Reflections

What have you learnt about your eating habits?

Through this PT, I have learnt that I have to control my diet and the food I eat. I also have to eat food in moderation. Although while consuming each food individually does not seem like alot, after calculating the total amount, I have realised that I have not been eating very healthily. Also, although seasonings can make food taste better, it tends to be more unhealthy. I usually base my diet on the taste of the food and seldom take into consideration whether the meal might be unhealthy. Hence, I should change my eating habits so that I can lead a healthier life.

Do you consider your diet a healthy one? Why?

I think that my diet is rather unhealthy. This is because my nutritional intake (e.g. sodium, saturated fats, cholesterol) way exceeds the recommended daily allowance. This might lead to or increase risks of heart diseases, hypertension and many other illnesses. Thus, I will try to eat in moderation in future.

Are the suggested nutritional tools useful? How?

I feel that the nutritional tools are rather useful, however, there are some limitations of it.

The nutritional tool is useful because it help us to calculate the amount of nutritional intake. This will allow us to gauge the amount of food we eat and whether it is healthy or unhealthy. This will help us to make informed choices and help us decide how much and which type of food to cut down or eat more of, so as to help us have a healthier diet.

However, the nutritional tools have a specific portion of food that they count and the amount of each nutrition (e.g. saturated fats, protein, etc) is fixed. This will cause the results to be inaccurate as the nutrition in our food varies. Also, words like 'serving' and 'cup' are used. The size of a serving or a cup are not stated clearly, hence to different people, the amount in a serving or a cup may vary.

Why is your suggested one-dish meal healthy?

My dish uses olive oil, which is a type of vegetable oil that is more healthy than other types of oil. Also, vegetables, which we are supposed to consume more of, are included in the meal, hence making the meal healthier. Less salt and other type of seasonings are used, thus decreasing the amount of sodium, saturated fats significantly.

Healthy one-dish meal suggestion

A healthy one-dish meal I would like to modify is the fried noodles that I consumed on Day 3. Firstly, the noodles should be cooked with less seasonings and salt, so as to decrease the sodium intake. Also, olive oil should be used because it is healthier compared to other types of oils. Olive oil also has some health benefits such as offering protection against heart disease, etc. This is because olive oil has high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidative substances. I could also add vegetables to the noodles to make it more healthy.

Analysis of 3-Day Diet

Food Intake Assessment

The following table shows my actual nutritional intake compared against RDA. (click for larger image)

Based on the Food Intake Assessment on the Health Promotion Board website, my sodium and cholesterol level was a lot greater than the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA).

My sodium level was 500%. This is unhealthy as excess sodium increases the blood volume,which then raises the pressure in our blood vessels. Hypertension or high blood pressure increases the risk of strokes and heart attacks. However, this percentage might not be accurate because the food I eat at home, mostly cooked by my mother, would probably have a lower salt content as we do not add as much salt, sauces and seasonings.

Also, the Food Intake Assessment states that my intake of saturated fat, at 409% was higher than that of the recommended amount. An excess amount of saturated fat could raise blood cholesterol, thus leading to an increasing risk of heart diseases. The main sources of fat (e.g. coconut-milk based foods, blended oil) in our diet are the sources of saturated fat. The reason why my saturated fat intake might be so high could be because of the type of oils and ingredients used in cooking the different foods. Hence, to reduce my saturated fat intake, I could cut down or limit such sources of fat.

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.


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.

3-Day Diet

Note: Please click for larger image