If you like to shopping at Gourmet Market at both The Emporium and The EmQuartier then you will notice those fresh fruits and vegetables that were put neatly in the refrigerator and waiting for us to select for cooking healthy meal. This is one of the King Rama 9 projects that laid out the foundation for the mountaineers in the North have a tangible jobs, and making our country don’t have to import cold countries fruits and vegetables. Try it, and sometimes these fruits and vegetables are more delicious than the import ones.
1. Avocado
This fruit may not be familiar with Thai people because it comes from the cold weather country so the price is quite high, until this project came along. It started to grow and sells across the country. The weight is around 250-400 gram per fruit. The outside is brown and yellow and when you cut it open the inners will be green with a shade of yellow. It can only be eaten when it ripe. The texture is creamy and can be put in salad or put a pinch of salt and you can eat directly. There also an avocado fever just not long ago. You can use the avocado to do sort of things like treat your hair or skin. It will give complexion to your skin and moisture because it protect your cells in the body.
2. Passion Fruit
Another fruit that have distinct smell. The fruit from this project have sweetness and not to sour. It contain high fiber so a lot of people are using it to do different menus like smoothies, ice cream and cake. And for those people who are on the diet, I recommend you use passion fruit dressing instead of mayonnaise because it has no fats and help in excretion. Passion fruit water contain large amount of vitamin C and suitable for high blood pressure patient.
3. Japanese Pumpkin
The good point of Japanese pumpkin from this project is that it can sell the whole year. The differences between Japanese pumpkin and Thai pumpkin is that it is smaller, the skin is not thick. The inners is more yellow and the texture is more delicate. The Japanese pumpkin has a lot of ues because of highly nutritious content, it is a great source for carbohydrate, give low energy and have lots of carotenoid. It can be consume by young baby by boiling and mashing it or can be make into a dessert like bread.
4. Japanese spring onion
Do you know that Thailand also have Japanese spring onion. If you don’t like the taste or smell of this vegetables, I recommend you to try it again because this Japanese spring onion from the project have a bit sweetness in it, especially at the white root that have multiple layer is use to make many menus like BBQ, shabu shabu because it enhance the natural sweetness in the food. The Japanese spring onion is contain high concentration of protein, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Also It contain vitamin A, C and K that will help cardiac disease and decrease cholesterol and blood pressure.
5. Radish
This radish is quite different from the Asian radish but it still give the same taste but with more sharp smell. In the western dish they usually slice it thin and put it in salad because it will suck the water making it crunchy and feeling hydrated from its bite. For the nutritious value it contain glucosinolates that help prevent cancer. It also contain vitamin c so it is best not to cook it before eating it. If you eat it regularly, it will help prevent flu and bleeding from the gum.
6. Butternut squash
It taste a bit like pumpkin but more softer and sweeter. It have a beautiful yellow color. Even Though the texture looks like a pumpkin but it does not use with the same ingredients as the normal pumpkin. You may slice it into long pieces and warm it up a bit on the frying pan and then eat it will a salad or sprinkle it with brown sugar and put it in the oven and let it melt on the squash creating a beautiful glaze that can be serve as a dessert. Butternut squash contains beta carotene, vitamin a, c, calcium and have high fiber. Can be eaten by all ages.
7. Baby carrot
I give this vegetable a full ten because I love baby carrot more than normal carrot (do you too?) because the smell is less sharp, have less dirt and more sweet. It can be eaten as a snack. And you already know, right, that it contain lots of carotene especially at it skin. It have high vitamin a which prevents from cancer and helps with eyesight, and also for complexion. If you eat it without cooking it, you will receive all the nutritious good. You can have it while you are driving, watching series or commuting. It both healthy and delicious.
8. Japanese potato
Even it has the same color as the potato but do you know that the Japanese potatoes from the project have 3 different color inside it. Yellow, purple and orange gives a bit different taste and texture (depends on your preference), but all of them have the same nutritious value that is stopping enzymes that devours sugar, suitable for diabetes patients.It have muisne that helps on the complexion and cholesterol. It has beta carotene that helps your eyes. In some occasions they will give out promotions that will have help us choose.You can buy it and create a party to have your friends comes and hang over.
9. Strawberry : royal 80 species
This strain has a small size and easy to cultivate. Have a sweet and sour taste. For the eating part, I don’t have to elaborate because it is not new in this country but if you eat it fresh without passing any process will help your immune system. It can detox your body from toxin, prevent anemia and increase good fats like HDL. Also great for complexion and help on eyesight. If you still remember in the past strawberry is an imported fruits that is expensive but now you can buy it from this project, it will help the locals and have a great quality.
This is just some example from the King’s project that will help improve farmers lives in the rural area. Right now the project consists of fruits, vegetables, herbs, tea, coffee, flowers and many other products. You can help the locals by buying these products.
