Cooking with tea
Most people consider tea a nothing more than a drink, albeit a delicious one. However, in China tea leaves have another common use – they can be used impart a unique flavor to eggs.
Ingredients:
10 eggs
25 grams (5/6 oz) red tea leaves
3 pieces of star anise
15 grams (1/2 oz) cassia bark
150 grams (11 tbsp) soy sauce
100 grams (0.22 lb) sugar
5 grams (5/6 tsp) salt
10 grams (1/3 oz) chopped scallions
15 grams (1/2 oz) crushed fresh ginger
Directions:
1. Fill a large pan with cold water and add the unshelled eggs. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove theeggs and let them cool completely in cold water. Put the eggs on a chopping board and gently crack them with a big spoon or the back of the kitchen knife and then peel them.
2. Wrap the tea, star anise and cassia bark in a piece of muslin and place this in the pan. Add the soy sauce, sugar, scallions, ginger and eggs and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
The eggs will become dark red in color, with a unique aromatic flavor.
Vitamin D, green tea and cocoa help prevent alzheimer’s disease
A nutrient found in grapes, green tea and cocoa could have a significant impact on the brain cell damage that leads to Alzheimer’s disease, according to the results of a new study carried out by scientists at Kings College, London (UK).
A research team headed by Dr Robert Williams, a lead scientist at the Wolfson Centre for Age Related Diseases, examined the effects of epicatechin, a nutrient found abundantly in the three foods, in a model of Alzheimer’s disease and assessed the potential effectiveness it might have to slow signs of deterioration leading to the illness. Alzheimer’s disease is believed to be caused by a build up of sticky proteins in the brain called ‘amyloid plaques’. Results revealed that epicatechin may prevent their formation.
“We have found that epicatechin protects brain cells from damage. This is interesting because epicatechin and its breakdown products are one of the relatively few flavonoids known to access the brain, suggesting it has the potential to be bioactive in humans”, said Dr Williams.
“Our findings support the general concept that dietary intake of flavonoid-rich foods or supplements could impact on the development and progression of dementia.”
Also published this week was a new study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease suggesting that a combination of Vitamin D and curcumin, the main component of the spice turmeric, may clear the brain of amyloid plaques in individuals already suffering from the disease. Scientists at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, have discovered that the two nutrients may stimulate the immune system in such a way that the body is prompted to remove the toxic build-up. Through a series of experiments, the researchers were able to determine that curcumin and vitamin D could ‘double team’ Alzheimer’s plaques through a joint mechanism of action. Curcumin was shown to help white blood cells latch onto plaque proteins, while vitamin D could bring up the rear and increase the speed at which the cells were able to gobble it up.
“We hope that vitamin D3 and curcumin, both naturally occurring nutrients, may offer new preventive and treatment possibilities for Alzheimer’s disease,” said study author Dr. Milan Fiala.
Curcumin has been investigated for a number of years in relation to the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. Recent research also suggests that low levels of vitamin D may be a significant risk factor. However, this is the first study directly linking it to a possible treatment for the condition.
Source: NaturalNews.com.
Green tea – the importance of freshness
Because it undergoes minimal processing, green tea has a much shorter shelf-life than black tea. Some people say it should be consumed within 2 years of picking, I would say 6 months to maintain optimum flavor. The fresher the better! When buying green tea, it’s important that it has been kept in airtight packaging to prevent oxidation. Store it in an opaque, airtight container in a cool, dark and dry place. Buy it in small quantities so you can use it up before it goes past its best.
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