As demonstrated by many food bloggers, cooking and creating great foods and drinks have become incomplete and unsatisfying when not considering the benefits or adverse effects of the same foods and drinks regardless of their taste.
I do not intend to delve into counselling or consulting, but only to offer some knowledge about the good sides of Japanese foods and drinks. I will not extoll on its possible lacks and negative aspects. After all, the Japanese are not the longest-living people in the world for no reason!
I will also offr at least one nutritious or healthy recipe at the end of each posting.

Health & Nutrition Facts in Japanese Food 1: Ginger/Shoga/生姜

The Japanese make an enormous consumption of ginger, both in its dry and fresh state, from the very new thin roots and stems called “stick ginger” or “leaf ginger/Hash0ga” consumed with miso paste, fresh roots pickled and cooked, to dry roots used in everyday cuisine from stews to herbal teas.

Ginger contains up to three percent of a fragrant essential oil whose main constituents are sesquiterpenoids, with zingiberene as the main component. Smaller amounts of other sesquiterpenoids (β-sesquiphellandrene, bisabolene and farnesene) and a small monoterpenoid fraction (β-phelladrene, cineol, and citral) have also been identified.

Ginger acts as a useful food preservative.

The Japanese consider it effective in preventing colds and lessening menstrual pains.

NUTRITION FACTS:

For each 100g it contains:
-Energy: 30 kcal
-Water: 91.4 g
-Proteins: 0.9 g
-Carbohydrates: 6.6 g
-Ash: 0.7 g
-Natrium: 6 mg
-Potassium: 270 mg
-Calcium: 12 mg
-Magnesium: 27 mg
-Phosphorus: 25 mg
-Iron: 25 mg
-Manganese: 5.01 mg
-Vitamin B1: 0.03 mg
-Vitamin B2: 0.02 mg
-Dietary (roughage) fibre: 2.1 g

Fresh “stick ginger/leaf ginger” and miso paste.

HEALTH FACTS & TIPS:

-Combined with lemon, or with orange, or with strawberry, or kiwi fruit, helps skin rejuvenation, helps prevent obesity and helps combat stress.

-Combined with cabbage, or with broccoli, or oysters, or with nalta jute/Moroheiya/モロヘイヤ, helps prevent gastric disorders (colics, diarrhea).

-Combined with onion, or with leek, or with kikurage/木茸/Jew’s Ear Fungus, or with milk, helps blood circulation, helps prevent high blood pressure and blood vessel hardening.

-Combined with yam/yama imo/山芋, or with rice, or with daikon, or with chicken, helps restore appetite, helps prevent aging, and helps with general digestion.

RECIPE:

This simple recipe helps restore blood circulation and prevent cold extremities:

For 1 person:
-Fresh ginger: 5×5 cm piece
-Milk: 1 cup/200cc/ml
-Honey: 1 tablespoon

-Cut the fresh ginger into thin slices.
-In a pour the milk. Add ginger slices. Heat on a low fire until just before boiling point.
-Switch oof fire. Add honey and mix thoroughly. Drink at once!
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Health & Nutrition Facts in Japanese Food 2: Perilla Leaf/Shiso/紫蘇

Perilla frutescens (Green Shiso; Egoma syn. Perilla nankinensis (Lour.) Decne.) is an ornamental plant in the Lamiaceae family.

Edible Shiso Flowers

Its leaves and flowers are used as foods in Japan and its seeds are used to make edible oil in Korea. The leaves are also eaten in Korea. Sometimes, the seeds are ground and added to soup for seasoning in Korea. It is used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Violet varieties are used for pickling and making juices (and even added to sake or shochu).

Egoma and shiso are very similar plants and their seeds are difficult to distinguish even by scanning electron microscope. Their tastes, however, are quite different. Oil was extracted from egoma in many areas of Southeast and East Asia during the historical period and it is still used to cover cookies in rural areas of Korea. Shiso is commonly used for seasoning pickles or as garnish for raw fish dishes in present-day Japan.

Shiso murame/perilla sprouts

It ought to be eaten universally for the sole reason of its high contents in polyphenols and A Beta Carotenes!

NUTRITION FACTS:

For each 100g it contains:
-Energy: 37 kcal
-Water: 86.7 g
-Ash: 7.5 g
-Potassium: 500 mg
-Calcium: 230 mg
-Iron: 1.7 mg
-Manganese: 2.01 mg
-Vitamin A Beta Carotene: 11000 micrograms
-Vitamin K: 690 micrograms
-Vitamin B1: 0.13 mg
-Vitamin B2: 0.34 mg
-Folic Acid: 110 micrograms
-Vitamin C: 26 mg
-Dietary (roughage) fibre: 7.3 g

HEALTH FACTS & TIPS:

-Combined with milk, or with wkame seaweed, or with Jew’s Ear mushroom, or with komatsuna/Jpanese mustard spinach, helps recover from anxiety and short temper, helps prevent blood vessel hardening.

-Combined with oysters, or with liver, or with spinach, or with basket clams/shijimi/シジミ helps preventing anemia and cancer

-Combined with ginger, or with rice vinegar, or with japanese pickled plums/umeboshi/梅干, or with wakame seaweed acts as a sterelizer, helps blood circulation and helps prevent obesity.

-Combined with osmunda japonica/zenmai/ぜんまい, or with kiwi fruit, or with shimeji mushroom/シメジ, or with seaweed, helps prevent cancer, helps skin rejuvenation and helps prevents professional diseases (stress, etc.)

RECIPE:

Here is a recipe for shiso oil preserves which will promote good blood circulation, helps fend off obesity, and improve immunity to allergies:

-Shiso leaves: 20
-Soy sauce: 2 tablespoons
-Sugar: 1 yeaspoon
-Garlic: half a clove
-Fresh ginger: a little
-Chili pepper powder: 1/3 teaspoon
-Ground sesame/surigoma: 1/2 teaspoon

-Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl an mix well.

-Wash shiso leaves well. Wipe water off them. Brush leaves one by one on one side only and pile them all brushed surface up.

-Place in a sealed tupperware box and keep in fridge for 1 or 2 days before eating.
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Health & Nutrition Facts in Japanese Food 3: Persimmon/Kaki/柿

Jiro kaki/squat persimmons

A persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus Diospyros in the ebony wood family (Ebenaceae). The word Diospyros means “the fruit of the gods” in ancient Greek. The word persimmon is derived from putchamin, pasiminan, or pessamin, from Powhatan, an Algonquian language (related to Blackfoot, Cree and Mohican) of the eastern United States, meaning “a dry fruit”.
Persimmons are generally light yellow-orange to dark red-orange in color, and depending on the species, vary in size from 1.5 to 9 cm (0.5 to 4 in) diameter, and may be spherical, acorn-, or pumpkin-shaped. The calyx often remains attached to the fruit after harvesting, but becomes easier to remove as it ripens. They are high in glucose, with a balanced protein profile, and possess various medicinal and chemical uses.

Dried Japanese Hachiya persimmons.

The Japanese Persimmon or kaki (柿) (Diospyros kaki), “shizi” (柿子) in Chinese, is the most widely cultivated species. These are sweet, slightly tangy fruits with a soft to occasionally fibrous texture.
It is edible in its crisp firm state, but has its best flavor when allowed to rest and soften slightly after harvest. The Japanese cultivar ‘Hachiya’ is a widely grown cultivar. The fruit has a high tannin content which makes the immature fruit astringent and bitter. The tannin levels are reduced as the fruit matures. Persimmons like ‘Hachiya’ must be completely ripened before consumption. When ripe, this fruit comprises thick pulpy jelly encased in a waxy thin skinned shell.

The non-astringent persimmon is squat like a tomato and is most commonly sold as fuyu or jiro. Non-astringent persimmons are not actually free of tannins as the term suggests, but rather are far less astringent before ripening, and lose more of their tannic quality sooner. Non-astringent persimmons may be consumed when still very firm to very very soft.

NUTRITION FACTS:

For each 100g it contains:
-Energy: 63 kcal
-Water: 82.2 g
-Proteins: 0.5 g
-Ash: 16.9 g
-Potassium: 200 mg
-Phosphorus: 16 mg
-Manganese: 0.60 mg
-Vitamin A Beta Carotene: 300 micrograms
-Vitamin B1: 0.02 mg
-Vitamin B2: 0.02
-Niacin: 0.3 mg
-Vitamin B6: 0.05 mg
-Vitamin C: 55 mg
-Dietary (roughage) fibre: 2.8 g

HEALTH FACTS & TIPS:

-Combined with cucumber, or with wax gourd/winter melon, or with chickory, or with lettuce, will help recover from diuretic problems, will help prevent stress and improve blood circulation.

-Combined with Chinese cabbage, or with cabbage, or with shungiku/春菊/crown daisy leaves, or with fuki/ふき/giant butterbur, will help prevent cancer and fortify the digestive system.

-Combined with soy beans, or with egg-plant/aubergine, or with potato, or with tomato. will help prevent high blood pressure and blood vessel hardening, heart and cardiovascular diseases and ageing.

-Combined with Jew’s ear mushroom, or with wakame seaweed, or with octopus, will help prevent diabetes and cancer, as well as combat obesity.

RECIPE:

Here is a simple recipe to help fortify the digestive system and help prevent cancer and ageing:

-Persimmon: 1/2
-Tofu: 100~150 g
-Shirataki/Konyaku: 1/2 standard sheet
-Shungiku/crown daisy leaves: as appropriate
-Sesame seed paste: 1 tablespoon
-Sugar: 1 tablespoon

Choose stiil a bit hard. Peel and discard seed. Cut in thin slices about 3 cm long.

Press water out of tofu. Boil the konyaku for a little while. Cut in thin slices about 3 cm long. Cut the leaves off the crown daisy and boil them lightly. Drain thoroughly and cut into 3 cm long pieces.

Drop the tofu in a suribachi/mortar. Add sesame seed paste and sugar and mix well with a pestle.

Place cut persimmon, crown daisy leaves and konyaku on a serving plate. Top the salad with the tofu paste and serve!
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Health & Nutrition Facts in Japanese Food 4: Calories Count at McDonald’s, Starbucks & Mr. Donuts

McDonald’s at Shinjuku, Tokyo

As demonstrated by many food bloggers, cooking and creating great foods and drinks have become incomplete and unsatisfying when not considering the benefits or adverse effects of the same foods and drinks regardless of their taste.
I do not intend to delve into counselling or consulting, but only to offer some knowledge about the nutrition and health facts in Japanese food.
The Japanese have their own imported diners represented mainly by McDonald’s, Starbucks and Mr. Donuts. Since they are doing good business here, I was curious about the calories intake in their offerings.
Here are the results of my research. Please note that these numbers concern only food served inside Japan. I will let you judge the benefits!

MCDONALD’S

(as of 26th December 2009)

-Double Quarter Pounder Cheese: 825 kcl
-Bacon Lettuce burger: 422 kcl
-Hamburger: 274 kcl
-Cheese Burger: 322 kcl
-Teriyaki Mac Burger: 509 kcl
-Fillet Fish: 352 kcl
-Chicken Mac Nuggets (5 pieces+bbq sauce): 322 kcl
-Cinnamon Melts: 449 kcl
-Mac Fried Potatoes (M size): 454 kcl
-Mac Shake Chocolate (S size9: 211 kcl
-Hot Apple Pie: 211 kcl

Starbucks, Shinjuku, Tokyo

STARBUCKS

Below drinks are all Tall Size (as of 26th December 2009)

-Matcha Cream Frapuccino: 430 kcl
-Caramel Frapuccino: 307 kcl
-Caffe Mocha: 320 kcl
-Starbucks Latte: 203 kcl
-Soy Latte: 200 kcl
-Mango Passion Tea Frapuccino: 144 kcl
-Caramel Makiart: 189 kcl
-Drip Coffee: 20 kcl

Mr. Donuts, Sendai City

MR. DONUTS

(as of 26th December 2009)

-Cookie Cruller Coconuts: 397 kcl
-Choco Fashion: 307 kcl
-Honey Cello: 192 kcl
-Old Fashion: 277 kcl
-Baked Chou Custard & Whip: 176 kcl
-Double Chocolate: 240 kcl
-Rich Donut Honey dip: 190 kcl
-Bon.De.Ring: 225 kcl
-French Cruller: 158 kcl

As an indication a non-active (physical exercise) lady needs 1750 kcl a day, a moderately active lady needs 2050 kcl a day and a physically active lady needs 2350 kcl a day.
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Health & Nutrition Facts in Japanese Food 5: Wasabi/Japanese Horseradish/山葵

First grown by humans from wild varieties in the 17th Century in Utougi (presently Shizuoka City in Japan), wasabi, or Japanese horseradish, is not only a condiment but is also consumed per se and shows a lot of qualities when it comes to nutrition, health and food hygiene.

Not only the roots, but the stems, flowers and the leaves are edible.
The leaves and flowers can be eaten raw, steamed or pickled, whether the stems are usually pickled but can aso be used in recipes in the steamed form.

It has a great value as a general natural food preservative.

For each 100g (edible parts) it contains:
-Energy: 88 kcal
-Water: 74.2 g
-Proteins: 5.6 g
-Ash: 18.4 g
-Natrium: 24 mg
-Potassium: 500 mg
-Calcium: 100 mg
-Magnesium: 46 mg
-Phosphorus: 79 mg
-Iron: 0.8 mg
-Vitamin B2: 0.15 mg
-Niacin: 0.6 mg
-Vitamin C: 75 mg
-Dietary (roughage) fibre: 4.4 g

HEALTH FACTS & TIPS:

-Combined with rice vinegar, or with mustard, or with ginger, or with Japanese pickled plums, protects food from germs and rot, will help combat obesity and promote blood flow.

-Combined with Chinese Cabbage, or with cabbage, or with moroheya/nalta jute/もろへや, or with yam/yamaimo/山芋 help prevent stomach and gastic problems, and is efective in preventing cancer.

-Combined with onion, or with Japanese parsley/Chinese celery/ser/せり, or with leek, or with Garlic chives/Chinese chives, nira/にら will combat blodd vessel hardening, promote recovery, help prevent heart disease and help with skin rejuvenation.

-Combined with chili peppers, or with Japanese pickled plum, or with orange, or with grapefruit will increase appetite, will help with recovery and skin rejuvenation, and combat aging.

RECIPE:

Here is a recipe that will help promote general health and skin quality:

-Wasabi (if possible fresh root): 1 teaspoon (grated)
-Rice: enough for 2 bowls

-Nametake (enoki mushrooms marinated in soy sauce and mirin/sweet sake): 3 tablespoons
-Egg: 1
-Dashi/soupstock: 2cups/400 cc/ml

-Kizaminori/Finely cut dry seaweed: as appropriaye
-Salt: a pinch

-Wash the rice well and drain.
-Pour the dashi in large pot. Add the nametake mushrooms. Heaand simmer for a little while on a medium fire. Add rice and cook. Check taste when the rice is cooked and add salt if needed. Beat the egg and pour over the rice. Stop fire.
Pour in 2 bowls. Top with grated wasabi and chopped dry seaweed and serve.
Mix around as you eat it!
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Health & Nutrition Facts in Japanese Food 6: Celery/セロリー

Celery in Shizuoka Prefecture is a major vegetable as our Prefecture produces no less than half of the total National crop!

It is much appreciated in Japan for many reasons.
They love it raw for its crunchy and juicy bite with plenty of flavour.
It is known to be a very healthy vegetable and also possess a calming influence on quick-tempered or stressed people.

The Japanese are also very fond of its “cousin”, the white celery also called celery sprout, which makes for beautiful and tasty decoration!

For each 100g (edible parts) it contains:
-Energy: 15 kcal
-Water: 94,7 g g
-Ash: 3.2 g g
-Natrium: 28 mg
-Potassium: 410 mg
-Calcium: 39 mg
-Magnesium: 39 mg
-Phosphorus: 79 mg
-Iron: 0.2 mg
-Vitamin B1: 0.03 mg
-Vitamin B2: 0.03 mg
-Vitamin B6: 0.08 mg
-Folic acid: 29 microg
-Vitamin C: 7 mg
-Dietary (roughage) fibre: 1,5 g

HEALTH FACTS & TIPS:

Especially the green leaves are high in Vitamin C, B group, minerals, vegetal fibres and carotenes, all helping with blood quality.

-Combined with Cucumber, or with persimmon, or with watermelon, or with udo/独活/Aralia cordata (mountain vegetable variety), help the urinary system, help prevent kidney disease and helps with blood flow.

-Combined with okra, or with bamboo shoots, or with konbu seaweed, or with soba/buckwheat noodles, helps combat high blood pressure and lower blood cholesterol.

-Combined with shiitake mushrooms, or with cockles, or with cabbage, or with potatoes, helps prevent cancer and helps with brain activity.

-Combined with chicken, or with cheese, or with eggs, or with oysters, improves general stamina and mental toughness.

RECIPE:

Here is a simple recipe to help against stress and increase stamina:

-Celery: 2 branches
-Chicken breast: 1 (meaning one half of the whole breast)
-Oyster sauce: 1 tablespoon
-Japanese sake ( or white wine): 2 teaspoons
-Garlic: 1 clove (finely chopped)
-Salt and pepper: a little
-Sesame oil: a little

-Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the celery into pieces of your liking.

-Heat a frypan. Pour in some oil and throw in the finely chopped garlic. Add the chicken as soon as the smell of the garlic comes out.

-Fry the chicken on every side until it has attained a nice light brown colour. Throw in the celery and fry long enough to let the celery heat up. Add the sake/white wine and oyster sauce. Stir just long enough to let the seasoning take on. Take off fire and sprinkle with sesame oil. Serve immediately!
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Health & Nutrition Facts in Japanese Food 7: Apple/Ringo/林檎

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away!”
Well, the Japanese have taken the precept to the letter, and since the apples were first introduced in this country in the second half of the 19 th Century, they have already created more than 17 hybrids and are still coming with new ones!
The only problem may be that the Japanese do not always eat the skin which contains so many nutrients!
Do remember to wash the apples before you eat them, flesh and skin!

For each 100g (edible parts) it contains:
-Energy: 54 kcal
-Water: 84.9 g
-Proteins: 0.2 g
-Fats: 0.1 g
-Carbohydrates: 14.6 g
-Ash: 0.2 g
-Natrium: 110 mg
-Calcium: 3 mg
-Magnesium: 3 mg
-Phosphorus: 10 mg
-Vitamin B1: 0.02 mg
-Niacin: 0.1 mg
-Vitamin B6: 0.03 mg
-Vitamin C: 4 mg
-Dietary (roughage) fibre: 1.5 g

HEALTH FACTS & TIPS:

-Combined with Pineapple, or with Chickory, or with trefoil, or with yma, will strengthen the digestive system, help prevent cancer and recover from diarrhea and constipation.

-Combined with konyaku/Devil’s Tongue Tuber, or with wakame seaweed, or with enoki mushrooms, or with grapefruit, will will help combat obesity, prevent cancer and help with blood quality

-Combined with kikurage/jew’s Ear mushroom, or with asparaguses, or with onion, or with egg-plant/aubergine, will help lower blood cholesterol, and help prevent heart diseases and cancer.

-Combined with tomato, or with broccoli, or with Qing geng cai (Chingensai/青梗菜 in Japanese), or with nori/dry seaweed, will hlep prevent cancer, will help combat aging, will help recover from illness and prevent obesity.

RECIPE:

Here is a recipe to help lower cholesterol and help prevent heart disease:

Apple: 1 large
Pork: 1 thin cutlet
Garlic: 1 clove (finely chopped)
Salt & pepper: a little
White wine: 1/2 cup/100 cc/ml
Salad oil

Take core out and peel skin (the latter only if you want so!). Cut into thin slices. Cut shallow indents along the cutlet to prevent it from shrinking and curling.
Season cutlet with salt and pepper according to preference.

Heat oil in frypan. Throw in the chopped garlic. Once the nice smell of the garlic comes out add the cutlet and apple and fry.

Fry the pork on both sides until it reaches a satisfactory color.
Add wine, reduce fire to medium and simmer for a while to allow the wine to season the whole!
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Health & Nutrition Facts in Japanese Food 8: Strawberries/Ichigo/苺

The garden strawberry is a common plant of the genus Fragaria which is cultivated worldwide for its fruit, the (common) strawberry. The fruit is widely appreciated, mainly for its characteristic aroma but also for its bright red color, and it is consumed in large quantities — either fresh, or in prepared foods such as preserves, fruit juice, pies, ice creams, milk shake, etc..

The garden strawberry was first bred in Bretagne/Brittany, France in 1740 via a cross of Fragaria virginiana from eastern North America , which was noted for its flavor, and Fragaria chiloensis from Chile and Argentina brought by Amédée-François Frézier, which was noted for its large size.

Cultivars of Fragaria × ananassa have replaced, in commercial production, the woodland strawberry, which was the first strawberry species cultivated in the early 17th century.

Since then the Japanese have erased their lste arrival on the strawberry market with a vengeance!
Shizuoka Prefecture with more 1,500 strawberry commercial growers officially registered is called “Ichigo no Ookoku/Strawberry Kigdom” in Japan!
We can consider ourselves lucky here as 7 medium-sized strawberries a day will provide us with all the vItamin C required!
As for preserving the Vitamin C, never take the green leafy end part (sepals) off! That is unless you wish to lose half of them!

NOTE:
Eating strawberries after drinking, especially beer, will help prevent hangovers and strees thanks to the lucin and hespericin which help break up the alcohol quickly!

Hatsu Koi No Kaori/Frst Love Scent White Strawberries develpped in Japan!

For each 100g (edible parts) it contains:
-Energy: 34 kcal
-Water: 90.0 g
-Proteins: 0.9 g
-Ash: 8,5 g
-Natrium: 170 mg
-Calcium: 17 mg
-Magnesium: 13 mg
-Iron: 0.3 mg
-Vitamin B1: 0.03 mg
-Vitamin B2: 0.02 mg
-Vitamin B6: 0.04 mg
-Folic acid: 90 microg
-Vitamin C: 62 mg
-Dietary (roughage) fibre: 1.4 g

HEALTH FACTS & TIPS:

-Combined with yam/yamaimo, or with yoghurt, or with chickory, or with shiso/perilla leaves, will strengthen the digestive system, help prevent cancer and aging.

-Combined with broccoli, or with pink grapefruit, or with tomato, or with re carrot, will help prevent cancer, will help recover from stress, will help with skin rejuvenation and quality and increase brain activity.

-Combined with wakame seaweed, or with onion, or with Jew’s ear mushroom, or with peanuts (fresh), will help prevent high blood pressure, heart diseases and blood vessel hardening.

-Combined with oysters, or with kiwi fruit, or with lemon, will help with skin rejuvenation and recovery from stress.

RECIPE:

A simple recipe which will help you recover from stress and also help with skin rejuvenation!

Strawberries: 5
Chickory: 5 leaves
Olive oil (EVA): 2 tablespoons
White wine vinegar: 1 tablespoon
Salt & pepper: a little
Sugar: as you like

Take off sepals from the strawberries. Make a dressing with the olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Check the taste and add sugar if you wish.

Cut the strawberries to your preferred size. Serve them inside the chikory leaves and pour the dressing over them!
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Health & Nutrition Facts in Japanese Food 9: Chestnuts/Kuri/栗

Chestnuts, since immemorial have been considered as a vital source of nutrients by the Japanese who love to steam it to gether witheir rice.
Not so long ago, it was even a staple food in mountainous regions when rice was scarce.

It is of course extensively used in Japanese Wagashi confection, a great news for vegans all over the world!
Rich in carbohydrates, it provides for healthy and useful calories.
Chestnuts can be reduced into flour, a great component in bread for wheat flour allergics!

For each 100g (edible parts) it contains:
-Energy: 164 kcal
-Water: 58.8 g
-Proteins: 2.8 g
-Carbohydrates: 36.9 g
-Potassium: 420 mg
-Calcium: 23 mg
-Magnesium: 40 mg
-Phosphorous: 70 mg
-Manganese: 3.27 mg
-Nyacin: 1.0 mg
-Vitamin B1: 0.21 mg
-Vitamin B2: 0.07 mg
-Vitamin B6: 0.27 mg
-Vitamin C: 33 mg
-Dietary (roughage) fibre: 4.2 g

HEALTH FACTS & TIPS:

-Combined with asparaguses, or with aloe, or with yam/yamaimo/ or with natto, will help prevent aging and re-inforce the digestive system.

-Combined with spinach, or with string beans, or orange, or with mandarines/tangerines, will help with skin rejuvenation, will help prevent cancer and loss of memory.

-Combined with bamboo shoots, or with chickory, or with lettuce, or with string beans, will will help combat insomnia, will help prevent aging and help with mental faculties.

-Combined with sweet potato/satsuma imo, or with taro/satoimo, or with eel, or with cuttlefish/squid, will will help re-inforce feet and hips, increase stamina and help the liver.

RECIPE:

Here is a simple recipe to help recovery, improve memory, and work as an antioxydant:

Chestnuts: 10
Chicken Breast: 1 (meaning one half of the breats meat)
Pimentoes: 2
Carrot: 1/3
Garlic: 1 clove, finely chopped
Chinese soup: 2/3 of a cup/130 cc/ml
Oyster sauce: 1+1/2 tablepoons
Salt and pepper: a little
Cornstarch: as appropriate
Salad oil: as appropriate

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cornstarch.

Boil the chestnuts and peel them thoroughly.

Cut the pimentoes and carrot to your preferred size.

Pour some oil in a large frypan. Trow in the finely chopped garlic. When the aroma of the garlic comes out add the chicken.

When chicken is cooked on all sides, add Chinese soup. When the soup starts boiling ad the oyster sauce, chestnuts, carrot and pimentoes..

Cook long enough to allow all vegetables to reach the desired softness/crispness.

Enjoy!
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Health & Nutrition Facts in Japanese Food 10: Sato Imo/Taro/里芋

Sato Imo, or Taro, orignally come from Malaysia and its Latin name is Colocasia esculenta.
Apart of water, they mainly contain starches, making a stamina food. Onced cooked, the same starches are very easy to digest by the human body. It is also a “health food” because of its high potassium contents (to combat high blood pressure and stress in particular).
Their high contents in vegetal fibers also make it a very important vegetable.

For each 100g (edible parts) it contains:
-Energy: 58 kcal
-Water: 84.1 g
-Proteins: 1,5 g
-Carbohydrates: 13.1 g
-Ash: 1.2 g
-Potassium: 640 mg
-Phosphorous: 55 mg
-Iron: 0.5 mg
-Copper: 0.15 mg
-Manganese: 0.19 mg
-Vitamin B1: 0.07 mg
-Vitamin B2: 0.02 mg
-Vitamin C: 6 mg
-Dietary (roughage) fibre: 2.3 g

HEALTH FACTS & TIPS:

-Combined with eggs, or with chicken, or with sardine, or with bonito, increases stamina and promotes general health.

-Combined with tofu, or with milk, helps promote general health and brain activity.

-Combined with enokitake mushrooms, or with devil’s tongue tuber/konnyaku, or with burdock root/gobo, helps lower down blood cholesterol, helps prevent high blood pressure and cancer.

-Combined with konbu/seaweed, or with miso paste, or with onion, or with green chili pepper, promotes general health and blood circulation.

RECIPE:

A simple recipe to promote health and help combat obesity:

Sato imo/taro: 10
Miso: 2 tablespoons
Mirin/Japanese sweet sake: 1 tablespoon
Sugar: 1 teaspoon
Japanese sake: 2 teaspoons

Wash the sato imo/taro well in clear cold running water. Cut off both extremities. Place in an oven dish. Cover with cellophane paper. Heat in microwave oven for 6 minutes. Check if they are cooked by stabbing them with a sharp and thin wooden stick.

In a small pan, drop miso, mirin, sugar and sake. Mix well. Heat over a small fire and stir at the same time until the sauce has become smooth.

Peel the taro while hot. Place on a dish and pour sauce on top!
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Health & Nutrition Facts in Japanese Food 11: Yama Imo/山芋

Yam, or Yamo Imo/Yamanoimo/山芋/ヤマノイモ in Japanese are not only a great source of energy, but also of great help when it comes to digestion in general thanks to the proteins (glycosylated proteins) provided by the mucin contained in its jelly-like sap.
Moreover its high contents in Vitamin B and C, Potaasium, and dietary fibres make for a remarkably balanced source of food.
It is best assimilated by the human body in its raw form, either cut or grated.
It is of vital importance to vegans, vegetarians and wheat allergics as it can replace wheat flour and egg whites as a liaising agent in cooking!

For each 100g (edible parts) it contains:
-Energy: 65 kcal
-Water: 82.6 g
-Proteins: 2,2 g
-Carbohydrates: 13.9 g
-Natrium: 3 mg
-Potassium: 430 mg
-Calcium: 17 mg
-Phosphorous: 27 mg
-Copper: 0.10 mg
-Magnesium: 17 mg
-Vitamin B1: 0.10 mg
-Vitamin B2: 0.02 mg
-Vitamin B6: 0.09 mg
-Vitamin C: 5 mg
-Dietary (roughage) fibre: 1.0 g

HEALTH FACTS & TIPS:

-Combined with shiso/perilla leaves, or with turnip, or with Chinese Cabbage, or with green chili peppers, will promote digestion and digestive flow and appetite.

-Combined with moroheiya/nalta jute, or with okra, or with lotus root, or with namaeko mushrooms, wil help lower down blood cholesterol and increase stamina.

-Combine with soy beans, or with pomegranate, or with myoga ginger, will help with hormonal balance and blood flow.

-Combined with cabbage, or with potatoes, or with broccoli, or with Chinese Cabbage, will will help prevent cancer and aging.

RECIPE:

Here is a recipe to help with hormonal balance and resistance to cancer and aging: yam okonomiyaki!

Yam/yam imo: 100g
Cabbage: 2~3 leaves
Pork (sliced): 50 g
Egg: 1
Flour: 100 g
Water: as appropriate
Agetama/deep-fried breadcrumbs (from tempura, etc.): according to taste
Salad oil: as appropriate

Roughly chop cabbage. If the pork is not sliced, cut it in 1.5 mm thick strips.

Peel yam and grate it into a bowl. Add flour and beaten eggand mix. Add water and mix to the batter fluidity of your preference.

Add cabbage, pork and agetama. Season with a little salt, ground pepper as you like. Mix the whole roughly.

Fry in the shape of pancakes on salad oil.
Serve with your favourite sauce!