Everyone has encountered three-color mixed vegetables (peas, corn, and carrots) as a side dish at some point. Recently, a heated discussion about this humble mix erupted on Threads. "Master Kwan," who has persistently cooked hot noodles for the homeless at Sham Shui Po's Tung Chau Street Park, added three-color vegetables to his ingredients, prompting KOL "Osaka Andy" to offer a donation of around HK$1,000–$2,000 on the condition that the peas be removed. In fact, three-color mixed vegetables have a long history and offer 5 major nutritional benefits, including promoting digestion and eye health—making them a truly "underestimated" healthy ingredient.
Master Kwan's 7-Year Dedication to Cooking Hot Noodles for the Homeless – Netizens Rally to Defend Their Meals
For nearly seven years, the figure of Kwan Siu-kei, "Master Kwan," has been seen at night in Sham Shui Po's Tung Chau Street Park. Pushing a cart loaded with a stove, ingredients, and batteries, he delivers bowl after bowl of hot, freshly cooked soup noodles to the homeless under the cover of darkness. From luncheon meat and egg noodles to meatball noodles, thousands of bowls have warmed not just the stomachs but also the hearts of the street sleepers. Master Kwan firmly believes that the value of a bowl of noodles lies not in the ingredients but in the care and companionship behind it, hoping to tell the homeless that even in life's lowest moments, they should never give up. However, this charitable act recently stirred controversy due to a comment on Threads. When the KOL asked for the peas to be removed, a large number of netizens flooded the comments section to support Master Kwan, sparking citywide discussion about three-color mixed vegetables.
One netizen bluntly commented: "Three-color mixed vegetables were designed exactly for this purpose." Others pointed out that choosing three-color vegetables also serves the needs of the recipients: many homeless individuals or elderly people have dental or oral problems, and the soft texture of the vegetables makes them easy to chew and absorb.
Master Kwan Proactively Refunds "Osaka Andy": Please Don't Affect Us
The incident escalated further. "Osaka Andy" later posted on Threads responding to the controversy, expressing frustration: "I never thought there would be a day when doing a good deed would get me criticized." Netizens, however, couldn't support his attitude. Ultimately, on the 13th, Master Kwan proactively contacted him to request refund details, noting earnestly that some comments or jokes about food choices could inadvertently cause psychological pressure and labeling effects on the homeless. He hoped the public would express opinions with more empathy. Master Kwan emphasised: "Please don't affect us. Don't let beautiful things go to waste. Thank you all for your concern."
Breaking Down the 5 Major Benefits of Three-Color Mixed Vegetables: Promoting Digestion and Preventing Constipation
Frozen three-color mixed vegetables were developed by Americans in 1930, originally to provide nutritious food in cold regions where vegetables were difficult to grow. Although often dismissed as a lazy side dish, their nutritional value is actually no less than fresh vegetables. Among the three main ingredients, only carrots are vegetables—peas and corn are rich in starch and belong to the whole grain category, so pairing is important:
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Promotes digestion: Rich in soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre slows carbohydrate absorption and lowers cholesterol; insoluble fibre maintains digestive health and prevents constipation. For the elderly, this helps improve gut function and prevent common age-related constipation.
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Supports eye health: Carrots and corn contain abundant carotenoids, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which play important roles in vision and eye health.
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Helps fight chronic inflammation: Contains abundant antioxidants and vitamins C and E, helping fight free radical damage to cells and effectively reducing chronic inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk.
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Strengthens bone health: Rich in minerals like calcium and phosphorus, helping maintain bone health and prevent osteoporosis. Corn is lower in calcium while peas and carrots are lower in phosphorus—they complement each other's deficiencies.
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Controls blood sugar and aids weight loss: Peas can replace refined white rice to increase dietary fibre and vitamin intake, helping control blood sugar and boost metabolism—particularly beneficial for weight loss.
Image and Source: joshua.kwan @ Threads
