat. Miso is made by adding a yeast mould known as koji to soybeans and other ingredients and allowing them to ferment for a period of time ranging from months to years, depending on the specific type of miso being produced. When the fermentation process is completed, the mixture is ground into a paste similar in texture to nut butter. The colour, taste, texture, and saltiness of miso depend on the exact ingredients used and the duration of the fermentation process.’

 

There are six popular types of miso:

• Hatcho miso. This one is made from soybeans only.


• Kome miso. This is a combination of white rice and soybeans.


• Mugi miso. This is made from barley and soybeans.


• Soba miso. This involves both buckwheat and soybeans.


• Genmai miso. This is made from brown rice and soybeans.


• Natto miso. This is a combination of ginger and soybeans.

 

But how do you know which one to choose? Minton explains, ‘Miso can range in colour from white to brown. The darker the colouring, the more robust the flavour and saltiness…Miso is available at health food stores and many traditional markets, particularly those that stock foods from around the world. Because the lighter coloured misos have a more delicate flavour, they are better suited for soups, dressings and light sauces. The darker varieties go best with foods having pungent flavours. If stored in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container, miso can be kept for up to a year. Certified organic miso made with sea salt is the best choice if available. Miso should ideally have a fermentation time of between six months and two years.’

 

So how do you use miso? ‘Miso is a versatile food,’ Minton asserts. ‘Miso-tahini sandwishes are delicious. Spread miso on a piece of bread and top with tahini. Sprinkle on slivered almonds or slivered radishes. Miso can be added to marinades for meat, fish, poultry or game. Use it in baked potatoes after they are cooked and spice them up with some herbs. Add miso and herbs to warm or cold rice dishes. Combine miso with olive oil, ginger and garlic to make a delicious dressing that can be used on salads, cold grain dishes, or pasta. Carry dried miso soup packets and use them at coffee break time. Traditional miso soup is quick and easy to prepare. Its health benefits are legendary, making chicken soup pale in comparison.’ A soup that’s better for your wellness than chicken? Surely that’s worth a try! For stockists, recipes and more information, why not look online?

Categories: chicken soup, fermentation process, Health Benefits, miso, miso soup, nbsp, Rice, soup, soybeans, traditional miso

Summer Breakfasts To Fuel Your Day The Healthy Way

We’re told time and time again of the importance of a good breakfast, but sometimes time constraints make it difficult to opt for something healthy as well as fast. These recipes are perfect for beginning your day in a healthy way, as well as being quick and easy to prepare.

Burritos

Breakfast burritos are a popular start to the day, but they aren’t always the healthiest meals – often laden with fat and carbohydrates, they require something of a makeover in order to be the nutritious meal you need to fuel your busy day. The good news is that you can achieve just that by making some small changes to what you fill your burrito with. What goes into your burrito is down to what you enjoy eating the most – you can fill them with anything from cucumber, hummous and roasted peppers to goat cheese, mint or even strawberries and honey.

• 2 sheets brown rice paper


• 4 dates, pitted and sliced in half


• 2 tablespoons goat cheese crumbles


• 4 large basil leaves

Begin by dipping one sheet of rice paper into warm water and spreading it out on a dry plate. Arrange half of the remaining ingredients in a horizontal line down the middle, leaving around an inch on either end. Fold the right and left sides of rice paper inwards over the filling, then fold the bottom of the rice paper over the filling and roll. Repeat with the remaining sheet of rice paper and the filling ingredients. These contain around 187 calories and are a quick breakfast snack to whip up before you head out to work.

Overnight Chia Pudding

Blending chia seeds with leftover brown rice is the perfect way to create a healthy, no-cook alternative to a classic dessert. The best part is that this is created overnight, so you don’t need to worry about preparing anything first thing in the morning.

• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice


• 2 tablespoons chia seeds


• 1/2 cup unsweetened rice milk


• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon


• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 1 teaspoon raw honey


• 2 tablespoons crushed walnuts


• 1/4 cup berries (optional)

In a large bowl, mix the rice, chia seeds cinnamon, vanilla, honey and chia seeds together. Cover and set in the fridge to sit overnight. In the morning, mix the pudding again and top with the walnuts and berries if desired. This will last for a couple of days so it’s perfect if you want to make a larger batch to last you, saving you time and making this a really cost-effective breakfast. The berries, nuts and milk all provide different nutrients to fuel you throughout the day, and the brown rice is a healthier alternative to the more common starchy breakfasts we’re used to beginning the day with.

Open-Faced Salmon Sandwiches

Taking inspiration from a classic high tea, this is a great way to jazz up your breakfast toast. If you wish, you can replace the salmon with baby shrimp, goat cheese or a hard-boiled egg.  Avocadoes and salmon are both loaded with healthy oils and fats, so they make a great addition to your breakfast meal.

• 2 slices smoked salmon


• 4 slices cucumber


• 1/4 cup sliced avocado


• 2 pieces whole-grain or gluten-free bread


• 4 2-inch pieces chive


• 1 lemon wedge (optional)

 

Take a slice of bread and arrange the salmon cucumber and avocado slices on the top. Top with chives and, if you wish, you can also sprinkle with a little lemon juice. These sandwiches can be updated with a variety of different ingredients and contain just 330 calories.

Categories: breakfast, Brown Rice, chia, Chia Seeds, goat cheese, nutrition, paper, Recipes, Rice, rice paper, salmon

RICE: How to Treat Sprains and Strains

As the weather gradually improves, we’re inching further and further outside to enjoy the sunshine. While this is no bad thing, your wellbeing can be a little more at risk in the great outdoors – especially if your wellness is affected by osteoporosis. Spending more time outside can lead to an increased risk of sprains and strains, and so it’s vital that you know how to respond to and treat such injuries.

You can experience a sprain or strain in both your upper and lower limbs, but a sprain most commonly occurs at the ankle, often due to overstretching or extending the joint while in motion. You can be affected by symptoms such as pain, swelling, bruising and limited range of motion at the injury site, which can also include your knees, wrists and thumbs. A strain, on the other hand, occurs when your stretch or tear a muscle or tendon (the fibrous cord of tissue connecting muscles to bones). These commonly occur in your lower back and hamstring muscles, and can involve symptoms like decreased mobility, pain and swelling.

So that’s sprains and strains, but how do you treat them? You can try medications to reduce pain and inflammation, such as ibuprofen, but in treating sprains and strains, you should always remember the RICE.

R is for Rest – Use a sling for your injured arm or crutches to prevent walking on your injured foot or knee. You can rest a sprained finger or toe by taping it to an adjacent, unaffected toe or finger.

I is for Ice – Ice your sprain or strain for roughly 20 minutes every hour.

C is for Compression – Use an Ace wrap or Sam splint to compress the affected area. However, if you opt for a Sam splint, make sure you use strips of fabric to stabilize the splint around the injured area.

E is for elevation – Raise the affected limb above your heart. This will increase blood flow away from the affected area, which will help to reduce the increased swelling. If the affected limb is broken, make sure you use a splint to stabilise the area.

If your symptoms do not improve after completing RICE for 24 to 48 hours, contact your doctor.

RICE: How to Treat Sprains and Strains

Categories: affected, affected area, affected limb, area, Rice, sam splint, splint, Sprains, Strains