Cashew Nuts: The surprising health benefits

Did you know the cashew nut is not actually a nut? it 

is actually a seed!

The cashew nut is a favorite snack that can be found easily. Particularly here in Tanzania, we take great pride in the cashew nuts that are being produced in Mtwara. The cashew nuts are actually seeds with a kidney-like shape. It is important to note that they are actually a seed and not a nut because there are people who are allergic to nuts but may not be allergic to seeds.

Personally, i was always a fan of peanuts and a bit of pistachio nuts- never cashew nuts. It was just a few months ago that i tried some at work and i loved them! They had so much flavor and i slowly started getting addicted to them. But then i remembered that nuts have a lot of fats and i started wondering if i was putting my health in danger by eating all those cashew nuts. I decided to do a bit of investigating about cashew nuts and i discovered the following surprising benefits.

Cashew nuts protect the heart

Cashews have a lower fat content compared to other nuts. Approximately 75% of their fat is unsaturated fatty acids and 75% of this fatty acid is oleic acid. One of the chief sources of this acid is found in olive oil! And we all know how good olive oil is. Studies show oleic acids helps keep the heart healthy and even with individuals with diabetes. The magnesium in cashew nuts help lower blood pressure and prevent heart attacks.

Great for the bones

Cashews are also rich in magnesium which is needed for the bones. About two thirds of the magnesium in our body is found in bones. Some of it helps determine the bones physical structure and the reminder is stored n the surface of the bones. Magnesium helps regulate nerve and muscle tone

Prevents gallstones

Data collected from the Nurse's Health Study shows that women who eat more cashew nuts have a 25% lower risk of developing gallstones!

Lets go nuts about cashew nuts! Its always great to opt for the healthier snack

AL-BASHA Lebanese Restaurant

Location: Samora Avenue, Bridge street, TTCL building,Heritage hotel

Price range: starting from Tshs. 12,000

Service time: 15 minutes approximately

Children play area: not available

I am usually not the kind of person to try different food, let alone different cuisines. When it comes to Arabic food i am only familiar with the popular shawarma. But one day, a friend of mine was leaving the country, and me and a group of friends decided to bid her farewell with a lovely lunch. A large majority voted for lunch at Al-Basha. I was slightly hesitant and was hoping we would go somewhere else, but at the end of the day i was far from being disappointed. 

The menu had a lot of variety which was quite refreshing. The main dishes were of Arab origin so its bound to be a feast for your taste buds. I decided to start with some pita bread, feta cheese and hummus. It was a lovely combination where you dip the bread in the hummus and the cheese which was sprinkled with mini tomatoes. It is a great starter and i would advise it for any one who plans to visit Al-Basha. For those not aware about hummus, it is a Middle Eastern and Arabic food dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. I should add i liked the presentation of the pita bread which came in a cute little basket. Good presentation stimulates a good appetite in my opinion.

On towards the main course, i went for the sheesh tawouk which consisted of two skewers of grilled chicken, some lovely bread and fries ( or rice if you wish ). The chicken was so soft and full of flavor, it was grilled just right! But i did find the bread too hot and spicy for my liking. So if you are not a fan of crazy chilli, stay away from the bread. The chicken burger was alright in my opinion. Although it would be better if they would add a little bit more chicken and more lettuce and Mayo. The bun seemed to over power the whole burger. But all in all it was alright.

On a positive note, Al-Basha is very generous with their food portions. It is quite a lot, so if you are really hungry and would like to get the most out of your money, Al-Basha is the place to be. The restaurant it self is quite nice. The service was good. There were a lot of waiters ready to serve you.

 It is located in the city center and the layout inside is quite lovely. But being in the city center comes with its limitations, particularly in parking. The parking is limited. Although we went on a weekend afternoon it was quite alright, but i wonder on a normal busy weekday if we would be lucky with the parking. All in all Al-Basha is worth the visit if you love Arabic cuisine or if you are looking for unique food to try in Dar. And there is free WIFI as well!

Check out the map below for directions:

View Larger Map

On the Hunt For That Special Face Scrub

The Body Shop: Vitamin C Microdermabrasion

The Body Shop: Vitamin C Microdermabrasion

A few months ago i decided to start hunting for that special face scrub (if it exists). And what better brand to try than The Body Shop? I decided to go for the Vitamin C Microdermabrasion. I have to admit that i first googled the meaning of microdermabrasion because it sure is a mouthful, and the thought of it on my face was even scarier. What i discovered was that "Microdermabrasion" is a cosmetic treatment in which the face is sprayed with exfoliant crystals to remove dead epidermal cells. That was such a relief.

According to the product description, it removes dead skin cells, leaves the skin feeling soft and smooth, gives skin a brighter more radiant look and improves skin texture and tone.

         How It Works:

• Ultra-fine exfoliating garnet particles stimulate cell renewal and leave skin incredibly soft and smooth.
• contains Amazonian camu camu berry, which is known to have the highest contents of vitamin C in nature. Antioxidant Vitamin C encourages production of collagen, improves elasticity and protects against damaging environmental aggressors
• Nourishing Community Trade shea butter softens and refines skin.

I had to apply just a small amount ( like the size of a Tshs 200 coin) across my face. I would make sure i did not spread it across the sensitive areas of the eyes. I would then scrub in small circular motions across the face for a couple of minutes. I particularly enjoyed this product as the little beads are not annoying against the skin compared to other scrubs (felt more like soft sand). Not only that, but while washing off the scrub, the little beads dissolved into the skin hence that reduced any sort of irritation. Oh, did i mention that it smells great? It has got this lovely orange smell!

        What It Did For Me

• My skin felt soft and smooth after using it! Like velvet to be precise (no i am not exaggerating)
• After using it for a couple of weeks, i noticed my skin tone improved and appeared more healthier and fresh compared to before
• It left my skin smelling great

On the downside, its only fair that i mention that it is slightly expensive. For example, for the 75ml it costs about Tshs. 45,000. But its a great product and in my opinion, it is worth the money. Since The Body Shop is not available in Tanzania yet, i was able to order it from The Fashion Promenade: Located at Dr. Hameers Street near Kwik Kutz Saloon. Contact No: 0762 555 598

KFC in Dar-es-salaam

Location: Old Bagamoyo Road/ Mwai Kibaki Road, Mikocheni

Price range: starting from Tshs. 11,500

Service time: 4-15 minutes

Children play area: available

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/KFC-Tanzania/346044015491997

Yes, That is right, KFC has landed in Dar! After Nandos, Steers, Subway, Mary Brown, finally KFC has opened in Tanzania, but so far only in Dar. The international chicken franchise has been serving Colonel Sanders SECRET recipe for over 60 years. I personally, love it but since it wasn't available in Dar, i had to wait until i was out of the country to enjoy it. 

As KFC opened its doors, a lot of people were wondering and hoping that the chicken would have the same quality and taste as other restaurants located across the globe. And, they were not disappointed! KFC Tanzania managed to bring the same quality and flavor as everywhere else. The customer service is great as the staff are always so courteous and ever-smiling. Earlier this year, i traveled to Capetown, South Africa and i had some chicken from KFC. I was happy to find that the chicken here tasted exactly the same as that of Capetown.

Their menu has a a lot of variety: Chicken meals, burger meals, family meals, the famous chicken buckets, salads and lovely desserts. My personal favorite dessert is the Caramel chocolate Avalanche. For Tshs. 3000, the portion is decent but really delicious. It consists of a soft serve of vanilla ice cream, with caramel over it and sprinkled with little yummy chocolate balls.

My favorite aspects of KFC is that you can add an extra Tshs. 1000 for extra fries. I have not seen that in other places yet. It is really nice as you save up the cost of buying a separate pack of fries. Not only that, but all the food prepared is halaal and there are some vegetarian meals available as well.

Its a nice place for a change! Worth your visit. Check out the map below for directions:

View My Saved Places in a larger map

Movie Review: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

According to me, this is the best movie of 2013! I watched it at Century Cinemax at Mlimani City Mall. I was so excited as the first movie was really good. For those that haven't watched the first movie, The Hunger Games is a science fiction novel written in the voice of 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in the dystopian, post-apocalypticnation of Panem in North America. The Capitol, a highly advanced metropolis, exercises political control over the rest of the nation. The Hunger Games are an annual event in which one boy and one girl aged 12–18 from each of the twelve districts surrounding the Capitol are selected by lottery to compete in a televised battle to the death.

I was just so excited to watch the second movie as the trailer was really good. So i bought my caramel popcorn with a strawberry slush after paying for my ticket (Tshs. 10,000). The adverts before the cinema were not too long this time. In the Catching Fire, the Capitol decide to change the games a little bit by using previous victors. And as expected, Katniss and Peeta have to participate for the second time against other ruthless victors from the other districts. However, after Katniss and Peeta won the previous Hunger Games, they gave hope in the other districts. President Snow fears that such hope may spark a rebellion from the other districts and decided to make the games a little bit more interesting in the quarter quell. I suggest you go watch this movie and go see for your self- you wont be disappointed

Best Parts of the Movie:

1. The victor's training

2. Katniss's dress at the interview and as they arrive infront of the Capitol

3. The ending of the movie (trust me it is really good)

Boring Parts of the Movie:

1. The beginning was a bit too slow for me