Comments on Blogs

Grace's blog:
I think Grace's blog is very aesthetically appealing and her posts are interesting and detailed. She fulfills all the requirements of the PT at the same time makes her blog very appealing, with insightful posts reinforced by accurate and pretty photographs. The healthy one-dish meal that she recommends is described really well, with the nutritional information lined out in detail, which is very good as one would want to know about the nutritional value of a healthy meal.

Cheng Yin's blog:
Cheng Yin;s blog is also aesthetically appealing, decorated by many photos of delicious looking foods. Her posts are very detailed especially with precise statistics such as how much calories a serving contains, the number of servings she consumed. The layout of her blog gives an overall clean and organized feeling. Her healthy dish is really very healthy based on her description; however, the picture looks less healthy though. Maybe she could have used a better picture to convey the healthiness of the dish.

Min Yi's blog:
Min Yi's blog is amazingly detailed and her diet is analysed very thoroughly. She analysed each day of her diet separately, using both the Nutrients Intake Analysis and the Food Pyramid. Thus I think she gained really good knowledge about the nutrients of the food she consumes and the components of her diet. Her one dish meal is also very healthy, and as she added in a step-by-step recipe of how to cook this meal, the  description is very thorough and easy to follow. There could have been a more complete photograph of her one0dish meal though.

Reflections!

Reflections on Food and Nutrition PT

From this PT, I learnt that my eating habits can still be healthier, as it is currently too high in sodium and fats. By using the tools I discover that my diet is not as healthy as I thought and some changes have to be made.  Though I still regard my diet as a relatively healthy one, I determine to make improvements to my diet so as to enhance my health.

The suggested tools are useful in that they provide meticulous details and give very sound advices on how to maintain health; however, the tools only allow us to choose from the options of foods that they already have. Thus, what we analyse is not so much our real diet but only the closest options provided. Also, there could have been clarifications on how much a serving is, because the public would not be measuring in grams each food that they eat. The requirements for health, as the tools present, is also too high, as I personally feel. It seems hard to achieve the denoted healthiness without going through a very rigorous vegetarian diet. Still, the intention of the tools is good, and they succeed in their purpose of informing us more about our diet.

The reasons why my suggested one dish meal is healthy are presented under the post about the dish. In summary, my one dish meal is healthy because it provides a wide range of balanced nutrients, it follows the health pyramid, it contains healthy ingredients and is cooked using healthy methods.

Healthy One Dish Meal

I chose this dish as my healthy one dish meal because it uses very healthy ingredients that contains balanced nutrients, and it is cooked by healthy methods.

It is: Brown Rice with Chicken Essence, Grilled Drumsticks and Mixed Vegetables.

In this dish, all levels of the food pyramid is met: rice and alternatives, fruits and vegetables, meat and alternatives and fats, sugars and salts. They are also in the correct proportion: there is highest amount of rice, followed by vegetables and fruits, then meat. As the whole dish is cooked in a very healthy manner, with minimum salt, oil and sugar added (for example, for the flavouring of rice, chicken essence is used instead of chicken oil or salt, which are less healthy), the amount of fats, sugars and salts is the lowest.

The ingredients and methods of cooking used are also very healthy. One such healthy ingredient is brown rice. As brown rice is a wholegrain, it contains extra nutritional value in fibres, which help in digestion, and vitamins. The brown rice is boiled and simmered, thus retaining all its nutritional values.

Another healthy ingredient is the vegetables. The mixed vegetables consist of cabbages, carrots, onions, celery, mushrooms and so on. The variety of vegetables ensure that a wide range of necessary vitamins and other nutrients are sufficiently provided by the dish. Stir-frying the vegetables enhances its flavour whil retaining its nutrients.

Another healthy ingredient is the chicken drumsticks. Although chicken skin is not removed, the chicken is still healthier and less fatty than if it were deep fried or roasted. As such, grilled chicken presents the best compromise between health and good taste. Also, the ingredients used in the marinating of chicken, for example plum sauce, are high in nutritional values too.

Below is a picture of this dish :D

Calorie Calculator

I need 1904 kcal per day to maintain my current weight. :D I hope I hardly exceed the required calories.

Recipe Analysis

I have done the recipe analysis on one of my family's favourite dishes, Ribs Lotus Soup.

Ingredient	Energy (kcal)	Protein (g)	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Carbohydrate (g)	Dietary Fibre (g)	Sodium (mg)
Pork, spare ribs, stock, skimmed	2	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	87
Lotus root, boiled, drained	40	1	0	0.0	0	10	1.9	27
Total (per serving)	41	1	0	0.0	0	10	1.9	114

This is pretty useful when inventing recipes, to check how healthy the foods are. I am glad that our family's favourite dish contains so little energy, or harmful fats and cholesterol.

Energy and Nutrient Compositions of Foods

I've used the tool on some of the main components of my recorded diet.

	Pow, char siew, steamed
Energy (kcal)	363
Protein (g)	13
Total fat (g)	15
Saturated fat (g)	5.5
Dietary fibre (g)	1.7
Carbohydrate (g)	45
Cholesterol (mg)	23
Sodium (mg)	473
Sugar (g)	N.A
Calcium (mg)	23
Iron (mg)	1.08
Vitamin C (mg)	N.A
Trans fatty acids (g)	N.A

Energy (kcal) Protein (g) Total fat (g) Saturated fat (g) Dietary fibre (g) Carbohydrate (g) Cholesterol (mg) Sodium (mg)

Bun, pizza, baked 224  9  9  4.4  2.5  27  24  486

	Vegetables, mixed, braised
Energy (kcal)		30
Protein (g)		1
Total fat (g)		2
Saturated fat (g)		0.7
Dietary fibre (g)		2.1
Carbohydrate (g)		2
Cholesterol (mg)		0
Sodium (mg)		116
Iron (mg)		0.61
Vitamin C (mg)		11

I guess the results are pretty expected. It appears that one serving of pizza has less energy than a serving of char siew pow. However, to tell the truth, I don't derive any meaning in these nutrients analysis. I doubt if people will check the nutrients composition before they eat something, or if the nutrients composition will affect their decision whether to eat it or not. It is certainly more meaningless to check the nutrients composition after eating. After all, I am not even sure what one serving is, and so are many members of the public. Thus it is even harder to judge if the amount of energy shown is the amount that we have consumed.  

Analysis based on Healthy Diet Pyramid

Looking at my diet, I think my intake of rice and alternatives is not high enough, as sometimes I do not take in carbohydrates for lunch or breakfast. I also do not have the habit of eating whole-grain products, contributing to a very low level of rice and alternatives.

My intake of fruits and vegetables might not be enough either, as like carbohydrates, I do not have the habit of taking vegetables at breakfast and lunch. However, I do normally take a fruit or two during lunch and dinner, thus improving my fruits intake.

My intake for meat and alternatives seem to be meeting the expected standards. Sometimes I do not take meat in breakfast either, but most of the time I do in lunch and dinner. Also, sometimes I take meat as snacks which might even contribute to an overly high level of meats and alternatives.

Finally, I think my intake of fats, oils, sugar and salt may be too high. I like to take snacks comprising mainly sweets and biscuits which contribute to the high intake in this area. Also, I am afraid parts of my diet are high in fats and oils.

However, I do not think that this sample of my diet is representative. I happened to be eating out at PizzaHut for one day of diet record, and eating more snacks than I usually do for another. Thus, I think the analysis of my normal diet would be less negative than this one, which is rather high in fats and sugars.

Results of Food Intake Assessment for my diet

Top of Form Food Info Search Based on the information you have provided, your daily energy requirement is estimated to be 1,986 kcal.  This energy requirement is the level of calorie intake from food that will balance the calories your body  burns, thus maintaining your weight. For weight loss, you should consume fewer calories and be more  active. If you need to gain weight, consume more calories than your body requires. Period of Analysis: 12/08/2011 - 14/08/2011 Energy (kcal) Carbohydrate (g) Protein (g) Total Fat (g) Saturated Fat (g) Cholesterol (mg) Calcium (mg) Dietary Fibre (g) Sodium (mg) Average intake per day 2,143 274.1 87.6 78.3 26.7 419.5 630.3 20.6 4,255.4 Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) 1,986 297.9 64.5 66.2 22.1 198.6 1,000.0 19.9 1,324.5 % of recommendation met 108 92 136 118 121 211 63 104 321 View graph of actual nutritional intake compared against RDA  Energy  108% Carbohydrate  92% Protein  136% Total Fat  118% Saturated Fat  121% Cholesterol  211% Calcium  63% Dietary Fibre  104% Sodium  321% 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 % RDA Met Table showing the % of total calories of diet versus recommendation % of total energy intake Your diet Recommendation Total Carbohydrates 51% 55 - 65% Total Protein 16% 10 - 15% Total Fat 33% 25 - 30% Nutrition messages based on results  Energy Your intake of energy from your diet was more than you need. Frequently eating above your energy  needs can contribute to excess calories, which will be stored as body fat if it is not being used for  physical activities. Excessive body fat leads to blood pressure, stroke diabetes and even certain  cancers. Energy in the foods we eat comes from three categories of nutrients - carbohydrates, fats and proteins.  Fat is the most concentrated source of energy. Gram for gram, fat (9 kcal/g) has more than twice the  energy of carbohydrate (4 kcal/g) or protein (4 kcal/g). Hence, foods high in fat are generally high in  calories. Alcohol also supplies more calories (7 kcal/g) than carbohydrate or protein.  Know your daily energy allowance, and balance the energy from the food you eat with the energy  your body uses for physical activities.  Total Fat Your total fat intake was more than the recommended amount. A diet high in fat is associated with  overweight, high blood cholesterol, heart disease and other related health problems.  To reduce total fat in your diet, use less oil or fats when cooking and use fat spreads sparingly. Use  lean cuts of meat and poultry, and remove visible fat and skin. When eating out, ask for less fat or  oil in your food. As extras add up, make your food choices wisely. Choose reduced fat or skimmed  milk and dairy products instead of full cream varieties. Choose plain rice over flavoured rice, and  cut down on the use of sweetened condensed milk or creamers.  Saturated Fat Your intake of saturated fat was higher that the recommended amount. An excess of saturated fat  can raise your blood cholesterol, subsequently increasing your risk of heart disease.  The main sources of fat in our diet are also the sources of saturated fat! These include coconut-milk  based foods, blended oil (usually used in commercial cooking), flavoured rice (e.g. chicken rice, nasi  lemak, nasi briyani) and creamer/whitener/condensed and evaporated milk in beverages. Cutting  down or limiting such sources of fat will also help to reduce saturated fat intake.  Sodium Your sodium intake was greater than the recommended amounts. Sodium acts like a sponge, holding  water in our body. Excess sodium increases the blood volume, which then raises the pressure in our  blood vessels. Hypertension or high blood pressure increases the risk of stroke and heart attacks.  The main source of sodium in our diet comes from salt (sodium chloride) and sauces added during  cooking or at the table. To cut down on sodium intake, gradually reduce the use of salt and sauces  when preparing or cooking food so that your taste buds have the chance to adjust. Try flavouring  foods with natural seasonings like lemon juice or herbs and spices. Choose fresh food over  processed foods over processed foods and enjoy the natural taste of foods. When eating out, ask  for less sauces or gravy in dishes.  Cholesterol Your intake of cholesterol was more than the recommended amount. Excessive cholesterol intake,  especially as part of a high fat diet, can increase blood cholesterol level and put you at risk of heart diseases.  To cut down the intake of cholesterol, replace meat with beans, peas, lentils or bean products 3 times  a week. For healthy adults and adolescents, limit eggs to 4 per week. In recipes, try to replace part of  the use of whole eggs with just the egg white. Shellfish, prawns, shrimps, crabs, cuttlefish etc as well  as organ meats should be eaten no more than twice a week and in small portions.  Calcium You were not getting enough calcium in your diet. Without adequate calcium, you may be at risk of  developing osteoporosis, a condition where your bones become weak and brittle. If left untreated, osteoporosis can worsen until a fracture (crack or break in the bone) occurs.  Increase your calcium intake from a variety of sources. Consume calcium-enriched breads and  biscuits, green leafy vegetables, calcium-fortified juices, high-calcium soya bean milk, ikan bilis,  sardines (with bones), tofu, as well as milk and other dairy products. Vitamin D helps our body  absorb calcium. Your body can make this vitamin after sunlight hits your skin. You can easily  obtain enough by getting at least 30-60 minutes of sunlight a day.  Aside from eating wisely, remember to make exercise a part of your life. Exercise helps to burn fat,  tone your muscles, improve your stamina, relax and sleep better, as well as keep you alert and study   better! Exercise at least 20 to 60 minutes, 3 to 5 times a week, until you sweat and breathe deeply  without getting breathless. Choose an exercise that you enjoy, and try a variety so that you don’t get  bored. Keep your exercise routine simple, fun and interesting.  When shopping for food, look out for products with the Healthier Choice Symbol. These products are  lower in total fat, saturated fat, sodium and/or dietary fibre content compared to other products in the  same category.  Note: The messages provided here are only intended as a guide - see a qualified health professional for more advice and information.  Bottom of Form After this analysis, I realise that my sodium intake is way too high at more than 300%. I had not realised that my diet is so unhealthy before and will reduce the amount of sodium in my diet. Also, my intake of oils and fats are too high too. I think I should reduce my consumption of mayonnaise, fried chicken drumstick and pizza, and increase that of rice and alternatives for carbohydrates, and milk for calcium. However, this 3 day record of my diet is not really representative as I consumed more snacks than normal, and had eaten out for one day.