C6 Tuesday, March 11, 2014
FITNESS & WELL-BEING HEALTH BITES ............................................
CAROB SPRING The bean-like pod is enjoying an upsurge in popularity as a so-called superfood, but not everyone is convinced, writes Nan-hie In
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The company’s founder, Michael Jolley, says the response to his products – carob syrup, powder, and dried nibbles – at the three-day expo exceeded his expectations: “We sold heaps on the last day, people love it.” It probably won’t be long before the selection arrives in the city, as Jolley sees demand rising in Asia as more people discover carob’s purported health benefits. Registered dietitian Winsy Leung says carob is rich in calcium, potassium, fibre, minerals such as magnesium, iron and manganese and others, plus vitamins such as A and D. She says studies have linked carob consumption with a reduced heart disease risk. “Carob is a good source of natural soluble fibre. In different food sources, soluble fibre has been shown to decrease blood cholesterol; oatmeal has the same effect.” Leung says the binding properties of soluble fibre makes it a good cleanser for the body since it can collect bad cholesterol for excretion. But since most people consume carob in minor quantities – desserts, snacks, or sprinkled on food – she’d rather recommend oatmeal to achieve this health benefit. Instead, Leung advises approaching carob as a nutritional add-on to health food. She says in the dietitian’s world, there is no specific definition for “superfood”, and
acqueline Cohen, who chronicles her healthy recipes on LantauMama.com, first tried the brown stuff 25 years ago in America. She has been cooking with the ingredient for years. But since moving to Hong Kong years ago, Cohen has struggled to source carob here, so she orders it through iHerb.com, an online health store based in California. Carob, the flat, bean-like pods of the carob tree, has been consumed by people from the Mediterranean to the Middle East for centuries. Harvested elsewhere in recent decades, it has become an ever-present feature in health food stores from America to Australia. In powder, syrup or bar form, the ingredient has re-emerged as a coveted nutritional item amid the global obsession with socalled superfoods – potent fruits or vegetables packed with exceptional nutritional content. But in Hong Kong, the food remains a mystery. Few grocers stock it; Marketplace and ParknShop have a range of other trendy superfoods like acai berry juices and coconut water, but not carob. But recent stirrings in the market suggest changes ahead. The Australian Carob Company – the biggest producer of the crop in the southern hemisphere – debuted its premium range at the Lohas Expo last month, a health and lifestyle expo held at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.
Carob can be consumed in a variety of forms. Photo: The Australian Carob Company says people should be aware that it’s just a marketing term. Carob has had a topsy-turvy past. In the 1970s and ’80s, the ingredient was much hyped as a nutritionally virtuous substitute for indulgences like chocolate, and became readily available at health shops and pharmacies around the world. But some despised carob because of this comparison to chocolate. Although similar in colour, mouth feel and origins (being sourced from seed-filled pods), the taste is very different. Carob is sweeter with a sharp, distinctive flavour. It’s mildly sour and bitter. First-time tasters often notice the difference, and think of carob as a poor substitute to cocoa, rather than appreciate it for its own distinctive taste. In Australia, the negative connotations of carob stem from the quality of the product in the past. Jolley says all carob
used to be imported, and even he wasn’t impressed with the flavour in the past. “Good tasting carob depends on the varieties of the trees, so I thought of producing a better quality product,” he says. The gardener sees parallels with apples: there are low quality cooking apples, and there are also good quality apple varieties like Golden Delicious. “We are doing the same thing with carob,” he says. His orchards in Booborowie, South Australia, generated 60 tonnes of carob in 2013 and sales soared by 330 per cent last year. “We’ve turned around people’s opinion about carob. People couldn’t believe how good it tastes,” he says. Choice Co-operative, a gluten-free restaurant in Wong Chuk Hang, uses carob in a savoury way. It’s a replacement for chemical flavourings such as MSG. In fried rice, carob is used
I use carob as you’d use paprika, salt, and pepper. I love it IFAT KAFRY HINDES
instead of sugar to caramelise the rice. “I use carob as you’d use paprika, salt and pepper or oregano. I love it as seasoning, and I use it in my baking sometimes,” says restaurant owner Ifat Kafry Hindes. Most diners have been oblivious to the substitutions. But on rare occasions, a few patrons have noticed the sweetness of the
Jeanette Wang jeanette.wang@scmp.com
ingredient. It’s better to be won over by carob’s pleasing taste rather than its purported health benefits. Frankie Siu, a representative of the Hong Kong Nutritional Association, is sceptical about extravagant health claims – cancer prevention or regression, for example – commonly cast on superfoods like carob, wheat grass and goji berries. “There is not much strong evidence to support the claims,” Siu says. “When you look at the research that claims [that it is responsible for cancer prevention or regression], you find some of it was conducted on small sample sizes. “Some tests have only been done on samples of 30 to 40 subjects,” he says, adding that more research is needed. Although superfoods are marketed for their antioxidant benefits, some regular foods have these, too. “Theoretically, antioxidants can prevent certain diseases like cancer. But antioxidants can be found in common foods like kiwis, oranges and cranberries, which have vitamin C, E, beta carotene and more, all with antioxidant properties,” Siu says. “Foods rich in these vitamins and minerals are good for your health so you don’t have to focus on some superfood.” life@scmp.com Carob powder is available at Nature’s Village (36 Lyndhurst Tce, Central), Nutrition Centre (12A, Excellente Commercial Bldg, 456 Jaffe Rd, Causeway Bay; NC-Organic.com) and online at CultureOrganicsFood.com. Or try the bar form at Just Green branches around town
Bark of cork tree may fight pancreatic cancer The bark of the Amur cork tree (Phellodendron amurense), long used in traditional Chinese medicine, has been found to have potential to fight pancreatic cancer. In a study published in the journal Clinical Care
Research, scientists from the University of Texas Health Science Centre show that cork tree extract blocks those pathways and inhibits the scarring that thwarts anticancer drugs. The extract also appears to suppress the enzyme that causes inflammation in the tumours. Pancreatic, liver and kidney tumours develop fibrosis – uncontrolled scarring around the tumour gland – and drugs cannot get into the cancer once fibrotic tissue forms.
Yoga can regulate stress during radiation therapy For women with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy, yoga offers unique benefits beyond fighting fatigue, according to a study by the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Researchers found that while stretching counteracted fatigue, patients who participated in yoga exercises that incorporated breathing, meditation and relaxation techniques into their treatment plan experienced improved ability to engage in daily activities, better general health and better regulation of cortisol (stress hormone). Women who practise yoga are also better equipped to find meaning in the illness experience.
Carob is considered a substitute for chocolate, but it may also have important health benefits. Binge drinking could harm older drinkers A study has found that among older moderate drinkers, those who binge drink have more than two times higher odds of 20-year mortality compared to regular moderate drinkers. The study, which will be published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, comprised 446 moderate-drinking adults (334 men, 112 women) aged 55 to 65, with 74 who binge drank and 372 who were regular moderate drinkers.
FIT & FAB
Executive in sparring role for charity ................................................ Rachel Jacqueline life@scmp.com Many of us train in vain, but not Fiona Foxon. The corporate athlete is driven in her sporting pursuits to help those who are less fortunate. Proving her point, Foxon is fighting in the Vanda White Collar Boxing match in the name of charity. The event has raised more than US$1.3 million for Cambodia’s Children’s Surgical Centre since 2008. The charity provides rehabilitation surgery to the country’s children and trains local doctors. The event’s benevolent bent drove Foxon to get involved four months ago. “When the alarm goes off at 6am to train, one of the first things that comes to my mind is: ‘These kids have nothing, get your butt out of bed, the least you can do is train,’” says the
vice-president of marketing and business development for Tink Labs, a Hong Kong-based startup developing technology for the hospitality industry. She’s been training up to 11 times a week for four months, and has taken a number of blows in preparation for the amateur fight. “It’s a little ironic to get your face bashed in for a charity that works in rehabilitation surgery, but at the end of the day, it’s been about reminding myself not to take anything for granted; being able-bodied is a real gift,” she says. Foxon has always been a sportswoman, and she represented Hong Kong in women’s rugby for three years. But the Singaporean-British athlete confesses that boxing has pushed her to the limit. “Everything only came together in the last few weeks,
and I still feel like I have two left feet in the ring. I have a newfound respect for professional fighters,” she says. Foxon admits she has always been driven by altruistic aims. She moved to Hong Kong seven years ago to set up Ventures in Development, a non-profit incubator of social enterprises promoting rural entrepreneurship in developing China. After hanging up her rugby boots in 2012, Foxon continued to combine her interests by taking up triathlon and working with More Than Sport, a global charity established by professional triathlete Chris Lieto that utilises sport as a platform to raise funds for local charities around the world. “Giving back and doing more isn’t so much of a choice, it’s a way of life. I don’t believe in handouts; you have to help
people help themselves. Charity work gives you humility and keeps you grounded,” Foxon says. Where do you get your energy from? Other people. I love being and working in a team. You could say that there is a definite correlation between my sporting background and my ability to lead teams in my professional career. It’s been a real challenge for me going from a team sport where you share everything – the highs and the lows – to an individual pursuit like boxing. Although I have a great team of trainers and other fighters around me, at the end of the day it’s just you, in the ring, by yourself. What’s the main thing you have learned about boxing? It’s an incredibly technical sport.
Photo: Antony Dickson
You can learn all the combos and the moves, but it’s useless if you don’t see the openings and the opportunities; it’s about constantly moving and thinking one step ahead of your opponent. To succeed you have to be strategic and not just rely on fitness or brute strength. Much like life, you have to play to your strengths, build your game plan and execute. How important is health and fitness in your life? It’s an absolute priority. Family is first of course, but health is second, especially in a city like Hong Kong where you can get swept up in the busyness of things. Fitness has to be an
intrinsic part of your life otherwise it takes a back seat. For me, exercise has to be in the morning or I find my day gets away from me – the alarm goes off at 6am. How will you prepare for the fight on Saturday? By surrounding myself with awesome people. My mum is coming from Singapore, my brother will be there, as will my boyfriend Pete, and lots of good friends. I’ll stay off my feet and relax and enjoy it. I think a lot of times you can forget to enjoy yourself in such a competitive environment, but it’s for the Children’s Surgical Centre and all for fun at the end of the day.
Best advice you’ve ever received? Don’t ever underestimate the importance of quiet time, rest and re-energising. In my 20s I used to live by the adage “you can sleep when you’re dead”. But now I’m in my 30s, I’m learning it’s OK to go to bed at 10pm and not flog myself all the time. Sometimes you just need to rest. How important is winning to you? You don’t go in there to lose, let’s put it that way. Winning is important, but you’ve got to enjoy the ride, because at the end of the day what are you doing it for? If you lose, you dust yourself off, accept it gracefully and move on. Life moves on. That’s the power of sport. It teaches you to bounce back and gives you the perspective you need to enjoy the experience and the journey.