Asian Geographic Issue 05/2017 (127) | Page 6

No. 127 • issue 5/2017 food and health CONTENTS picturesque 12 Hues of the Day A photographic showcase of Asia BY ALEX GOH CHUN SEONG revealed 22 Trial by Tongue Is MSG really that bad for you? reflections 24 Hot Stuff 74 Uncharted Territories The chilli is an indispensible part of Asian cuisine. But just how hot is too hot? Science A look at some of the unexplored kingdoms of medicine – and why they’ve remained unmapped BY YD BAR-NESS 78 Abul Bajandar made headlines last year with his tree-like warts. Now, this extremely rare illness has given him a life he never expected MEMORIES Pins and Needles BY RACHEL CHIA 54 BY MANGAI BALASEGARAM culture 46 heritage The Silent Epidemic Sixty percent of the world’s diabetic population is Asian. And yet, many people don’t understand this disease JESPER WESTLEY Lost in the Process The food we eat is increasingly processed. What does this mean for our health? BY BRENT LEWIN BY MANGAI BALASEGARAM, icon culture Long Live the Noodle Longevity noodles are steeped in ancient tradition, and have endured the rise of mass production The Tree Man BY ZIGOR ALDAMA 110 heritage 26 science 12 IMAGE © ALEX GOH CHUN SEONG 36 Word on the Street An uncertain future faces the street eats sellers of Asia. As governments make plans to sweep woks of hot oil off the sidewalks, the livelihood of the hawker hangs in the balance BY RACHEL CHIA, SCOT T WOODWARD 112 Confucius Chairman LIM Geok Khoon Publisher/Editorial Director Accounts Managers (Regional) John THET • [email protected] Ace W.M • [email protected] Desmond HO • [email protected] Anne LOW • [email protected] Editor Alex W. CAMPBELL • [email protected] associate editor Ian BONGSO-SELDRUP • [email protected] senior Graphic Designer Shellen TEH • [email protected] Graphic designer Rivy LEE • [email protected] WEB/IT Dutch CATALON • [email protected] events & marketing manager Berri TAY • [email protected] events & marketing executive Spencer NAH • [email protected] contributors YD BARNESS, Miguel CANDELA, Aaron “Bertie” GEKOSKI, Alex GOH CHUN SEONG, Sophie IBBOTSON, Jason ISLEY, Brent LEWIN, Jesper WESTLEY, Sco WOODWARD, Gilbert WOOLLEY Editorial Submissions • [email protected] Subscriptions • [email protected] Feedback • [email protected] Senior Manager Victor OW • [email protected] Operations Executive Kaero TEO • [email protected] Editorial intern Rachel CHIA • [email protected] ASIAN Geographic is published bi-monthly by Asian Geographic Magazines Pte Ltd, 20 Bedok South Road, Singapore 469277 Singapore Tel: +(65) 6298 3241 Fax: +(65) 6291 2068 • Email: [email protected] Printed in Singapore by KHL Printing Co Pte Ltd