Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for the body’s normal growth and development and have been widely researched for their health benefits. Because the body cannot manufacture omega-3 fatty acids, they have to be consumed in foods such as oily fish.
When nerves are damaged because of an accident or injury, patients experience pain, weakness and muscle paralysis which can leave them disabled, and recovery rates are poor. A new research published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that omega-3 fatty acids, have the potential to protect nerves from injury and help them to regenerate.
Find high quality Omega-3 Fish Oil supplements at piermall.com.
Shirataki noodles are thin, low carb, chewy, and translucent Japanese noodles made from konjac yam (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konjac).. Konjac has almost no calories but is very high in glucomannan fiber. Thus, it is often used as a diet food. Shirataki noodles, also called konjac or konnyaku noodle , are thinner than wheat noodles, do not break as easily, and have an almost crunchy texture. They do not have much flavor by themselves, but it absorbs flavors well from other ingredients.
Shirataki noodles are usually packaged “wet”, that is, you purchase them pre-packaged in liquid.
At PierMall.com, we carry the Shirataki noodles made in Japan. You may purchase it by single bag, or by case.
What you need to prepare shirataki noodles?
1. A small strainer.
2. Water to rinse. (You may notice a “fishy” smell when you open up the package. The smell is from the water in the package and not the noodles. The smell will disappear after you rinse the noodles several times in the fresh water).
3. A good family pasta recipe or healthy vegetables, seafood, chicken, spices - the list is endless!
4. Family and friends to enjoy your new found health discovery!
Keep refrigerated after opening. Konjac Foods can be stored in room temperature with the shelf life about one year.
Recipe Suggestion for shirataki noodles:
Stir-Fry Vegetable with Shirataki
Ingredients
1 tablespoon sesame oil 7 oz shirataki noodles (1 bag) 1 cup green bean sprouts
1/4 cup fine carrot strips
1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms (presoaked in water until soft and tender) 2 T Kikkoman soy sauce 1 Cup stir-fry vegetables (frozen)
Directions
Combine oil and soy sauce in wok and preheat over medium heat. rinse shirataki noodles in fresh water Add noodles and frozen vegetables to wok; stir fry until mixture is heated through but vegetables are still crispy. Add green bean sprouts and shiitake mushrooms; heat through. Makes 2 servings of about 2 1/2 cups. Simple, quick, delicious and deceptively low in calories! Number of Servings: 2
Shirataki Noodle Shrimp Stir-fry
Ingredients
1 8oz package of shirataki noodles 7 oz of raw shrimp (cleaned and shelled .5 tbsp canola oil 4 cloves garlic 1 tbsp grated ginger .5 tsp hot pepper flakes or hot pepper paste 1 large green peppers 1 medium zucchini (about 7 oz) ½ cup snow pea 2 large scalions 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce 1 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tbsp mirin .5 teaspoon agave nectar 2 tbsp cornstarch
Directions
Put water on to boil.
Rinse noodles and set aside.
Add noodles to boiling water and stir.
At the same time, heat wok and following steps below:
Chop garlic and grate ginger. Set aside. Cut peppers into long strips, Set aside Chop zucchini into long strips, Set aside.
Chop scallions
Make sauce: mix together soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin and cornstarch.
Clean and shell shrimp, remove tails if you like. Add oil to piping hot wok and add garlic, ginger and hot pepper flakes/paste.
Stir for 30 seconds and add peppers. Stir.
Add Zucchini. Stir for 2 minutes.
Push veggies to side and dump in shrimp.
Stir-fry shrimp and veggies together for a minute.
Add snow pea and continue to stir.
Re-mix the sauce and add to stir-fry. Stir for a minute.
Drain noodles and add to wok. Turn off heat and mix to incorporate noodles. top with scallions and serve!
Number of Servings: 2
There are many more great recipes on the web. Here are some we like:
Ginseng is a slow-growing plant with fleshy roots, native to the cooler Northern Hemisphere climates of Eastern Asia. In Chinese, Ginseng is actually called Ren Shen, meaning “man root”, which describes the resemblance of the forked shape of the root to that of human legs.
The roots of the ginseng plant are traditionally used for its rich and potent medicinal properties, and abilities to revitalize the body. Used as an adaptogen, ginseng can help increase resistance to biological, chemical, and physical stresses. Studies have demonstrated that use of ginseng on a regular basis can significantly enhance one’s immune system. Other studies have discovered ginseng’s usefulness when it came to aiding diabetes patients in controlling their blood glucose levels. Even if one does not need to use ginseng to help alleviate medical problems, one can still take ginseng for a boost in energy levels. Other health benefits of taking ginseng include lowering of cholesterol, increasing sports performance, resisting aging, increasing mental capacity, and supporting cancer treatment.
As good as the benefits of taking ginseng may sound, ginseng is not for everyone. Intake of this plant should be avoided by women who are pregnant or nursing, young children, people with hormone dependent illnesses, and people dealing with heart problems. Side effects of taking ginseng include and are not limited to agitation, insomnia, diarrhea, headaches, nervousness, and heart palpitations. Ginseng may also amplify the effects of blood thinning drugs such as aspirin, and may cause uncontrolled bleeding. Ginseng has also been found to interact with a number of other drugs.
Before you rush to the Chinese traditional medicine stores to stock up ginseng roots, I should inform you that ginseng tends to be very pricey. A pound of the all-healing root, depending on the quality and origin, can cost anywhere from less than $50 dollars to a mind blowing thousands of dollars. You may be wondering, as I did when I first saw this kind of price tag, “who in the right mind would pay such a price for a plant??” Well this just goes to show that when a remedy like ginseng has effective and irrefutable therapeutic effects, any price would well worth it to those in need.
However don’t be discouraged by the price of ginseng, Piermall’s Red Panax Ginseng Extract Drink condenses the essence of ginseng into convenient and easy to use small bottles, at a very affordable price. Now you can enjoy the full benefits of ginseng without emptying the wallet. This drink is enhanced with a honey flavor to ensure that you enjoyable experience while becoming more healthy.
Fo-ti, Polygonum multiflorum, is a plant native to China. The Chinese name of this herb is He Shou Wu, which means “balck-haired Mr. He”. The story comes from the legend about an old villager who took Fo-ti to restore his dark hair, youth and vitality.
Fo-Ti is usually valued for its reddish brown bitter roots. It is the root of Fo-Ti that is used for medicinal purposes. Traditionally, it is boiled with black beans to make a preparation known as red fo-ti. The unprocessed root is known as white fo-ti. Red and white fo-ti are used in different ways and have different curing effects.
The unprocessed (white) fo-ti is used to relax the bowels and detoxify the blood. It is also used to treat skin conditions such as acne, athlete’s foot, dermatitis, razor burn, and scrapes due to its anti-bacterial and anti-fugal properties.
The processed root is used to strengthen the blood, invigorate the liver and kidneys, and supplement vital energy, called Qi by Chinese.
Processed fo-ti is one of the more widely used tonics in traditional Chinese medicine, and is used to enhance longevity, increase vigor, and promote fertility. It is also an ingredient in TCM formulas for premature gray hair, low back pain, angina pectoris, low energy, and other conditions.
Some animal studies show that fo-ti can reduce cholesterol in the blood. Fo ti contains lectins. In studies it has been shown that lectins may prevent the accumulation of cholesterol in the liver and may also prevent the retention of fat in the blood. Animal experiments have also shown that fo ti can assist in reducing the formation of fat deposits and plaque on arterial walls. Fo ti can also reduce the growth of bacteria, and has been shown to increase the ability of laboratory animals to adapt to cold conditions. It also promotes the production of red blood cells. Fo ti has also been shown to have an anti-tumor effect and acts as an antioxidant. A number of scientific studies carried out in China show that processed fo ti may be helpful in treating heart conditions, high cholesterol and chronic bronchitis.
Ground Beef Calculator by the USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory provides the user with nutrient information for retail ground beef products containing any level of fat between 5% and 30%. The Ground Beef Calculator generates a nutrient profile based on the fat (or lean) content of retail ground beef and the preparation method specified (cooked patties, loaves, or crumbles). This program complements the ground beef data currently available in the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
Jujube date is a very popular Chinese fruit. You can enjoy them fresh during the fall (August~ October) in the northern China. But most frequently, they are enjoyed from dried fruit. Here are some easy recipes that are popular in China.
Several commonly used ingredients mentioned below can be found at PierMall.com:
(1) For those who always feel fragile, tired, with poor sleeping quality
Jujube Chinese Red date, Dragon Eye fruit, Lotus seed
Wash all three ingredients
Cook Lotus seed in water until soft,
Add jujube date and dragon eye fruit for another 10 minute.
Sweeten with sugar, rock sugar or honey.
(2) For those with high blood pressure, high cholesterol
Use 8 oz celery, 30 pieces of red date. Wash and boil in water together for 30 minutes. Drink and soup and eat both celery and date
(3) For those recovering from sickness
Cut lamb into small pieces, add shelled peanut and date, cook over medium heat for 2 hours. Eat both meat and soup
(4) For those with excess brain work: poor sleep, forgiveness
Cook jujube date 4 Oz, dragon eye fruit 4 Oz , walnut 2 Oz and American ginseng slices 0.5 oz together until soft, add 2 Oz honey mix together. Cool and stored in a air tight glass jar. Enjoy 1 table spoon morning and evening. Honey Peanut & Jujube
4 Oz Dried jujube date,
8 Oz Honey,
4 Oz raw shelled peanut
3 cups of wate
Wash jujube date and peanut thoroughly, soak in the warm water for 15 minutes
Combine 3 cups water and peanut, cook over gentle heat until peanut is soft
Add jujube dates to the cooking pot, continue to cook for about 10 minutes or until jujube dates are soft but not overcooked.
Drain the water and set the jujube date and peanut aside to cool
Add honey to the pot and cook over low heat until it becomes sticky
Add jujube dates and peanuts into honey, and mix them well.
Jujube date paste
Cook dried jujube dates for 10 minutes or until it is soft.
Make sure do not overcook the dates, which might turn sour when overcooked.
Puree the cooked dates in a food processor,
Sweeten with sugar.
Work the date into smooth paste.
It can be used as spread for the bread, filling for many other things, such as: bread, cookies, dessert and steaming bun
Snow mushroom Jujube soup
10 Jujube dates
20 Goji berries
20 peanuts or dried lotus seeds
2 large Snow Mushroom
1 cup of Medium grain rice or sweet glutinous rice
Sugar (black, brown, white or rock sugar)
Soak the snow mushroom in cold water for 4 hours
Wash the mushroom thoroughly. Break into smaller pieces and remove the hard part of the roots. Wash jujube date, Goji, and peanut/lotus seed
In a pot, combine rice with peanut/lotus seed, cook over high heat until boiling
Reduce the heat to medium heat, add snow mushroom and continue to cook
When the peanut/lotus seed is soft, add jujube date and goji berry and continue cook until they are all soft . Snow mushroom will become gel like
Cook in slow cooker: This soup can also be cooked with slow cooker. Just add all ingredients except jujube dates into the pot, Cook over high heat for 3~4 hours, or low heat for 5~6 hours until all ingredients are very soft. Add jujube and continue cook for 30 minutes before serving.
Tips: When the jujube date is overcooked, it will turn sour. So add the jujube in the last step. Usually it only requires 30 minutes’ cooking time. If you use black or brown sugar, the soup will turn dark color
The rice can be optional in this recipe. When there is no rice added, the soup is more gel like. Eight Treasure soup
This is the traditional Chinese dessert. There are many different forms: Ba Bao Soup, Ba Bao Rice Cake, ba Bao Rice Dishes etc The ingredients are all similar: there are at least 8 different things. Sweet rice, Red beans, jujube date are the essentials. For the rest, you can add anything. Just use your imagination. Here is one example:
6 Oz Sweet rice (gluto rice)
4 oz Chinese Red bean (Or Japanese Azuki bean,. But it can be replaced with red kidney bean). Green Bean (mung bean) can also be used.
2 oz Raisin
2 Oz raw shelled peanut
2 oz Lotus seed
2 Oz pine nut (or walnut)
2 oz dried jujube date
2 oz Longan dragon eye (shelled dried whole fruit or seedless dried fruit)
4 cups of water.
Wash sweet rice and soak in water for 3 hours
Cook sweet rice, peanut and lotus seed in cold water until they are soft
Add longan dragon eye, jujube date and pine nut and continue cook until the rice become sticky
Add raisin and sugar, cook for another 15 minutes
Serve.
Tips: If you want to release the flavor of dragoneye into the soup, add it early. The fruit itself will become tasteless if cook for long. If you want to keep the sweetness in the fruit itself, add the longan fruit together with jujube.
Slow cooker version:
This soup can also be cooked in a slow cooker:
Add water, rice, peanuts and lotus seed in the slower cooker Cook in High for 3~4 hours, or in Low for 4~5 hours
Add dragon eye fruit, jujube red date and raisin and sweeten the soup 30~45 minutes before serving.
Tip: If you like thick soup, add less water. You can always start with less water and adjust the water during the cooking.
Walnut jujube date soup
This soup is great for the brain function
4 Oz medium grain rice
0.5 oz walnut
O,5 oz jujube date
Wash all three ingredients
Soak the rice for 30 minutes
Add rice and walnut with 4 cups of cold water
Cook over high heat until boiling
Add jujube date, cook over low heat for 45 minutes
Sweeten
Ginger Jujube soup
0.2 Oz Ginger slices
0.6 Oz dried jujube dates
1 oz brown sugar or black sugar
This is an excellent drink for the cold day. It is also good for the relief of Dysmenorrhea symptom in winter.
Wash date thorough,
1. Slice ginger
2. Add all three ingredients in 2 cups of water
3. Cook over high heat until boiling
4. Turn down the heat, continue cook 10 minutes
5. Drink the soup
Luo Han Guo, the fruit of SiraitiaGrosvenori, is native to southwestern China. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of lung congestion, colds, and sore throats, and gastrointestinal disorder. It is considered by the locals to be a longevity aid.
Besides its medicinal purposes, it has also been used as a sugar substitute.The unique chemical components of this sweetener in Luo Han Guo are triterpene glycosides, known as mogrosides. Mogroside is 300 times sweeter than cane sugar and is extremely low in calories. Due to its low caloric attributes, Luo han Kuo extract has been used used as a sweetener in beverages and cooked food.It is a stable, non-fermentable additive ideal for diabetics.
Luo Han Guo products are usually available as extracts and dried fruits. You may find both forms at piermall.com
1. Clean Luo Han Guo. Crush into small pieces. Put in a teapot,add water.
2. Bring to a boil, turn to low heat, continue to cook 10mins.Turn off heat.
3. After finishing drinking, add additional water, repeat cooking 3-5 times.
Luo Han Guo Tea - Diabetes Recipes
Serving Method
Serve as tea. Serve whenever you want to drink. At least drink one cup in the morning and in the afternoon.
Beneficial Function
To moisten the lung and relieve cough. To reduce blood sugar and blood pressure. Suitable for diabetes caused by depletion-thirst in lung and stomach, especially those who have complication of hypertension.
