https://www.scmp.com/rss/517180/feed Your everyday questions answered on food and drinks. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Bernice Chan Bernice Chan While many people like to eat avocados in guacamole, on toast or in salads, California rolls or smoothies, chef Ben Kiely has other ideas about how to use the fruit, known as “green gold” or “alligator pear”, which comes originally from Mexico and South America. Kiely, the head instructor at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts (PICA) in Vancouver, says avocados are great in desserts like ice creams and chocolate mousse. “There’s recipes, especially now with plant-based being so common [with... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/dining/article/3348743/how-chefs-are-reimagining-avocado-beyond-guacamole-vancouver-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/dining/article/3348743/how-chefs-are-reimagining-avocado-beyond-guacamole-vancouver-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 22:00:17 +0000 Cucumbers have always been cool. Now, thanks to social media, they are also hot. Viral cucumber recipes racked up millions of views in the past year, thrusting the salad-bar staple into the spotlight. Which might leave you wondering: healthwise, can “cukes” endure the glare? Or should they be deleted from your diet? Unlike some online trends, this is one you can, for the most part, go ahead and sink your teeth into, said Dr Matthew Landry, an assistant professor of population health and disease... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3296714/what-are-benefits-eating-cucumbers-expert-explains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3296714/what-are-benefits-eating-cucumbers-expert-explains?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Feb 2025 05:15:09 +0000 Hidden in everything from breakfast cereals to your favourite sandwich bread, added sugar is a nearly unavoidable part of our modern diet. Although reducing your intake might seem overwhelming, the health benefits make it worth the effort. Research shows excessive sugar intake increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and other health issues, according to the American Heart Association. Women should limit added sugars to 25 grams, or six teaspoons a day, while men should limit their intake to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3296671/added-sugar-hidden-food-damages-your-health-and-easy-ways-cut-down-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3296671/added-sugar-hidden-food-damages-your-health-and-easy-ways-cut-down-it?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Jan 2025 08:15:07 +0000 Chinese civilisation can be dated back to the second millennium BC near the Yellow River, where the earliest undisputed archaeological evidence of the Shang (circa 1600BC to 1045BC), one of the first royal dynasties of China, has been unearthed. In comparison, the ancient Greek civilisation was considered to have begun around 400 years later. Since those early beginnings, each region of Greater China has experienced periods of unity, separation and geopolitical tension. Yet today, the People’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3256879/5-greatest-chinese-cultural-exports-foods-and-tea-calligraphy-and-confucianism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3256879/5-greatest-chinese-cultural-exports-foods-and-tea-calligraphy-and-confucianism?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Mar 2024 05:15:33 +0000 Dining with chopsticks for the first time can be quite a handful, but that hasn’t stopped them becoming one of the most widely used utensils for eating. How to eat with chopsticks? Use your thumbs, index fingers and middle fingers to manipulate them – practice makes perfect. Basic technique The use of chopsticks as a means to eat began in China some 2,500 years ago. Since then, their use has become common across East Asia. While each country has adapted the shape of chopsticks and the material... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3245610/frequently-asked-questions-how-eat-chopsticks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3245610/frequently-asked-questions-how-eat-chopsticks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Dec 2023 08:08:37 +0000 How long is soup good for in the fridge? On average, three to four days. The colder months of the year call for big batches of hot soup – and, with those, come plenty of leftovers. As you work through the rest of a batch, knowing how long your soup stays fresh is crucial to maintaining its quality and curbing food waste. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), soups and stews containing meat and vegetables will be safe to eat for three to four days if refrigerated. The... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3245416/cooks-questions-how-long-soup-good-fridge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3245416/cooks-questions-how-long-soup-good-fridge?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Dec 2023 04:45:15 +0000 Is smoked salmon cooked? Yes, if it is hot-smoked. No, if it is cold-smoked. One is a fully cooked delicacy, the other is, ever so slightly, raw. Both preparation methods typically involve wet or dry brining, where raw salmon undergoes curing to infuse it with its famously smoky flavour, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) explains. The real magic happens in special ovens where wood chips are burned to smoke the fish. According to Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety (CFS),... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3245177/frequently-asked-questions-smoked-salmon-cooked?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3245177/frequently-asked-questions-smoked-salmon-cooked?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Dec 2023 08:15:09 +0000 Is kimchi vegetarian? Not always. According to the 2022 iteration of the Codex Alimentarius international food standards, kimchi is vegetarian in that it’s simply “prepared with Chinese cabbage as a predominant ingredient and other vegetables which have been trimmed, cut, salted and seasoned before fermentation”. Sure enough – no mention of meat products here. Another international organisation seems to disagree. According to the Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage list, “[k]imchi is the Korean... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3244788/kimchi-vegetarian-it-can-be-traditionally-cooks-prepare-spicy-korean-preserved-vegetable-dish-using?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3244788/kimchi-vegetarian-it-can-be-traditionally-cooks-prepare-spicy-korean-preserved-vegetable-dish-using?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Dec 2023 20:15:10 +0000 Does cooking oil go bad? Most definitely. It’s tempting to buy your cooking oil in bulk – it is a kitchen staple, after all. But before you do, keep in mind that all edible oils, opened or not, eventually turn rancid. Why does this happen? Let’s turn to chemistry for an explanation. As outlined in a 2012 article in the Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, cooking oil goes bad because of a process called oxidation. The reaction occurs when the unsaturated fatty acids in cooking oils encounter... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3244689/cooks-questions-answered-does-cooking-oil-go-bad-what-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3244689/cooks-questions-answered-does-cooking-oil-go-bad-what-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Dec 2023 20:15:08 +0000 Is pickled ginger good for you? Yes, but only marginally. The odds are you’ve probably had pickled ginger as a crunchy sushi condiment. Pickled ginger, a form of tsukemono (Japanese pickled food), is commonly prepared in two ways. Marinating thinly sliced young ginger dehydrated with salt in a sugar and rice vinegar brine gives you gari, or sushi ginger, which leans toward the sweeter side. Beni shōga is made using red wine or plum vinegar which produces its pink hue. The lack of sugar in beni... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3243243/health-questions-pickled-ginger-good-you-what-science-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3243243/health-questions-pickled-ginger-good-you-what-science-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Nov 2023 01:45:20 +0000 Is tomato soup good for you? It certainly can be. With the tomato abundant in vitamins and antioxidants, it’s safe to say that the bulk of what goes into this soup recipe is beneficial for your health. So what are the health benefits of tomato soup? Let’s boil this down together. Cooking tomatoes into a nourishing soup might just give you that extra boost of lycopene and vitamin A you’re looking for. Regular consumption of lycopene – the main carotenoid, or pigment, responsible for tomatoes’... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3243109/health-questions-tomato-soup-good-you?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3243109/health-questions-tomato-soup-good-you?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Nov 2023 01:45:12 +0000 How long is ground turkey good in the freezer? The short answer? Three to four months. While uncooked, whole poultry can retain its quality for one year in the freezer, time is – you guessed it! – money. On average, Hong Kong retailers are pricing frozen birds at around HK$855 (US$110). Ground turkey (turkey mince) shines through as a lower-cost alternative to roasting a frozen turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas that’s also readily available in most grocery stores. According to the Food Safety... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3242257/cooking-questions-how-long-does-ground-turkey-last-freezer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3242257/cooking-questions-how-long-does-ground-turkey-last-freezer?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Nov 2023 11:15:15 +0000 Is organic better for you? The straight answer: yes The facts: it may cost significantly more, but switching to organic milk and meat could boost one’s nutritional intake, especially of healthful fatty acids and certain essential minerals and antioxidants, according to a study by an international team of experts. In the largest study of its kind, the research team, led by Newcastle University in Britain, found that both organic milk and meat contain about 50 per cent more beneficial omega-3... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1916544/hits-myths-organic-food-and-drink-better-you?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1916544/hits-myths-organic-food-and-drink-better-you?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Feb 2016 13:00:45 +0000 Will eating ice cream make a cold worse? The straight answer: No The facts: Growing up, you might have been told that you should not eat ice cream when you have a cold, the main reason being that the ice cream will "chill" your body and slow down recovery. Many people also believe that dairy products increase the production and thickness of phlegm. But according to Dr Morgan Jenkins, a resident physician at Raffles Medical Hong Kong, there is simply no reason for you to avoid ice cream when you... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1876264/hits-myths-does-eating-ice-cream-worsen-cold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1876264/hits-myths-does-eating-ice-cream-worsen-cold?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Nov 2015 12:01:22 +0000 Will microwaving your veggies destroy their nutrients? The straight answer: No The facts: Many people avoid microwaving vegetables for fear that microwave energy is dangerous. They might choose steaming or stir-frying instead because these cooking methods are thought to be safer and better for preserving nutrients. But Karen Chong, a registered dietitian from Matilda International Hospital, says microwaving veggies is just as acceptable - and in some cases more convenient - than steaming or... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1531696/hits-myths-microwaving-veggies-will-not-destroy-their-nutrients?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1531696/hits-myths-microwaving-veggies-will-not-destroy-their-nutrients?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jun 2014 01:36:50 +0000 Does sugar make children hyperactive? The straight answer: No The facts: "Don't give your children sugar or they'll be bouncing off the walls." If you are a parent, this warning probably sounds familiar. It's a common belief that sugar puts children on a "high", causing them to be overactive and even experience mood swings and behave irrationally. According to the US National Institutes of Health, however, more research is needed in order to prove that sugar causes hyperactivity in children. So... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1519662/hits-myths-does-sugar-make-children-hperactive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1519662/hits-myths-does-sugar-make-children-hperactive?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 May 2014 03:14:18 +0000