A SINGAPORE PRESS HOLDINGS WEBSITE
by Lee Hui Chieh
Singapore, February 14, 2013 The plate of chicken rice was pale in colour - white, skinless chicken slices atop slightly yellow rice. This offering of Xiang Ji Hainanese Chicken Rice in Marine Terrace Market and Food Centre looked just like any other plate of conventional chicken rice - but there was more than met the eye. About 30 per cent of the rice was actually brown rice, but of such a light shade that it easily passed off as white rice. Stallholder Patrick Loi, 48, said: "I specifically used this type because a darker one I tried previously was not well-received. Some patrons thought they were cockroach droppings." The most important part: His version tasted just like regular chicken rice during the review. It was moist but not oily, and yet still fragrant. Despite being devoid of skin, the chicken slices were not dry. In addition to the usual cucumber slices, this version came with Sichuan vegetables - the sweet-sour flavour of which whetted one's appetite. While the rice looks and tastes like white rice, it is more nutritious. Only the husk is removed from brown rice, so it contains more vitamins, minerals and fibre than white rice. White rice is the carbohydrate-rich endosperm left after the husk, the next layer of bran and the germ (the embryo of the seed) have been removed. As whole grains, such as brown rice, contain more fibre than refined ones, they take longer to be digested. This reduces a person's tendency to overeat and keeps his blood sugar level steady, which is beneficial to diabetics. Eating whole grains has also been shown to reduce a person's risk of developing certain types of cancer and heart disease. As brown rice is harder than white rice, Mr Loi soaks it for an hour before cooking. He also cooks his chicken rice with little salt or oil. When he does use them, he uses oil containing less saturated fat, and low-sodium salt, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease and strokes. When consumed, saturated fat is converted into low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or "bad" cholesterol, which is distributed through the blood to tissue to make hormones. When in excess, it is deposited on artery walls, narrowing the arteries and raising a person's risk of developing heart disease and strokes. Consuming too much sodium has been linked to a higher risk of developing high blood pressure. Mr Loi switched to these healthier ingredients after joining the Healthier Hawker Programme, launched at his food centre at Block 50A, Marine Terrace, by the Health Promotion Board in September last year. He said: "I like to try new things and innovate. Business has since grown by about 10 per cent." huichieh@sph.com.sg Mind Your Body paid for the meal. 
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