Before we begin, a note:
Happy New Year, cravers! We did it! I want to take a quick moment out of this post to say thank you to all you wonderful readers for supporting the Craver’s Guide and for making it popular (once again!) I feel truly blessed to be able to live out my passion, which is cooking and eating great food! I spent my long weekend in KL, resting, relaxing, going for a massage or two and of course, eating the weekend away. Whatever all of us did to usher in the new year, I’m sure we can work to make 2017 our year! I cannot wait to embark on the Cravings! journey this year – I’ve got some great things planned for you, my wonderful readers! While I can’t reveal everything right away, I can tell you that the next issue of Cravings! – Jan to Mar 2017, will be out in 2 weeks! I’ve worked very hard on this one, and I simply cannot wait for you to start reading it. But enough of my New Year’s banter – here’s an article that I think we can all benefit from.
XX – krishy
We’ve all been there, done that, when it comes to having a bad day. Its murphy’s law all over again – whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. Sometimes, we don’t give enough importance to the effect our food has on our mental health. For example, eating MacDonald’s on a regular basis (hello Monopoly coupons!) is not only detrimental to your physical health, but your mental well-being too. Research has shown that people who consume fast foods on a regular basis are more vulnerable to mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. While I did an extensive coverage on this in last year’s issue of Cravings! the digital magazine, here’s an add on summary on the foods you should eat to maintain your mental well-being.
Fish & Mushrooms
While Singapore is a tropical country, we’ve been experiencing quite the rainfall these past couple of months, and we barely get to feel the sun (although we feel the humidity, thank you very much). As the sun is one of our main sources of Vitamin D, our bodies may pose a lack of this essential nutrient during this time of the year. In fact, symptoms of depression are heavily linked to lack of Vitamin D and sunlight. To combat this, increase the amount of oily fish in your diet, such as tuna or salmon, with a side of sautéed wild mushrooms. Wild mushrooms contain more Vitamin D as compared to regular ones. Other Vitamin D fortified foods, such as orange juice, milk and yoghurt, may also help enrich your diet.
Turkey
According to a 2015 study, tryptophan, an amino acid found in turkey, is linked to reducing stress in the human body and reducing anxiety. If turkey is not your thing, mozzarella and pumpkin seeds also contain tryptophan, even more than turkey, in fact. To utilise all of these ingredients, make a salad! Simple toss 1 packet store bought organic salad leaves with 1/4 toasted pumpkin seeds, shredded turkey breast meat, 3 Tbsp Olive oil and 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar. Top with the cheese, and dig in. Simplest salad ever – and you can add dried cranberries too – they go great with the turkey and have a nice dose of iron.
Soybeans
Serve up edamame beans in every form you can prepare or get – they have been linked to reducing chances of depression in a study conducted in Norway. Soy is rich in magnesium, which can help turn your frown upside down.
The New Year is upon us, and this is when we all go for the healthiest foods available on the shelves, as part of our resolutions. Let’s keep to our resolutions in 2017 – and start eating food that we both love and is great for us, and minimise on cheat days. Happy New Year everyone!