Kimchi Fried Rice

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The 10almonds Team

Fried rice is not something that leaps to many people’s minds when one says “health food”. But it can be! Today’s recipe is great for many aspects of health, but especially the gut, because of its star ingredient, the kimchi—as well as the fiber in the rest of the dish, which is mostly a variety of vegetables, as well as the rice, which we are assuming you got wholegrain. An optional egg per person adds more healthy fats too!

You will need

  • Avocado oil, for frying. We picked avocado oil for its healthy fats profile, neutral taste, and high smoke point (we’ll be working at very high temperatures today that might make olive oil or coconut oil smoke). We also recommend against seed oils (e.g. sunflower or canola) for health reasons.
  • 1lb cooked and cooled rice—here’s our recipe for Tasty Versatile Rice if you don’t have leftovers you want to use
  • 7oz kimchi, roughly chopped
  • 4 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 4oz white cabbage, finely shredded
  • 3oz frozen peas, defrosted
  • 1 bulb garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • ½ red pepper, finely diced
  • 2 tbsp chili oil (or 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 red chili, very finely chopped) ← don’t worry about the smoke point of this; it’s going to be for drizzling
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 2 tsp black pepper, coarse ground
  • Optional: 1 egg per person
  • Note: we didn’t forget to include salt; there’s simply enough already in the dish because of the kimchi and soy sauce.

Method

(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

1) Lightly oil a wok (or similar) and crank up the heat as high as your stove can muster. Add the garlic and spring onions; keep them moving. When they’re turning golden, add the cabbage, carrot, and red pepper. Add them one by one, giving the wok a chance to get back to temperature each time before adding the next ingredient.

2) When the vegetables are beginning to caramelize (if the temperature is good, this should only be a couple of minutes at most), add the rice, as well as the kimchi, peas, soy sauce, and black pepper. Toss everything ensure it’s all well-combined and evenly cooked. When it’s done (probably only another minute or two), take it off the heat.

3) Optional: if you’re adding eggs, fry them now. Serve a bowl of kimchi-fried rice per person, adding 1 fried egg on top of each.

4) Drizzle the chili oil as a colorful, tasty garnish that’s full of healthful polyphenols too.

Enjoy!

Want to learn more?

For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

Take care!

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  • Visceral Belly Fat & How To Lose It

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    Visceral Belly Fat & How To Lose It

    We’ve talked before about how waist circumference is a much more useful indicator of metabolic health than BMI.

    So, let’s say you’ve a bit more around the middle than you’d like, but it stubbornly stays there. What’s going on underneath what you can see, why is it going on, and how can you get it to change?

    What is visceral fat?

    First, let’s talk about subcutaneous fat. That’s the fat directly under your skin. Women usually have more than men, and that’s perfectly healthy (up to a point); it’s supposed to be that way. We (women) will tend to accumulate this mostly in places such as our breasts, hips, and butt, and work outwards from there. Men will tend to put it on more to the belly and face.

    Side-note: if you’re undergoing (untreated) menopause, the changes in your hormone levels will tend to result in more subcutaneous fat to the belly and face too. That’s normal, and/but normal is not always good, and treatment options are great (with hormone replacement therapy, HRT, topping the list).

    Visceral fat (also called visceral adipose tissue), on the other hand, is the fat of the viscera—the internal organs of the abdomen.

    So, this is fat that goes under your abdominal muscles—you can’t squeeze this (directly).

    So what can we do?

    Famously “you can’t do spot reduction” (lose fat from a particular part of your body by focusing exercises on that area), but that’s about subcutaneous fat. There are things you can do that will reduce your visceral fat in particular.

    Some of these advices you may think “that’s just good advice for losing fat in general” and it is, yes. But these are things that have the biggest impact on visceral fat.

    Cut alcohol use

    This is the biggie. By numerous mechanisms, some of which we’ve talked about before, alcohol causes weight gain in general yes, but especially for visceral fat.

    Get better sleep

    You might think that hitting the gym is most important, but this one ranks higher. Yes, you can trim visceral fat without leaving your bed (and even without getting athletic in bed, for that matter). Not convinced?

    So, the verdict is clear: you snooze, you lose (visceral fat)!

    Tweak your diet

    You don’t have to do a complete overhaul (unless you want to), but a few changes can make a big difference, especially:

    If you’d like to learn more and enjoy videos, here’s an informative one to get you going!

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  • Does Eating Shellfish Contribute To Gout?

    The 10almonds Team

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    It’s Q&A Day at 10almonds!

    Have a question or a request? We love to hear from you!

    In cases where we’ve already covered something, we might link to what we wrote before, but will always be happy to revisit any of our topics again in the future too—there’s always more to say!

    As ever: if the question/request can be answered briefly, we’ll do it here in our Q&A Thursday edition. If not, we’ll make a main feature of it shortly afterwards!

    So, no question/request too big or small 😎

    ❝I have a question about seafood as healthy, doesn’t eating shellfish contribute to gout?❞

    It can do! Gout (a kind of inflammatory arthritis characterized by the depositing of uric acid crystals in joints) has many risk factors, and diet is one component, albeit certainly the most talked-about one.

    First, you may be wondering: isn’t all arthritis inflammatory? Since arthritis is by definition the inflammation of joints, this is a reasonable question, but when it comes to classifying the kinds, “inflammatory” arthritis is caused by inflammation, while “non-inflammatory” arthritis (a slightly confusing name) merely has inflammation as one of its symptoms (and is caused by physical wear-and-tear). For more information, see:

    As for gout specifically, top risk factors include:

    • Increasing age: risk increases with age
    • Being male: women do get gout, but much less often
    • Hypertension: all-cause hypertension is the biggest reasonably controllable factor

    There’s not a lot we can do about age (but of course, looking after our general health will tend to slow biological aging, and after all, diseases only care about the state of our body, not what the date on the calendar is).

    As for sex, this risk factor is hormones, and specifically has to do with estrogen and testosterone’s very different effects on the immune system (bearing in mind that chronic inflammation is a disorder of the immune system). However, few if any men would take up feminizing hormone therapy just to lower their gout risk!

    That leaves hypertension, which happily is something that we can all (barring extreme personal circumstances) do quite a bit about. Here’s a good starting point:

    Hypertension: Factors Far More Relevant Than Salt

    …and for further pointers:

    How To Lower Your Blood Pressure (Cardiologists Explain)

    As for diet specifically (and yes, shellfish):

    The largest study into this (and thus, one of the top ones cited in a lot of other literature) looked at 47,150 men with no history of gout at the baseline.

    So, with the caveat that their findings could have been different for women, they found:

    • Eating meat in general increased gout risk
      • Narrowing down specific meats: beef, pork, and lamb were the worst offenders
    • Eating seafood in general increased gout risk
      • Narrowing down specific seafoods: all seafoods increased gout risk within a similar range
      • As a specific quirk of seafoods: the risk was increased if the man had a BMI under 25
    • Eating dairy in general was not associated with an increased risk of gout
      • Narrowing down specific dairy foods: low-fat dairy products such as yogurt were associated with a decreased risk of gout
    • Eating purine-rich vegetables in general was not associated with an increased risk of gout
      • Narrowing down to specific purine-rich vegetables: no purine-rich vegetable was associated with an increase in the risk of gout

    Dairy products were included in the study, as dairy products in general and non-fermented dairy products in particular are often associated with increased inflammation. However, the association was simply not found to exist when it came to gout risk.

    Purine-rich vegetables were included in the study, as animal products highest in purines have typically been found to have the worst effect on gout. However, the association was simply not found to exist when it came to plants with purines.

    You can read the full study here:

    Purine-Rich Foods, Dairy and Protein Intake, and the Risk of Gout in Men

    So, the short answer to your question of “doesn’t eating shellfish contribute to the risk of gout” is:

    Yes, it can, but occasional consumption probably won’t result in gout unless you have other risk factors going against you.

    If you’re a slim male 80-year-old alcoholic smoker with hypertension, then definitely do consider skipping the lobster, but honestly, there may be bigger issues to tackle there.

    And similarly, obviously skip it if you have a shellfish allergy, and if you’re vegan or vegetarian or abstain from shellfish for religious reasons, then you can certainly live very healthily without ever having any.

    See also: Do We Need Animal Products, To Be Healthy?

    For most people most of the time, a moderate consumption of seafood, including shellfish if you so desire, is considered healthy.

    As ever, do speak with your own doctor to know for sure, as your individual case may vary.

    For reference, this question was surely prompted by the article:

    Lobster vs Crab – Which is Healthier?

    Take care!

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  • Kidney Beans vs Fava Beans – Which is Healthier?

    The 10almonds Team

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Our Verdict

    When comparing kidney beans to fava beans, we picked the kidney beans.

    Why?

    It’s a simple and straightforward one today!

    The macronutrient profiles are mostly comparable, but kidney beans do have a little more protein and a little more fiber.

    In the category of vitamins, kidney beans have more of vitamins B1, B5, B6, B9, C, E, & K, while fava beans boast only more of vitamins B2 and B3. They are both equally good sources of choline, but the general weight of vitamins is very much in kidney beans’ favor, with a 7:2 lead, most of which have generous margins.

    When it comes to minerals, kidney beans have more iron, phosphorus, and potassium, while fava beans have more copper and selenium. They’re both equally good sources of other minerals they both contain. Still, a 3:2 victory for kidney beans on the mineral front.

    Adding up the moderate victory on macros, the strong victory on vitamins, and the slight victory on minerals, all in all makes for a clear win for kidney beans.

    Still, enjoy both! Diversity is healthy.

    Want to learn more?

    You might like to read:

    Chickpeas vs Black Beans – Which is Healthier?

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    From stress tests and EEGs to attention tests and fMRIs, this book looks at the hard science of what different kinds of meditation do to the brain. Not just in terms of brain state, either, but gradual cumulative anatomical changes, too. Powerful stuff!

    The style is very pop-science in presentation, easily comprehensible to all. Be aware though that this is an “if this, then that” book of science, not a how-to manual. If you want to learn to meditate, this isn’t the book for that.

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    Click here to check out Altered Traits, and alter yours!

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  • Gut-Healthy Tacos

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    The 10almonds Team

    Full of prebiotics and probiotics, healthy fats, colorful salad boasting vitamins and minerals aplenty, and of course satisfying protein too, these tacos are also boasting generous flavors to keep you coming back for more…

    You will need

    • 24 sardines—canned is fine (if vegetarian/vegan, substitute tempeh and season generously; marinade if you have time)
    • 12 small wholewheat tortillas
    • 1 14oz/400g can black beans, drained
    • 1 ripe avocado, stoned and cut into small chunks
    • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
    • 1 little gem lettuce, shredded
    • 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
    • 1 bulb garlic, crushed
    • 1 lemon, sliced
    • 4 tbsp plain unsweetened yogurt (your choice what kind, but something with a live culture is best)
    • 3oz pickled jalapeños, roughly chopped
    • 1oz cilantro (or substitute parsley if you have the cilantro-tastes-like-soap gene), finely chopped
    • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 tsp black pepper
    • 1 tsp smoked paprika
    • Juice of 1 lime
    • Optional: Tabasco sauce, or similar hot sauce

    Method

    (we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

    1) Preheat your oven to a low temperature; 200℉ or just under 100℃ is fine

    2) Place the lemon slices on top of the sardines on top of foil on a baking tray; you want the foil to be twice as much as you’d expect to need, because now you’re going to fold it over and make a sort of sealed envelope. You could use a dish with a lid yes, but this way is better because there’s going to be less air inside. Upturn the edges of the envelope slightly so that juices won’t run out, and make sure the foil is imperfectly sealed so a little steam can escape but not much at a time. This will ensure it doesn’t dry out, while also ensuring your house doesn’t smell of fish. Put all this into the oven on a middle shelf.

    3) Mix the lime juice with the onion in a bowl, and add the avocado and tomatoes, mixing gently. Add half the cilantro, and set aside.

    4) Put the black beans in a sieve and pour boiling water over them to refresh and slightly warm them. Tip them into a bowl and add the olive oil, black pepper, and paprika. Mix thoroughly with a fork, and no need to be gentle this time; in fact, deliberately break the beans a little in this case.

    5) Mix the yogurt, jalapeños, garlic, and remaining cilantro in a small bowl.

    6) Get the warmed sardines from the oven; discard the lemon slices.

    7) Assemble! We recommend the order: tortilla, lettuce, fish (2 per taco), black bean mixture, salad mixture, garlic jalapeño yogurt mixture. You can also add a splash of the hot sauce per your preference, or if catering for more people, let people add their own.

    Enjoy!

    Want to learn more?

    For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

    Take care!

    Don’t Forget…

    Did you arrive here from our newsletter? Don’t forget to return to the email to continue learning!

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    Join the 98k+ American women taking control of their health & aging with our 100% free (and fun!) daily emails:

  • The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck – by Mark Manson

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

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    You may wonder from the title: is this book arguing that we should all be callous heartless monsters? And no, it is not.

    Instead, author Mark Manson advocates for cynicism, but less in the manner of Scrooge, and more in the manner of Diogenes:

    • That life will involve struggle, so we might as well at least choose our struggles.
    • That we will make mistakes, so we might as well accept them as learning experiences.
    • That we will love and we will lose, so we might as well do it right while we can.

    In short, the book is less about not caring… And more about caring about the right things only.

    So, what are “the right things”? Manson bids us decide for ourselves, but certainly has ideas and pointers, with regard to what may or may not be healthy values to pursue.

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    If the book has a weak point, it’s that when it briefly makes a suprisingly prescriptive turn into recommending we take up Buddhism, it may feel a bit like our friend who wants us to join in the latest MLM scheme. But, he’s soon back on track.

    Bottom line: if you ever find yourself stressed with living up to unwanted expectations—your own, other people’s, and society’s—this book can really help streamline things.

    Click here to check out The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, and put your attention where it makes more of a positive difference!

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    Did you arrive here from our newsletter? Don’t forget to return to the email to continue learning!

    Learn to Age Gracefully

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