This may come as a surprise to a lot of you, but I have to admit, up until about 6 months ago I had never tried actual buko juice fresh from a coconut.
When I was younger, I would always be given cans of coconut water to take to school with me. Sadly, it tasted disgusting, it was too bitter for me to even try to swallow. It tasted more like dirty water out of a puddle as opposed to fresh buko juice. So a lot of the time I would throw it out after 1 sip, maybe 2 if I was feeling adventurous.
After my early buko juice experiences, I had assumed that it just wasn’t for me; so I avoided it in my later years. Late last year I was on an island hopping tour out amongst the beautiful Philippine islands. We stopped at one island where they were selling coconuts for only a few pesos, so I couldn’t turn it down. After trying the fresh buko juice, my whole attitude completely changed. Fresh coconut is in a whole new league compared to the manufactured coconut water.
After that eye-opening experience,buko juice became my default drink of choice when dining out. I didn’t care how impractical dealing with a entire coconut at a dining table was; the nutritious, delicious drink made it worth the effort.
After doing some reading, I also found that fresh buko juice also has some major health benefits. Researchers have found that the fresh juice has the same level of performance as major sports drink companies when it comes to keeping athletes hydrated. The buko juice also has many other major health benefits; it is able to assist in lowering your cholesterol levels and also bring down your blood pressure. It’s so rare to find delicious drinks which aren’t loaded with sugar and also provide these as well as many other health benefits.
So do not hesitate to help support your local farmers and stock up on the fresh coconuts. Enjoy some fresh buko juice as a treat and take part in an essential part of Philippine culture.
It’s no secret now that I have been especially conscious of the kinds of foods that I am putting into my body, I have written about it in several of my older articles now. I’ve been having gut related issues for the past year now, to fix the problem I have cut out any foods which may cause any sort of discomfort to my gut. This means I have been avoiding any sugars, soy, dairy amongst other things to let my gut rest and allow it to heal.
Sticking to this diet would normally be quite easy if I had a permanent housing setup where I could easily cook for myself. But constantly being on the move brings up a lot of challenges with maintaining my diet. To overcome these hurdles, I resorted to doing some research on the internet to find stores and restaurants which could supply me with healthy foods and snacks which reside within my dietary restrictions.
The first store I came across was Healthy Options, which is one of the biggest health food store chains in The Philippines. After a quick visit to their store, I found that this is exactly what I was after. They offered a wide variety of teas and vegetable juices which I drink as an on the go snack during the day.
They also had coconut oil which is crucial for me, as I am not taking in any carbohydrates my body goes into a state of ketosis, which causes it to use fat as a source of energy. So the coconut oil becomes a primary source of energy for me while I am on this diet.
It was also surprisingly hard to find good quality nuts in a lot of the supermarkets within The Philippines. A lot of the nuts come soaked in artificial flavours which to me seems to erase any health benefits you might gain from eating them. But thankfully Healthy Options also stocked a good variety of nuts there too, all in their natural state, not soaked in bbq powder or some spicy chilli powder.
Thanks to Healthy Options I no longer have to worry about where I can get good quality health food. I now have a destination where I can regularly get good quality healthy snacks and supplements to help me get past my health issues.
Healthy Options is now part of my regular shopping routine as I am yet to find another store which caters to my needs as well as they do.
,My stay in The Philippines has now reached a tipping point. I feel I’ve been here long enough to no longer consider myself simply a tourist or visitor. Although I still have people regularly assume that I have just arrived in The Philippines. They will inform me that a new president has just been elected or tell me to plan my travels carefully as delays are common due to traffic.
With spending significant time in the country comes quite a lot of experience with living out of hotels. I took this route as opposed to renting an apartment or condo due to convenience. Earlier I had tried renting condos as the initial price was a lot cheaper than staying in hotels for long periods of time. Though I quickly realized that a hotel is what suits my needs; I am happy to pay extra for the convenience that comes with services such as the housekeeping and room service.
One thing the hotel lifestyle has made me accustomed to is waking up to the buffet breakfasts. When I was younger not a lot got me more excited than my parent telling me we would be dining at a buffet restaurant. The thought of an unlimited spread of all the food you love available to you in a supply only limited by the size of your stomach was overwhelming for such a young mind.
As I have grown older I have usually chosen to have the hotel buffet more due to the financial advantage. To get the buffet a small charge is added to the room; this is a lot less than the cost to get breakfast outside of the hotel. I usually wait until just before the buffet closes to have breakfast; having a late breakfast means that I don’t feel hungry for the majority of the day. Basically, I’m just cheap, also I hate having to eat all the time. So having one big meal later in the morning is ideal for me.
I am starting to realize that there is a trade-off between eating the buffet and dining at a traditional restaurant. What stands out to me is that it feels so informal. I walk in, I am greeted by a waitress who then escorts me to a table. Then I simply take a plate and begin helping myself to what is available. Most of the time I am too lazy to change out of what I wore to bed that evening; it usually seems like the rest of the people in the restaurant made that same decision.
The quantity also becomes an issue; a lot of the better buffets offer seemingly every type of breakfast food available. For me breakfast food is one of my guilty pleasures. I love having coffee and orange juice with a plate of crepes and some fruit. Maybe I can grab a bowl of cereal and some toast once I finish? The possibilities are all there which makes self-control important when you are in the presence of a good breakfast buffet.
One thing I do love about having the option to choose what to eat is that it allows me to grab exactly what suits my diet. Although a lot of the vegetables are not usually the best quality I still love having that option available to me. I have so many dietary restrictions, so seeing buffets which cater to a wide variety of dietary styles makes me extremely happy.
The breakfast buffet for me has become a fairly important prerequisite as to whether I book a hotel room or not. The buffet is an important part of my morning as I can spend the time waking up, getting myself into a relaxed positive frame of mind and take in the energy I need to get the most out of my day within The Philippines.
Balut is one aspect of a vibrant array of food eaten in the Philippines. Across the countries seven thousand islands, you will find local communities, all with their own unique delicacies. You will regularly find people enjoying sea urchin, worms, and chicken organs. This style of food can be purchased from street food vendors, and markets found across the country.
Within this street food scene, is where you will find Balut. It is often spoken about as a delicacy, though in modern day Philippines, it belongs more in the street food category. Delicacy implies luxury food items like truffles or caviar. Though it once could have been in that category, you will now find Balut being sold in places like the streets of Manila. The locals love the egg to be nice and hot, and love to wash it down with a cold beer.
So, let’s continue to see what this famous Filipino dish actually is.
So, what exactly is Balut?
Balut is a chicken or duck egg which is boiled or steamed. You then crack open the top of the shell, then pour some salt and vinegar to the top, some people add other toppings like chilli sauce to the egg.
Now, what makes Balut interesting is the egg is fertilised. The embryo is left to grow in the egg for around sixteen to twenty-one days. The egg is then cooked and served to customers with not only the yolk present inside, but also the embryo.
I know it doesn’t sound alluring, eating a half developed embryo isn’t everyone’s idea of a delicious snack. A lot of foreign tourists are put off by the sight of the egg. But many people do try it when they visit the country.
Most “first timers” will opt for an egg that is around the 16-week mark, as the embryo is less developed, the appearance is a little less intimidating. Although it looks off-putting, the taste of the hot egg with the salt and vinegar is actually quite nice.
Besides the large amounts of salt added to the egg, the dish isn’t completely bad for you. It contains all the usual health benefits from egg, as well as being rich in vitamin C, protein, calcium, and beta-carotene.
Where did Balut originate?
Balut began to emerge in the Philippines starting in the 16th century. The Chinese population in the country were primarily responsible for the adoption of the food in the Philippines. Before refrigerators were created, the Chinese use the fertilised duck eggs as a means of extending the shelf life of the eggs.
The global influence that comes with high levels of migration from south-east Asian nations can also not be ignored. The initial spread of Balut came from Chinese migration to nations such as the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand. Now with high levels of migration into western nations, you can now easily find Balut almost anywhere. It’s as easy as paying a visit to your local Asian supermarket.
Balut holds a particular cultural importance in Philippine history, now reaching the position of being the countries “national street food”. This demand for these fertilised eggs has helped strengthen the farming industry in the country. Ducks have become one of the most profitable livestock in the farming industry.
A lot of sociocultural factors dominate Balut market. These factors are different from the nutritional values. as it is a good source of protein and calcium. But that is not the primary reason why it is loved by Filipinos.
The home to this vibrant industry at one point was found in the nation’s capital of Manila. More particularly Pateros, a municipality within Manila.
Pateros held an estimated 400,000ducks, meaning this was the primary source of income for the residents in the area. During the 50s and 60s, this region was teaming with life due to the duck industry. The local makers had developed their own methods of creating Balut, and salted egg. This started from the careful selection of the egg through to the incubation and cooking process.
Unfortunately, this did not last. With the increasing pollution of Metro Manila came the downfall of the local duck industry. Through the 70s the industry began to move out to more environmentally friendly regions like Laguna.
Balut is prepared in a cautious and controlled manner. The technique used will determine whether or not you get the best flavours. All the techniques used have been traditionally learned by the local makers.
The fertilised eggs are first taken and incubated under the heat of the sun, or they may be buried in layers of sand. Then they are placed in bamboo baskets to sustain the warmth to help preserve the egg. After a period of nine days, the eggs are finally revealed to a light source to see the embryo inside.
The various stages of maturation of the egg and different controlled temperatures play a significant role to accentuate all the characteristics a good egg would have. The egg changes colour during the maturation period also.
Now, you may be wondering when is the egg ready to eat?
Well, the time of incubation of the egg before they are boiled depends on the locals, which vary from 14 to 18 days. After cooking, the eggshell is cracked open, this is were you will familiarise yourself with the primary parts of the dish.
First you’ll notice a mix of the embryo and the egg yolk peering through the crack in the shell,if you then tip the egg, you’ll find the broth inside that everyone loves to drink. Then at the end you’ll find the hard rubbery part known as the rock. The whole process of making and consuming Balut is in itself an experience.
So when visiting the Philippines, it will be hard to avoid trying Balut. You can find it everywhere these days. Most of it you will find is the mass-produced style, these are made at large commercial farms where the ducks receive a generic feed.
Some of the exotic restaurants which cater to tourists have their own version of the Balut where it is had with a lot of spices and salts. This Balut is often sourced from more boutique farms, where they pay special attention to the kind of food they give their ducks to ensure they achieve the highest quality egg.
So, as you can see, the simple act of enjoying Balut is a means to immerse yourself in the local culture of the Filipinos and have a first-hand experience of their traditions.
The preparation techniques of Balut have evolved in modern day life, and I’m sure will continue to develop into the future. This makes Balut one of Philippine’s widely sought after dish; now you can try one too.
Within the past year, I have been pushed to be extremely conscious about the kinds of foods I have been putting into my body. In my early adult years, I would always prioritize snack food over healthy food due to my on the go lifestyle.
I would regularly buy drinks containing ridiculous amounts of sugar, then spend my evenings and weekends consuming foods soaked in fat, sugar, and salt followed by an evening of indulging in copious amounts of alcohol.
Unfortunately, this lifestyle eventually caught up with me. Combine the damage to my gut from my avoidance of any healthy food along with a few hits of heavy stress and dysentery after traveling to tropical destinations and you end up with your gut being in an extremely poor state.
I am now committed to not touching any food which may provide more work for my gut than what’s necessary.
I want to create an environment where my gut can sit dormant for a period of time to repair itself. A change from my previous habits of constantly consuming inflammatory products. This means no bread, pasta, sugars, rice, fruit, fried food… Basically, my meals largely consist of some sort of protein accompanied with a large plate of vegetables.
The challenge for me hasn’t been motivating myself to limit the types of foods I eat. The fact I ate myself into this condition is enough motivation for me to change my ways. Now the real challenge has come from actually being able to access the sorts of healthy food I need to eat to heal my gut.
I am currently living in Cebu and have little access to anything which could be used to cook my own meals, this means I am heavily reliant on the hospitality industry within the city to get the food I need.
This so far has been extremely challenging but I am slowly starting to figure out where I can go and what I can buy.
The first thing I noticed is how challenging it is to even get good quality fresh fruits and vegetables. In most of my meals, I would try and include good sources of fat such as avocado. This was extremely important for me as I wasn’t taking in any carbohydrates; meaning my body was now relying on avocado as a source of energy. If I wasn’t eating avocados my body would burn my body fat, I would then begin to drop weight, fast. So obviously to counteract this I was eating a couple of avocados a day. It seems that I arrived at a bad time because I can not seem to find avocados anywhere.
In regards to other vegetables, I found that a lot of them just have no flavor. I eat carrot regularly as a snack food, but I have yet to find carrots which haven’t got a dry, bitter taste to them. I’m sure there is good quality produce somewhere in the city, I just have to hunt them down.
On a side note, I did actually find a small juice bar/food stand in Ayala. I quickly became a regular customer there as their food fits my dietary restrictions so well. It is almost like the menu is made to fit me personally. It’s called Mooshi, you can find it on the third level in front of Rustans. The menu is full nutrient dense foods which will not cause any discomfort to your body. You will not find any sugar packed foods on the menu. This is all food which will
keep you functioning at your best.
So, for the time being, I will be using this as the main source of my daily nutrient needs. Plus their food tastes a lot better than the vegetables I have been eating from various supermarkets in Cebu.
Hopefully, over time I will continue to gain knowledge of places in Cebu where I can source good quality healthy food in order to make my stay here a lot more comfortable for me and also my body.
