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.

Third Day Record of Diet

Time	Food eaten	Quantity
8.35am	Egg roll	4 pieces
1 pm	Pizza Chicken wing (roasted) Pepsi Cola Garlic bread Tortilla chips with cheese	2 pieces 1 1 cup 2 slices 3 pieces
4.15 pm	Orange	1
8.30pm	Rice Ribs and lotus soup Ribs Leafy vegetables Longans	1 bowl 2 bowls 3 pieces ¼ bowl 5

Second Day Record of Diet

Time	Food eaten	Quantity
8.20am	Milk Chicken Pau	1 cup 2
11.30am	Soup noodles Strawberries	2 bowls 3
1.10pm	Peanut butter biscuits	2
5.00pm	Peanut butter biscuits Soft chewy sweet	2 2
8.30pm	Rice Asparagus and pork Tomato egg soup Leafy vegetables Longans	1 bowl ¼ bowl 2 bowls ¼ bowl 10

First Day Record of Diet

Record of the Day 1 diet muahaha.

Time	Food eaten	Quantity
6.15 am	Milk Char Siew Pau	1 cup 1
11.30am	Fried chicken drumstick	1
3.00pm	Chicken mayonnaise sandwich	2
8.30pm	Rice Tofu and pork Vegetable and pork soup Tangerine	1 bowl ¼ bowl 2 bowls 1