Vegetable of the Month: Puso ng Saging

Date: September 2006
Publication: Smart Parenting
Section and Page: Nutrition, p.104
Publisher: Summit Media

Vegetable of the Month: Puso ng Saging
Give your kids their boost of energy straight from this heart


You may have heard of the folklore behind puso ng saging: it blooms during a full moon, and swallowing the sap or agimat that falls from it bestows one with superpowers. But myth isn’t necessarily far from fact when it comes to this crimson-colored vegetable. The puso ng saging is a rich source of energy, micronutrients, and fiber, according to health and wellness educator Maribel Jane Galang of Manila Adventist Medical Center.

Though it literally translates to “heart of banana”, puso ng saging is technically the banana blossom or bud. Known as “banana bell” in Australia, and “plantain flower” in Sri Lanka, the blossom protects the sterile male flowers of the banana plant, and is found hanging at the end of the stem that holds the banana cluster. The actual heart of the banana is located at the center of the tree trunk.

How to Pick

The bloom is available all year round, and is normally harvested as soon as the banana fruit forms. Price points range from P12 to P20 per bud at most supermarkets. One bud usually weighs around half a kilo. To ensure freshness, pick those with a bright shade of crimson or maroon, and a faint sweet fragrance. Also, look for the banana blossom that come from the plantain variety—these supposedly boast the best flavor and texture.

How to Store

Most buds are wrapped in plastic to keep them from drying out. If you’re not cooking the banana blossom right away, store in refrigerator’s vegetable crisper with plastic wrapping intact. This will keep it fresh for 3 to 4 days.

How to Prepare

The banana blossom is a staple in kare-kare, kilawin, paksiw na baboy, and needless to say, ginataang puso ng saging.

To prepare, unwrap the tough bract (red covering) to reveal the layers of flowers and cone-shaped yellowish bud. Wash and steam this inner portion for around 20 minutes, and let cool before slicing. You may heat flowers and bud in a microwave, too. If you’re using the flowers, don’t forget to slice off the top to remove the stamen.

A great amount of dagta or plant sap is concentrated in the heart. Before handling the blossom, it is best to wear disposable plastic gloves to keep the sap from sticking to your hands. Soaking the bud in water and squeezing out the sap can lessen—not eradicate—the stickiness. However, much of the sap will eventually seep its way out of the puso once the puso hits the cooking pan.

Supermarket Checklist

Date: September 2006

Publication: Smart Parenting

Section and Page: Nutrition, p.102

Publisher: Summit Media

Supermarket Checklist
A purchasing guide that covers crucial food groups

What we buy from the store and stack in our pantry says a lot about the nutrition we provide our kids. Budgeting is one thing, trying to pack in all the nutritional requirements in the supermarket pushcart is another.

Have a Nutrition Plan

To write up a good list, you must first know what constitutes a well-balanced diet for your child. “When you say well-balanced diet or meal, this is composed of the grow, glow, and go foods at a balanced amount. A balanced meal is important because no single food contains all the nutrients our body needs,” explains Maribel Jane Galang, educator at the Health and Wellness Department of the Manila Adventist Hospital.

A balanced diet is possible by combining foods from the basic food groups—grains, proteins, milk products, vegetables, and fruits. The newly revised food guide pyramid of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), called MyPyramid, now includes recommended daily doses of water and exercise. This promotes and active lifestyle for your child—whish means more exercise and play time.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), toddlers need at least 1,000 calories a day to meet their nutritional needs for growth and energy. This equates to 3 meals and 2 snacks daily. Yes, snacking is a must. “Just as long as regular mealtimes are not sacrificed,” Galang adds.

According to her, a regular schedule for snacking can be 2 hours before lunch and dinner. Snacks provide the nutrients missed during regular meals. But, Galang maintains, “Keep kids away from fast foods and commercial foods, which are high in calories.” Examples of healthy, high-nutrient-density snacks are yogurt with fresh fruit toppings, whole grain cereals in low fat milk, and raw vegetables with low-fat dips.

Vegetable of the Month: Brocolli

Date: August 2006

Publication: Smart Parenting
Section and Page: Vegetable of the Month, p.98
Publisher: Summit Media

Vegetable of the month: Broccoli
The homely, edible flower top-bills veggies in nutritional value and is all muscle when it comes to fighting cancer

This green, Chinese-cuisine staple gets top honors for being packed with nutrients that combat cancer and other heart problems like cataract. According to the US Department of Agriculture's nutrient database, ounce for ounce, boiled broccoli can pack in more vitamin C than an orange and just about as much calcium as a glass of fresh milk. Furthermore, a spear has 3 times more fiber than a slice of wheat-bran bread. Janie Rose Ilustre, Area Program Officer of the Nutrition Center of the Philippines, adds, "In its 100% edible portion, broccoli also boosts the immune system, and has anti-cancer effects."

True enough, a john Hopkins University lab study discovered an enzyme found in broccoli, which neutralized cancer-causing substances before they had a chance to do any cellular damage. (Lab results were published in the April 1994 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.) A 1999 edition of the journal Nutrition and Cancer reported similar findings by scientists and at Tokyo's Graduate School of Agriculture, this time on the same enzyme's ability to block melanoma skin-cancer cells.

SELECTING

The cauliflower-look alike grows all year round in cool places like Baguio. But if you want to get the best broccolis without leaving the city, you can head on to Landmark and Rustan's Supermarkets, which offer them fresh and green, or big markets like Nepa-Q Mart (Quezon City), that get daily truck deliveries of broccoli from the north.

STORING

Broccoli is highly-perishable, so consume as soon as you can. For proper storage, place in a perforated plastic bag in the ref crisper. This will help broccoli stay fresh for 3 to 4 days. Vegetables require air circulation, so do not seal them in plastic bags. Leftover broccoli can last a little over 3 days in the refrigerator.

PREPARING

The stalks and flowers may be eaten raw, but the best way to cook broccoli is by steaming it for 7 to 8 minutes. Unlike microwaving, steaming and sauteing do not take away broccoli's the vitamins and minerals. You can also add broccoli to your salad, pasta or soup for a very healthy meal. Just go light on the sauce and dressing. Remember that the method of cooking or serving can affect the amount of nutrients retained in broccoli, as with any other vegetable.

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Side Bar:
TIPS FOR PICKING GOOD BROCCOLI

1. Do get floret clusters that are compact, firmly closed, uniformly colored and bruise-free.
2. Choose broccoli with leaves that are bright green.
3. Select broccoli with firm, thin stalks.
4. Don’t get broccoli that are yellowing, have tiny yellow flowers in the floret, have wilted or discolored leaves, or have slimy spots and thick stalks--these indicate that the broccoli have aged and gone past their prime.
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