yin3shi2 da1pei4 that will keep you healthy

It is very important to pay particular attention (講究 • jiang3 jiu4) to the correct food combination (正確的搭配 • zheng4 que4 de5 da1 pei4) we serve on our tables (桌 • zhuo1). The proper mixture of foods can allow us to obtain (獲得 • huo4 de2) an excellent nutrition (營養 • ying2 yang3); however, the wrong combination (錯誤搭配 • cuo4wu4 da1pei4) might even put our health (身體 • shen1 ti3) in jeopardy (危害 • wei1 hai4).

Fish (魚 • yu2) & Tofu (bean curd) (豆腐 • dou4fu5)

Tofu contains great amounts (大量 • da4 liang4) of calcium (鈣 • gai4) which may prevent (預防 • yu4 fang2) many kinds of osteopathic diseases (骨病 • gu3 bing4) such as child rickets (兒童佝僂病 • er2tong2 kou4 lou2 bing4) or osteoporosis (骨質疏鬆症 • gu3 zhi4 shu1 song1 zheng4). However, the rate of calcium absorption is very low (率 • lv4) if eaten on its own. On the other hand, fish is rich ( 富 • fu4) in vitamin (維生素 • wei2 sheng1 su4) D. Fish eaten together (一起 • yi4 qi3) with Tofu makes the calcium better assimilated (吸收 • xi1 shou1).

Think of it, besides being a very tasty combination is excellent for your health!

© Photographer: Vincent Go | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Don't eat too many yue4bing3 during Mid-Autumn Festival

Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節 • zhong1qiu1jie2) is a popular Asian festival that celebrates abundance and togetherness and which dates back over 3,000 years. It falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month of the Chinese calendar. This year it will celebrated on the 25th of September.

Mooncakes (月餅 • yue4bing3), traditionally eaten during this festival, are round thick pastries with a salted egg yolk suspended inside a sweetened bean paste. Contemporary mooncakes are quite varied, some are made with red jujubes (紅棗 • hong2 zao3), an edible berrylike fruit of a Eurasian plant formerly taken as a cough cure, husked lotus (蓮子• lian2zi3), green beans (綠豆 • lv4 dou4), almond (杏仁 • xing4ren2) among many other ingredients.

Mooncakes are already piling up in the store shelves of every Asian country and every family is beginning to accumulate their share of treats but from any nutritionist (營養學家 • ying2yang3xue2jia1) point of view, eating them in excess is not very good for the health (健康• jian4kang1).

Since they are very rich and dense, some people like to eat them for breakfast (早餐 • zao3can1) or as an early snack (零食 • ling2shi2); however, mooncakes are not a suitable (不適宜 • bu4kuo4yi2) meal. Even though (雖然 • sui1ran2) their caloric content ( 能量 • neng2liang4) is comparatively high (比較大 • bi3jiao4 da4), they contain large amounts of sugar (糖 • tang2) and grease (油脂 • you2zhi1), two substances which do not satisfy (不能 滿足 • bu4neng2 man3zu2) a person's nutrition demand. Their nutritional (營養 • ying2yang3) content (含量 • han2liang4) is low (就低 • jiu4 di1); apart from the sugar and the fat, they only contain a few minerals (礦物 • kuang4wu4) and some micronutrients (微量營養素 • wei1liang4ying2yang3su4).

Mooncakes are best ( 最好 • zui4hao3) eaten fresh (吃新鮮 • chi1 xin1xian1). Leftovers (吃不完 • chi1 bu4 wan2) should be refrigerated (放冰箱 • fang4 bing1xiang1) because their high fat content is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria (細菌 • xi1jun1). It is advisable to accompany them with some tea (茶 • cha2 ) or hot water (熱水• re4shui3) to assist (幫助 • bang1zhu4 ) the digestion (消化 • xiao1hua4) and to eliminate the greasy aftertaste (除油膩感 • chu2 you2ni4 gan3).

Many nutritionist think of mooncakes as junk food (垃圾食品 • la1ji1 shi2pin3) so if you suffer from diabetes (糖尿病 • tang2niao4bing4), Cholecystitis (膽囊炎 • dan3nang1yan2), circulatory diseases (心腦血管病 • xin1 nao3 xue4guan3 bing4) or obesity (肥胖病 • fei2pang4 zhe3) it would be wise to stay clear of these Chinese treats. Needless to say, if you have any carious tooth (蟲牙 • chong2ya2) clean your teeth inmediately (立即刷牙 • li4ji2 shua1 ya2) after!

© Photographer: Norman Chan | Agency: Dreamstime.com

A barrel of yuan2 you2 for US$ 80!

On September 13th, the price of Crude Oil (原油 • yuan2 you2) reached the historical record (歷史紀錄 • li4 shi3 ji4 lu4) price (價格 • jia4 ge2) of 80 US Dollars (美元 • mei3 yuan2) per barrel (每桶 • mei3 tong3) at the New York Mercantile Exchange (紐約商品交易市場 • niu3yue1 shang1pin3 jiao1yi4 shi4chang3); likewise, at the London (倫惇 • lun2dun1) Commodity Exchange, it reached 77.5 US dollar per barrel. This is an "all time high", not seen since 1979 when the Iranian (伊朗 • yi1lang3) Islam (伊斯蘭 • yi1 si1 lan2) revolution (革命 • ge2 ming4) erupted.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (石油輸出國組織 • shi2 you2 shu1 chu1 guo2 zu3 zhi1) (OPEC • 歐佩克 • ou1 pei4 ke4) had already resolved (決定• jue2 ding4) to increase oil production ( 提高產量 • ti2 gao1 chan3 liang4) in order to alleviate (緩解 • huan3 jie3) the impact that the dramatic oil price increment has had on the world's economic development (經濟發展 • jing1 ji4 fa1 zhan3) but to to little or no avail. Crude oil keeps on the rise with no signs of stopping.

In view of the soaring petroleum prices, many (很多• hen3duo1) countries (國家 • guo2jia1) are seriously starting to develop biological sources of energy (開始發展生物能源 • kai1shi3 fa1zhan3 sheng1wu4 neng2yuan2). At present, Europe (歐洲 • ou1 zhou1) leads the field of biodiesel development - fuel made from natural, renewable sources, such as new and used vegetable oils and animal fats, for use in a diesel engine - while the United States and Brazil (巴西 • Ba1xi1) are at the front of the manufacture of Ethanol (乙醇• yi3 chun2)

The downside to these new developments is that they require massive amounts of raw material (原材料 • yuan2 cai2 liao4). In 2006, the US invested 42 million tons of corn (玉米• yu4 mi3) to produce ethanol. According to the global food consumption level figures, this amount of corn could fully satisfy (足可以 滿足 • zu2 ke3yi3 man3zu2) the yearly alimentary needs of at least 1.35 hundred million people!

Furthermore, experts (分析人士 • fen1 xi1 ren2 shi4) believe that the use of grain crops for the development of biofuels will undoubtedly make grain prices climb, thus generating an unwanted world-wide chain reaction (連鎖反應 • lian2 suo3 fan3 ying4) of uncontrollable product price increases.


Damned if we do; damned if we don't. We stand at a historic crossroads!

Remember that for Chinese pronunciation purposes and if using Pinyin Talker, when there are several 3rd tones in a row, all but the last one becomes a 2nd tone.

© Photographer: Gino Santa Maria | Agency: Dreamstime.com

A king's breakfast!

I was always told that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. From what I have read, it seems that the nutrients consumed at breakfast are utilized more efficiently by the body since they provide a steady stream of glucose to the body.
In western countries, the breakfast meal usually includes plenty of carbohydrates and proteins. The picture shown is that of a typical 西部 早餐 • xi1bu4 zao3can1 • Western breakfast.

I have found three different ways to order Pancakes in Chinese:

薄煎餅 • bo2 jian1bing3 • literally, thin fried cake or biscuit,
早餐蛋炳 • zao3can1 dan4bing3 • early meal egg biscuit, or
烙餅 • lao4bing3 • biscuit baked in a pan.

Of course, most people eat their pancakes with:

奶油 • nai3you2 • or 黃油 • huang2you2 • butter ; 枫糖浆 • feng3tang2 jiang3 • maple syrup and even some 鲜奶油 • xian1 nai3you2 • whipped cream.

If you are really hungry, then you can order a 煎蛋 • jian3dan4 • fried egg and some 煙肉 • yan1 rou4 • smoked meat or 培根 • pei2gen1• bacon to go with it, although I think that's pushing the "cholesterol" gauge a bit to far!

A healthier alternative would include some 草莓 • cao3mei2 • strawberries ; 藍莓 • lan2mei2 • blueberries or any other fruit.

Of course, a glass of fresh 橘子汁 • ju2zi5zhi1 • Orange Juice or any other natural 果汁 • guo3zhi1 • fruit Juice is the perfect accompaniment.

To finish up the meal, a nice and hot cup of 咖啡• ka1fei1 • coffee is a must!

if there is truth in the old adage ‘breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dine like a pauper’, then this breakfast is a good way to start the day.

Happy Chinese language pronunciation with Pinyin Talker!