Wang Yuanyuan

    A TRADITIONAL Cantonese dessert is a good follow-up to a healthy meal. As well as upmarket chain dessert shops such as Honeymoon Dessert and Hui Lau Shan Dessert, there are many smaller shops for Shenzheners with a sweet tooth.

    Below are some of the ones located in busy residential areas.

    One of the most popular is Mun Gor Dessert, a Hong Kong-style establishment located in Xiangxi Village, Luohu District, and close to Exit D of Hubei Metro station on Shekou Line. Decorated in the traditional Hong Kong style with round wooden stalls, the shop offers all types of dessert from sesame and almond pastes to mango pancakes and glutinous rice balls. Its chilled mango sago cream with pomelo is a must try.

    There are several branches in the city, including one next to International Trade Building on Renmin Road South in Luohu District and one in Shazui Village in Futian District. The average price to eat at Mun Gor Dessert is about 17 yuan (US$2.7) per person.

    Also on Renmin Road South is the tiny Xingji Steamed Rice Roll on Jianshe Road. With only four tables, the eatery has delicious traditional Cantonese fast food and snacks including steamed rice rolls, steamed pork and fried noodles, and rare, first-class home-made desserts. These include green bean soup, mixed congee and red bean cake. The average price to eat at Xingji Steamed Rice Roll is about 12 yuan per person.

    Shunde Milk Custard located in Puwei Village behind the CITIC City Plaza in Futian District has long been a popular spot for born-and-raised Shenzheners. The fast-food restaurant offers all kinds of traditional Shunde cuisines, snacks and desserts. The milk custard, milk and ginger custard and milk and taro custard are the must-try dishes here and you can also have other traditional desserts such as sesame paste and chilled mango sago cream with pomelo. The average price is about 15 yuan per person.

    Fruity Mix in Huaqiangbei is more like a trendy dessert cafe compared with other traditional dessert shops. It offers fruit teas and fruit pancakes of all kinds and the average cost is about 25 yuan per person. Mango pancake and durian pancake are must-try dishes.

    On the opposite side of the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, there are many traditional Cantonese dessert shops in Huanggang Village. One of the most popular is called Sanji Dessert where you can find the best zaza (a mixed glutinous rice, almond and lotus seed porridge) in Shenzhen. The average price to eat here is about 10 yuan per person.

Mun Gor Dessert

Xiangxi branch: 60 Xiangxi Road, Xiangxi Village, Luohu District (罗湖区向西村向西路60号)

Metro: Hubei Station (湖贝

站)，Exit D

Rainbow branch: 2/F, Rainbow Department Store, International Trade Building, Renmin Road South, Luohu District (罗湖区人民南路3002号国贸大厦天虹商场二楼)

Metro: Guomao Station (国贸站)， Exit B

Shazui branch: No. 70, Building 1, Shazui Village, Futian District (福田区沙嘴村1栋70号)

Xingji Steamed Rice Roll

Jianshe branch: 1096 Jianshe Road, Luohu District (罗湖区建设路1096号)

Metro: Luohu Station (罗湖站)， Exit C

Shunde Milk Custard

Badeng branch: 62 Puwei Village, Nanyuan Road, Futian District (福田区南园铺尾村62号)

Metro: Science Museum Station (科学馆站)， Exit B

Fruity Mix

Huaqiangbei branch: 4/F, Moi Department Store, Huaqiangbei, Futian District (福田区华强北茂业百货4层)

Metro: Huaqiang Road Station (华强路站)， Exit B

Sanji Dessert

Huanggang branch: 28 Shangwei Village, Futian District (福田区上围村28号)

Metro: Convention and Exhibition Center Station (会展中心站)， Exit A

Shuiwei branch：Shuiwei Street 4, Shuiwei Village, Futian District (福田区水尾村水尾4街)

Metro: Yitian Station (益田站)， Exit C

    How much do you really need to drink

    WHILE drinking water is a healthy habit, too much can lead to a condition called hyponatremia, in which there is not enough sodium (salt) in the body fluids outside the cells.

    Long-distance runners who drink too much plain water and people who work in climates that cause excessive sodium loss through sweating are at an increased risk.

    Sodium is vital for maintaining blood pressure, and for nerves and muscles to work properly. When the sodium level in fluids outside the cells drops, water moves into the cells to balance the levels, causing the cells to swell.

    Brain cells, confined by the skull, cannot handle the swelling and cause most of the symptoms of hyponatremia. These include confusion, hallucinations, seizures, fatigue, irritability, muscle spasms, cramps and nausea.

    However, these symptoms are similar to the effects of dehydration, so a patient may be given more water, worsening the condition.

    So, how much water do we really need?

    The U.S. Health Department recommends six to eight glasses (or about 2.5 to three liters) of fluid per day, supplementing with foods that contain high moisture content, such as fruits and vegetables.

    The Institute of Medicine states that adult men need about 13 cups (three liters) of fluid per day; women, about nine (2.2 liters).

    The fact is, there is no one-size-fits-all standard. One’s needs are based on age, weight, activity, climate, diet and health concerns.

    Dr F. Batmanghelidj, author of the book “Your Body’s Many Cries for Water,” recommends 25ml of water for every 900 grams of body weight. If you weigh 68kg, you should drink 2.2 liters of water.

(SD-Agencies)