Parsley leaves

Parsley is a flowering plant native to the Mediterranean. Parsley is a widely cultivated flowering herb that belongs to the family Apiaceae.

It’s widely used as used a garnish, condiment, food, and flavoring. It’s bright green in color and has a mild, bitter flavor that pairs well with many recipes. Parsley leaves are good for sautéing to build a flavor base for noodle soups. It can be added at the start of the cooking process along with other suitable aromatics such as onions and garlic.

There are two types of fresh parsley frequently found in markets and other food shops.
*French curly-leaf: often used as a garnish.
*Italian flat-leaf: has a stronger flavor and is used more frequently as an ingredient in salads and cooked dishes.

Curly leaf is probably the most recognizable, as restaurants often use it as a garnish on their plating. Italian parsley is a variety of the parsley plant used as an herb in a wide range of cuisines around the world. The slender stems give way to dark, flat leaves that taste robust and fresh.

Parsley is an excellent source of antioxidants — powerful compounds that help defend your cells against damage by potentially harmful molecules known as free radicals.

Over the years, parsley has been used to treat conditions like high blood pressure, allergies, and inflammatory diseases. Research shows that parsley extract was able to prevent DNA damage and block the spread of cancer cells — mostly due to its antioxidant content

It is a particularly rich source of vitamin K. Parsley also contains a good amount of vitamin A and antioxidants known as flavonoids.

Parsley also works as a natural diuretic which can help to flush away toxins and excess fluid. Another important factor that parsley helps with is in maintaining blood sugar balance, and the chlorophyll content can aid weight loss.
Parsley leaves

Whole-grain pasta

Whole-grain is associated with rougher texture and off-flavors which has decreased consumer acceptance. Whole-grains consist of the intact, ground, cracked or flaked fruit of the grains where the primary components (bran, germ, endosperm) are retained within their natural ratio. Whole grain products, such as pasta, are excellent sources of fiber, minerals (e.g., iron and magnesium), and phytochemicals (e.g., phenolic compounds and carotenoids).

Whole-grain pastas are made from grain which is milled so all the components of the grain are retained. This includes the bran (fibre rich outer layer), the wheat germ (nutrient rich inner core) and the endosperm (middle starchy layer).

Whole-grains are usually low in fat but rich in fibre and starchy carbohydrate and often have a low glycemic index (GI). This means they provide a slow release of carbohydrate into the blood which, together with fibre content, may help keep you feeling fuller for longer -aiding to control snacking and appetite.

Whole-grain pastas can contribute to a healthy digestive system, help with weight control and reduce the risk of getting diabetes and heart disease. It is also likely to help reduce the risk of some cancers, especially bowel cancer. The risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes may be up to 30% lower in people who regularly eat whole-grains as part of a low-fat diet and healthy lifestyle.
Whole-grain pasta

Instant noodles and cardiometabolic syndrome

The prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors is rapidly increasing in South Korea. One of the main driving forces for increased cardiometabolic risk factors could be unhealthy dietary choices, including increased consumption of fast food (The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 144, Issue 8, 1 August 2014, Pages 1247–1255).

Increased consumption of instant noodles has recently been reported to be positively associated with obesity and cardiometabolic syndrome in South Korea, which has the highest per capita instant noodle consumption worldwide (Nutr Res Pract. 2017 Jun; 11(3): 232–239. Published online 2017 May 24).

Analysis from KNHANES IV (2007–2009) demonstrated that the consumption of instant noodles two or more times per week was associated with a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome in women (OR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.10, 2.55) and that this association was independent of major dietary patterns (Shin H.J., Cho E., Lee H.J., Fung T.T., Rimm E., Rosner B., Manson J.E., Wheelan K., Hu F.B. Instant noodle intake and dietary patterns are associated with distinct cardiometabolic risk factors in Korea. J. Nutr. 2014;144:1247–1255).

Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of metabolic disorders including hyperglycemia, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity, particularly abdominal obesity. Uncared metabolic disorders are associated with the increased risk of various chronic diseases related to insulin resistance (IR) such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancer, dementia, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Hypertension is a core feature of cardiometabolic syndrome and diabetes is a common consequence. Metabolic syndrome is related to the basic pathophysiologic processes underlying atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes and is an important epidemiological measure allowing for the identification of individuals at high risk for developing these conditions.
Instant noodles and cardiometabolic syndrome