DIETARY PRACTICES ASSESSMENT(under food journal)
Reflecting on my food intake in the past one month, i answered a few questions that were being posted to me.
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Fati usually eat high fat food in a week (e.g. deep fried foods, food cooked in coconut milk)twice a week.
Good! You are probably not eating too much fat! Keep it up.
A diet which is high in fat and saturated fat can raise your blood cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease.
Butter, lard, ghee, palm oil and also coconut milk are high in saturated fat.
On the other hand, a diet with moderate amounts of unsaturated fats can protect you against heart disease.
Unsaturated fats usually lower the level of cholesterol in your blood and therefore, they are better for you.
Olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, corn oil and soybean oil contain more unsaturated fat than saturated fat.
Choose cooking oils labelled with the Healthier Choice Symbol, as these contain less saturated fat.
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Fruit and VegetablesOn average, i eat 1 serving of fruit per day. Include all fresh fruit and 100% fruit juice but not the dried or canned fruit and juice drinks.
On average, i eat 2 servings of vegetables per day. Include all forms of vegetables, in soup, stir-fried or in salads.
Excellent! You are eating adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables. Keep up the good work!
Fruit and vegetables are good sources of fibre, vitamins and plant chemicals that protect our body from diseases such as cancer, stroke and heart disease.
They're also low in calories, and a healthy addition to any diet.
People who eat a lot of fruit and vegetables have a lower risk of getting heart disease and some cancers.
Fruit and vegetables are two different food groups and contain different nutrients.
Fruit should not be used to 'replace' vegetables in the diet or vice versa.
You should aim to eat at least 2 servings of fruit and 2 servings of vegetables everyday for good health.
Choose brightly-coloured fruit and vegetables more often as they tend to be richer in nutrients and plant chemicals.
Choose fresh fruit or vegetables rather than the juice, and eat the skin of cleaned fruit or vegetables (if edible).
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Rice and Alternatives
On average, i usually eat 4 servings of rice & alternatives (like bread, noodles, thosai, chapattis) per day.
Your diet is low in rice and alternatives.
Rice and alternatives forms the main part of a healthy diet.
They are good sources energy, fibre and some vitamins
You should aim to eat 5-7 servings of rice and alternatives a day
Try to include more rice and alternatives such as noodles, pasta, bread in your diet
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Wholegrain FoodOn average, i eat 0.5 servings of wholegrain foods per day.
Your diet is low in wholegrains.
Wholegrains are rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals which help to keep the bowel healthy and reduces your risk of developing heart disease or stroke.
Aim to eat at least one serving of a wholegrain product like oatmeal, wholemeal bread, brown rice or whole-wheat pasta
Find ways to gradually introduce wholegrain foods into your diet. Try mixing brown rice together with white rice, or eat wholemeal bread together with white bread.
On average, i eat 1.5 servings of meat & alternatives (like fish, poultry, eggs, milk, cheese, beancurd, pulses) per day.
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Meat and AlternativesOn average, i eat 1.5 servings of meat & alternatives (like fish, poultry, eggs, milk, cheese, beancurd, pulses) per day.
Your diet is low in protein.
Meat and alternatives are good sources of protein and protein is needed for normal growth and other body functions.
They also contain other important nutrients such as calcium and iron.
However meats, seafood and dairy products are also high in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.
Too much fat and cholesterol intake can increase your risk of heart disease and weight gain.
You should aim to eat 2 to 3 servings of lean and low-fat meat and alternatives everyday.
Include some protein-rich food in your diet such as eggs, tofu, lean beef and pork, chicken, fish, legumes (beans, lentils and peas) and nuts.
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Salt
At the table, when the food is not tasty enough, i add salt or sauces (for examples: soya sauce, chilli sauce, tomato sauce) to my food.
You are probably taking too much salt in your diet.
Salt is found in rock salt, sea salt, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and most sauces.
A diet high in salt can lead to high blood pressure and greater risk of heart disease.
You need less than 5 grams (one teaspoon) of salt daily.
Enjoy the natural taste of food.
Slowly reduce the amount of salt or sauces you add to your food. Your taste buds will eventually become accustomed to less salty food.
Reduce intake of cured, preserved and smoked foods. Instead of salt, season foods with herbs and spices.
Choose bottled sauces with the Healthier Choice Symbol. These are great tasting sauces with lesser salt content.
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Sweetened DrinksI usually drink sweetened drinks twice in a week? (E.g. soft drinks, fruit drinks, packet drinks, cordials, yoghurt-based drinks and cultured milk drinks).
Great! You are not drinking too many sweetened drinks.
Food high in sugar gives you "empty calories". This means, they do not provide you with any important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fibre, or protein, they just provide you with energy.
These extra calories may lead to weight gain if they are in excess of your daily needs.
