Herbalife Nutrition, a premier global nutrition company has embarked on a year-long collaboration with the Nutrition Society of Malaysia (NSM) to further reinforce nutrition education and its importance to one’s overall wellbeing across the nation. The partnership involves the two organisations collaborating on a series of initiatives and planned programmes.
“According to our Asia Pacific Nutrition Myth Survey 2020, more than seven in 10 Malaysians are interested in receiving nutrition advice from healthcare professionals. Hence, we are pleased to play a bigger role in public nutrition education alongside NSM, an esteemed organisation that has been championing nutrition education and awareness for the past 35 years,” said General Manager/Director of Herbalife Nutrition Malaysia, Steven Chin. “Our new partnership is driven by our shared belief in promoting good nutrition and a healthy active lifestyle among Malaysians from all walks of life.”
This collaboration further elevates the existing relationship between Herbalife Nutrition and NSM, and will foster better understanding between both parties. By joining forces, initiatives developed will incorporate their mutual expertise to benefit the general public. Planed activities include the development of educational content such as media articles co-authored by their experts on various subject matters including nutrition, health and wellness.
“NSM is guided by a simple belief that the more people understand good nutrition, the better they can care for their health and wellbeing. With this in mind, we partner with other organisations on public education initiatives across Southeast Asia. We have strong relations and work closely with regional organisations such as Southeast Asia Public Health Nutrition Network (SEA-PHN), Southeast Asia Probiotics Scientific and Regulatory Experts Network (SEA Probiotics SREN) and Federation of Asian Nutrition Societies (FANS) to create awareness on the importance of nutrition and active living. We are pleased to collaborate with Herbalife Nutrition and believe that our partnership will improving the lives of Malaysians through proper nutrition information to prevent diet-related chronic diseases,” said Dr. Tee E Siong, President of NSM.
The collaboration comes at a time when the health of Malaysians is now a cause for national concern as revealed by the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019. According to the survey, one in two adults in Malaysia were either overweight or obese while diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol are among the main non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that are prevalent amongst Malaysians, which also happen to be major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) – the current leading causes of death in Malaysia. It’s been revealed that 1.7 million people in Malaysia live with three major risk factors at present while 3.4 million people live with two of them.
“The survey results are certainly a cause for concern, especially when such diseases are very closely linked to obesity which can be avoided through a healthy diet and proper nutrition intake. Through our collaboration with NSM, we will seek to educate every individual on the benefits of consuming the right nutrition, so they can start practising a healthy lifestyle which will benefit them in the long run,” added Steven Chin.
I was compiling research on boosting our immune system, and would like to share that it’s far beyond just taking Vitamin C. It’s all about reducing my intake of carbohydrates and getting some Vitamin D of some sunlight kind. It really is as simple as that!
Increasing our immunity help fight off infections. Our pituitary glands, adrenals and the ovaries, muscles, brain and liver contain the largest stores of Vitamin C. However, being water-soluble, Vitamin C is not stored in large amounts in the body and that means we need to replenish it by eating more foods that have anti odixant properties like brocolli, bell peppers and chillies!
Our immune system
During the movement control order (MCO) lockdown, I’ve been sharing some interesting science-based truths about boosting our immune system. Firstly, lets understand the function of our immune system.
How do we ensure our immune system functions well, just like clock work and why is it so important? A healthy immune system is the defence against any attack by pathogenic organism. Our immune system identifies and eliminates pathogens. Our immune system works just like a car alarm system, identifying an intruder who attempts to break into the car and presents a possible threat to the security of the persons sitting inside the car.
The immune system is complex. Sub-optimal immune systems that occur early (in babies) and late in life (in older people) increase the susceptibility of infection for these category of population. So the big question is – how do we boost our immune system?
While staying at home, I found some great research studies and have compiled them below for your reading:
Vitamin C
I’ve heard about many people taking high dosages of Vitamin C during these unprecedented times. We now know that Vitamin C is water soluble, which means it’s not stored in the body. As one of the body’s main antioxidants, Vitamin C is required for collagen synthesis[1], for protection against oxidative stress [2] and immune function [3]. The changes in the way we work and live in the past 100 years, the added modern stress of having phone calls, car honks and other alerts heighten our fight or flight responses on such a high occurence. Couple that with our modern diet that comprises of treats, sweets and it’s no surprise that obesity rates have gone up to unprecedented levels yet there are far more cases of undernutrition and those are big factors in decreased immune defences.
Source: Human Development and Health Academic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK |
[1] Citation: Boyera N, Galey I, Bernard BA. Effect of vitamin C and its derivatives on collagen synthesis and cross-linking by normal human fibroblasts. Int J Cosmet Sci. 1998;20(3):151-158. doi:10.1046/j.1467-2494.1998.171747.x
[2] Citation: Padayatty SJ, Katz A, Wang Y, et al. Vitamin C as an antioxidant: evaluation of its role in disease prevention. J Am Coll Nutr. 2003;22(1):18-35. doi:10.1080/07315724.2003.10719272
[3] Citation: Wintergerst ES, Maggini S, Hornig DH. Immune-enhancing role of vitamin C and zinc and effect on clinical conditions. Ann Nutr Metab. 2006;50(2):85-94. doi:10.1159/000090495
Functional foods
Nutrients that have been demonstrated (in either animal or human studies) to be required for the immune system to function efficiently include essential amino acids, the essential fatty acid linoleic acid, vitamin A, folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin E, Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe) and Selenium (Se). Practically all forms of immunity may be affected by deficiencies in one or more of these nutrients. Animal and human studies have demonstrated that adding the deficient nutrient back to the diet can restore immune function and resistance to infection. Among the nutrients studied most in this regard are vitamin E and Zn. Increasing intakes of some nutrients above habitual and recommended levels can enhance some aspects of immune function. However, excess amounts of some nutrients also impair immune function. There is increasing evidence that probiotic bacteria improve host immune function. The effect of enhancing immune function on host resistance to infection in healthy individuals is not clear.
The immune system plays a key role in the body’s ability to fight infection and reduce the risk of developing tumours, autoimmune and degenerative disease. Nutritional deficiencies and excesses influence various components of the immune system. Early studies investigating the association between nutrition and immunity focused on generalised protein-energy malnutrition, particularly in children in developing countries. The extent of immunological impairment depends not only on the severity of malnutrition but on the presence of infection and on the age of onset of nutritional deprivation, among other factors. In industrialised nations, immune function has been shown to be compromised in many malnourished hospitalised patients, small-for-gestational age infants, and the elderly. Obesity also may adversely influence immune function.
Deficiencies of protein and some amino acids, as well as vitamins A, E, B6 and folate, are associated with reduced immunocompetence.
Acute respiratory infections (ARI), including the common cold causes significant morbidity and economical losses globally. Micronutrient deficiency may increase ARI incidence risk and its associated duration and severity among healthy adults, but evidence are inconclusive (
The literature search identified 423 unique studies. Of which, only eight studies were eligible and included in the final review. Only vitamin D deficiency (VDD) was observed among these eight studies.
Most memorable of all articles I’ve read is this quote from a renowned neurosurgeon and advocate for sunlight, Dr. Jack Kruse:
Vitamin D3 is just the chemical signal made after unpolarised light is captured by our skin and in the pill form, it does not have the power of the sun’s light or photons. Taking supplemental vitamin D3 is like trying to hire someone else to do your push-ups for you.
Dr. Jack Kruse
So vitamin D is best direct from the sun. Ready for the great outdoors? I can’t wait… Meanwhile, Stay Safe!
Reinforcing its philosophy of inspiring daily physical and mental wellness lifestyle, a pioneer in transformative wellness, Chiva-Somis introducing the brand new ‘Wellness Delivery by Chiva-Som’. This service is available for Hua Hin residents, in which they can have healthy food and wellness products delivered straight to their homes.
Encouraging staying at home and also promoting your health and immune system, Chiva-Som’s latest delivery service is underpinned in the belief that a nutritious diet is the foundation of long-term health.
Chef Dan Bark (sixth left), Chef Sinchai Srivipa (fifth right) and Chiva-Som chef team in 2019
This is a unique culinary collaboration between Chiva-Som’s chef team and Michelin Star Chef Dan Bark, from Upstairs Mikkeller, Bangkok. Together, they have combined the Chiva-Som’s philosophy of nutritionally-rich wellness cuisine to support gut healing and immune system enhancement with Chef Dan’s signature cooking techniques and distinctive presentation, without compromising on delicious flavor.
The wellness cuisine menu features over 30 items that range from salads and soups to main courses, desserts, and drinks. Each item on this menu contains a number of health benefits with amazing flavor while remaining low in calories.
Items on the menu include:
Wellness Delivery by Chiva-Som drinks
· Salad, Soup and Main Course – Natural Collagen Beef or Chicken Bone Broth, Symbiotic Yam Bean with Green Mango Salad, Massaman Osso Buco Curry, Moroccan Spiced Chicken and Oven-Baked Ratatouille with Prawn
· Vegetarian Menu – Tofu Lasagne, Ginger Lentil Dahl and Fried Quinoa and Gaba Rice with Egg Whites
· Desserts – Riceberry Pudding, Flourless Chocolate Parfait and Creamy Cashew Nut served with Calamarised Apple topped with Crumble
· Healthy Shots – Immune Aid enhancing immunity and blood cleansing, Minty Green promoting digestive aid and lymphatic cleansing and Vit C Booster supporting antioxidant and the digestive system
The Wellness Delivery by Chiva-Som is currently available in the Hua Hin area, ordering from 10.00 to 18.00 each day.
To place an order or to make an enquiry, please contact the official line @chivasomdelivery or call us on 032 536 536.
Scientific research shows that it is actually possible to build muscle while in ketosis. The studies suggests that this will only be possible if you make sure that you are consuming a sufficient amount of protein and fat alongside an effective strength training program. The amount required is considered to be 1 gram of protein for every LB of body weight whilst 78-80% of your daily calories should come from fat.
It has been a long held belief within the fitness industry that in order to build muscle mass, you need to consume both carbohydrates and protein together in order to stimulate the protein synthesis which in theory leads to muscle growth. Now it is true that carbohydrates are in a sense anabolic. Anabolic meaning that they cause muscles to grow in optimum conditions. However, consuming a large amount of carbohydrates also causes fat gain as well which is not what we want.
The majority of the general population have known for some time now that carbs cause weight gain and make you store fat. As a result, fitness enthusiasts the world over have turned to Low-Carb diets to lose those extra pounds. However, as a byproduct, we have become concerned that we will not be able to gain muscle either, and even worse we will lose muscle.
I am going to share with you information in this article that will hopefully put your mind at rest. It is indeed possible to maintain and gain muscle mass while in ketosis.
So Can You Build Muscle While In Ketosis?
Before I go into detail regarding how to go about building muscle while in ketosis, I want to put your mind at rest when it comes to the apparent need to consume carbohydrates along with protein in order to build muscle. Most people in the muscle building world believe that you must consume carbs and protein together after a weight training session in order to stimulate protein synthesis and muscle growth. Recent science however suggests otherwise. A study in 2007 found that consuming carbs and protein after a workout did not enhance protein synthesis. 10 healthy men took part in a crossover study. They performed 60 minutes of strength training, and then they were fed either 0, 0.15, or 0.6 g x kg of carbs along with 0.3 g x kg of protein hydrolysate during a 6 hr recover period after the workout.
The result was very interesting. What was found was that there was no difference in the amount of protein synthesis taking place between the various experiments.
So we can be fairly confident with the fact that you do not need to consume a boat load of carbohydrates in order to being muscle repair and growth.
This was not the only study however that supports this hypothesis. Several studies have shown in a much more direct how the the ketogenic diet not only preserves muscle mass, but also increases muscle growth, especially when combined with a keto/carb-cycling protocol.
Another study carried out in 2014 found that participants on ketogenic diet maintained muscle mass just as well as participants who were on a standard western carb rich diet for a duration of 10 weeks. However, in the 11th week the participants on the keto diet started to eat carbohydrates again for that week. After the 11th week the keto group actually gained more muscle mass than the standard western diet group.
So what were the exact results of the study cited above?…
The study consisted of 26 healthy male participants. Half of the group were put on a standard western diet (55% Carbs, 25% Fat, 20% Protein), and the other half were prescribed a standard ketogenic diet (5% CHO, 75% Fat, 20%) for 11 weeks. However, in the 11th week the keto diet group began to consume carbohydrates again.
From weeks 1-10 both groups showed no difference in the rate of muscle gain. This suggests that for someone engaged with a strength training programme, muscle will not be lost if that person is in ketosis for an extended period of time.
In week 11 however, the keto diet group ‘carbed up’, and ate a higher amount of carbohydrates for that final week of the experiment. The results were surprising yet positive. At the end of the 11th week, the keto diet group gained significantly more muscle mass than the standard diet group. In fact they gained around 2.1kgs more muscle mass than the standard western diet group by the end of the experiment.
This suggests that the ketogenic diet may more be beneficial for muscle gain than a standard high carbohydrate diet.
Before we go on to talk about an action plan that you can put into practice yourself, I would like to reference one final study. Just to really highlight the findings already mentioned above. So many people these days are afraid of the ketogenic diet when it comes to maintaining or building muscle when there really is no need to be. In face, as we have already found out, a low carbohydrate high fat diet really can accelerate your results when it comes to building muscle.
This final study was very similar to the last one I just outlined. 25 college men were divided into a standard western diet group and a ketogenic diet group for the 11 week duration of the experiment. The main difference with this particular experiment and the previous one I described earlier was that in this particular study, the keto diet and standard western diet groups were both isocaloric and isonitrogenous. This means that both diet groups consumed the same amount of calories and the same amount of protein as each each on each day of the trial. Again, as in the previous experiment the keto group re-fed on carbs in week 11.
All participants also undertook resistance training on a daily basis throughout the 11 weeks.
The results were very interesting when compared to the previous study. For the first 10 weeks the ketogenic diet group gained only 2.2kg of lean body mass whilst the standard western diet group gained an impressive 4.4gk. That’s double what the keto group gained. However, in week 11 when the keto group re-fed on carbs, they gained a further 2.2kg taking their total lean body mass gain for the 11 weeks to 4.8kg. This means that again the keto group gained more muscle mass than the non-keto group by the end of the experiment.
So what can we take from these findings?…
The results from all of the research mentioned above I looks very promising and would lead us to believe that the ketogenic diet has many benefits when is comes to building muscle while in ketosis.
One thin the research shows is that not only do we retain muscle while on a keto diet, but we can actually gain muscle mass while in a state of nutritional ketosis.
Not only this, but if we so wish; we can strategically use carbohydrates in conjunction with a keto diet in order to build more muscle mass than one could on a standard diet.
So how do we go about this? How do we put all the theory into practice in the real world?
Putting It All Together…
So let’s take a look at how we can take what we have learned from the above studies and use the information in a productive way in order to put together a keto based action plan for building muscle in an accelerated way.
So we now know that you could at the very least maintain your muscle mass (and probably gain a little) on a standard ketogenic diet.
As a reminder the marconutrient ratios of your daily caloric intake are;
Carbohydrates – 5%
Protein – 20%
Healthy Fats – 75%
The ratios mentioned above are what you would aim for if you were following the standard ketogenic diet for health and fat loss benefits. However, in order to build muscle effectively while on the keto diet we need to tweak the numbers slightly. I have already allured to these numbers at the very beginning of this article, but I will go through them again and in more detail here.
We need to increase the amount of protein consumption to 1 gram per pound (LB) of body weight. Because we are increasing the protein intake, it is possible that glucose and insulin levels will still spike slightly due to a process called gluconeogenisis where the liver turns excess protein into glucose. This in turn could cause a little bit of fat gain.
To combat this, we also need to increase the amount of fat consumption from 75% of total daily caloric intake up to around 78-80%. This will help the body produce more ketones and keep the body in fat burning more.
As usual, your daily carbohydrate intake should be less than 50g.
With the keto macro ratios outlined above, you should have not problem building and maintaining muscle mass while in ketosis. However, due to the excess calories being consumed, some people may worry that they will gain excess fat during the process. This is totally understandable as it is very easy to gain fat during a bulking program.
So how do we do we definitely make sure we don’t gain excess fat while building muscle on keto?…
The solution? Intermittent fasting!
What I recommend is that you take two days of the week and fast for 18-20 hours. There are many benefits of intermittent fasting and you can learn more about those benefits by reading our extensive and in depth article on the subject that I also wrote for Asia Fitness Today. You can read the article here and learn more about the amazing benefits of fasting (opens in a new window).
Needles to say fasting will keep your fat level down whilst preserving muscle mass. There are so many other health benefits to fasting which I don’t have time to mention here. As already mentioned, out in depth article about intermittent fasting goes into much more depth about that particular subject area.
Do This to Turbocharge Your Muscle Gain on Keto!…
In order to get the maximum muscle building efforts, we are going take what we learned from the studies and mimic the protocol.
So, I suggest you go for 2 1/2 months on the muscle building keto diet I mentioned above with the tweaked numbers. Also remember to do the intermittent fasting for two days of the week as already discussed.
However, for the last two weeks of the 3 month cycle (weeks 11-12), take a break from the keto diet and re-introduce carbohydrates again. At the end of week 11, go back to the keto diet and intermittent fasting for another 3 month cycle.
Rinse and Repeat!…
Now, it’s important to remember that when you re-introduce carbohydrates for weeks 11 and 12, that you continue to eat clean and healthy. Eat healthy carb based foods rather than processed and refined carbs such as white bread, candy and pizza. Weeks 11 ans 12 are not weeks off. They are weeks of carb back loading. Try incorporating foods such as;
Brown Rice
Sweet Potato
Rye Bread
Quinoa
Nuts and legumes
Oat Porridge
I recommend that in weeks 11 and 12 when you re-introduce carbs again, you follow the macro ratios similar to the standard western diet groups in the experiments as discussed.
So week 1-10 you will be doing your keto diet along with 2 days of intermittent fasting. Weeks 11-12 I recommend you consume your macros in the following ratios (remembering to lower out fat intake again).
Standard Western Diet Macro Ratios for Weeks 11-12
55% Carbohydrates
25% Fats
20% Protein
Now I know what you are thinking! By now you are probably asking yourself what your daily caloric intake should be in order to build muscle and lose fat. I realise I have given most of the macro ratio numbers in percentages in this post. Those percentages do of course relate to our daily caloric intake.
I will be totally honest with you here, and then direct you to another one of my articles where you can learn more about your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and how to work out what your daily caloric intake should be.
Personally, I don’t worry that much about my daily caloric intake. Controversial I know!
I go by instinct and ‘eyeball’ my macro ratios. Now in the beginning it would certainly be helpful for you to track your ratios using any popular tracking app on your phone.
However, I eat when I am hungry and stop when I am full. I make sure my ratios and as close as possible and I train hard in the gym. I find that this works well for me. Over tracking your numbers can become very taxing mentally and you want to try to avoid become OCD about the numbers.
The body is very cleaver! Follow the rough guide in this article, then follow your instinct.
Workout Efficiently to Build Muscle… the Right Way!…
Of course, muscle growth is also very much dependent on you partaking in an effective exercise regime which focuses on breaking down the muscle fibres in your body. This type of strength training causes the muscle tissue to grow in size as the fibres repair themselves.
It is important to focus on training the large muscle groups such as chest, legs and shoulders for example. Also, you will get the best results by making sure that you train to total failure on each set. This means that at the end of each set, you are not able to physically perform even just one more repetition of that particular exercise.
Summary
Utilised in the correct way and along with effective and efficient resistance training, the keto diet can absolutely accelerate your muscle growth while providing you with many other health benefits as well.
At the end of the day it all depends on your own goals and aspirations. What’s more, we are all only humans and we have to live life. Take the information in this article and use it as a guide. Strive to do your best everyday. No one can ask any more of you.
Good luck with your health and fitness goals!…
This article has been reproduced with permission and courtesy of Nick at The Muscle Expert.
Introducing INHABIT – a feature documentary that was released on Earth Day in 2015 about what some people in the United States were doing, that was off-the-beaten-track and away from the normal consumption mentality. We found this film moving and hope this can help offer a futuristic viewpoint to how we as human-beings can live. Well.
In a statement on their website, the director said this:
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing a global shutdown of our fragile economy and it is a critical moment to reflect on the broken systems that run our world. The goal of this film is to inspire and empower people and we hope by offering the film for free it will have a greater effect.
COSTA BOUTSIKARIS – DIRECTOR/CINEMATOGRAPHER/EDITOR
Many people ask us; are there any benefits to intermittent fasting?
In short, yes there are many benefits to intermittent fasting, some which may surprise you too. As you continue to read this article, you will learn all about what fasting can do for you in the short and long term.
First though, let’s take a look at what intermittent fasting actually is, before we go into more details about the benefits of a fasting program.
Many people may already be aware of what intermittent fasting is, and they may even be familiar with some of the most common health benefits when following this particular protocol. However, when it comes to intermittent fasting there are far more benefits to be had than you might have first thought.
Following any form of fasting program can drastically improve ones health both physically and mentally. Not only this; your lifestyle and productivity in general can take a huge upturn as a result.
Just in case you are not aware of what intermittent fasting is, I will briefly give a short overview here. Essentially, intermittent fasting is a protocol in which you abstain from food, and certain fluids for a prolonged period of time. Any food or drink that contains calories and stimulates a metabolic response in the body is avoided for that duration of time.
There are many different forms of fasting in which your fasting and feeding windows last for various lengths of time. Some of the most common protocols are;
16-8 – With this format you don’t eat or drink calories for 16 hours, and then you consume all your caloric intake for the day within the 8 hour feeding window before fasting for 16 hours again. This is one of the easiest methods to do begin with when getting started with the fasting lifestyle.
18-6 – With this method, you fast for 18 hours and then you consume your daily caloric intake within a 6 hour window.
20-4 (AKA The Warrior Diet) – You can probably guess this one by now! You fast for 20 hours and consume you daily caloric intake within a 4 hour window. This protocol is a more advanced strategy and it is only best to attempt this once your body is used to fasting.
OMAD (One Meal a Day) – Some die hard intermittent fasting fans consider the OMAD diet the ‘holy grail’ of fasting! With this method you do what it says on the tin and you eat only one substantial meal a day. This particular protocol is particularly powerful because after about 19 hours of fasting, your body begins to reap some of the more elusive benefits of fasting. This includes benefits such as autophagy and anti-ageing which we will discuss more in depth later.
Now we have a general understanding of this time based protocol, we will now look at some of the health benefits of intermittent fasting. There will be some common ones in the list that you will already be aware of. However, some of them will surprise you I am sure!
Fat Loss
Perhaps one of the most well known benefits of intermittent fasting is fat loss, and this is one of the main reasons that many people decide to begin a fasting program in the first place.
It is true that fasting is more effective than many other diet programs out there including the dreaded calorie restricted eating plan that millions of people fail with every year.
“How does fasting actually work in terms of fat burning though; and why is it superior to many other methods?”
Calories in vs calories out theory for fat loss that the vast majority of people are familiar with is fundamentally flawed. The theory assumes that all calories are equal. However, we know this not to be true. We can not oversimplify how different foods a processed in the body and the hormonal effect they have.
Most people believe that the only way to loss body fat is to either reduce the amount of calories you take in through food or increase the amount of calories you expend through exercise.
The diagram above is a great analogy that depicts how most people view the calories in, calories out theory for fat loss. It is in fact a myth!…Or at the very least an over simplified explanation. There is no such thing as one big container in your body that stores calories. In reality your body doesn’t really know what a calorie is. In actual fact, weight gain is more like a two compartment problem. The analogy I am going to share with you now was made popular by the world leading fasting expert Dr Jason Fung. Dr Fung has a great visual way of explaining how the body actually gains and loses weight.
Take a look at the diagram below.
The picture above shows how fat gain is actually a two compartment problem. Whenever you eat a balanced meal, the carbohydrates and/or sugars in that meal are turned into glucose. Imagine that this glucose is then stored in the ‘fridge’ (aka your liver). It is very easy to store glucose in the liver, and likewise it is very easy to take glucose out and use it as energy. Just like when you go to your fridge in the kitchen, you can easily fill that fridge with your food shopping. You can also just as easily take food out to eat it. It is quick, easy and convenient. However, there is only a limited amount of space in that fridge and similarly there is only a very small amount of space in your liver for glucose from food. Therefore, if you keep eating those 6 high carbohydrate meals a day, you soon run out of space in your liver and so the excess glucose overflows and gets pushed into fat cells instead. The situation now is that you gain body fat which can be very hard to lose if you don’t understand an effective method for doing so. This entire process is moderated by the fat storage hormone insulin which is represented in the above diagram as the traffic cop.
Most people eat far too much far too often which causes the pancreas to secrete a large amount of insulin. This insulin then tells the body to store glucose energy from food in the liver. If the very limited space in the liver runs out, then the insulin continues to store that glucose energy, but in the fat cells instead, causing the person to gain weight.
Therefore, the key to efficiently burning body fat is to avoid spiking insulin, thus allowing the liver to deplete of glucose which in turn forces the liver to burn body fat for fuel instead. There are a few methods of reducing insulin secretion, but one of the most effective is intermittent fasting!
Let us look at what happens when we abstain from eating and drinking calories for a prolonged period of time.
So to continue with our analogy, what we need to do is to stop going food shopping (eating), consume all our food in the fridge (deplete the liver of glucose), which then forces us to break into those freezers in the basement for food (burn body fat).
The second image down shows this process in graph form. Notice how as the consumption of carbohydrates is reduced, fat oxidisation (AKA fat burning) increases exponentially. So now we can see how intermittent fasting allows our body to access its own fat stores by depleting the body (in particular the liver) of Glucose.
Reduced Hunger
As your body gets accustomed to fasting and you start to burn your own body fat for fuel, you will find that your hunger massively decreases. This is because over time your body becomes what is called fat adapted as we develop metabolic flexibility. The Mitochondria are the bodies ‘power plants’ which are responsible for converting the caloric energy from food into energy that the body and its cells can use. The longer amount of time you engage with an intermittent fasting program, the more effective your body becomes at burning fat. In fact, the amount of Lipase Enzymes available in the body that are responsible for oxidising fat for energy are significantly increased. Your body is now aware of your fat stores and it knows it can tap into this fuel source at any time it needs to. This means that you don’t get as hungry as often and also your metabolism increases because your body now knows that there is a larger fuel source available to you; not just the little amount of glucose that is stored in your liver.
In summary, if after about 3 weeks to a month of intermittent fasting you notice that your hunger levels have massively decreased, you have lost a lot of body fat and you feel mentally focused, then you are most likely fat adapted to a certain degree.
In the video below, one of my favourite intermittent fasting experts on YouTube explains fat adaptation and intermittent fasting further.
Cures Insulin Resistance and Improves Insulin Sensitivity
When a person is carrying excess body fat, this generally means that their body is not as efficient at processing Carbohydrates and sugars. This is often due to the person in question consuming a high Carb/sugar diet over a long period of time. You see, fat gain is a time dependant phenomenon. Consuming a diet that spikes Insulin levels excessively over a prolonged period of time leads to a condition known as Insulin Resistance.
The main job of insulin is to open up liver and fat cells to allow glucose from the blood stream into them after eating food. If a person continues to consume foods and liquids that spike insulin excessively, then the liver cells soon become full and begin to over flow with the glucose. Therefore the pancreas tries to overcompensate for this by secreting even more insulin whilst pushing glucose into fat cells instead as discussed in the weight loss section earlier. This precisely is how insulin resistance causes obesity.
To make this process easier to understand, observe the picture above. The inflated balloon represents a liver cell that is overflowing with glucose due to a carbohydrate and sugar heavy diet. Because this cell is full, the pancreas releases even more insulin to try to get the excess glucose out of the blood stream. However, because the liver is overworked, the insulin starts to put the glucose into fat cells instead.
The simple solution to this Insulin Resistance problem is to abstain from food, or partake in a very low carbohydrate and sugar free diet for a period of time as previously discussed in the weight loss section. This allows the body to burn off the stored glucose in the liver and fat cells which will in turn allow the body to respond normally to insulin again.
Improved Gut Health
Digestion is a very energy intensive process for the body. Fasting gives a chance for the gut to rest, and cleanse itself. Not only this, but a study from 2014 discovered that fasting promotes Bacterial Clearance.
The image below shows the title of the study, and you can click on the link below the image and checkout the study for yourself if you wish.
In summary, the research found that when mice were put through alternate day fasting they were able to clear Salmonella twice as fast as the non-fasted mice. The bacteria just passed through the intestines and was not absorbed into the body. The fact that is study was performed on mice rather than human subjects does not really discredit the research that much. The reason that researchers use mice in studies like this is that they know the the results are pretty much the same as to what it would be in humans. So it’s all good news for your body and its guts if you do intermittent fasting on a regular basis. You inner workings are going to be much healthier, and your gut will fight off bad bacteria much more efficiently.
Not only this, but the process of intermittent fasting also promotes the growth of good bacteria. The stress (good stress) that fasting puts on your gut causes the immune system to up its game and so more good bacteria is colonised. In turn this causes;
Better resistance to bad bacteria
Improve symptoms of IBS
Cures acid reflux
Improves indigestion
Regulated bowel movements
Many more….
Good for Your Heart Health and the Cardiovascular System
Intermittent fasting is very effective for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack an other related health issues.
It was commonly believed that an over abundance of so called LDL “bad” cholesterol was the primary cause of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease due to a diet that was too high in fats. This however, is simply not the case. In fact cholesterol is essential to the body’s ability to function. Cholesterol is so important to the body that is is produced by nearly every single cell in your body. You NEED Cholesterol to survive! In fact, over 75% of cholesterol is made by your body and not ingested through your diet.
“If Cholesterol is really that bad for you then why is 75% of your total Cholesterol made ‘in house’ by your own body?”
NEWS JUST IN!…
It is in fact the oxidative stress that an over abundance of glucose in your body has on your your arterial walls that cause Cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.
In simplistic terms, if you consume too much sugar or carbohydrates over a long period of time, then inflammation and tiny cracks start to appear in the walls of your arteries. As a result, the LDL Cholesterol turns up at the site of the damaged artery and acts as a band aid by forming a coating over the inflammation. This, by the way is a good thing. It is the Cholesterol’s job to repair the damage. The only reason the LDL turned up in the first place was because of the inflammation of the artery that was caused by high glucose levels in the bloodstream.
“Blaming LDL Cholesterol for Blocking an Artery and Causing a Heart Attack is Like Blaming Firemen for Causing a House Fire Just Because They Are Always At The Scene!”
Therefore, when you fast, you give your body a chance to burn off the glucose which in turn reduces inflammation all over the body including your arteries. This then means that LDL cholesterol does not need to try repair the damage which could end up inadvertently blocking your arteries. Another powerful reason for giving intermittent fasting a try!
Decreased Cancer Risk
It is becoming more commonly known that cancer cells feed and thrive on sugar in the body. When you fast or consume a low carbohydrate and sugar diet, you literally create an environment in your body in which cancer cells can nor thrive nor survive.
The global cancer statistics as shown above is worrying. This devastating illness impacts millions of people a year worldwide. There are many lifestyle factors that can be a catalyst for cancer. Some of them being;
Some causes of cancer are sadly either genetic, or as a result of old age. It is an unfortunate fact that as we age we become more at risk of many forms of cancer. However, as we can see from the NBC News statistics, almost half of the cancer cases we see today could be prevented through healthier and smarter lifestyle choices. We can also see from the above chart that smoking, obesity and alcohol are the leading causes of a fair amount of cancer cases.
As already mentioned, cancer cells feed on glucose. In fact cancer cells are 10x more receptive to glucose and insulin which in turn means that they are 10x more likely to thrive and multiply in a glucose infested body. On the flip side, cancer cell do not feed on fat and oxygen (fat oxidisation) for fuel at all. Therefore, if one intermittent fasts intensely and regularly, their glucose and insulin levels will drop and as a result significantly reduce the chances of cancer cells thriving in the body.
Less Risk of Alzheimer’s, Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease
There are a few theories as to how fasting can help prevent, or relieve the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and other related neurodegenerative diseases. Nothing is 100% proven yet, however promising signs are beginning to emerge in recent research.
A study carried out by the Department of Food and Nutrition at Hoseo University in South Korea found that intermittent fasting may help prevent age related memory loss and mental deterioration.
The concepts discussed in the study its self are fairly complex and make for very heavy reading. In essence though, the research looked at the effects of fasting on a group of rats with a form of Alzheimer’s disease in comparison to a group of rats without the disease. interestingly, positive results were observed.
“Intermittent fasting may be an effective intervention to protect against age-related metabolic disturbances, although it is still controversial.”
– Department of Food & Nutrition, Obesity/Diabetes Center, Hoseo University
A popular theory as to how fasting helps prevent and reduce symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases is to do with how the brain utilises glucose for energy.
It is known that degenerative diseases in the brain are mainly caused due to a high amount of dying brain cells. One theory is that with Alzheimer’s and related conditions, what has happened is that the brain is no longer able to use glucose for energy. For some reason the mechanism that the brain uses to use glucose has malfunctioned. Yet for most people it is glucose that their brains primarily run on. However, If you fast for a period of time, the body begins to produce ketones out of oxidised fat, which then can be used as an alternative fuel source by the brain. In many ways, the brain actually prefers ketones as a fuel source as it is a cleaner and more efficient form of energy. The one switches to using ketones for fuel rather than glucose, then a lot more of the brain cells are able to survive resulting in a reduced risk and/or relieved symptoms of many neurodegenerative diseases.
Improved Immune System and Decreased Risk of Illness
Intermittent fasting can also drastically increase the efficiency of your immune system which may help reduce the frequency and severity of some illnesses you encounter.
In short, fasting kills off white blood cell responsible for fighting illness and disease. Now this may sound like a bad thing, but actually what happens is that this encourages the T cells to produce even more white blood cells which gives a healthy boost to your immune system. . I am going to let fasting and keto expert Thomas DeLauer explain in this in more detail.
Boost in Testosterone and Human Growth Hormone (HGH)
It is now known that insulin inhibits the production of testosterone and human growth hormone when it is released. Not only this, but healthy natural fats are essential for hormonal balance and testosterone production in both men and women. For this reason, when one undergoes prolonged fasting and the body is functioning primarily on fats, testosterone levels are significantly increased. In fact, every time we eat, for 3-5 hours afterwards out testosterone levels are significantly reduced.
The European Journal of Endocrinology released a study that proved the effectiveness of fasting in boosting testosterone and HGH levels. The research found that fasting increased the levels of Luteinizing Hormone in the brain which signals to the sex organs to produce more testosterone. The study also found that Lutenizing Hormone increased by 20% in obese individuals and a massive 67% in non-obese individuals when fasting. This is a significant increase which can have many positive effects on your life.
The most common benefits of elevated testosterone levels are;
Increased muscle mass
Decreased body fat
Increased libido
More energy
Strengthened bones
And many more…
Improved Mental Focus and Enhanced Mood and Less Stress
When you fast for a a significant amount of time, your body starts to burn its own fat for fuel. The body oxidises this fat and produces something called ketones. These ketones are an alternative energy source for the body once all the glucose has been used. Ketones are actually a preferred energy source for the brain. They cross the blood/brain barrier more easily and they also provide more energy per unit of oxygen than glucose. The result of result is using ketones for fuel during periods of fasting appears to lead to reduced depression and an enhanced positive mental state in those who partake in prolonged fasting. Many subjects even report a euphoric feeling after 2-3 days of fasting.
A review by Fond Et Al looked looked into how many studies they could find that examined the effect of fasting on mood and brain disorders. They conducted a search on the Medline, Web of Science and PsycINFO databases to see what they could find.
“Clinicians have found that fasting was frequently accompanied by an increased level of vigilance and a mood improvement, a subjective feeling of well-being, and sometimes of euphoria.”
Fond G Et Al
As a collective, these studies found that;
After 10 days of fasting, patients with clinical depression reported an 86% remission rate of their condition.
Other studies found that fasting or calorie restriction in healthy participants or those with medical issues showed improved energy levels, improved mood and reduced depressive and anxiety symptoms.
Another study that looked at the effects of fasting on Muslims during the month of Ramadan found that they experienced a decrease in both manic and depressive symptoms.
It would appear that fasting has enormous benefits on mood and mental health. Just another one of the many positive by products of fasting.
Autophagy
Essentially, autophagy is the bodies process of eating its own deformed and dead cells, and replaicing them with new ones. This is the cornerstone of the anti-ageing process. However, autophagy and the anti-ageing benefits associated with it, are only achievable through a more extreme and prolonged form of fasting. Generally a fast of more than 19 hours needs to take place before autophagy begins to occur in the body.
So how is autphagy stimulated in the body as a result of fasting? Well, when the body runs out of glucose (as it does when we are in a moderate to severely fasted state), the body starts burning its own body fat for fuel. As a direct result of this, the enzyme AMP – Activated protein kinase is released. This enzyme is only released as a result of burning fat for fuel rather than glucose. When this happens the process of autophay begins and the healthy cells in the body break down the dead or malforrmed ones whch then allows new cells to be created.
The most common benefits of autophagy are;
Increased longevity
Reduced cancer risk
Prevention or delay of neuro-degenerative diseases
Reduced inflammation
General anti-ageing
And many more…
So are there any benefits to intermittent fasting? – The Final Verdict!
In summary, intermittent fasting is something that can be extremely beneficial for your health, fitness and fat loss goals. The positive effects of fasting go far beyond aesthetics and fat loss. They go as far as helping to improve your general health. With ever more people around the world becoming interested in fasting, maybe the current global obesity and health epidemic will be a thing of the past in the not too distant future.
This article has been reproduced with permission and courtesy of Nick at The Muscle Expert.
When you were a child, mom and dad were quick in chasing you around. But as they get older, you may notice that they no longer have as much energy for physical activities. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the recommended amount of physical activity is about 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Did you know all physical activity and basic physical movements require healthy muscles for strength and energy?
If you’re caring for parents, it is important to know regular exercise and the right nutrition not only helps them keep chronic illnesses at bay – but it also helps preserve their muscles to give them the strength and energy to achieve all of life’s possibilities as they age.
Here are five ways to help mom and dad to stay healthy and active as they enter their golden years.
Follow A Balanced Diet Incorporating Muscle Nutrients
Image: sansoja/Pixabay
Maintaining a balanced diet goes beyond making sure mom and dad get a healthy dose of fruits and vegetables. The body requires important nutrients and sufficient protein as it ages to support overall health and muscle strength. However, no single food provides all the nutrients for good health, so it is important to make sure mom and dad eat a variety of foods for different vitamins and nutrients.
There is also another nutrient that should be the mainstay of your parents’ diet. HMB, a muscle building ingredient, can help in maintaining muscles and physical function as your parents age. HMB is a metabolite of the essential amino acid leucine and has been shown to help the body regain strength2. Small amounts of HMB can be found in avocados, citrus fruits, cauliflower and catfish, but these are not enough to fully support mom and dad’s overall muscle health and strength. Hence, oral nutritional supplementation with HMB can help keep them strong.
Incorporate Weights into Your Daily Runs
You may be familiar with the heart-health benefits of jogging and running, but why not add a little strength training into the aerobic mix? By adding some resistance in the form of ankle weights or handheld dumbbells, older adults can build stronger, leaner muscles and protect against muscle loss as they age. Consider joining mom or dad for regular jogs around the neighborhood, passing off the weights among you for a rotating benefit for everyone.
Consider Low-Impact Routines and Resistance Training
Try something new and encourage mom and dad to join you for low-impact exercises that build the mind, body and balance, which can help prevent dangerous falls3. Even if they have never done them before, the stress-busting, blood-pressure-lowering benefits of yoga, pilates and tai chi make these routines worth exploring.
In addition to low-impact routines, resistance exercise has been proven as an effective way to increase muscle mass and strength. Create more moments that matter together and try out a class or even stream routines from YouTube.
Image: John Moeses Bauan/Unsplash
Bust A Move
Take advantage of the heart-pumping benefits of dance for older adults and crank up a few tunes from different decades for fun with the entire family. Help mom or dad take a jog down memory lane in a group class that teaches the moves of yesteryear, such as line dancing, ballroom dancing or even disco! Feeling daring? Go virtual and get a gaming console that encourages dance.
Make Workouts A Family Affair
Who said workouts had to be all work and no fun? Find physical activities that the whole family can partake in. The Ensure Gold Strength Run on November 10 is a 3-kilometer run that can put mom, dad and the whole family’s strength to the test. You can run side-by-side with mom and dad and encourage each other along the way, all while enjoying nostalgic music from the disco fever of the 70s all the way to the roaring 90s! There will also be fun activities to test your muscle strength and try other aerobics and strength training fitness.
While aging is natural, losing too much muscle mass is not. It is never too late to take steps to slow down or reverse muscle loss. These simple measures are key in supporting good muscle health so that your mom and dad have the strength and energy to continue doing the things they love with the entire family. Make your family’s muscle health a priority.
Everyone wants to be as healthy as they can be. However, while wearable technology has made it possible for people to track their physical activity, personalised nutrition has yet to be fully addressed.
For example – while it is basic understanding that a clean diet and frequent exercise will lead to weight loss, a one-size fits all approach may not work for everybody.
Perhaps some people need more calcium, while others may need to up their protein intake. Each body is different, and in-depth analysis can provide a clearer picture of what needs to be done.
How does personalised nutrition work?
Sandeep Gupta, Chief Founder & Director of the Expert Nutraceutical Advocacy Council (ENAC) says consumers are constantly finding ways to monitor their health status.
“We are entering an age of personalised nutrition where science and technology can dictate which food is right for us. It’s not only for weight management, but more importantly to manage our overall health and well-being,” says Gupta, who is a speaker the Vitafoods Asia 2019 Conference.
“Not long ago, we believed our genetic makeup was pre-determined and a biological reality,” he says. “The emergence of epigenetics, which is the study of mechanisms that switch genes on and off, has shed light on the fact that our genes are fluid and can be shaped by various internal and external factors,” Gupta notes.
Personalised nutrition companies collect and analyse your biodata, after which, they customise nutrition plans that help you meet your health goals, be it weight management or disease prevention.
Biodata is collected in various ways. For instance, wearable devices can collect rudimentary data such as your rate of physical activity or height and weight. Home testing kits collect specialised data such as DNA, nutrient levels in blood, blood types and even gut microbiomes.
Europe and the United States are at the forefront of personalised nutrition. It is also a growing trend in Asia, with developed countries such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore seeing most activity.
Some examples in Asia include Singapore’s Imagene Labs, which formulates supplements and fitness solutions according to DNA; and Nestle Japan’s partnership with Genesis Healthcare and Halmek Ventures, both of which are DNA labs based in Japan, designed to provide personalised nutrition advice for senior citizens. The partnership has garnered over 100,000 participants since its announcement in May last year.
Less developed countries in Asia have yet to catch on due to the high costs of personalised nutrition programmes, where fees can run into the hundreds or even thousands, says Thomas Hayes, an analyst at Lux Research.
Personalised nutrition’s purpose and challenges
Disease prevention is a key aim of personalised nutrition. Diabetes, which can be prevented through improving one’s diet, is one disease Hayes, who is also a speaker the Vitafoods Asia 2019 Conference, hopes personalised nutrition will help eliminate.
Type 2 diabetes, the more common form of diabetes, afflicts nearly half a billion people around the globe. Hayes adds that the global cost of diabetes is estimated to be almost US$1 trillion per year; the bulk of this cost is spent on managing the complications that arise from diabetes, rather than treating diabetes itself.
“The combination of increasing disease prevalence and increasing per capita cost signals that new solutions are needed to supplement, or replace, traditional diabetes prevention and management tools,” he explains.
Personalised nutrition, says Hayes, can help on the prevention front, by uncovering genetic qualities of those who predisposed to develop diabetes.
“As such, we see genetics being a necessary data input in forming personalised nutrition recommendations and products for diabetes prevention,” he adds.
But key challenges in its mainstream adoption remain – there needs to be more scientifically-backed evidence on what works and what does not. That will also justify the higher costs involved in customising nutrition plans, says Hayes.
Gupta agrees with Hayes.
“It can be challenging to design effective and efficient personalised nutrition services for different individuals and getting the technology in sync with parameters like individual dietary preferences, age group, health conditions, and so on. Doing this is costly and companies may face growth constraints as a result,” he says.
Furthermore, the data needs to be extra secure to ensure it does not end up in the wrong hands, says Gupta.
To resolve these issues, Hayes recommends that personalised nutrition start-ups partner with large corporations to offset the high costs of research and customisation.
“A personalised nutrition start-up can approach a large corporation pitching it as a preventative tool for employees. Corporations can offset costs and offer it as part of healthcare benefits. Insurers can also work with employers to cover the cost of personalised nutrition programmes.” he says.
Delegates to the upcoming Vitafoods Asia Conference in Singapore, 25-26 September 2019, will have the opportunity to dive deep into the latest regional trends in the Asian nutraceutical industry. Five clearly focused and tailored content platforms including Personalised nutrition, Nutricosmetics, Digestive health, Mental wellbeing and Sports and fitness nutrition will be presented in an exceptional programme that is perfectly positioned between science and industry. Led by industry experts across two days, discussions will cover current nutraceuticals business challenges, opportunities and market innovation in these core functional areas.
“This year, we are thrilled to present the Vitafoods Asia Conference, which will give delegates the opportunity to learn from, and network with, leading nutraceutical, supplement and functional food industry experts,” said Chris Lee, Managing Director, GHNN Europe at Informa Markets, the organiser of Vitafoods Asia. “We are also particularly excited to bring you sports and fitness nutrition presentations during Vitafoods Asia 2019. The Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest growing sports nutrition region and the presentation will allow participants to learn about the latest ingredient research as well as opportunities to develop new products in the space.”
Conference speaker, Dr Stephen Burns, Associate Professor, Physical Education & Sports Science, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, will discuss evidence that supports the use of ketogenic diets for training and performance in athletes, in consideration of the potential downsides for performance and health.
Another conference speaker, Nabil Bosco, Healthy ageing team leader, Retd. National Institute of Nutrition, Nestle Research (Singapore), will outline a holistic view of the digestive health market, mechanisms of action and fermented products to reassess the benefits of different ingredients aimed at a healthier gut. He will also discuss the role of food and nutrient synergy for digestive health and highlight any new research and market opportunities.
The Vitafoods Asia Conference 2019 sessions will last 2 – 3 hours, allowing participants to flexibly juggle networking, business meetings and educational content.
The full line-up of keynote speakers at this year’s conference include:
Chin-Kun Wang, President, International Society for Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods (Taiwan)
Dr Celine Klotz, Clinical Trial Director, Japanese Society of Antiaging Nutrition (Japan)
Dr Madhavan Nair, Scientist, Retd. National Institute of Nutrition, Vice-President Nutrition Society of India (India)
Dr Lin Jing, Researcher, Food Science and Technology Programme, National University of Singapore (Singapore)
Michelle Teodoro, Food Science and Nutrition Analyst, Mintel (Singapore)
David Foreman, President, Herbal Pharmacist Media (US)
The Vitafoods Asia Conference 2019, which runs alongside the Vitafoods Asia Exhibition, is structured to incorporate the latest research as well as a market overview and market innovation. Each session will last two-three hours, enabling participants to flexibly juggle networking, business meetings and educational content.
Register for Vitafoods Asia
The Vitafoods Asia Exhibition and Conference is where the nutraceutical industry comes together to find solutions, share knowledge and create business opportunities. Discover high quality products, ingredients and services, learn about the latest trends and network with 350+ global suppliers from 60+ countries across the global nutraceutical supply chain.
To register for the Exhibition or the Conference, please visit www.vitafoodsasia.com
Vitafoods Asia is pleased to announce that KSM-66 Ashwagandha is confirmed as the headline sponsor for Vitafoods Asia 2019.
Inspired by the Bánh mì or banhmi – Vietnamese for bread, a fresh baguette is often split lengthwise then filled with various savoury ingredients as a sandwich and served as a meal. So many sprout up and open for business along the streets of Saigon. Vietnamese cuisine is delightful, light and healthy! We’ve compiled a list of some of the most popular Vietnamese foods, and their calories as verified by popular app, MyFitnessPal (photo of chicken Pho from Taste Baguette in Sydney, Australia).
Egg Roll Vermicelli and Salad Bowl
1 bowl, 516
Vietnamese Mango Smoothie W/Beans
10 oz, 323
Fried Egg Rolls
1 Roll, 162
Seafood Pho (Soup) — No Rice Noodles
1 bowl, 300
Vietnamese Pancake – Bean Sprouts/Chicken
1 pancake, 428
Pho Vietnamese Beef Satay Soup
1 1/2 cups cooked, 425
Noodle Soup (Medium)
4.5 Cups, 400
Grilled Lemongrass Beef
3 oz., 209
Stir Fry Tofu W/ Vegetables and Rice Noodles
2 cups, 332
Shredded and Pork Rice Vermicelli
1 bowl, 368
Chicken Summer Roll
1 roll, 190
Tofu Noodle Soup
4 cups, 272
Chicken Pho (No Noodles)
1 bowl, 218
Goi Cuon Chay
1 roll, 60
Bun Cha Gio Nem Nuong Nutrition
1 bowl, 500
Pho Tai Nam
1 bowl, 449
Green Papaya Salad With Prawns (Excluding Crackers)
1 Plate, 266
Pho – Noodle Soup With Mushrooms
1 bowl, 376
Chicken Green Papaya Salad With Peanuts
1 salad, 260
Bún Bò Huế (Hot Spicy Beef Soup)
1 bowl, 465
Goi Gà – Shredded Chicken Salad
1 serving, 219
Bun: Beef
1 portion, 460
Enoki, Shiitake and Button Mushroom Pho With Chicken Stock
1 portion, 415
Phở Xào: Chicken
1 Whole Portion, 445
Goi Du Du: Chicken Crunchy Green Papaya Salad With Peanuts
1 serving, 260
Pho Tai Lan: Steak Garlic Noodle Soup
1 serving, 347
Savory Vietnamese Crispy Crepe
1 container, 496
Hot & Spicy Brisket Beef (Served With A Chilli Shrimp Paste)
1 bowl, 465
Goi Xoai – Spciy Green Mango Salad Topped With Pork
1 portion, 175
Chicken Vermiceli
1 cup, 417
Rice Paper Roll – Vegetable (Gỏi Cuốn)
4 pieces, 99
Pho Tom: Tiger Prawns (Vegetable Stock)
1 bowl, 307
Bun – Tiger Prawn (With Peanuts, Spring Roll and Nuoc Cham)
