Healthy and Well Being – The Health Benefits of Root Vegetables October is when Autumn begins, and it is the best time for harvesting root vegetables like pumpkin, carrot, beet, lotus root, potato and taro. These seasonal products are packed with nutrients that nourish your body: Pumpkins are low in calories and fat, highly antioxidant, and loaded with carotene which is good for your eyes, Lotus roots contain dietary fiber, potassium, protein and vitamin C, which are all beneficial to your bowel, heart and immune system. Nutrition information source: Registered Dietitian at Hong Kong Adventist Hospital

Healthy and Well Being – There is Something about Potatoes We talked about root vegetables in the previous post, out of which potato must be one that often appears on the menu. Potatoes come in yellow, white, red and black varieties, below are some tips on buying and storing them: Do not pick sprouting potatoes as the sprouted part is considered toxic and not suitable for consumption. Look for firm and smooth potatoes with no cuts, bruises or spoilage. Store potatoes in a cool dry place. Do not refrigerate the potatoes, as the starch will convert into sugar which promotes rotting. The calories and glycemic index of potatoes are lower than rice, however, they are highly absorbent, it is therefore recommended to use less oil when cooking potatoes.   Nutrition information source: Registered Dietitian at Hong Kong Adventist Hospital

Healthy and Well Being – Easy-to-Make Root Vegetables Salad

Root vegetables have a rustic feel and are versatile in that they can be cooked in a variety of ways like steam, boil, braise and stew. With the weather getting cooler, one can consider baking a tray of colorful root veggies like red beet and orange carrot and turn them into a hearty and healthy warm salad.

 Nutrition information source: Registered Dietitian at Hong Kong Adventist Hospital