------My 3-day diet!------
From 11 May to 13 May 2011.
------Analysis------
Using the
Energy and Nutrition Composition of Foods Tool on HPB, I derived this table calculating the main foods that I ate in the three days of diet observation. The food that are being compared are
Pandan Chiffon Cake, Low Fat Milk, Fried Rice, Sugared Bun, Fishball Noodle, Steamed Egg with Minced Pork (eaten together with Rice), Chicken or Thick Porridge and Mamee Noodles Chicken Flavoured respectively.
I found out that Fried rice (w/ carrot, peas and corn) provided me with the most energy at 579 kcal and Low Fat Milk provided me with the least energy at 120 kcal. This is probably due to the carbohydrate from the rice grains. The fried rice also carries 14g of Protein and 16g of Total Fat. Therefore I can conclude, even though fried rice one of the foods with the highest content in Protein and Vitamins, it also carries a substantial amount of fats, sodium and starch.
Additionally, I made a comparison between Chicken Porridge and Thick Porridge. There is an obvious difference observed in Protein and Cholesterol levels. This is so as chicken meat is a good source of Protein, as well as Vitamin B6, Phosphorus, Niacin and Selenium. Protein is needed for growth and development of bones, skin, hair and muscles. People who are recovering from bone fracture, muscle tear or suffering from old age leading to stiff bones etc would be expected to eat more protein for faster recovery and smoother joints. The down side of this food is that it carries a high level of content in Cholesterol, thus explaining why chicken is placed in the third layer of the food pyramid and to be eaten in moderation. Consuming food with high cholesterol in immoderation will lead to blockages in arteries.
|
|
| Energy (kcal) |
| Protein (g) |
| Total fat (g) |
| Saturated fat (g) |
| Dietary fibre (g) |
| Carbohydrate (g) |
| Cholesterol (mg) |
| Sodium (mg) |
| Starch (g) |
| Sugar (g) |
| Polyunsaturated fat (g) |
| Trans fatty acids (g) |
|
| Pandan chiffon cake | MILK, LOW FAT, BROWNES | Rice, with green peas, corn and carrot, stir-fried | Bun, sugared, baked | NOODLES, FISHBALL, SOUP | Egg with minced pork, steamed | Porridge, chicken | Rice, porridge, thick | MAMEE, CHICKEN FLAVOUR, SNACK |
| 135 | 120 | 579 | 177 | 551 | 177 | 181 | 207 | 143 |
| 3 | 8 | 14 | 5 | 30 | 13 | 12 | 7 | 3 |
| 7 | 5 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 5 |
| 3.2 | 2.7 | 6.4 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 4.7 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.6 |
| 0.9 | 1.3 | 11.3 | 1.5 | 8.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.2 | 0.9 |
| 15 | 12 | 95 | 30 | 88 | 2 | 21 | 42 | 21 |
| 43 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 40 | 317 | 61 | 0 | 0 |
| 74 | 130 | 1,277 | 150 | 2,913 | 887 | 1,308 | 382 | 786 |
| 5.6 | 0.0 | 93.8 | N.A | 67.8 | N.A | N.A | 38.2 | 18.7 |
| 9 | 11 | 1 | N.A | 20 | N.A | N.A | 0 | 0 |
| 0.5 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 |
|
|
Using Recipe Analysis tool on HPB together with Healthy Diet Food Pyramid
The meal introduced above is my breakfast for Day 2 morning, ate together with a cup of low fat milk. With reference to the food pyramid and additional research, I am going to analysis a whether my breakfast was a healthy one. Below is the importance of breakfast to keep you mentally and physically alert throughout the day.
A healthy breakfast keeps your energy levels up throughout the day. Your body decreases its metabolism when you sleep and increases the chemical process for energy as you awaken. Your body uses the calories stored from food for energy as metabolism increases during the day. Breakfast provides the fuel to keep your metabolic rate thriving. The healthy foods you eat after you wake up maintain high energy levels that make you more productive.
Obtained from: http://www.livestrong.com/article/347834-what-constitutes-a-healthy-breakfast/#ixzz1MPk0Bx28
A considerably healthy breakfast will be one that includes 1-2 servings of complex carbohydrates (15g/serving),
1 serving of fat, 1 serving of protein (1oz or 30g of meat/serving) and 1 serving of fruit/vegetable accompanied by 200ml of milk (low fat or no fat). Now I will do a tally check with my original breakfast:
Therefore, my breakfast will be healthier should there be an inclusion of a serving of fruit or vegetables which is one the second tier of the healthy food pyramid. Referring to the food pyramid though, my breakfast consist of food being in the first and third tier. Nonetheless, the breakfast is relatively healthy as it fulfills the daily breakfast requirements.
------Improvisation------
Taken from HPB
Yes, that's right, I'm going to modify the dish above, from Vegetarian Fried Rice to Super-Duper-Healthy-Fried-oh-rice-Three-Thousand.
1) Addition of shrimps, Chinese barbecued pork. This will increase protein levels.
2) Replace plain white rice with brown rice. White rice is the result of removing bran and germ from unrefined/ brown rice. As a result, the is the loss of fiber, vitamins, magnesium and several minerals critical to lowering diabetics risk. The refining process of white rice disrupted the physical and botanical structure of rice grains, leading to the high Glycemic Index (GI) of white rice consumption. Therefore brown rice is a wiser choice as it has a lower GI value, high in phytonutrients (on par with fruits and vegetables), richer taste and texture and overall increased nutritional value.
3) Replace normal oil with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Olive oil is a healthy oil rich in mono-unsaturated fats, have a richer flavour and provides many antioxidant benefits (for skin). It lowers the risk of diabetes, heart diseases, atherosclerosis, colon cancer and asthma. Thus, it is a preferred choice and method of frying rice.
------Reflection------
Observations were that my diet is not balanced as there is a lack in fruits and vegetables in the diet over the three days. This is extremely important as fruits and vegetables constitutes the second most important layer in the healthy foods pyramid. I will take note to consume at least 2 servings of food or vegetables to allow my body to obtain certain essential vitamins, mineral and fiber not found in other tiers of the food pyramid.
This PT have also made me realised that my breakfast on alternate days (ie day 1 and 3) are not sufficient in providing me with energy to last and sustain for the rest of the day. Therefore a decrease in efficiency and proficiency in performance at school and CCAs while carrying out activities is expected. Note to take away: have a breakfast richer in protein levels and an addition of a fruit such as grapes is advised.
The usage of health tools from the Health Promotion Board has enabled me to better understand what I have been eating healthily and what I should better include in my diet to aid in my growth and preventive of illnesses in this age. I am also able to access my sandwich and better improvise it in the future. Overall observation include low levels of vitamins intake. I will continue to use these tools over the internet for at least once over 3 months to continue to monitor my diet.
It is important to have a sustained diet with a balance amount as according to the food pyramid. However, we should not compromise our own desire such as consuming of favourite sweets or chocolate. The trick in life is to find balance and seeking wiser ways to eat the same food with increased benefits and decreased disadvantages. Such as choosing dark chocolates over milk or white chocolates. Alternatively, one could choose to consume fruit salad with chocolate chips instead of eating an entire chocolate fruit cake. Optimising portioning tricks can also reduce the intake of unhealthy nutrients such as saturated fats. One example will be downsizing the amount of food placed on the plate or replacing more carbohydrates with green (dark-coloured) vegetables.
Conclusion:
A healthy diet, a healthier mind.
Sources: 15/5/11
- Servings:http://www.iemily.com/article-824.html
- Servings: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/fd_exch.htm
- Brown Rice vs White Ricehttp://www.ehow.com/how_5039326_choose-healthiest-rice.html
- Brown Rice vs White Rice:http://diabetes.webmd.com/news/20100614/brown-rice-vs-white-rice-which-is-better
- Olive Oil: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=132
- Fruits n Veges: http://www.helpwithcooking.com/healthy-eating/fruit-vegetables.html
