Pilih Jenis Teh Sesuai Kebutuhan Anda


KOMPAS.com - Teh merupakan salah satu jenis minuman dengan banyak manfaat. Kandungan antioksidannya diyakini mampu meningkatkan kekebalan tubuh, dan melawan penuaan dini. Kandungan kafeinnya memberi banyak manfaat kesehatan, seperti mengurangi risiko penyakit diabetes, atau meningkatkan daya ingat. Untuk mendapatkan manfaatnya sesuai kebutuhan tubuh, sebaiknya Anda mengenal jenis-jenis teh yang biasa Anda temukan.
Menurunkan kolesterol: Teh hitam
Teh hitam  ini tergolong jenis yang paling umum, dan merupakan 75 persen konsumsi teh di seluruh dunia. Teh ini digulung dan difermentasikan, lalu dikeringkan dan ditumbuk. Citarasa teh ini sedikit lebih pahit dan memiliki kandungan kafein yang tertinggi, yaitu sekitar 40 mg per cangkir. Bandingkan dengan secangkir kopi yang mengandung 50-100 mg kafein. Jadi, kalau kopi terlalu berat untuk Anda, coba lawan kantuk Anda dengan teh hitam.

Teh hitam juga memiliki konsentrasi antioksidan yang tinggi, yang dikenal sebagai theaflavins dan thearubigins. Senyawa ini diperkirakan mampu menurunkan kadar kolesterol, demikian menurut  Rebecca Baer, pakar diet di New York City. Orang yang minum tiga cangkir teh hitam atau lebih setiap hari kemungkinan bisa menurunkan risiko stroke hingga 21 persen.
Menurunkan risiko penyakit jantung: Teh hijau
Tak suka teh hitam? Silakan coba teh hijau, karena teh ini memiliki citarasa yang lebih enak daripada teh hitam. Setelah dipetik, daun teh langsung dikeringkan dan dipanaskan, sehingga menghentikan proses fermentasinya. Dalam secangkir, kandungan kafeinnya 25 mg.

Teh hijau penuh dengan kandungan antioksidan bernama katekin, bagian dari kelompok yang disebut EGCG. Senyawa ini mampu melawan segala sesuatu, dari kanker hingga penyakit jantung, kata Karen Collins, penasihat nutrisi di American Institute for Cancer Research, di Washington, DC. Sebuah studi menunjukkan bahwa secangkir teh hijau sehari dapat menurunkan risiko penyakit kardiovaskular hingga 10 persen.
Menurunkan berat badan: Teh oolong
Mirip dengan teh hitam, namun difermentasikan dalam waktu yang lebih singkat, sehingga memberikan rasa yang lebih kaya. Oolong juga mampu membantu proses penurunan berat badan. "Oolong mengaktifkan enzim yang berfungsi menghancurkan trigliserida, bentuk lemak diet yang tersimpan di dalam sel-sel lemak," ujar Baer.
Untuk menurunkan berat badan, orang juga cenderung mengonsumsi teh hijau. Padahal, perempuan yang meminum teh oolong akan membakar lebih banyak kalori dalam periode dua jam, daripada yang hanya minum air putih. Oolong juga mengandung kafein dalam jumlah yang lebih rendah, yaitu 30 mg per cangkir.

Melawan diabetes: Teh putih
Daun teh dipetik saat masih sangat muda, sehingga teh putih memiliki citarasa yang paling ringan daripada jenis teh lainnya. Kafeinnya pun paling rendah, sekitar 15 mg per cangkir. Teh tubruk mungkin juga mengandung antioksidan lebih banyak daripada teh celup, karena daun tehnya mengalami pemrosesan lebih singkat.

Teh putih juga mempunyai manfaat pelawan kanker dan penyakit kardiovaskular. Beberapa penelitian menyatakan bahwa teh jenis ini juga bermanfaat untuk pengidap diabetes.  Jurnal Phytomedicine menuliskan bahwa mengonsumsi teh putih dapat memperbaiki toleransi glukosa dan pengurangan kolesterol jahat.
Rileksasi, pereda mulas, dan lain-lain: Teh herbal 
Sebenarnya, teh herbal bukanlah teh karena yang digunakan adalah kombinasi buah-buahan kering, bunga, dan tumbuh-tumbuhan bumbu lainnya. Makanya, teh herbal tidak mengandung kafein.
Sebuah studi yang dimuat di Journal of Nutrition mendapati bahwa minum tiga cangkir teh hibiscus (kembang sepatu) setiap hari dapat membantu menurunkan tekanan darah pada penderita hipertensi. Teh chamomile bisa membuat Anda rileks dan mudah terlelap, sedangkan teh peppermint sanggup menenangkan perut yang bergolak karena makanan yang Anda konsumsi.
Hindari teh herbal yang digunakan untuk menurunkan berat badan, karena kemungkinan mengandung bahan laksatif (bahan pencahar) yang berbahaya.
Sebagai minuman penyegaran: Flavored tea
Teh hitam, hijau, atau putih, bisa menjadi lebih beraroma dengan tambahan kayu manis, jeruk, atau lavender. Teh jenis ini memiliki kadar antioksidan dan manfaat kesehatan yang sama seperti yang tidak beraroma. Teh yang ditambah dengan aroma buah-buahan super, seperti blueberry, bisa jadi mengandung lebih banyak antioksidan, demikian menurut Lisa Boalt Richardson, pakar teh dan penulis buku The World in Your Teacup. Agar manfaatnya maksimal, tak usah menambahkan gula ke cangkir teh Anda. 

Basil, Oregano, dan Bumbu Italia Lain


KOMPAS.com - Salah satu ciri khas makanan Italia adalah pada penggunaan keju dan rempah-rempahnya yang beraroma tajam dan harum. Bumbu apa sajakah yang bisa membuat masakan Italia menjadi sangat nikmat ketika disantap?

1. Basil. Daun bumbu yang satu ini memiliki aroma yang nyaris mirip dengan daun kemangi. Bentuknya pun mirip, meskipun teksturnya lebih tebal daripada daun kemangi. Biasanya daun basil ini digunakan untuk penambah rasa pada pasta, berbagai olahan ikan, atau salad.

2. Thyme (timi). Daun ini sebenarnya berasal dari Mesir. Batangnya kecil namun kokoh dan keras. Biasanya daun timi digunakan sebagai campuran dalam berbagai masakan seperti sup dan daging panggang. Dalam pembuatan kaldu sup, daun ini biasanya menyertai bawang bombay, wortel, daun bawang, dan peterseli.

3. Oregano. Disebut juga sebagai marjoram, bumbu ini biasa ditanam di kawasan Mediterania, Asia Tengah dan Selatan. Daun oregano segar sepintas mirip daun basil, namun memiliki aroma yang khas dan lebih tajam. Oregano bisa ditemukan dalam bentuk daun segar ataupun bubuk. Oregano bubuk lebih sering digunakan sebagai bumbu tambahan untuk pembuatan pizza dan spagheti.

4. Sage. Sage juga bisa digunakan dalam bentuk segar ataupun kering. Daun sage ini memiliki bentuk yang agak panjang dan termasuk dalam tanaman perdu. Rasanya sedikit pedas dan pahit, namun aromanya harum. Penambahan sage dalam masakan biasanya untuk menghilangkan aroma amis, dan menambah aroma harum pada olahan bakaran. Di Italia, sage biasanya digunakan sebagai taburan dalam sup minestrone dan Osso Buco.

5. Rosemary. Bumbu daun yang satu ini sangat mudah dikenali, karena memiliki bentuk yang runcing seperti daun cemara. Namun, aromanya tajam dan rasanya sedikit pahit. Daun ini sering dipakai sebagai pengharum sup, daging panggang, ataupun bumbu saus perendam.

6. Cilantro. Daun ini di Indonesia lebih dikenal sebagai daun ketumbar. Aromanya yang harum biasanya digunakan untuk menambah aroma masakan seperti sup.

Zha Jiang Mian



Zha Jiang Mian (Chinese Fried Sauce Noodles aka "Chinese Spaghetti")

For two servings, you'll need:

8 oz Chinese wheat noodles or Italian thin spaghetti noodles
1/2 lb ground pork or ground turkey
1 small onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 tblsp Chao/Doufu Ru (Vietnamese/Chinese Fermented Bean Curd)
3 tblsp Chinese Black Bean Sauce
3 tblsp Chinese Hoisin Sauce
1 tblsp Chinese hsiao xing rice wine or regular white wine

Optional: Add julienned carrots or cucumbers at the end.

Boil noodles. Drain. Set aside.

Finely dice one small onion and finely mince 4 cloves garlic.

In a saute pan on medium-high heat, drizzle a bit of oil and saute the onions and garlic until softened. Add the ground pork or ground turkey, 3 tblsp fermented bean curd, 3 tblsp black bean sauce, 3 tblsp hoisin sauce, and 1 tblsp rice wine. Saute until the meat is cooked.

Taste and adjust portions if necessary. Add water if the mixture is too salty. Simmer for a few minutes if needed until the meat sauce is to your liking.

Pour the sauce over the noodles. Garnish with julienned carrots and cucumbers if you wish.

Read more: http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2009/04/zha-jiang-mian-chinese-fried-sauce.html#ixzz1ZxltiEoe

Spicy Miso Ramen

Recipe: Spicy Miso Ramen
Makes two bowls

Ingredients:
Fresh ramen noodles (for two people)
4 cups water
4 tablespoons white miso paste
3-4 teaspoons S&B La Yu or chili oil 
1/2 teaspoon hondashi 
2 hard-boiled eggs
1/2 can corn kernels (15 oz can)
1 narutomaki (Japanese fish cake with a pink swirl)
1 stalk scallion (finely chopped)
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds (pound with mortar and pestle until fine)
Light soy sauce to taste (optional)
Some seasoned roasted seaweed (cut into thin strips)
Method:
Bring the water to boil and then add in the hondashi, eggs, and finely ground sesame seeds. Bring the soup base to boil and reduce to 3.5 cups. Add in the miso paste, stir with a ladle of chopsticks until well dissolved. Add in the chili oil and light soy sauce to taste (optional).
Blanch the ramen noodles in a pot of boiling water until they are cooked. Rinse with cold running water, drain, and set aside.
In a serving bowl, add the noodles and then topped with the hard-boiled egg (sliced into half), narutomaki, corn kernels and chopped scallion. Pour the miso soup into the bowl and add the roasted seaweeds. Serve immediately.

Confinement Products from Peiling


Confinement Products from Peiling

As the arrival of mei mei is coming soon.. mummy also need to get ready for all the things that need to use during confinement.. as normal... mummy will buy these things from Peiling to use during the confinement.. As for the last two confinement I didnot blog about these.. so I though this round is good time to share about it.. So this is my third time using these products except the rice wine & sesame oil..
 these are ginger body shampoo.. ginger hair shampoo... and dry shampoo.. I will use the dry shampoo during the confinement when I really can't tahan with the oily and itchyness..
 Sesame oil and rice wine.. first time bought it from them.. but since i got to buy anyhow.. and they have promotion that buy 2 sesame oil free 1.. so I just get it from them also.. I get 3 bottles for each..
 Soh Hap Yuen - tradisional used to help to throw away the wind from the body... and Jewel.. will start eating this from the 2nd months or when Soh Hap Yuan finished
 this is a 30 days supplements herbs.. designed 1 sacket per day.. got week 1 - week 4.. which they said it is for different function week and week..
I also got the 30 days bath herbs from them.. and 10 days baby bath herbs too.. it is convenient and more clean as the herbs was pack inside a bag.. compare to those tradisional bath herbs..

Other than the products.. I also get their confinement food catering services.. for another 14 days delivery after my confinement lady left.. it is convenient and easy.. as actually it is better to eat confinement food up to around 45 days.. and I don't need to think and trouble to go out to pasar to buy all the ingredients and food.. so far for the past two round I am getting their catering services.. the meals and menu is very good.. as well as the taste too.. and it actually not cheap ingredients they are using.. so I will still think it is quite okay to take it this round too..

if you interested in their products also.. you can visit their website at http://www.moms2b.com/

HOSPITAL BAG


What is in my hospital bag??
  1. Admission letter from doctor
  2. 1 set of cloth for mummy - to wear when discharge (of course is with a jacket too)
  3. Socks (to wear after delivery and when check out and go home)
  4. Bengkung to tight my tummy when discharge so easier to walk.. with a fluffy loose tummy is hard to walk around..
  5. 1 set of baby clothes - to wear when discharge
  6. mitten and booties for baby
  7. infant cap
  8. receiving blanket
  9. Gift for marcus from mei mei
  10. 1 set of cloth for papa
  11. Toiletries (facial wash, tooth brush, creams)
  12. breast pump (to stimulate milk while baby is away from me for check up after delivery)
  13. a thermal cup (so can make some ginger/red dates water to drink at hospital)
  14. Ginger powder/red dates powder to make drinks
  15. Fully charged DSLR camera & fully charged NEX 5 camera
  16. Handphone charger & hanphone
  17. Wallet - with IC

Confinement Herbs


Confinement Herbs

My fridge now is fulled of herbs.. vegi.. meat.. fishes.. kampung ayam.. which need to be used during confinement.. herbs nowadays are very expensive too.. below are the herbs that I got for my confinement:-
  1. Red Dates Water - and this time only i know that red dates water also can be so expensive :P.. we bought for 30 days pack which is price at RM950. For the first 1-10 days, inside there is 5 types of herbs.. then from 11-30 days there are total of 8 types of herbs in the red dates water (which they add in the black bean (need to pre fried) and another two types of herbs) - The price is expensive right?? but, there are few different price range.. it depend on what types if herbs you taking.. for example: the size of the wolf berries, what types of red dates (we got the organic one), and what types of Tung Shen (Tung Sum in Cantonese).. it can be as expensive as RM1500 for 30 days.. crazy right???
  2. 30 days herbal soup - everyday also have different type of herbal soup and with different types of functionality.. which the first week soup is for inner cleansing.. then 2 weeks is for reconditioning.. then 3rd weeks is for enhancement.. lastly the 4th weeks is to energising.. the "è¡¥" only can start after 10 or 12 days.. so we just got the herbs and follow the remarks and days they put there.. simple and easy.. these herbs cost us RM790
  3. Bao Sheng - this is crazy expensive too.. it got many types and categories.. but for confinement need to use the old bao sheng.. those korea hua qi sheng etc is not appropriate.. this also is to make soup.. (we bought the 9 years old bao sheng if I remember correctly) - the herbal shop help us pack into individual packs for each cooking and put in other ingredients like organic red dates and etc for making the soup - it cost aboutRM1000++
  4. Dang Kui - this is not as expensive as pao sheng.. but also got many types and grade.. i am saliving when thinking about Dang Kui chicken dome soup.. yummy... this cost us about RM300++ for 6 portions and same as the no 3. they pack it with other herbs for us to make soup too..
So now you may ask why all the herbs need to put inside the fridge??? because these herbs for confinement one iswithout/NO the Sulfur and there is no preservative too.. also because of this reason the pricing for these herbs are much higher too!!! so to keep it fresh we got to put it all inside the fridge.. but I also couldn't fit all in.. so the first 1-10 day Red Dates Water herbs I just put at some good air ventilation and cooling place...

Confinement menu


Monday

Breakfast: 
Homemade Steamed Buns (Yeah, I made my own )

Lunch: (alternate weeks)
Chicken with Oyster Mushroom Soup  /  Chicken with black fungus and wine

Dinner
Soup (alternate weeks)
Black Chicken Black Dates Soup  /  Shallot Pork Ribs Soup
Meat/Protein (choose one)
Turmeric Fried Fish  /  Sweet and Sour Fish /  Ginger Fried Fish
Vegetable
Aubergine  / Celery / Loofah
Tofu/Egg
Minced Meat Omelette/Egg FuYong
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Tuesday

Breakfast: (Alternate weeks)
Ginger Chicken Porridge / Peanut Octopus Porridge

Lunch: (alternate weeks)
Ginger Chicken Porridge / Peanut Octopus Porridge
*I purposely arranged for an easy meal cooked in the morning to give my confinement lady time to prepare pickled ginger and papaya. These 2 full moon treats are time consuming to prepare.

Dinner
Soup (alternate weeks)
Kelp and Beans Soup  /  Burdock Red Bean Soup
Meat/Protein (choose one)
Steamed chicken with Angelica  /  Fennel and Onion Chicken /  Steamed chicken with red dates / Three Cups Chicken
Vegetable
Brocolli  / Cauliflower
Tofu/Egg
Tofu with minced meat / Palak tofu


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Wednesday

Breakfast: 
Cereal

Lunch: (alternate weeks)
Pork trotter in vinegar  /  Assam pork trotter

Dinner
Soup (alternate weeks)
ABC Soup  /  Apple Soup
Meat/Protein (choose one)
Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Fungus  /  Braised Chicken with Ginger  /  Chicken with sesame oil and bencurd stick
Vegetable
Spinach  / Sweet Potato Shoots
Tofu/Egg
Steamed Eggs / three cups tofu


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Thursday

Breakfast: 
Sausage Eggs

Lunch: 
Ginger Egg Fried Rice
Miyeok Guk  

Dinner
Soup (alternate weeks)
Black Soy with Pork Ribs Soup  /  Pork Stomach Pepper Soup
Meat/Protein (choose one)
Cantonese Steamed Fish  /  Hot Bean Paste Steamed Fish  /  Mushroom Ginger Steamed Fish
Vegetable
Cabbage  / Amaranth (bayam)
Tofu/Egg
Onion / Leek Omelette



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Friday

Breakfast: 
Toasts

Lunch: (alternate weeks)
Fish Soup with rice/noodles

Dinner
Soup (alternate weeks)
Chicken Red Dates Soup  /  Chicken Feet Peanut Soup
Meat/Protein (choose one)
Steamed Bean Paste Pork  /  Ginger Onion Stir Fried Pork  /  Turmeric Stir Fried Pork
Vegetable
Long Beans  / French beans
Tofu/Egg
Sunny side up eggs / omelette with minced meat gravy


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Saturday

Breakfast: 
Dry Tossed Noodles

Lunch: (alternate weeks)
Ginger Steamed Chicken  
Blanched vegetables

Dinner
Main meal(choose one)
Hainanese Chicken Rice
Bak Kut Teh
Claypot Chicken Rice
Vegetable
ChoySum / Siew Pak Choy



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Sunday

Breakfast: 
French toasts

Lunch: (I wanted something family friendly for Sunday lunch, can be eaten anytime)
Fried noodles
Red Bean soup

Dinner
Soup (alternate weeks)
Lotus Root Soup  /  Lean Pork Soup with Arrowroot and Octopus
Meat/Protein (choose one)
Fennel Thyme Honey Roasted Chicken  /  Fermented Beancurd Fried Chicken  /  Lemongrass Roasted Chicken / Ginger juice fried chicken
Vegetable
Rommaine lettuce  / Iceberg lettuce
Tofu/Egg
Silken Tofu / Steamed tofu with enoki and beech mushrooms



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And don't forget to have your daily dose of Chicken Essence for supper. A change of supper to Hasma with Red Dates will be nice. And some dessert like Double Boiled Papaya in Milk every now and then. And drink lots ofRed Dates Tea to replenish liquids and vital nutrients.