CookSmart (19th Issue) Page3

Spring words...

A typical traditional Chinese diet includes carbohydrates, in the form of congee, rice noodles, egg noodles or rice, as a major component; in the same diet, there is also a generous portion of vegetables, and a small portion of fish or meat. However, since we-don’t-know-when, carbs have been the synonym for “fattening foods”, and an increasing number of people are claiming to cut them out from their diet. The truth is, the lack of carbohydrates may do a lot of harm to our body. Moreover, it is in fact unrealistic to exclude carbs entirely from our diet, as they exist in a lot of foods; examples of such are corn, carrot, pumpkin, and sauces made with cornstarch or soya-made starch.

In this issue of CookSmart, dietitians will brief readers on the importance of carbohydrates to the human body, the appropriate level of intake and how to choose your carbohydrates. This is supplemented by a great number of recipes of congees, noodles and rice. Watch out for the spectacular contents!