Английская Википедия:Fat choy
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:For Шаблон:Speciesbox Шаблон:Infobox Chinese
Fat choy (Шаблон:Zh; Nostoc flagelliforme) is a terrestrial cyanobacterium (a type of photosynthetic bacteria) that is used as a vegetable in Chinese cuisine. When dried, the product has the appearance of black hair. For that reason, its name in Chinese means "hair vegetable". When soaked, fat choy has a soft texture which is like very fine vermicelli.
Production
Fat choy grows on the ground in the Gobi Desert and the Qinghai Plateau. Over-harvesting on the Mongolian steppes has furthered erosion and desertification in those areas. The Chinese government has limited its harvesting, which has caused its price to increase.[1]
Commercially available fat choy has been found to be adulterated with strands of a non-cellular starchy material, with other additives and dyes.[1][2] Real fat choy is dark green in color, while the counterfeit fat choy appears black.[1]
Use
China
Its name in Cantonese sound the same as a Cantonese phrase meaning "struck it rich" (though the second syllable, coi, has a different tone) -- this is found, for example, in the Cantonese saying, "Gung1 hei2 faat3 coi4" (恭喜發財, meaning "wishing you prosperity"), often proclaimed during Chinese New Year. Therefore, it is a popular ingredient for the Chinese New Year, like in the reunion dinner. It is enjoyed as an alternative to cellophane noodles.Шаблон:Citation needed It is mostly used in Cantonese cuisine and Buddhist cuisine. It is sometimes used as a hot pot ingredient.
Due to its high price, fat choy is considered a luxury food, and only used in limited occasions. It is not eaten as a staple.[3]
Vietnam
Fat choy is also used in Vietnamese cuisine. It is called Шаблон:Lang or Шаблон:Lang (literally "angel's hair") in Vietnamese.
Health effects
N. flagelliforme has no nutritional value,Шаблон:Dubious and also contains beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), a toxic amino acid that could affect the normal functions of nerve cells and is linked to degenerative diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and dementia.[4] Not all real fat choy samples contains BMAA according to an 2009 study, with the maximum concentration being 658.5 ng/g. Imitation fat choy does not contain BMAA.[3]
Across a 28-day duration, laboratory rats fed N. flagelliforme and the control group did not exhibit significant differences in any toxicological parameters.Шаблон:Sfn
The algae and its extracts reduce the inflammatory action of white blood cells, specifically macrophages and splenocytes, in vitro.[5]
References
Шаблон:Reflist Шаблон:More footnotes needed
External links
Шаблон:Chinese New Year Шаблон:Portal bar
