We're talking about something that might not seem like a big deal, but it's hiding in our food and affecting our health - salt. You know, the stuff we sprinkle on our fries? It's causing some trouble, and here's how.

Changing Eating Habits: What's Going On?

As our cities grow and change, so does our food. We're eating more and more processed foods that are easy to grab on the go. This change in what we eat is causing problems with our health. We're not getting the good stuff we need, like nutrients, from our food. Instead, we're loading up on things like fats, sugars, and salt. These are the things that make our food taste good but aren't always good for our bodies.

Too Much Salt: A Sneaky Problem

Did you know that too much salt can be bad for us? We're not just talking about the salt we shake onto our food. It's hiding in lots of other foods too, like instant noodles, snacks, sausages, and more. Eating too much salt can mess with our health, especially our blood pressure. And high blood pressure isn't a good thing – it can lead to heart problems and even stroke.
 

Who's Most Affected?

Different groups of people can be affected by too much salt. In some places, like Malaysia, the traditional foods we love can be really salty. This can lead to problems like high blood pressure. For example, Malays are more likely to have high blood pressure than Chinese folks. It's because their traditional foods often have lots of salt.

What Can We Do About It?

Cutting back on salt doesn't mean our food has to be boring. Here are some simple tips:

• Fresh is Best: Try to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. These are good for us and have less salt.

• Check Labels: When you're buying packaged food, look at the labels. They'll tell you how much salt is inside. Choose foods with less salt.

• Spice it Up: Use herbs and spices to make your food taste great without adding too much salt. Things like garlic, onions, and lemongrass can be awesome flavor boosters.

• Cook at Home: Try making your own meals at home. This way, you can control how much salt goes into your food.

• Less Fast Food: Eating out a lot can mean more salt in your diet. Try to eat out less and cook at home more often.

• Go Slow: Don't cut out all the salt at once. Your taste buds need time to adjust. Gradually use less salt in your cooking and you might not even miss it.

Salt Myths Busted:

• Sweating Doesn't Mean More Salt: Hot day? You might think you need more salt. Nope, just drink more water.

• Sea Salt vs. Regular Salt: It doesn't matter where the salt comes from – it's the sodium in it that can be a problem.

• Taste Can Be Tricky: Sometimes, salty foods don't even taste salty. Read labels to know for sure.

• Age Doesn't Matter: Too much salt is bad for everyone, young or old.

The Takeaway:

Salt might make food taste great, but too much isn't so great for our health. Let's be mindful of how much salt we're eating, read labels, cook more at home, and enjoy the flavors of fresh foods. Your body will thank you for it, and your taste buds might even adjust to the new, healthier flavors.

References

1. Balkish, M., N., Muhammad, F., M., Y., Sarimah, A., Kamarul Imran, M., Najib Majdi, Y., Maria, S., M., Norhafizah, S. and Tahir, A. 2019. Factors associated with the severity of hypertenstion among Malaysian adults. PLoS ONE 14(1): e0207472. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0207472

2. Mayo Clinic. 2019. Healty Lifestyle: Nutrition and healthy eating [online]. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/sodium/art-20045479 [Accessed on 6 April 2020].

3. Ministry of Healthy Malaysia. 2018. Guidelines for Healthcare Professionals: Health Education and Communication Tools to Reduce Salt Intake in Malaysia [online]. Available from http://www.moh.gov.my/moh/resources/Penerbitan/Rujukan/NCD/Garam/Guideline_for_healthcare_professionals.pdf [Accessed on 6 April 2020].

4. Ministry of Health Malaysia. 2018. Manual Penggunaan Bahan Pendidikan Kesihatan: Penjagaan Pemakanan Dalam Pengawalan Pengambilan Garam [online]. Available from http://www.moh.gov.my/moh/resources/Penerbitan/Rujukan/NCD/Garam/Buku_manual.pdf [Accessed on 6 April 2020].

5. National Coordinating Committee on Food and Nutrition. 2013. Malaysian Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents [online]. Available from http://nutrition.moh.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/penerbitan/buku/MDG_Children_adolescent_2014.pdf [Accessed on 6 April 2020].

6. National Coordinating Committee on Food and Nutrition. 2017. Recommended Nutrient Intakes for Malaysia [online]. Available from http://nutrition.moh.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/FA-Buku-RNI.pdf [Accessed on 6 April 2020].

7. New Straits Times. 2019. 4 out of 5 Malaysians eat too much salt [online]. Available from https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/479149/4-out-5-malaysians-eat-too-much-salt [Accessed on 6 April 2020].

8. World Health Organization. 2016. Salt reduction [online]. Available from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/salt-reduction [Accessed on 6 April 2020].

2015 World Health Statistics Report showed that in 2008, Malaysia had the highest obesity prevalence for adults aged ≥20 years among Southeast Asia countries. Increasing availability of sugar or sweeteners coupled with sedentary lifestyles are the contributing factor to Malaysia’s rising problem of obesity and other non-communicable disease problems (11).

On the other hand, Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey (MANS) 2002/2003, average adult in Malaysia consumes 7 teaspoons of sugar a day comprising 4 teaspoons of table sugar and 3 teaspoons of sweetened milk into beverages. This amount exceeds the recommendation of the World Health Organization and Malaysian Dietary Guidelines (11).

Track your consumption of added sugar can be tricky, since packaged foods don’t list the number of teaspoons of sugar and some of us are getting our added sugar by spooning it onto our foods or into our beverages.

Here are the important numbers to remember: 

There are 4 calories per gram of sugar and 4 grams per teaspoon. So if the label says it has 20 grams of sugar, that’s 5 teaspoons, or about 80 calories from sugar. Scan the labels for all sources of sugar in processed foods and  check the number of grams of added sugars in the nutrition labels (5). 

Artificial Sweeteners vs Sugar: Which is better?

Sugar substitute are known as a food additive that provides sweet taste like sugar without excess energy which can promote weight loss and deemed safe for consumption by diabetics (7). They can be either naturally produced or synthesized. Those sugar that are not natural are referred to as artificial sweeteners (9).

American Heart Association labels low-calorie sweeteners, artificial sweeteners and non-caloric sweeteners as non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs), since they offer no nutritional benefits such as vitamins and minerals. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the label “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) to five non-nutritive sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame-K, neotame, saccharin, sucralose and stevia. However, stevia doesn’t have a GRAS distinction but that doesn’t mean it’s dangerous, it just means there isn’t enough evidence yet either way (4).

Artificial sweeteners are thought to be beneficial for diabetics or obese as it provides sweetness without calories and a choice of sweets foods to those who cannot partake refined sugars. This artificial sweeteners may indeed restrict calories but their consumption has been shown to cause mild to serious side effects ranging from nuisance headaches to potentially life-threatening cancer.

However, artificial sweeteners are generally safe to consume but should be avoided by individual with phenylketonuria (a metabolic disorder which cannot metabolize amino acid phenylalanine found in aspartame or allergic to sulfonamides as saccharin belongs to this class of compound. In short, the consumption of artificial sweeteners may poses few health concerns  but it is especially beneficial if you use them to decrease the amount of added sugar in diet. The likelihood of negative effects can vary by individual and depend on the type of artificial sweetener consumed (1). If you have bad experience or negative effects after consuming artificial sweeteners try natural sweeteners instead.   


Get started cutting down on sugar with these tips


 1. Consume foods or beverages low in sugar (3)

a) Reading the food labels and ingredients list on packaged food is a good way to know and limit how much added sugar you eat.

b) Identify the sugar content claims on packaged foods such as (6).
 

• Sugar Free: one serving contains less than 0.5g of sugars, both natural and added. Also: free of sugar, sugarless, no sugar, zero sugar or trivial source of sugar.
• Reduced Sugar: Has at least 25% less sugars than the older version of the product. Also less sugar, low in sugar or lower sugar.
• No Added Sugar: No sugar or ingredients containing sugar was added during processing or packaging. Also without added sugar or no sugar added.

References

1. Alina, P. 2019. Artificial Sweeteners: Good or Bad? Healthline. Available from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/artificial-sweeteners-good-or-bad [Accessed on 15 April 2020]
2. American Heart Association. 2018. Added Sugars [online]. Available from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/added-sugars [Accessed on 15 April 2020].
3. American Heart Association. 2018. Life is Sweet with These Easy Sugar Swaps-Info graphic [online]. Available from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/life-is-sweet-with-these-easy-sugar-swaps-infographic [Accessed on 15 April 2020].
4. American Heart Association. 2018. Non-Nutritive Sweeteners (Artificial Sweeteners) [online]. Available from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/nonnutritive-sweeteners-artificial-sweeteners [Accessed on 15 April 2020].
5. American Heart Association. 2019. By Any Other Name It’s Still Sweetener [online]. Available from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/by-any-other-name-its-still-sweetener [Accessed on 15 April 2020]. 
6. American Heart Association. 2020. What’s the Difference Between Sugar Free and No Added Sugar [online]. Available from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/difference-between-sugar-free-and-no-added-sugar [Accessed on 15 April 2020].
7. Arun, S., Amarnath, S., Thulasimani, M. and Ramaswamy, S. 2016. Artificial sweeteners as sugar substitute: Are they really safe? Indian Journal of Pharmacology 48(3): 237-240.
8. Johnson, J. 2019. What to know about no-sugar diets. Medical New Today. Available from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319991#why-cut-out-sugar [Accessed on 15 April 2020]Kirtida, R., T. 2011. Sugar substitutes: Health controversy over perceived benefits. Journal of Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics 2(4): 236-243.
9. Maria, S., V., A., Khor, G., L. and Pauline, C. 2016. Intake of added sugar in Malaysia: a review: Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition 25(2): 227-240.
10. MyHealth Ministry of Health. 2014. Facts About Sugar [online]. Available from http://www.myhealth.gov.my/en/facts-about-sugar/ [Accessed on 15 April 2020].
11. World Health Organization. 2015. WHO calls on countries to reduce sugars intake among adults and children [press release]. Available from https://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/sugar-guideline/en  [Accessed on 15 April 2020].

“Eat more vegetables and fruits to get your fiber!” You may have heard these words. But what is fiber, really? How it works to improve our health? Let us take a closer look on it!

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that our body cannot digest undigested. Though most carbohydrates are broken down into sugar molecules but fiber cannot be broken down into sugar and thus it will pass through our body. These carbohydrates often considered beneficial in which mostly come from fruits, vegetables and legumes (1, 3, 6).

 
Fiber comes in two varieties, both beneficial to health (3):
 

Soluble fiber

Dissolves in water; absorb water to form a gel like substance that slow the digestion and cause you to feel full. They have been shown to decrease cholesterol and lower blood glucose. Common source of soluble fiber includes beans, oat bran, fruits and vegetables. It is also found in pysllium, a common fiber supplement.

Insoluble fiber

Does not dissolve in water; Increase fecal bulk and appear to help food pass more quickly through the digestive tract so it can be of benefit to those who struggle with constipation and irregular stools.

 Facts About Fiber (3,4)

#1 Fiber aids in achieving healthy weight.

#2 Fiber fight diseases. It appears to reduce risk of developing various health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, constipation and breast cancer.

#3 Fiber helps to lower cholesterol.

#4 Fiber helps to regulate blood glucose.

#5 Recommended dietary fiber intake per day for all age group is 20-30g/day. However, if a person is not currently eating enough of fiber, he or she should increase his or her fiber intake slowly  to avoid gas and bloating.

#6 More fiber needs more water. When eating a high fiber diet, be sure to drink at least eight or more glasses of water every day.

#7 Fiber aids in improving digestion by increasing stool bulk and regularity. A high-fiber diet may help reduce the risk of hemorrhoids and diverticulitis.

#8 Too much fiber is a bad thing. You may experience abdominal cramping, bloating, gas, constipation and even diarrhea.

#9 Fruit and vegetable peels are rich in several nutrients including fiber. Eating unpeeled fruits and vegetables keep you feel full longer due to its high fiber content. However, certain fruit and vegetable peels may be hard to consume or simply inedible. These peels are best removed and not eaten.

#10 Fruits and vegetable juice has less fiber than whole fruits and vegetable. This is because the skin is removed and thus it is more healthful to eat whole fruit and vegetable.

#11 Fiber cannot be cooked out.

Tips to Increase fiber intake (5,7)

Consume products that have whole grain listed as the first ingredients, high fiber content and low fat and sugar content.

Replace white rice, bread and pasta with brown rice and whole grain products.

Include legumes in your diet (beans, dried peas and lentils).

Eat unpeeled whole fruit and vegetables not juice.

Snack on fruits and vegetables

Take a fiber supplement (e.g psyllium)

In conclusion, fiber is an important dietary substance to your diet. This is because high fiber foods are also good sources of vitamins, mineral and antioxidants which offer many health benefits. Therefore, as one of the key ingredients to healthy eating, fiber is something you cannot skip.

References

1. Cleveland Clinic. 2019. Improving Your Health With Fiber. Available from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/14400-improving-your-health-with-fiber [Accessed on 23 April 2020].
2. Danielle, D. 2018. How much fiber is too much. Medical New Today. Available from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321286#treatment [Accessed on 23 April 2020].
3. Harvard University School of Public Health. (n.d.). Fiber. Available from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/fiber/ [Accessed on 23 April 2020].
4. Karin, L. 2016. 45 Interesting Facts about FIber. Fact Retriever. Available from https://www.factretriever.com/fiber-facts [Accessed on 23 April 2020].
5. Kerri, A., J. 2016. 16 Easy Ways to Eat More Fiber. Healthline. Available from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/16-ways-to-eat-more-fiber [Accessed on 23 April 2020].
6. Mayo Clinic. 2018. Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet. Available from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983 [Accessed on 23 April 2020].
7. My Health Ministry of Health. 2012. SERAT DAN KAWALAN DIABETES. Available from http://www.myhealth.gov.my/serat-dan-kawalan-diabetes/ [Accessed on 23 April 2020].

Recommended meat consumption

It is advised to eat 1 to 2 servings of either poultry, meat, or legumes and 1 serving of fish each day, as stated in the food pyramid's section on fish, poultry, meat, and legumes. This is so because the main takeaway from the Malaysian Dietary Guidelines (MDG) is to eat a variety of foods in moderation and with balance. Therefore, it is advised to eat food from a variety of sources, such as foods containing protein, which can come from fish, meat, poultry, and eggs. The protein source for dinner must therefore be meat, poultry, or eggs if you received your protein for lunch that day from a fish source. Another question comes up: how much constitutes one serving?

              Example of a serving size of protein.

Serving is loosely translated into ‘sajian’ or ‘hidangan’ in Bahasa Malaysia; thus, the picture above shows how much per serving of protein there is. As for meat, 1 serving of meat is about 2 matchboxes worth of meat. For fish, a medium-sized fish is equivalent to 1 serving, while for chicken, one part of the chicken, such as a drumstick, is considered 1 serving of chicken. As for eggs, 1 egg is considered a serving of protein.

As mentioned earlier, it is not advisable to consume protein from the same source, so it is also not advisable to consume meat every day, since we have protein-based foods from a variety of sources that will give different kinds of nutrients as well, such as ‘tauhu’, ‘tempeh’, eggs, seafood, and many more.
 

The picture below shows an easy way to know how much you should consume for carbohydrates, vegetables, fruits, and protein just by using your hands.
 

Good and bad things about meat

The study mostly found out that lean meat has various positive outcomes on individual health, especially for those with strength training exercises like athletes, as compared to if they consumed food from carbohydrates sources like pasta or rice, their muscle growth would be much slower. Another meta- analysis study that focused on the consumption of lean red meat (less than 0.5 servings per day) noted that the consumption of lean red meat does not negatively affect blood lipids or blood pressure. Which means the consumption of lean red meat does not impose a risk of heart problems, provided it is consumed within the recommended intake.

However, there are also studies that indicate that the consumption of red meat can impose health problems, such as that its saturated fat can lead to colon and breast cancer; the higher the cooking temperature for meat, the more carcinogenic it is; and the heme that is found in meat when cooked can produce compounds that can damage the cells, leading to cancer.

Which is why, when it comes to food, there is not just healthy food and unhealthy food; it is more than that. It depends on the health status of the individual consuming it, the cooking method, and various other factors.

In conclusion

Limiting red meat and processed meat to no more than 70g per day, or 2 servings per day, is the best. Consume protein-based foods from other sources of protein as well, not only red meat and processed meat, just as recommended by the Malaysia Dietary Guidelines (MDG).

References

1. Red Meat (2019). https://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/red-meat.html (Accessed on August 4, 2020).
2. World Cancer Research Fund. Limit red and processed meat. https://www.wcrf.org/dietandcancer/recommendations/limit-red-processed-meat#:~:text=Dietary%20goal,%2C%20if%20any%2C%20processed%20meat. (Accessed on August 4, 2020).
3. The truth about red meat. https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/the-truth-about-red-meat#2 (Accessed on August 4, 2020).
4. Is red meat bad for you, or good? An Objective Look. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-red-meat-bad-for-you-or-good (Accessed on August 4, 2020).

History of Dietary Fat Recommendations (4)
 

The confusion surrounding dietary fat intake has its roots in the past, as nutrition scientists struggled to effectively communicate their findings from nutrition studies to the public. Previously, the classic diet-heart hypothesis vilified dietary fat due to two key observations from observational studies and randomized controlled trials.

1. Controlled feeding trials showed that dietary saturated fatty acids and cholesterol elevated levels of serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (considered "bad" cholesterol).
2. Dietary fat intake was associated with increased levels of serum total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, which were predicted factors for cardiovascular disease.

Current Insights on Dietary Fat Intake (4)


Past research focused heavily on singular causal outcomes, but contemporary extensive research has illuminated multiple pathways contributing to the development of cardiovascular diseases. These pathways include factors beyond total cholesterol intake or LDL levels, such as smoking, obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and more.

As a result, recommendations for dietary fat intake among individuals with cardiovascular disease and those seeking to prevent it need to evolve accordingly.
 

Types of Fats and Cholesterol, Along with Dietary Recommendations (4,5,6)
 

To comprehend dietary recommendations for fat and cholesterol intake, let's first explore the different types. Saturated fat, often labeled as "bad" fat, is solid at room temperature. It can contribute to weight gain and increased levels of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream. Sources high in saturated fat include meat, chicken skin, margarine, and fatty dairy products.
 

Unsaturated fats, considered "good" fats, are divided into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. They can elevate HDL (good cholesterol), lower LDL (bad cholesterol), reduce blood pressure, and decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Examples of monounsaturated fats are palm oil, canola oil, olive oil, and cashew nuts. Polyunsaturated fats include corn oil, sunflower oil, and fish oil. For optimal results, studies suggest a 1:1 ratio blend of these two types of oils in cooking, such as combining palm oil and sunflower oil.
 

Trans fat, the least desirable type, forms during hydrogenation when liquid fats turn solid. Trans fat, or trans-fatty acids, are commonly found in processed and frozen foods to prolong shelf life. Consumption of trans fat should be limited, as it's associated with elevated LDL cholesterol levels, increased cardiovascular disease risk, and certain cancers. Sources of trans fat include margarine, fried foods cooked in unsaturated fats like sunflower oil, as well as ready-to-eat and canned foods.
 

 
In Conclusion (4,5)

While there isn't a specific universal standard for each fat type due to various factors, the World Health Organization (WHO) generally recommends fat intake between 20% to 30% of total calories. In Malaysia, this translates to about 45g to 67g of fat, roughly 3 to 5 tablespoons of oil (based on a 2000 kcal/day diet).
 

As consumers, it's vital to distinguish health-promoting fats from detrimental ones and limit the intake of harmful fats to cultivate a healthy eating lifestyle.
 

Practical steps include choosing fresh poultry or seafood over processed foods like tempura or finger foods. Cooking methods matter greatly; opt for steaming, baking, boiling, and grilling. When dining out, consider that many eateries reuse cooking oil, making healthier choices paramount.
 

Limiting trans-fat intake is crucial. Apart from processed and frozen foods, restrict consumption of high-cholesterol items such as mayonnaise, animal organs, and fish heads.
 

Being mindful of what you fuel your body with is as important as feeding your mind with positive thoughts. Nourish both body and mind with beneficial nutrients by selecting healthy fats!

The demand for healthier food is on the rise, leading to more options in the market. A Forbes report in 2017 noted that over 23 billion people engaged with food-related content, and searches for healthy food topics like vegan or gluten-free food on the internet increased by more than 100% (1).

As people increasingly look for healthier food choices, and with numerous options available, a key question emerges: How do consumers go about making the right decisions when buying healthy food? Is the "healthy" label more about marketing than the actual nutritional value of the food?

Grocery shopping might seem straightforward, but when you factor in your budget, the number of people to feed, and the need for healthier food choices, it can become a bit overwhelming—especially if there are specific food allergies or medical conditions in the household. Don't worry; we're here to simplify things and make your grocery shopping experience smoother!
 

1. Plan (2, 3, 5): To streamline your grocery shopping, consider planning your meals for the week. This not only helps you stick to your budget but also ensures that you make healthier food choices. Meal planning saves both time and money while guaranteeing that you and your family enjoy nutritious meals. Here's an example of a weekly meal plan for a family of two:

   • Monday:

     • Breakfast: Oatmeal with fruit

     • Lunch: Grilled chicken salad

     • Dinner: Baked fish with vegetables

   • Tuesday:

     • Breakfast: Greek yogurt with granola

     • Lunch: Quinoa and vegetable stir-fry

     • Dinner: Lentil soup and rice

   • Wednesday:

     • Breakfast: Whole grain toast with avocado

     • Lunch: Turkey and vegetable wrap

     • Dinner: Brown rice with roasted chicken

And so on for the rest of the week. Planning not only ensures a variety in your meals but also helps you make healthier choices while staying within your budget.

You may get this kind of template for weekly meal planner online since it can be exciting to incorporate your family members favourite dishes or try a new recipe using it. Based on this, you get to know what you need to stock in your kitchen and pantry with.

2.  Looking for Healthy Food in the Market (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

Now comes the tricky part! Once you've planned your meals for the week, consider breaking them down into food categories. Supermarkets or your local grocery store usually organize their items by class. These classes typically include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fruits, and vegetables.


Carbohydrates (3, 4, 5)
 

Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet for you and your family involves consuming food in variation, balance, and moderation. When it comes to carbohydrates, ensure that your sources are diverse. Examples of carbohydrate sources include pasta, rice, bread, noodles, and certain vegetables like potatoes. Throughout the week, vary your food choices from these sources, emphasizing low glycemic index (GI) and whole-grain products over high GI options.
 

Glycemic Index (GI): This is a rating system for foods containing carbohydrates, indicating how quickly each food affects your blood sugar level when consumed on its own. High GI foods, like sugary items, soft drinks, white bread, potatoes, and white rice, lead to a rapid increase in blood sugar. On the other hand, low GI foods are broken down slowly, providing a gradual increase in blood sugar and promoting a longer feeling of fullness (satiety). Examples of low GI foods include green leafy vegetables, whole grains like oats and brown rice, and legumes. Incorporating a variety of these options into your weekly meals contributes to a healthier and more satisfying diet.

Protein (3,4).

Protein can be obtained from various food sources, with the commonly known options being chicken, meat, and fish. Additionally, soy-based foods like 'tauhu' and 'tempeh' are rich in protein. It's worth noting that 'tempeh,' a local soy-based food, not only boasts high protein content but is also abundant in probiotics.
 

When selecting meat, it's advisable to opt for white meat over red meat. This choice is driven by the fact that red meat contains elevated levels of saturated fats, which can adversely affect heart health. While occasional consumption of red meat is acceptable, moderation is key to maintaining a heart-healthy diet. Incorporating dairy products is also crucial for achieving a balanced and nutritious meal. Therefore, consider including dairy products in your diet to support overall health.

Fats (7)

Various types of cooking oils flood the market, often marketed for their low cholesterol content. But is this claim accurate? It turns out, this is largely a marketing strategy. Cooking oils like sunflower oil, canola oil, corn oil, olive oil, and even the widely used palm oil are all plant-derived. Consequently, plant-based foods generally do not contain cholesterol. Cholesterol is exclusively found in animal-based foods.

Below is the classification of cooking oil:

It is recommended to blend your cooking oils in a 1:1 ratio, ensuring an equal combination of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.


Vegetables & Fruits (3,4,5).

When it comes to vegetables, it is recommended to aim for three servings per day, making them a significant portion of your market purchases to ensure everyone gets enough. However, dealing with vegetables can be a bit challenging due to their short lifespan.

Ensure that 20%-30% of your vegetable intake consists of green leafy vegetables. Although these vegetables, being a source of insoluble fiber, benefit digestion and help regulate blood glucose levels, they are also highly perishable. To diversify, consider incorporating rhizome vegetables like carrots and radishes, along with tuber vegetables such as potatoes.

Tuber vegetables are generally high in carbohydrates and aid in digestion but can cause a spike in glucose levels. Thus, exercise caution when consuming this type of vegetable.

3. Looking for LOW sodium, LOW sugar, LOW fat (6)
 

Always scrutinize food labels, especially for condiments. However, it is also advisable to turn to natural herbs to enhance the flavor of your dishes. Garlic, ginger, celery, spring onion, turmeric, and chili powder are examples of herbs that can elevate the taste of your meals.

Regarding condiments, it's crucial to note that "less sugar," "less salt," and "low fat" don't imply an absence of these components; rather, they signify an improved formulation from previous versions. For instance, if the previous formulation contained 30g of salt, the current one might have only 15g. Therefore, while using these reduced-salt, sugar, and low-fat condiments is a healthier choice, it's still essential to employ them in moderation for optimal health benefits.
 

In conclusion, while purchasing healthy food is crucial for maintaining a nutritious diet, the method of cooking is equally important. Prioritize cooking techniques such as boiling, grilling, and steaming to ensure the nutritional value of your meals is preserved. Remember, taste preferences can be cultivated by training your taste buds to appreciate healthy foods. Over time, you will find yourself adapting to a healthier diet and making mindful choices that contribute to your overall well-being.

References

1. How to make healthy shopping grocery list (n.d). https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/healthy-grocery-list#TOC_TITLE_HDR_5 (Accessed on August 20, 2020).
2. Marketing Healthy Food: Strategies to make discovery easier (2017). https://www.forbes.com/sites/matzucker/2017/02/22/marketing-healthy-food/#4e329aa462e8 (Accessed on August 20, 2020).
3. Kathleen M.Z., 10 Tips for Healthy Grocery Shopping (n.d). https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/10-tips-for-healthy-grocery-shopping#1 (Accessed on August 20, 2020).
4. Make a Grocery List in a Minute (n.d). https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/guide/grocery-list#1 (Accessed on August 20, 2020).
5. Food Network. Katie Allen. Smart Shopping Guide for Healthy Meals (n.d). https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/articles/a-guide-to-smart-supermarket-shopping-from-the-fn-kitchens (Accessed on August 20, 2020).
6. Ministry of Health. My Health Portal. NurAidaliana Abas. Lemak dan Kolesterol (2015). http://www.myhealth.gov.my/lemak-dan-kolesterol/ (Accessed on August 20, 2020).
7. National Health Service (NHS). What is the Glycemic Index (GI) (2018). https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/food-and-diet/what-is-the-glycaemic-index-gi/ (Accessed on August 20, 2020).

 Tips 1: Plan your meals (1,2,3)

Try going for grocery shopping according to a list that you have made and while making that list try to picture the kind of healthy food that you are going to prepare. Do not forget to take into account your snacks. Make sure to stock a lot of fruits and vegetables. Try your best not to buy any junk food. Try to snack on all those fruits and vegetables without dressings, start off with fruits and slowly move to vegetables.

Tips 2: Do not banned food, but use smaller portion (1,2,3)

When it comes to diet or losing weight people tend to ditch all of their bad habits and try to acquire new habits, but most of the time this is something that will not last long. According to studies, when you suppressed your craving you will be even more craving for it, but rather try to ease your craving with eating in smaller portion. Use small plate all the time when you are trying to lose weight. Smaller plates will trick your mind to think that you have eaten a lot since your plate is full of food, but actually using small plate allow you to eat much lesser than what you usually consume.

Tips 3: Drink plenty of water at the right time (1,3, 4,5)

A study that is published in journal of obesity found out that, drinking water 30 minutes before your main meal is able to reduce about 9.48 pounds if you do this with all three of your main meals. While, if you do this only once per day on average you will be able to lose about 1.76 pounds.

Drink water before main meals make you less likely to drink water while eating or shortly after eating. This is good to allow your nutrient to be able to absorb properly in the body. Eating food while drinking water or shortly after your main meals will dilute your enzyme and cause poor nutrient absorption.

Also, whenever your mind sending signal that you are hungry and need food, try to drink water first and see if it satisfy you. Study shows that when you frequently eating without waiting for your body cues sometimes your mind is confused whether you are hungry or you simply want something to munch or boring. Thus, it is advisable to drink plain water first and see if it makes you full.

Tips 4: Consume high fiber food (1, 3, 4)

Although, fat is seen as the culprit to many kinds of diseases but the truth is nowadays, the main culprit is carbohydrate. It is true that carbohydrate is very important in making sure that we have sufficient energy, however consuming extra carbohydrate is what making most of us Malaysians nowadays fat. Furthermore, most of our foods nowadays come in huge sizes as compared to the previous years, which make people even more difficult to control their food portion. 

Cutting down on refined sugar such as table sugar, brown sugar, honey and hidden sugar in foods and drinks also help in maintaining your weight, ditch all of the sugary beverages like Starbucks, Boba teas and all those processed and high sugar food which can makes you full for shorter period of time. 

Instead, replace sugar intake with high fiber food such as vegetables and fruits. They are not only rich with vitamins and minerals, but also antioxidants, that are require by the body. Choose carbohydrates with high fiber content, this will help to keep your blood sugar is in control and will allow you to feel full longer. 

 

Tips 5: Be active (1, 2, 3)

Exercise consistently. Start with a few minutes of walking and slowly extend the time until you can do at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. If you have not exercised in a while, be sure to check with your doctor first. Also, if you are worried to exercise in public spaces due to COVID19, you may try indoor exercise, you will be surprised at how effective this is not only to your physical health but also to your mental health.

Commonly people will say that they do not have time to exercise, the advise is if you have time to scroll your Facebook feeds or any social media then you have time to exercise. Exercise do not really require you to put on your gym attire, or yoga mat, it just require you to move your body, it can be as simple as walking (e.g: try to take public transport to office), or as simple as doing house chores.

Find a good buddy. Friends and family are great buddies to support on losing weight and exercise journey.

In conclusion, all these tips will not only make you lose weight, but it also will make you healthier. Losing weight quickly may be intriguing, but it can be detrimental to your health. Thus, try to incorporate habit that will give no harm to your body and try to acquire as many healthy habit as you can.

References

1. National Health Service (NHS). United Kingdom (UK). 12 Tips to help you lose weight (2019). https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/12-tips-to-help-you-lose-weight/ (Accessed on December 31, 2020)
2. Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH). My Health Portal. Weight Management (2019). http://www.myhealth.gov.my/en/weight-management/ (Accessed on December 31, 2020)
3. Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH). My Health Portal. Diet for Overweight and Obese. (2019). http://www.myhealth.gov.my/en/diet-for-overweight/ (Accessed on December 31, 2020).
4. Singapore Health Promotion Board. HealthXchange Singapore. Drinking water at the right time (n.d). https://www.healthxchange.sg/food-nutrition/food-tips/drinking-water-right-time (Accessed on December 31, 2020).
5. Parretti, H. M., Aveyard, P., Blannin, A., Clifford, S. J., Coleman, S. J., Roalfe, A., & Daley, A. J. (2015). Efficacy of water preloading before main meals as a strategy for weight loss in primary care patients with obesity: RCT. Obesity, 23(9), 1785-1791.

Once  you google about how to loss weight you will find all sorts of ways to loss weight from portion control, exercising, ban fatty foods, do not skip breakfast and many more.

The most important and simple concept about losing weight is, the more you put into your body (calories/foods) the more effort you need to put in order to lose it. For someone with extra weight, it is important to control your portion so that body can use whatever calories it already has to burn. In doing this, exercise really helps to speed up the process.

Here are 3 Tips that you can practice apart from portion control and exercise in order to speed up the weight loss:

• Drink plenty of water

Drink water helps your body to identify whether you are hungry or you are just wanting something to munch or your stomach is merely ‘boring’. That is why one pro-tips for dieting is to drink water 30 minutes before you eat. This allow your stomach to feel a bit full and avoid you from eating too much. Of course the water that we are referring here is PLAIN WATER not your juice, coffee, tea or milkshakes.

• Eat high fiber food

Consumption of 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruits as per recommended by Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) will also help in improving portion control. Often times, dieters find its hard to limit portion as it will at the end makes people even more crave for food as the portioning does not satisfy their appetite.

But actually, a good amount of vegetables, fruits and protein should help to curb the cravings. That is the beauty of consuming whole food as compared to processed foods or fast foods. Often times the later will not satisfy your hunger and due to the high sodium content it will make you crave for it even more.

Hence, lead to bigger portion size and more calories/weight being load into your body.

High fiber content can also be found in your carbohydrates. Consumption of carbohydrates from wholegrain breads, brown rice, or even starchy fruits/ vegetables such as pumpkin and corn also help to improve your daily fiber consumption and at the same time give you sufficient carbohydrates and fullness.

• Eat slowly

Consumption of foods nowadays are often times in rush, or while doing other things like small talk, or while watching screen/video etc. These activities do not allow individual to be engaged with foods but rather with other things. This will also lead to over consumption of food and inability to realize fullness, in the long run can caused weight gain.

Thus, among things to do during eating is by using small plate and also by eating slowly. Using small plates allow individual to reduce the portion size while eating slowly allow ones to realize fullness.

Often times, people do not realized their body cues which can lead to over consumption, weight gain and obesity.

Eat mindfully allow one to fully aware of what is put inside the body, having said this, it does not mean that one has to eat healthy food all the times, since pleasurable is one of the important factor to mind, food is not merely consume for the sake of being healthy, but also a source of happiness. Thus, try to find balance in these two helps with not only being healthy physically but also mentally!

Calories are a unit of measurement for the amount of energy in food and beverages.

We put energy into our bodies when we eat and drink. This energy will then be used in our daily activities, such as breathing, sleeping, and running.

To maintain a stable weight, we must balance the energy we put into our bodies with the energy we use through normal body functions and daily activities. Simply put, the more calories you put into your body, the more activities you need to do to burn them off, and vice versa.

General calories intake

Men on average need about 2500 kcal per day, while women need about 2000 kcal per day. However, as mentioned above, the amount of recommended nutrient intake varies from person to person based on their daily activities, occupation, frequency of exercise, lifestyle habits, and also body metabolism.

The more vigorously you engage in an activity, the more calories you will expend. Fast walking, for example, burns more calories than moderate walking. If you're gaining weight, it could be because you've been eating and drinking more calories than you've been burning. To lose weight, you must expend more energy than you consume; this can be accomplished by eating less or exercising more vigorously. Doing this consistently over time will get you to your desired weight.

When people try to lose weight, they tend to restrict their food intake and often do not enjoy their diet changes. A healthy diet should also be a sustainable diet, which means gradually but consistently reducing unhealthy food consumption, consuming more healthier food options, and being mindful of the amount of food consumed.

Calorie counter

Nowadays, there are various apps that can be used on a mobile phone to track not only your calorie intake but also your steps, exercise, and the energy that you burn. Using all these apps and gadgets is helpful in making sure that you are on track with your diet and exercise.

One of the apps developed by the Ministry of Health Malaysia that is compatible with the Malaysian variety of foods is My Nutri Diary 2.0. The app is helpful in monitoring your calorie intake and your weight progress. Often, when we use calorie tracking apps, it frustrates users that the app does not know how many calories a nasi lemak has (or any local food), but with my nutri diary, it covers a variety of Malaysian food options, which can be helpful for our daily food consumption.

Gap between unhealthy diet and body needs

While trying to lose, put on, or maintain weight, imbalanced consumption of foods may lead to the loss of some essential nutrients. Hence, to bridge the gap between the lack of nutrients in food and what the body needs, consumption of multivitamins and multiminerals is helpful.

Other conditions include denture problems, loss of appetite, a hectic lifestyle, and many more.

In this article we are going to focus solely on slimming products that people consume like functional foods, pills, beverages, not for external use like ointment, lotion, or other types of slimming products since different kind of product has different method on how they give effect to the body.

Slimming pills on the market is either from drug, or drug combination or from herbal supplement. As for drugs at the moment, in Malaysia we only use two types of drugs which is anti-obesity medicine (AOM) that act on gastrointestinal tracts (GIT) or better known as orlistat (brand name Xenical) and drugs which is used to suppress appetite or better known as Sibutramine or phentermine. The consumption of all these drugs must be prescribed and monitored by doctors.

There are certain criteria for doctors to consider in order to prescribed slimming pills such as when individual has BMI more than 30, but most importantly is when the individual have tried to loss weight like eat healthily and exercise. Once individual have achieved certain weight loss then the doctor can no longer prescribed the medication, which is why, the consumption of such drugs needs to be monitored by doctors only. Also, to note that there have been cases previously where the prescription of slimming drugs which harm individual health, the drug is called Fen-Phen, it was phenomenal back then, it was a combination from Phentermine and Fenfluramine, but Foods and Drugs Administration (FDA) already take it back from the market as it can harm human health specifically heart valve. When prescribing slimming drugs doctors will usually conduct full body examination and blood test from time to time thus whatever things that is not suitable for body may be detected early, unlike consuming slimming pills without prescription.

As for herbal supplement slimming pills, the ingredients can be from various ingredients, either plant-based ingredients or animal-based ingredient. Since it does not consider as drugs thus it is not put under the strict and effectiveness requirement that drugs are in.

In Malaysia, all these supplement products need to be notified to Ministry of Health (MOH) under the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) for its safety. Once it is being notified, NPRA will provide the supplement products with notification number. Many product founders use this as their marketing strategy as to promote that their product is approved by MOH. However, products with notification number does not means that they are safe. It means that they are confident that their product is safe so that MOH can come and spot check anytime to make sure that their products is safe. Of course, before NPRA provide the product with the notification number they already go through the product ingredients and all that, but different batches of supplement are produce over the time, which can be different from the one sent for checking initially.

Among common ingredients that are in slimming pills supplement are chitosan (from shrimp shell), caffeine, bitter orange, green tea, beta gluten, carnitine, raspberry ketone, white kidney bean, yohimbe, guar gum, garcinia cambogia, fucoxanthin and many more. All these ingredients usually do not have conclusive study findings but rather mixing or promising study findings.

Which is why when it comes to supplement consumption it is very much suggested to go through below guideline from MOH:

1. Check the products that you are going to buy whether it is registered with the regulatory authority.
2. Some of the products (including herbal) may also cause adverse effects. Make sure your medical condition is not affected by it if you would like to try these products. Seek advice from healthcare practitioner before consuming it.
3. Read label carefully and do not take more than the listed dose.
4. These products are licensed as either over the counter (OTC), traditional, or functional food, therefore it is not ethical for the founder to make claim such as ‘stops from being fat’ or ‘speeds up metabolism’.
5. Avoid slimming products which promote rapid weight loss, promise quick result, suggest that you do not need to exercise or diet, fail to recommend dietary advice or worse encourage that you can still consume anything you want.

In conclusion, whether slimming pills work or not it is still depending on type of slimming pills itself whether it is considered as drugs (need doctor prescription) or herbal one which is over the counter pills. All in all, health experts agree that making lifestyle changes including following a healthy eating pattern, reducing calorie intake, and engage in physical activity is the basis for achieving long term weight loss. But since making lifestyle changes can be difficult to some people, even more nowadays that there are many temptations for unhealthy food around us, not to mention the processed food which is marketed as ready to eat or ready to cook food (microwaved) but contain high trans-fat. Thus, it is really suggested that if you are to consume any slimming pills, get advice from healthcare professionals and accompanied it with healthy eating habit and exercise.

References

1. Ministry of Health (MOH). MyHealth Portal. Slimming Pills. http://www.myhealth.gov.my/en/slimming-pills-2/
2. National Institute of Health (NIH). Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss. Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/WeightLoss-HealthProfessional/
3. Lasting damage from Fen Phen. https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20081105/lasting-heart-damage-from-fen-phen#1