Find out more about your health here from our health professionals!
Superfood is a non-medical term, usually refers to foods that have health promoting properties. According to American Heart Association (AHA), there is just no specific category when it comes to superfood. It mostly is plant-based food but sometimes it can be fish and dairy that are nutritionally dense as well. Superfoods usually contain unusually high content of antioxidant to ward of cancer, high in fiber which does not spike blood glucose thus have the properties to prevent diabetes and digestive problem. It is also high with healthy fat to prevent heart disease and contain phytochemicals that is responsible for food deep colors. Example of superfoods are green tea, acai berries, salmon and quinoa (1,2).
What is quinoa?
Quinoa or also known as pseudo-cereals is world most popular superfood, even recognized by Harvard School of Public Health. Quinoa is gluten free, high in protein and one the few plant foods that contain complete all nine essential amino acids (3).
It is not only rare to have all the nine essential amino acids in a food, but it is as well is important and easy for us! To make it easy to understand, for amino acid there are two kind of amino acids, essential and non-essential. Essential amino acid is the amino acids that cannot be synthesized by human body, it must be gathered from diet, while the non-essential amino acids is the amino acids that can be synthesized by human body itself. Amino acid is important for the growth, repairing of body tissue, breaking down the food and many others. Thus, when quinoa has its all, this superfood really is NUTRITIOUS (4,5)!
Quinoa also is high in fiber, magnesium, B vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, E vitamin and various antioxidants (4,5).
Is Quinoa really superfood?
Yes! Even according to Harvard School of Public Health! Quinoa is technically a seed, but due to its nutritious properties it is considered as whole grain. One cup of cooked quinoa provides about 8g of protein and 5g of fiber. Thus, it really promotes satiety and is suitable for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
When it comes to superfood, there are various claim with regards to this. Some critical claim said that, a superfood might be a superfood but the process itself might make the superfood not as nutritious as it would be, which is why, it is really important to understand the cooking process and food process itself.
As for quinoa, it has different level of maturity of seeds even in the same plant, thus it must be hand-picked undergo the process of removing saponin – a bitter chemical compound coating the exterior part of quinoa that act as natural pesticides. After this process, quinoa is then healthy and safe to be eaten!
But due to its high nutrient content, some people said that, it not really palatable, especially with the Asian or Malaysian palate! Thus, there are few cooking or serving suggestion with regards to quinoa if you are to consume this superfood!
Replace your carbohydrate with quinoa
Since quinoa is better than the average rice, pasta, and many other carbs, thus it is advisable to replace it with quinoa. As an example, you may replace quinoa in sushi, pasta salad and you can even prepare it as a breakfast cereal by simply cook it with milk or water and diced in some fruits or pop in some cinnamon and a table spoon of nuts!
But, since Quinoa is prominently in cultivated in country such as Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Ecuador, thus it is really difficult to get the quinoa in the country like Malaysia, so what can one do with regard to this ?
It is to.. choose food product that has quinoa as its main ingredients!
You may drink it as it is and still get the benefits from quinoa if its in powder form, or you can even add this product in your salad, as gravy or in less sugar cookies, muffin, bownies or even pancake!
Example below on how quinoa can be served as!
Quinoa as breakfast cereal
Quinoa with salad
Quinoa puffed
Quinoa muffin
Quinoa bites
References
How to shop for healthy food on the market?
As the demands for healthy food is
increasing thus healthy food option on the market is becoming more ubiquitous
as well. In 2017, Forbes wrote that people who view on food related contents is
more than 23 billion and search on healthy food content like vegan or gluten
free food on the internet is increasing more that 100% (1).
As people are started to search for healthy food and
there are many healthy food options on the market, how do consumers make the
right choice in buying healthy food? Or is healthy food is more to marketing
strategy rather than ‘healthy’ itself ?
Tips for buying healthy groceries.
Buying groceries seems easy until, you put into account
your budget, how many heads need to be fed and the need to make healthier food
choices for everyone in the household! Even more headache, if any of the
members in the house have specific food allergies or certain medical condition
that allow only specific food to be eaten. Fret not, here we try to simplify
things for you and smoothen your grocery shopping experience!
1. Plan ahead (2,3,5).
In order to ease your groceries shopping out, you may
actually plan ahead your meal of the week, this can as well make sure that you
only shop within your budget. Meal planning not only saving your money and
time, but it also can ensure you and your family gets healthy and nutritious
meal. Below is the example of meal planning for family of two throughout the
week.
You may get this kind of template for weekly meal
planner online since it can be exciting, to incorporates your family members
favourite dish or trying new recipe using this. Based on this, you get to know
what are the things you need to stock at your kitchen and pantry with.
2. Looking for healthy food on the market (3,4,5,6,7).
Here comes the tricky one! After you have planned your
meal of the week, you may divide it according to classes of food, since food in
the supermarket or even your local grocery shop (support local, small SME), is
usually by category. Food classes can be divided into carbohydrate, protein,
fats, fruits, and veggies.
Carbohydrates (3,4,5).
Always remember to consume food in variation, balance
and in moderation, to keep you and your family a healthy balance diet. When it
comes to carbohydrate, make sure the source of your carbohydrate comes from
variety of source. Example of carbohydrate sources are pasta, rice, bread,
noodle, and some vegetables like potatoes. Vary food from these sources
throughout the week and choose food from the low glycaemic index and
whole-grain product more than the high glycaemic index.
Glycemic index (GI) is a rating system for foods
containing carbohydrates. It shows how quickly each food affects your blood
sugar (glucose) level when that food is eaten on its own. High GI foods are
broken down quickly by your body and cause a rapid increase in blood sugar
level, such as sugary and sugary foods, soft drinks, white bread, potatoes, and
white rice. Meanwhile, low GI food is the kind of food that will slowly spike
your blood because it is broken down slowly and makes you full longer (promotes
satiety). Example of low GI foods are green leafy vegetables, wholegrain food
such as oat and brown rice, legumes and many more.
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Protein (3,4).
Protein can also derive from various food resources,
commonly known are chicken, meat, and fish, but there is also other soy-based
food that is high with protein content, such as ‘tauhu’ and ‘tempeh’. Not only
that ‘tempeh’ (local soy-based food) is high with protein but rich in
probiotics as well.
Always choose white meat over red meat, since red meat
has high saturated fats which is not good for your heart health, it is ok to
consume it but in moderation and not too seldom. Dairy products are important
as well in incorporating healthy, balance meal, thus consider including dairy
product in your diet as well.
Fats (7).
There are many types of cooking oil on the market, they
are also marketed as the cooking oil which has low cholesterol level. Is it
true? This is all marketing strategy, as all of the cooking oil such as
sunflower oil, canola oil, corn oil, olive oil, or even the common one which is
palm oil is derived from plant thus, plant-based food generally does not
contain cholesterol. Cholesterol is only coming from animal -based food.
Below is the classification of cooking oil;
It is suggested to mix your cooking oil in the 1:1
ration, which means 1 part of monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.
Vegetables & Fruits (3,4,5).
As for vegetables, it is suggested to consume 3 servings
of vegetables per day, thus you can tell that it needs to be the most food
items that you bought for the market in order to make sure everyone consume
enough vegetables.
It is quite troublesome when it comes to vegetables
since most of the vegetables have short life span. Make sure 20%-30% of your
vegetables coming from green leafy vegetables, since these are insoluble fiber
which is good for your digestion and slow down the spike of your blood glucose
level, but these are the kind of vegetables that is easily perishable as well.
The rest you may add with rhizome types of vegetables such as carrot and
radish, and another one us tuber such as potatoes.
Tuber kind of vegetables are mostly high in carbohydrate
as well, it is still helping the digestion, but it can spike your glucose
level. Thus, be careful on the consumption of this kind of vegetables.
3. Looking for LOW sodium, LOW sugar, LOW fat (6).
Always read food labels especially for condiments, but
it is also suggested to use natural herbs as to give flavour to your dish.
Garlic, ginger, celery, onion spring, turmeric, chilli powder are the kind of
herbs that can be used to improve your dish flavour.
As for condiments, less sugar, less salt and low fat,
does not mean that it has no sugar, fat and salt, but it just means that it is
the improve formulation from the previous. Meaning to say as an example if the
previous formulation has 30g of salt the current formulation perhaps has only
15g of salt. Thus, do not go and binge using all these low in salt, sugar and
condiment, still need to use in moderation but it is still the healthier option
for your health!
In conclusion
Though it is very essential to buy healthy food in order
to eat healthy food, but cooking method is as well as important. Make sure most
of your cooking method is boiling, grilling, and steaming. Taste is something
that you can mould if you mould your taste bud into consuming healthy food, as
time passed by you will get use to it and eat healthily.
References
The healthier you in 2021
Every year, everyone has new goals to achieve. Be it set
up new goals to achieve or just simply carry forward the previous goals with
some modification or just carry forward the previous goals as it is since it is
not achieved yet or it has not becoming habit yet.
In this article we are going to share with you, three
areas of health for the healthier you in 2021. They are nutrition, physical
activity, and mental health. These three are really essential components of
health that you need to put an effort to maintain especially as you grow older.
World Health Organization (WHO) in its definition of ‘health’ as well emphasize
on these three factors when describing what health is.
‘Health is state of complete physical, mental, and
social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’
Which also explain why individual who are disabled or
individual who is bedridden can also have the best state of health despite
their lack in certain things and individuals with complete physical well being
might also be not in their best state of health. Since health itself is more
than what can be seen outside.
Nutrition.
Ministry of Health has come up with Malaysian plate to
helps Malaysian to easily practice healthy eating habit. This makes it even
easier nowadays to follow the healthy eating regime, put more plant-based food
into your diet. The requirement is 3 servings of vegetables per day and it is
about 3 ladles of vegetables daily. The types of vegetables that should be consumed
more is the non-starchy vegetables such as green leafy vegetables. When we
consume plenty of plant-based food, it will reduce the intake of food from
carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Which our current scenario is vice versa, the
eating habit that most of us are currently is, we consumed too many
carbohydrates, fats, and protein which is the contributor to the obesity and
various diseases. It is no surprised that we are the fattest country in
Southeast Asia.
By saying this, also implying that weight monitoring and
be more mindful on what we put into our body such as the need to consume less
saturated fat, trans fat and interesterification fat in our daily diet is a
must. Being mindful of our ideal healthy weight helps us to be more cautious to
choose food not only because of its calorie but because of its overall
nutrition content, which is why apart from maintaining healthy body weight, it
is also essential to start monitor your body parameters every year! You may do
blood test, or simply go to the nearest pharmacy or clinic to check on you
blood pressure, blood glucose, blood cholesterol level, and uric acid level.
So, go and check your health parameters before end of this year so you may
start planning for the healthier you in 2021 better with your health
information.
Physical activity
Physical activity is one of the areas that is concerning
healthcare professional especially for Malaysian women since in the previous
years, we can see the gap in women who is exercise as compared to man, but not
anymore. Nowadays, we can see that many Malaysian women started to exercise, be
in the lady’s gym only or be it in the local cycling group in your
neighborhood, you will meet women joining such activities nowadays which is a
good sign. But still, more efforts need to be done to encourage women to
exercise especially those new moms who is still adjusting motherhood. It is
nice to see perhaps in the future gym with kids’ corner where mom can do their
exercise while their kids still can enjoy their own activities all in one
place.
Apart from this, if you are considering starting
exercise in the new year, you may start with something you like, it can be
cycling, jogging, Zumba, Pilates, dancing and many more. The interesting thing
with exercise is that you can try various of things before you will find what
suit you most, and when you have found that exercise that you like. You will
have no more feeling like it is a torture.
As for elderly, perhaps to start with vigorous exercise
is dangerous for your body, so simply stick to exercise that require simple
motion but still makes you move around. It is as simple as gardening, tai chi,
or any other house chores that makes you move your body and make sure you enjoy
that so that you can put that into your habit!
Mental health
Apart from exercise can make body healthier it can as
well improve mental health. Many people are becoming more stress and anxiety
with regards to pandemic COVID19. Staying at home, practicing social distance,
and wear mask has made people paranoid of going out and makes people have no
source of comfort.
There are certain practices which can improve this
according to World Health organization (WHO) such as take time daily for
spiritual renewal, where you can allocate some of your time daily for reading,
praying, meditate, and seek spiritual renewal. A heart primed with gratitude,
forgiveness, and service help you soar over life difficulties, and challenges.
Spend quality time with family and friends also helps in building strong heart
and healthy mind. Relationship teach love and acceptance which makes more room
for kindness which is as well a good fuel to content heart!
Lastly, manage stress and limit the use of tobacco,
alcohol consumption and illicit drugs also will tremendously help. Also, if you
think that the burden is too much to carry learn to let go, learn to share, and
learn to accept things at is.
In conclusion,
With all these tips, we hope that 2021, will be our year
to soar high, to achieve more things, to be magical and fill with lots more
positive vibes, kindness, compassion towards one another as we have gone
through a tough obstacle throughout 2020 from various sides, health, economy,
and politically. Thus, its about time for us to be more understanding of one
another and unite for the betterment of humankind!
How to eat healthily during Chinese New Year Celebration
Chinese New Year is here again, although just like
last year and the year before, where we have to celebrate this with the new
norm, but this year we are more experienced with the SOP’s and many of us
are able to celebrate new year with their loved ones. Despite the the new norm,
we will still be having feast of foods, because that is what Malaysian is and
that is what festival is, here are some suggestions that we would like to share
on how you can eat healthily during Chinese New Year Celebration.
Since
during festival there are usually various kind of dishes and we tend to try it
all, thus it is always better to consume only what necessary rather than
bingeing it all. Try to fit in your seasonal favorite food like your auntie
favorite pie, that you seldomly eat, but do not binge it. Do not eat like there
is no tomorrow. Do not use festive as a cheat day. Enjoy your food but eat in
moderation.
During
festival or holiday, you can still eat a balance healthy meal. It is all just
depending on your choice of food. As an example, if you are going to treat yourself
for some sweet treat then make sure you consume less carbohydrates in your main
meals. If you know that there will be no vegetables or fruits during holiday or
festive seasons, offers to make some. It can be as easy as just cutting and
mixing fresh fruit into a bowl or cutting and mixing vegetables. Adding herbs
or dressing is optional. This can also make everyone has healthier snack
option. (Easy tips: Mandarin Orange is count as healthy snack!)
This is
also a sign of love, isn’t new year is a year where we hope for healthy and
prosperous beginning so by watching out what we and our loved ones eat it may
give everyone a sense of warmth and love that somebody is taking care of
everyone’s health condition. What is coming from heart will be able to
resonates with another heart.
Balancing
also is not only limited to meals but also your beverages, limit your intake of
sugary drink and alcohol. You may still drink it but watch out the amount!
Plan your
mealtime especially if you have diabetes. Do not skip meals to save up for a
feast, it will make it harder to manage your blood sugar, and you will be
hungry and more likely to overeat. If you slip up, get right back to healthy
eating with your next meal.
Eat
according to your usual times can make you blood sugar steady. If your meal is
served or prepared late than your usual mealtime try to choose healthy snacks,
instead of consuming snack full of sugar and salt. This is especially essential
for individual with diabetes.
Playing
indoor games and outdoor games will help to regulate your blood sugar and burn
the calories. It will also help to bond all the family member. Do not just glue
your eyes to your phone or screen. Do talk to each other and ask about their
well-being. But if this Chinese New Year you can’t celebrate it with your
family member, do utilize the technology to be connected with your family
members. You may also use various kind of online games during the celebration
to make sure everyone is being involved. Use online games like Quiziz is one
way of making things fun!
During
celebration of anything people always tend to over prepare, and the preparation
is what making you get lesser amount of sleep. Although it’s a fun thing to do
the decoration together till late night but try to schedule it earlier so that
everyone will get enough sleep and good sleep quality. This is especially
important for individuals with diabetes since sleep less sleep is going to make
their blood sugar haywire as well.
References
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines probiotics as live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer health benefits on the host. It can be found in fermented foods (e.g., yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh, and kimchi), dietary supplements, and cosmetics.
Probiotics can contain a wide range of microorganisms. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are the most common. Other bacteria, such as Saccharomyces boulardii, are also used as probiotics.
According to research, different types of bacteria have different effects on the human body. As a result, selecting the right strains and types of probiotics is critical for it to work on the said health concern.
How do probiotics aid in health maintenance?
There are a variety of ‘bugs’ that coexist naturally in the body, such as bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses; these are what scientists refer to as the microbiome. In the body of a healthy person, all these bugs coexist peacefully. The role of the microbiome is to promote the smooth daily operation of the human body. However, conditions such as infectious illness, a certain diet, and prolonged use of antibiotics and/or other bacteria-destroying medications can make the body more susceptible to diseases.
Due to this, scientists believe that consumption of probiotics influences the colonisation process of bacteria, which can lead to a speedy restoration of a healthy microbiome and a lower risk of getting sick.
Probiotics and COVID-19
Probiotics are linked with COVID-19 due to their ability to boost the immune system. Currently, the most extensive research on probiotics includes Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus, etc. Although probiotics mechanisms profoundly focus on the gastrointestinal tract, their effects are not confined to the digestive system alone. Probiotics can act on the entire body via immune modulation. Not only that, it also facilitates the immune system's development and maturation and regulates the interaction between host and pathogen by killing the pathogen and regulating the immune responses towards it.
One could argue that, but COVID-19 is a viral infection, not a bacterial infection. A systematic review described the efficacy of probiotics against viral diseases, with over 20 strains of probiotics demonstrating anti-inflammatory effects on the body and antibody production against viruses.
Furthermore, the study discovered that probiotics supplementation reduced viral loads. This is thought to be due to immune modulation by microbiota, which fights COVID-19 directly and reduces the risk of secondary infections caused by prolonged antibiotic exposure from multiple experimental COVID-19 treatments.
China’s National Health Commission recommended probiotics for severe COVID-19 patients to restore the intestinal balance and protect from secondary infections. Moreover, gut microbiota’s role in modulating lung diseases has been demonstrated.
In conclusion, the researchers in this study believe that many more studies on the effectiveness of using probiotics for COVID-19 prevention and treatment should be conducted. Individuals may now benefit from probiotics rich foods and supplementation for its boosting immunity properties and fight against COVID-19, in addition to practising social distancing, wearing masks, and adhering to standard operating procedures (SOP).
Reference
Diet suku – suku separuh adalah saranan diet oleh Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM) untuk cara pemakanan sihat. Pelbagai langkah dan inisiatif telah dilakukan bagi mempromosikan amalan pemakanan sihat kepada rakyat Malaysia.
MegaLive menyambut baik saranan ini dengan turut sama mempromosikan amalan pemakanan sihat kepada semua.
Suku – suku separuh adalah diet yang merangkumi suku jumlah karbohidrat seperti nasi, mee, bihun, capati, roti dll, suku jumlah protein seperti ayam, ikan, sotong dll dan separuh jumlah sayur – sayuran dan buah – buahan. Pinggan yang dirujuk dalam saranan diet ini adalah pinggan berukuran 10 inci/ 25sm.
Contoh hidangan suku – suku separuh:
Terdapat 5 mesej utama dalam amalan diet suku – suku separuh.
Mesej Utama 1: Makan 3 Hidangan Utama yang sihat dalam sehari.
Ambil sarapan, makan tengah hari, dan makan malam secara sihat dengan mengikuti konsep suku – suku separuh.
Makan pada waktu yang tetap juga membantu pengawalan porsi/ saiz hidangan makanan. Berikut adalah contoh waktu makan harian.
Mesej Utama 2: Makan 1-2 Snek yang Sihat di antara Waktu Makan Jika Perlu
Bagi menggalakan amalan pemakanan secara sihat secara holistik atau sebagai gaya hidup, anda juga digalakkan untuk mengambil snek sihat 1-2 kali/ hari dari sumber buah – buahan, kekacang, dan sayur – sayuran.
Contoh snek sihat yang boleh di ambil 1-2 sajian ialah:
Mesej Utama 3: Makan Sekurang-kurangnya Separuh Daripada Bijirin Anda Sebagai Bijirin Penuh
Malaysia adalah negara di mana, makanan rujinya adalah nasi, oleh itu tidak hairanlah jika kebanyakkan rakyat Malaysia masih berasa tidak kenyang selagi tidak makan nasi. Oleh yang demikian, Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM) menggariskan pengambilan karbohidrat hendaklah diambil kebanyakkannya dari sumber bijirin penuh, seperti dari sumber nasi beras perang, roti bijirin mil penuh, jagung, barli dll.
Contoh makanan berkarbohidrat yang tinggi serat:
Mesej Utama 4: Makan Hidangan Tidak Bergoreng dan Tanpa Santan Setiap Hari
Seterusnya, lauk -pauk di Malaysia begitu sinonim sekali dengan jenis lauk -pauk yang digoreng menggunakan minyak yang sangat banyak iaitu menggunakan kaedah ‘deep -frying’. Makanan bergoreng dengan minyak banyak yang digunakan secara berulang – ulang dan makanan yang mengandungi jumlah santan yang tinggi boleh meningkatkan masalah kesihatan seperti masalah jantung, darah tinggi, kolesterol dan kanser.
Justeru, pengambilan makanan dengan cara masakan dengan kandungan santan yang tinggi seperti masak lemak, kari, gulai, dan masakkan bergoreng hendaklah dihadkan.
Cara mengantikan pengambilan minyak dan santan dalam masakan dan makanan:
Mesej Utama 5: Makan Makanan yang dimasak di Rumah Lebih Kerap
Makanan yang dibeli di luar secara amnya mempunyai kandungan gula, garam, sos, kicap, perasa, dan monosodium glutamate (MSG) yang tinggi, ia juga kebanyakannya menggunakan kaedah memasak yang kurang sihat iaitu dengan cara menggoreng dengan minyak yang banyak dan berulang- ulang.
Kandungan makanan yang tinggi garam, gula, sos, kicap, perasa dan MSG boleh menyebabkan tinggi risiko kepada masalah kesihatan seperti diabetes, dan juga darah tinggi.
Selain daripada itu, pengambilan makanan dari luar juga seringkali mempunyai saiz hidangan yang tidak mengikut spesifikasi suku – suku separuh, hal ini menyebabkan individu lebih cenderung untuk makan secara berlebihan dan mendapat lebih risiko untuk menjadi obes.
Cadangan hidangan harian di rumah:
Rujukan
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.
To answer this, it really is a very
tricky one. There is always two sides of belief when it comes to this.
One believe that juicing is
unhealthy than eating whole fruits, due to the loss of fiber throughout the
process which makes fructose (sugar in fruit) absorb even quicker as compared
to when it is together with fiber, thus less healthy(1).
Another believe that juicing is
better than eating the whole fruits and vegetables because body can absorb
better and let digestive tract rest from digesting fiber. If ones consider
blending fruit, that is even better since edible fiber in it makes we feel
full, so it promotes satiety(1).
So should we consider juicing,
blending or just eat raw fruits and vegetables ?
Three longitudinal prospective
cohort studies found out that, greater consumption of fruits such as
blueberries, grapes, apples, bananas and grapefruit reduced the risk of type 2
diabetes while greater consumption of fruit juice was associated with an increased
risk of type 2 diabetes (2).
When fruit is squeeze for its
juice, what left inside the fruit juice are basically sugar, vitamins and
antioxidants such as carotenoids etc thus it is healthier in this aspect
as compared to frizzy drinks (3). However, the amount of sugar inside both of
these drinks are about the same, which is about 20-26g of sugar per cup (3).
The reasons why fruit juice contain
higher sugar content as compared to fresh fruit even when the fruit juice is
the 100% fruit juice without the addition of anything else is because of, in
order to make the 250ml of orange juice as an example two medium size of orange
is needed, and that is only 250ml, since when it is in liquid form people tend
to consume it even more thus more no of fruits needed. As the number of fruit
increases so does the sugar in it but not the fiber inside, which in returns
make it have loads of sugar(1,3,4,7,8)!
According to Singapore Health
Promotion Board, many people may think that naturally occurring sugar is
healthier than added sugar, but actually there is no chemical difference
between the two, and they have the same impact on blood sugar level when
ingested(8).
The similar case goes to smoothies
not only that it has lot of sugar from multiple number of fruits, but
various kind of protein based food like yogurt, milk, almond milk etc that is
mixed together with it will increase it calorie as well (4).
High sugar level in both of these
drinks make it a high calorie beverages thus poses the same effect like high
calorie food, which can lead to weight gain. As we know that, Malaysia is the
fattest country in Southeast Asia, one of the contributing factor behind is the
lack of knowledge on what can increase weight and what cannot.
Weight gain is link to many health
problems such as heart diseases, metabolic syndrome, cancer, bone and joint
problem, kidney problem etc(3).
Study on the composition of
grapefruits with different method of household processing also found out that,
composition of antioxidant on blended grapefruit has higher concentration of
the beneficial compound as compared to juicing or hand squeezing (5).
However, as for the absorption of
beta carotene, study found out that fruit and vegetables juice makes beta
carotene absorb better as compared to blending or eating raw fruit. This is due
to the fact that fiber hinder the absorption of beta carotene (6).
The takeaway message
Eating raw fruit, juicing and
blending all has its pro and cons. What important is always take into account
the amount of sugar content and fiber content. All in all make sure that you
have balance, nutritious and moderate diet as per suggested by Ministry of
Health, eat 3 servings of vegetables/day and 2 servings of fruits/day. Varied
the way vegetables and fruit cooked or served and eat in moderation.
References
Study titled “Malaysian Community Salt Study 2017/18” showed that the average salt intake per day among Malaysian is 7.9g or 1.6 teaspoons. Four out of five Malaysians consumed excessive salt which is above the level recommended by the World Health Organization (< 5g per day or equivalent to one teaspoon) (7).
A study showed that Malays had 21% higher odds of having pre-hypertension and 64% higher odds of having Stage 2 hypertension compared to the Chinese. The traditional cuisine of Asian people is well known to contain high amounts of salt. It has been widely used in fish fermentation, pickling, and the production of local Asian sauces. This result may related to high sodium intake among the ethnicity as previous research has established that excessive sodium intake leads to uncontrolled blood pressure among adults (1).
Sodium: what is the main dietary sources? (5,6,8)
Salt is the primary source of sodium however high sodium consumption is generally associated with health problems such as high blood pressure, fatal coronary heart disease or higher risk of incident of stroke.
Salt in the diet can obtain either from processed foods that are normally high in salt such as instant noodles, snack foods, sausage or added to food during cooking such as stock cubes or at the table such as soy sauce, fish sauce and table salt. Fried rice, omelette, fish cake, nasi lemak, thick soy sauce, tomato sauce, chilli sauce, oyster sauce, roti canai, meat soups and fried mee are also major source of sodium.
Sodium: How much is too much? (4, 8)
Read the Nutrition Facts Label! (5,6,8)
Nutrition facts label found on packaged or processed foods list the amount of sodium in each serving and be sure how many serving are in a package. Normally, sodium is found in most foods as sodium chloride (NaCl) generally known as salt. In addition to NaCl, sodium may also present in other forms, such as monosodium glutamate, baking soda, baking powder, disodium phosphate, sodium nitrate, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate and sodium alginate. However, sodium chloride (salt) is still the major source of sodium.
Tips for Cutting Back on Sodium (4,5,6,8)
Misconceptions about Salt Reduction
Go Low and Take it Slow! (2)
Reduce your salt intake gradually and your taste buds will adjust as our taste for salt is acquired. Consider using low salt or salt free flavour enhancers during cooking and reduce addition of salt or soy sauce at the table.
After a few weeks of cutting back on salt, you probably won’t miss it, and some foods may even taste too salty.
References
You’ve been told a hundred times
that exercise is good for you, and it’s true, but to maintain or do it everyday
is a problem right. Here are five very good tips to rock out during your next
workout time.
Tip 1: Make an exercise goals that
you can achieve.
Many people find that having a firm
goal in mind motivates them to move ahead. Goals are most useful when they are
specific, realistic, and important to you. So maybe you can start try to
exercise on three weekdays and one weekend day for 30 minutes to start but if
you can only do less but slowly increase the duration, that’s okay too. The
point is to get moving and keep moving. You can also start with mini workouts
for only 5 minute. After you get comfortable then challenge yourself by
increase the duration until your exercise get 30 minutes (1).
Tip 2: Get a partner to work out
together so both of you can support each other.
There will be someone to help
motivate you. Doing with your exercise partner, however, makes it a lot easier.
Men and women have different intensity level. People put more effort into their
workout routine when they’re exercising with someone else. So you must to
realize your partner can not always keep on with you if your partner is
different gender . What feels like a good workout to one of you might be too
much or too little for the other. The same goes for healthy eating. The
identical meal may not be acceptable to both of you. You must meet nutritionist
and get advice on tips for healthy eating (2). Fact! Men lose weight
faster than women. It is due to the fact that they have more muscle mass and
can burn 30 to 40 percent more calories during the same workout. You cannot
compare your result with your partner. It’s not realistic to see the same
results in the same time period (3).
Tip 3: Don’t stick only one place
or one exercise.
Head outside. Do variety of
exercise so you don’t get bore. One of the simplest reasons for working out at
variety of places and do different exercise is that it will be more fun. Going
to the gym day after day can start to feel routine, and the last thing you want
is to dread your workouts. Instead, get some fresh air with a walk, run, bike
ride or hike (2).
Tip 4: Play Some Music to Keep Your
Energy Up
Music could be just what you really
need to motivate you to push further. Research has found that playing music
while exercising increases the duration of workouts without a perceived
increase in effort. This effect because music boosts mood and encourages
rhythmic movement. When a song has a strong, steady beat, for example, you can
pedal or run to the beat of that music, which tends to feel satisfying and may
inspire you to exercise more. While any type of music is beneficial, some
research suggests faster music is more effective than slow music.
Choosing music that you enjoy and
that fits your exercise routine can help you get more out of your exercise
experience. Since everyone has a different ideal workout pace and intensity
(4).
Tip 5: Work Out in the Morning and
Get It out of the Way
Some people find it easy if they do
it in the morning, getting it out of the way before an excuse comes up to skip
it. By the end of the day, you’re often really tired, random things have come
up, and there’s always something else to do instead of exercise.
Morning workouts have been shown to
lower night time blood pressure and improve sleep quality and physical activity
also improves focus and concentration, regardless of when you do it. But if you
have trouble focusing during the day, a morning workout might be just the
ticket. The most important thing is to find a routine or schedule and workout
routine that you can stick with (5).
References
Heart is the organ in the body that
is responsible for the circulation of blood and transportation of
nutrients to all parts of the body 1. Another function of heart including
protect the body from infection1, help to maintain the body
temperature and also maintain fluid balance within the body2. Thus, heart
is consider as one of the most important organs of the body because even small
dysfunctions may cause drastic changes or effects in the human body system.2
Image shown, location of the main
important organ that function to pump blood through the circulatory system
all throughout the body.
Ways you can do to keep your heart
health:
If you’re overweight, you
tend to have a risk of high cholesterol and blood pressure than
usual 3. As the result, it can affect your heart
condition. According to World Health Organization (WHO), adults age
between 18–64 years old should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity
physical activity throughout the week or do at least 75 minutes of
vigorous-intensity physical activity throughout the week. Moreover, aerobic
activity should be done at least 10 minutes of duration. The Picture below
show the list of exercise of moderate and vigorous- aerobic physical activity.
Image show lists of moderate-intensity activity
and vigorous-intensity activity
A high consumption of salt can lead
to high blood pressure, which increase the chance of developing heart disease.
The maximum daily intake of salt for adult is not more than 6g and aim
for food that contain 1.5g of salt or 0.6g sodium per 100g whenever
possible 4. Next, most oils are made up of a combination of
monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fats. Choosing ones that are low
in saturated fatty acids (SFA) and high in unsaturated fats can help to lower
cholesterol levels5. Example of heart-healthy oil such as grapeseed oil,
avocado oil and olive oil5.
Consume low intake of salt to
maintain normal blood pressure.
Oily fish contain high level of
Omega-3- fatty acids which can reduce your cholesterol level as well as reduced
your blood pressure and risk of developing blood clot 4. Example of fish
contain high level omega 3- fatty acids can be shown as below:
Image shows fish that is rich of Omega 3
High level of cholesterol can also
cause coronary heart disease. If the cholesterol is too high it can build up in
your wall of your arteries. Continuous consumption of food which high in
cholesterol will lead to plague (hardening of cholesterol in your arteries)
which called atherosclerosis. Later, the arteries will become narrowed; and the
blood flow become slow. In the end, reduced blood flow can result in
chest pain or heart attack if blood vessel blocked completely7. So, you
need to maintain your cholesterol level which is for normal total
cholesterol level should below than 5.2 md/dl.
References
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).
Type of Sugar
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)
2. Focus on whole foods (8)
No sugar diet should focus on eating whole foods as
processed foods are more likely to contain refined ingredients or added
sugars. Aim to eat foods such as: Fruits and vegetables Lean meat or poultry whole, unprocessed grains and
legumes, nuts and seeds
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).
References
“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
Fasting
has long been a part of many religious traditions, including the Jewish and Muslim
holidays of Yom Kippur and Ramadan, respectively. As you read this, billions of
Muslims around the world are participating in this act of faith, which involves
fasting from dawn to dusk. While fasting for Ramadan is based on spiritual
beliefs, many of us fast because we believe it benefits our health. However,
what happens to our bodies when we fast?
The
primary source of energy for a person is glucose, which is obtained from
carbohydrates such as grains, dairy products, fruits, certain vegetables,
beans, and even sweets.
The glucose is stored in the liver and muscles and released
into the bloodstream when the body requires it. This process, however, changes
during fasting. The liver will deplete its glucose reserves after about 8 hours
of fasting. At this point, the body enters a state known as glucogenesis, which
marks the transition into fasting mode.
Glucogenesis has been shown in studies to increase the
number of calories burned by the body. Without carbohydrates, the body burns
its own calories. When there is no carbohydrate available, the body produces
its own glucose, primarily from fat.
The body eventually runs out of these energy sources as
well. Fasting mode then transitions into the more serious starvation mode. A
person's metabolism slows down at this point, and their body begins to burn
muscle tissue for energy. Although it is a well-known term in the dieting
world, true starvation mode occurs only after several days or even weeks
without food. So, unless other health conditions exist, it is generally safe to
go without eating for a day after breaking their fast after 24 hours. (1)
“A detoxification process also occurs, because any toxins
stored in the body’s fat are dissolved and removed from the body,” he adds,
noting that after a few days of fasting, higher levels of endorphins –
“feel-good hormones” are produced in the blood, which can have a positive
impact on mental well-being. As mentioned previously, the study by Dr.Longo and
colleagues suggests prolonged fasting may also be effective for regenerating
immune cells. “When you starve, the system tries to save energy, and one of the
things it can do to save energy is to recycle a lot of the immune cells that
are not needed, especially those that may be damaged,” Dr.Longo explains. In
their study, publish in the journal Cell Stem Cell, the team found that
repeated cycles of 2 – 4 days without food over a 6-month period destroyed the
old and damaged immune cells in mice and generate new ones.
Furthermore, the team discovered that cancer patients who
fasted for three days prior to chemotherapy were protected against immune
system damage caused by the treatment, which they attribute to immune cell
regeneration. "The good news is that the body got rid of the parts of the
system that might be damaged or old, the inefficient parts, during the fasting,"
says Dr. Longo. "Now, if you start with a system that has been heavily
damaged by chemotherapy or ageing, fasting cycles can literally generate a new
immune system." (2)
Intermittent fasting, on the other hand, is associated with
numerous health risks, according to the UK's National Health Service (NHS).
People who fast frequently become dehydrated, owing to their
bodies' inability to obtain fluid from food. As a result, it is advised that
Muslims consume plenty of water prior to fasting periods during Ramadan. Other
people who follow fasting diets should stay hydrated during their fasting
periods.
On the other hand, according to the UK’s National Health
Service (NHS), there are numerous health risks associated with intermittent
fasting.
Fasting can also cause heartburn; lack of food leads to a
reduction in stomach acid, which digests food and destroys bacteria. But
smelling food or even thinking about it during fasting periods can trigger the
brain into telling the stomach to produce more acid, leading to heartburn.(2)
Finally, to sum up, moderation is the key. Know the
precaution step to avoid the potential risk. A person must understand his or
her current health condition before proceeding to any sort of diet plan.
Fasting can also cause heartburn because a lack of food
reduces stomach acid, which digests food and destroys bacteria. However,
smelling food or even thinking about it during a fast can cause the brain to
tell the stomach to produce more acid, resulting in heartburn. (2)
To summarize, moderation is essential. Understand the
precautionary measure to avoid the potential risk. Before beginning any diet
plan, a person must first understand his or her current health situation.
References
Medical News Today (n.d). What Happens If You Don’t Eat For A Day? Timeline And Effects. [online] Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322065#can-fasting-promote-weight-loss [Accessed 29 April 2020].
Medical News Today (n.d). Fasting: Health Benefits And Risks. [online] Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/295914 [Accessed 29 April 2020].
Setiap tahun Hari Raya Aidilfitri ialah pada 1 Syawal
tahun Hijrah. Perayaan tersebut juga dikenali sebagai Hari Raya Puasa atau Hari
Raya Fitrah atau Hari lebaran. Hari Raya Aidilfitri merupakan sambutan yang
diraikan oleh umat Islam di seluruh dunia setelah berjaya menjalani ibadah
puasa sepanjang bulan Ramadhan.
Antara amalam – amalan tradisi yang
dilakukan semasa Hari Raya ialah amalan ziarah – menziarahi sanak – saudara dan
jiran tetangga. Amalan mengeratkan silaturahim ini sangat digalakkan dalam
Islam bagi memohon kemaafan di antara satu sama lain. Akan tetapi oleh kerana
Hari Raya Aidilfitri tahun ini ialah pada musim Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan
Bersyarat maka, ikutlah saranan untuk beraya dengan selamat dalam kita menjauhi
wabak COVID19. Walaupun sesetengah daripada kita ada yang telah mendapat vaksin
tetapi masih ramai yang belum, dan sudah divaksin bukan bermakna anda tidak
boleh dijangkiti wabak COVID19.
Semasa bulan Ramadhan sebelum ini,
ramai di antara kita mengambil kesempatan menurunkan berat badan dan makan secara
sihat. Walau bagaimanapun, apabila tiba musim perayaan, kebanyakan kita
mengalami penambahan berat badan. Berat badan yang berjaya diturunkan sepanjang
30 hari menjalani ibadah puasa mungkin meningkat semula hanya selepas 15 hari
menyambut Hari Raya. Hal ini adalah kerana, hari raya adalah masa untuk
menikmati juadah hari raya yang hanya setahun sekali dimasak dan dimakan
bersama – sama oleh kerana itu ramai yang mengambil kesempatan ini untuk makan
juadah raya tanpa mengira jumlah kalori dan panduan pemakanan sihat (1).
Sebenarnya pemakanan sihat sangat
mudah diikut walaupun ketika hari raya. Makan dengan sihat bukan bermaksud kita
tidak dapat menikmati juadah hari raya akan tetapi makan dengan kadar yang
betul dan dengan cara penyediaan makanan yang lebih sihat. Kita dapat bahagikan
amalam pemakanan sihat ketika hari raya kepada dua kategori iaitu semasa penyediaan makanan dan semasa menikmati hidangan hari
raya.
7 Tips Sediakan Hidangan Sihat di
Hari Raya (1,2,3)
1. Kurangkan gula, minyak dan lemak
dalam penyediaan biskut dan kek.
Gunakan ½ atau ¾ daripada kuantiti
gula yang biasa digunakan semasa menyediakan biskut dan kek. Jika perlu,
gunakan gula gantian bagi mendapatkan biskut atau kek yang sempurna tekstur dan
rasanya.
2. Gunakan daging yang telah
dibuang lemak atau ayam yang telah dibuang kulit.
3. Kurangkan mensajikan makanan
yang bersantan, bergoreng dan berminyak.
4. Gantikan penggunaan santan
dengan susu rendah lemak dalam penyediaan rendang dan kuah lontong.
5. Potong ayam atau daging dalam
size yang kecil.
6. Gunakan ramuan tinggi serat
untuk membuat biskut dan kuih raya seperti tepung bijirin penuh, oat dan
buah prun.
7. Kurangkan penggunaan pewarna
tiruan dalam penyediaan kuih-muih, kek dan puding. Sebaliknya gunakan pewarna
semulajadi seperti dari sumber daun pandan dan sebagainya.
7 Tips Makan Secara Sihat Di Hari
Raya (1,2,3)
1. Makan dalam saiz hidangan atau
kuantiti yang kecil.
Pemilihan pinggan yang lebih kecil
membantu dalam mengurangkan pengambilan makanan lebih – lebih lagi jika anda
makan secara buffet.
2. Pilih makanan yang rendah kalori
seperti buah-buahan serta makanan yang kurang minyak, lemak dan santan.
3. Pilih makanan tinggi serat untuk
mengelakkan sembelit.
4. Hadkan pengambilan makanan yang
manis dan berlemak seperti biskut raya dan dodol.
Anda juga boleh mengehadkan
pengambilan kuih-muih atau kek semasa hari raya kepada hanya 5 biji kuih raya
sehari dan kurangkan pengambilan makanan manis yang lain.
5. Pilih buah- buahan segar sebagai
pencuci mulut.
6. Hadkan pengambilan makanan yang
tinggi kandungan garam seperti kerepek
7. Minum air kosong berbanding minuman berperisa, minuman berkarbonat dan minumam yang manis.
Senang bukan? Ikutilah panduan pemakanan sihat semasa hari raya ini, agar usaha anda untuk menurunkan berat badan sepanjang bulan Ramadhan tidak sia – sia. Bagi individu yang mempunyai masalah kesihatan, hari raya bukanlah tiket untuk anda menikmati juadah tanpa mengambil kira faktor kesihatan ya!
Akhir sekali, selamat menyambut Hari Raya Aidilfitri, semoga hari raya ini memberi keceriaan kepada kita semua!
Rujukan
1. Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM). Bahagian Pemakanan. Perancangan dan Pemilihan Menu Sihat Rumah Terbuka Aidilfitri. http://nutrition.moh.gov.my/wpcontent/uploads/penerbitan/buku/Menu%20Rumah%20Terbuka%20Hari%2 0Raya%202013.pdf
2. Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM). Bahagian Pemakanan. Makan Secara Sihat di Hari Raya. https://www.infosihat.gov.my/index.php/multimedia/bukukecil/item/makan-secara-sihat-di-hari-raya
3. Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri Perak. Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM), bahagian Pemakanan. Makan secara sihat di hari raya. http://jknperak.moh.gov.my/v4/index.php/my/arkib-berita/69-informasikesihatan/509-makan-secara-sihat-di-hari-raya.html
Tinjauan ini mengkaji beberapa perihal aspek kesihatan yang terpenting seperti penyakit tidak berjangkit yang dialami oleh rakyat Malaysia iaitu obesiti, kencing manis, darah tinggi, dan masalah kolesterol. Ia juga merangkumi aspek pemakanan seperti pengambilan makanan dan minuman sihat, aspek kesihatan mental, kesihatan seksual dan pengambilan dadah. Selain daripada itu, tinjauan ini juga mengkaji aspek yang melibatkan perkhidmatan kesihatan di Malaysia.
Terdapat beberapa perkara serius menurut hasil dapatan ini iaitu;
1 daripada 2 dewasa di Malaysia adalah obese!
Obese atau obesity adalah masalah lebihan berat badan yang di alami oleh individu, yang berpunca daripada pelbagai faktor. Namun, apa yang lebih membimbangkan adalah, menjadi obese ini sendiri adalah merupakan risiko utama kepada masalah kesihatan seperti kencing manis, darah tinggi, kolesterol, masalah jantung serta masalah kesihatan yang lain – lain lagi.
Jika perkara ini berterusan, bayangkan setiap orang yang anda jumpai separuh daripadanya adalah obese dan mempunyai kencing manis, darah tinggi dan sebagainya!! Menurut kajian ini, inidividu yang mengalami obesity tertinggi adalah wanita iaitu sebanyak 57.6%, kaum india iaitu sebnayak 63% dan dalam kalangan mereka yang berumur 55 – 59 tahun.
Antara lain perkara yang membimbangkan ialah masalah kencing manis dalam kalangan rakyat Malaysia.
1 daripada 5 dewasa mengalami masalah diabetes!
Diabetes atau kencing manis adalah keadaan di mana paras gula dalam darah menjadi tinggi. Hal ini berpunca daripada kekerapan pengambilan makanan yang tidak sihat. Makanan yang tinggi karbohidrat, gula dan lemak dan gaya hidup yang tidak aktif.
Selain daripada peratusan obesity yang semakin meningkat saban hari, yang mengeruhkan keadaan ini juga adalah pengambilan minuman yang manis, menurut tinjauan,sebanyak 53.2% individu di Malaysia minum minuaman manis yang disediakan sendiri setiap hari, 4.2% individu minum minuman berkarbonat setiap hari dan 6.7% individu minum minuam 3 dalam 1 setiap hari.
Menurut tinjauan ini, seramai 3.9 juta dewasa berusia lebih dari 18 tahun menghidapi penyakit kencing manis. Kebanyakkan dari mereka yang berumur 18 – 40 tahun tidak tahu bahawa mereka menghidapi kencing manis.
Antar negeri yang mempunyai prevalen kencing manis yang tinggi adalah Negeri Sembilan (33.2%), Perlis (32.6%), dan Pahang (25.7%).
Antara gejala yang melibatkan masalah kencing manis ialah, keletihan, kerap membuang air kecil, kehausan yang melampau, penurunan berat badan, dan kerap mengalami jangkitan kuman. Sekiranya anda tidak mempunya gejala seperti ini, anda juga boleh melakukan saringan kencing manis jika anda mempunyai berat badan yang berlebihan, BMI melebihi 23 kg/m2 atau ukur lilit pinggang melebihi 80 cm untuk wanita dan 90 cm untuk lelaki.
Kegagalan mengenal pasti masalah kencing manis dengan lebih awal akan menyebabkan komplikasi yang lebih serius di masa akan datang.
4 daripada 10 dewasa mengalami masalah kolesterol
Seramai 8 juta rakyat Malaysia mempunyai masalah tinggi kolesterol, iaitu 4 daripada 10 orang mengalaminya. Bacaan kadar bagi tinggi kolesterol ialah sebanyak 5.2 mmol dan ke atas. Mereka yang berumur 40 – 59 tahun adalah individu yang paling ramai tidak mengetahui bahawa mereka mempunyai tahap kolesterol yang tinggi. Hanya 63% daripada individu yang mempunyai masalah kolesterol yang tinggi Berjaya mengawal tahap kolesterol dengan pengambilan ubat – ubatan.
3 daripada 10 dewasa mengalami Hipertensi
Hipertensi atau tekanan darah tinggi yang tidak dikawal boleh mengakibatkan serangan jantung, strok dan pelbagai penyakit kardiovaskular yang lain. Bacaan kadar tekanan darah tinggi yang tidak terkawal ialah bacaan yang melebihi 140/ 96 mmHg. Lelaki yang berumur 30 tahun ke bawah adalah mempunyai 3 kali ganda lebih ramai menghidapi hipertensi berbanding wanita. Dalam 6.4 juta rakyat Malaysia yang mengalami hipertensi atau tekanan darah tinggi, hanya separuh yang menyedari bahawa mereka menghidapi penyakit ini.
Kesimpulannya, masalah seperti obesity, kencing manis, darah tinggi dan tinggi kolesterol mempunyai perkaitan rapat antara satu sama lain. Penyakit – penyakit ini membawa komplikasi yang lebih serius dalam jangka masa panjang dan merupakan risiko kepada masalah kardiovaskular yang juga merupakan penyebab kematian nombor satu di Malaysia. Seramai 1.7 juta individu di Malaysia mempunyai tiga faktor risiko manakala seramai 3.4 juta individu di Malaysia mengalami faktor risiko utama.
Bagi mengatasi masalah ini, individu perlu mengawal bacaan tekanan darah iaitu bacaan perlu kurang dari 140/ 90 mmHg. Individu juga perlu mengamalkan diet yang seimbang dan sihat bagi mengekalkan berat badan yang ideal, selalu bersenam dan menghindari rokok dan alkohol.
Rujukan
Durian or ‘King of fruit’ is a well-known fruit for its smell. Anthony Bourdain, the late renowned food critic describes durian as “It smelled like you buried someone holding a big wheel of Stilton (cheese) in his arms, then dug him few weeks later” (1). That is to describe how horrible the smell of durian is, but to certain people who like to eat durian the smell of durian to them is heaven!
Durian actually has more than 30 species but the one that people usually eat are about 8 species only, due to its exotic nature, people have started to commercialized durian even to the international level. The most common durian being exported and widely consumed is Durio Zibethinus (2).
Due to its popularity, people started to questioning about durian health benefits, whether it is good or bad for health? Unlike apple, orange, guava and many other common fruits where people always equate it to “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” which means, consuming all these fruits are going to make you healthier, since it is packed full with nutrients that is good for body. For durian, the opinion regarding its health effect is mixing, some people say that it is good for health and can even be used to alleviate infertility or PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and some people say that it is heaty thus cannot be consumed too much etc. (3).
In general, durian is considered a safe fruit to eat just like any other fruit, but since durian has high calorie value, thus it is not advisable to consume in large amount unlike other fruits. Look at the infographic below to understand, calorie in durian in comparison with other fruits (4).
Here is the calorie of durian per seeds, surprisingly eating 5 seeds of durian is equivalent to a bowl of rice! ANDDDD IF A DURIAN CONSISTS OF 15 SEEDS IT IS EQUIVALENT TO 3 BOWL OF RICE! Thus, the recommended intake of durian is only 2-3 seeds, which is equivalent to about per serving of fruits or 90 kcal.
Though, it is crystal clear here that it is safe to eat durian within recommended amount, but there are people who should be even more cautious in consuming durian, that is people who are obese, people who have diabetes and people who have kidney problem. As for people who are obese and diabetes, it is due to its high calorie, high carbohydrate and high fats value thus should be extra careful on the consumption of durian. Whereas for people with kidney problem or undergoing dialysis, due to high potassium content in durian and it is difficult for their body to excrete potassium, thus, they must avoid eating TOO MUCH durian at all cost (4)!
Apart from its high calorie content durian has many benefits as well. It has high antioxidant effect, which makes it a potent fruit to fight against cancer. Durian contains high vitamins, nutrients and organic chemicals that function as antioxidant. All these antioxidants are vital in scavenging the free radicals, that potentially mutated and becoming cancer cells. Which is why it is very important to consume food that is high in antioxidant. It also contains high vitamin C, vitamin B complex and vitamin E, as well as phytonutrients that battle cancerous cells (2).
Durian also, is found to helps in maintaining healthy bones due to its high potassium content. It can help in alleviating depression and sleeping problem, for it contain tryptophan – a natural sleep-inducing compound, that can increase level of serotonin and melatonin for better sleep and emotion management. Durian also contain high fibre which can aids in digestion and helps in infertility for it has high estrogen hormone for conceiving (2).
Albeit durian has many health benefits, when it comes to its consumption with other foods and beverages such as alcohol, it is said that it can interfere with liver function. In detail, durian contain sulphur-containing volatiles which can inhibit the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase (enzyme that helps in process alcohol), thus explaining why consuming durian together with alcohol is a deadly mixed (4).
As for the consumption of durian with paracetamol, there is no study on human has been conducted, so far. But there is study on lab rat regarding this. The study shows that, rat that receive paracetamol and durian gives sign of hypothermic effect (significant drop in temperature) thus explain that the two mixture is toxic. However, the mechanism of toxicity is still unknown. To be safe, it is not safe to consume durian together with paracetamol (5).
In conclusion, for people who does not have any health concerns, consume durian within the recommended intake and consume it in moderation, is very much advisable. While for those who have health concerns, eat durian very minimally, it is advisable to eat other types of fruit that have lower calorie count as compared to durian, but since it is in the season thus consume it very minimally with caution towards calorie intake from other food types as well is recommended.
References
Among Hari Raya celebrated by Muslim all over the world is Hari Raya Aidiladha. There are various reasons behind this celebration, but most importantly, during this celebration Muslims all over the world slaughter animals as to share this meat with those unfortunate. Since it is nearing the celebration of Hari Raya Aidiladha, let us share with you regarding the consumption of red meat, is it healthy? And is it true that people with hypertension cannot consume meat?
Meat refers to the muscle or organs of an animal consumed as food. In most parts of the world, it comes from animals raised on large industrial farms. As for red meat, it is referring to meat from the source of pork, ham, cuts from pig, lamb, and beef. Red meat is particularly said to have link with various kind of disease such as heart disease and cancer, the question is, is this true?
Well, this statement is partially true. First, there are various kind of red meats on the market. There is lean meat (meat without its fat), meat (meat with its fat), and processed meat. Processed meat refers to a processed where meat has undergone such as salting, curing, fermenting, smoking and other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation. Processed meat include ham, salami, bacon, and sausages such as frankfurters and chorizo. Certain minced meat on the market, also undergo this kind of processed which makes it processed food as well.
Meat itself, referring to the lean meat, is a healthy food. It is a good protein source, it contains micronutrient such as zinc, vitamin B12 and iron. Iron that is in meat is easier to absorb or in another word has higher bioavailability as compared to iron from plant-based food. Lean meat also, is part of food that is recommended to be eaten in the Malaysian Food Pyramid.
Recommended intake of meat
As stated in the fish, poultry, meat, and legumes section on the food pyramid, it is recommended to eat 1 to 2 serving of either poultry, meat, or legumes but and 1 serving of fish every day. This is because in the Malaysia Dietary Guideline (MDG), the key message is to consume balance, moderate and variety of food. Thus, it is recommended to consume from different source, such as protein-based food, it can be from fish, meat, poultry, and eggs. Thus, if you already got your protein that day from fish source for your lunch then for your dinner your protein source must be from meat, poultry, or eggs. Now another question pops up, how much is one serving?
Example of serving size of protein, but this portion is for healthy male and female only, not for individual with health problem.
Serving is loosely translated into ‘sajian’ or ‘hidangan’ in Bahasa Malaysia, thus picture above shows how much per serving of protein is. As for meat, 1 serving of meat is about 2 matchboxes size of meat. For fish, medium size of fish is equivalent to 1 serving, while for chicken one part of chicken such as drumstick is considered 1 serving of chicken. As for egg, 1 egg are considered 1 serving of protein.
As mentioned earlier, it is not advisable to consume protein from the same source, thus it is also not advisable to consume meat every day, since we have protein-based food from variety of source which will give different kind of nutrient as well, such as ‘tauhu’, ‘tempeh’, eggs, seafood and many more.
Picture below show the easy way of knowing how much you should consume, carbohydrates, vegetables, fruits and protein just by using your hands!
Good and bad things about meat
Study mostly found out that, lean meat has various positive outcome on individual health, especially for those with strength training exercise like athletes, as compared to if they consumed food from carbohydrates source like pasta or rice, their muscle growth is much less and slower. Another meta- analysis study which search 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 lipid and blood pressure. Which means the consumption of lean red meat does not impose risk to heart problem, provided if it is consume within the recommended intake.
However, there are also study indicates that the consumption of red meat can impose health problem such as, its saturated fat can lead to colon and breast cancer, the higher the cooking temperature for meat can make it carcinogenic, and heme that is found in meat when cooking, can produce compound that can damage the cells and leading to cancer.
Which is why, when it comes to food there is just no healthy food and unhealthy food, it is more than that. It is depending on the health status of the individual consuming it, it is depending on the cooking method and various other factors.
In conclusion, limit red meat and processed meat to not more than 70g per day or 2 servings per day is the best. Consume protein – based food from the other sources of protein as well not only red meat and processed meat just as per recommended by Malaysia Dietary Guideline (MDG).
References
History of dietary fat recommendation (4)
The confusion on dietary fat intake, started long ago when nutrition scientist failed to communicate finding of the nutrition studies to the public. Previously based on the classic diet-heart hypothesis, dietary fat was told bad due to two key observations from observational studies and randomized controlled trial.
Current finding on dietary fat intake (4)
Previously, study was very concentrated on the single causal outcome, but nowadays extensive research has identified that there are multiple pathways that mediate the development of cardiovascular diseases, not only total cholesterol intake or LDL level (marker for bad cholesterol and risk for CVD) but as well as other factors such as, smoking, overweight and obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and many more.
Types of fat and cholesterol and dietary recommendation to it (4,5,6)
To understand the dietary recommendation to fat and cholesterol intake, first, let’s understand types of fat and cholesterol. There are few types of fat, there are saturated fat which usually consider as ‘bad’ fat, there are ‘good’ fat which further divide into two, which is monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.There are even worse types of fat which called trans-fat.
Saturated fat is the fat, that is in the state of solid in the room temperature. It can increase body weight and LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood. Food source that is high in saturated fat are meat, chicken skin, margarine and dairy product that is high in fat.
As for unsaturated fat, it is consider as ‘good’ fat since it can helps in increasing HDL level (good cholesterol) level, lower LDL (bad cholesterol) Level , lower blood pressure, and lower the risk of getting cardiovascular diseases. Unsaturated fat can further be divided into two, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. Example of monounsaturated fat includes, palm oil, canola oil, olive oil, and cashew nuts. Whilst the example of polyunsaturated oil is corn oil, sunflower oil, and fish oil. For the best result, study suggests mixing 1:1 ratio of these two types of oil, such as 1- part palm oil with 1 part of sunflower oil in the cooking.
Another kind of fat is called trans-fat. Trans fat formed when fat in the liquid form is convert to solid to form such as during the hydrogenation process. Trans-fat or also known as trans-fatty acid is usually found in the processed food, frozen food since it is used to keep the food fresh in the long-time span. Consumption of trans-fat need to be limit, since the consumption is related to the increase in the LDL (bad) cholesterol level, increase risk of cardiovascular disease, and increase risk of certain types of cancer. Food source that contain trans-fat are margarine, fry food using monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat such as sunflower oil, or processed food like ready to eat food, canned food, and pastry.
In conclusion (4,5)
According to study there is no specific standard limit for each types of fat due to various reasons. But in general, World Health Organization (WHO) suggest that fat intake should be in between 20% to 30% of total calories. In Malaysia, this consumption is equivalent to 45g – 67g of fat which is about 3- 5 tablespoon of oil (based on 2000kcal/day).
Thus, as a consumer, it is important to know which type of fat is good for health and which one is not, and to limit the intake of bad fat is very much essential in order to incorporate healthy eating habit into lifestyle.
Among things that can be practiced is, there are many processed food products on the market nowadays such as tempura, finger food for children and many more. Instead of consuming these process foods, the healthier choice is to consume fresh poultry or seafood rather than the processed one.
Another thing to note is that, cooking method again is very crucial in making sure that food is healthy, choose food that is cook using method such as steam, baked, boil and grill. Especially if you are frequently eating outside, since most of food in the restaurant or stall recycle the oil thus by choosing the better cooking method it is opting the healthier choices.
Limit intake of trans fat is very important, apart from processed food, frozen food, food that is high in cholesterol such as mayonnaise, animal internal organs, anchovies head also must be limit as well.
Being mindful about what to put into your body is just as essential as being mindful about what to put into your mind, flourish your body and mind with good nutrients for the healthier life by choosing the healthy fat for your body!
As people are started to search for healthy food and there are many healthy food options on the market, how do consumers make the right choice in buying healthy food? Or is healthy food is more to marketing strategy rather than ‘healthy’ itself ?
Tips for buying healthy groceries.
Buying groceries seems easy until, you put into account your budget, how many heads need to be fed and the need to make healthier food choices for everyone in the household! Even more headache, if any of the members in the house have specific food allergies or certain medical condition that allow only specific food to be eaten. Fret not, here we try to simplify things for you and smoothen your grocery shopping experience!
1. Plan ahead (2,3,5).
In order to ease your groceries shopping out, you may actually plan ahead your meal of the week, this can as well make sure that you only shop within your budget. Meal planning not only saving your money and time, but it also can ensure you and your family gets healthy and nutritious meal. Below is the example of meal planning for family of two throughout the week.
You may get this kind of template for weekly meal planner online since it can be exciting, to incorporates your family members favourite dish or trying new recipe using this. Based on this, you get to know what are the things you need to stock at your kitchen and pantry with.
2. Looking for healthy food on the market (3,4,5,6,7).
Here comes the tricky one! After you have planned your meal of the week, you may divide it according to classes of food, since food in the supermarket or even your local grocery shop (support local, small SME), is usually by category. Food classes can be divided into carbohydrate, protein, fats, fruits, and veggies.
Carbohydrates (3,4,5).
Always remember to consume food in variation, balance and in moderation, to keep you and your family a healthy balance diet. When it comes to carbohydrate, make sure the source of your carbohydrate comes from variety of source. Example of carbohydrate sources are pasta, rice, bread, noodle, and some vegetables like potatoes. Vary food from these sources throughout the week and choose food from the low glycaemic index and whole-grain product more than the high glycaemic index.
Glycemic index (GI) is a rating system for foods containing carbohydrates. It shows how quickly each food affects your blood sugar (glucose) level when that food is eaten on its own. High GI foods are broken down quickly by your body and cause a rapid increase in blood sugar level, such as sugary and sugary foods, soft drinks, white bread, potatoes, and white rice. Meanwhile, low GI food is the kind of food that will slowly spike your blood because it is broken down slowly and makes you full longer (promotes satiety). Example of low GI foods are green leafy vegetables, wholegrain food such as oat and brown rice, legumes and many more.
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Protein (3,4).
Protein can also derive from various food resources, commonly known are chicken, meat, and fish, but there is also other soy-based food that is high with protein content, such as ‘tauhu’ and ‘tempeh’. Not only that ‘tempeh’ (local soy-based food) is high with protein but rich in probiotics as well.
Always choose white meat over red meat, since red meat has high saturated fats which is not good for your heart health, it is ok to consume it but in moderation and not too seldom. Dairy products are important as well in incorporating healthy, balance meal, thus consider including dairy product in your diet as well.
Fats (7).
There are many types of cooking oil on the market, they are also marketed as the cooking oil which has low cholesterol level. Is it true? This is all marketing strategy, as all of the cooking oil such as sunflower oil, canola oil, corn oil, olive oil, or even the common one which is palm oil is derived from plant thus, plant-based food generally does not contain cholesterol. Cholesterol is only coming from animal -based food.
Below is the classification of cooking oil;
It is suggested to mix your cooking oil in the 1:1 ration, which means 1 part of monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.
Vegetables & Fruits (3,4,5).
As for vegetables, it is suggested to consume 3 servings of vegetables per day, thus you can tell that it needs to be the most food items that you bought for the market in order to make sure everyone consume enough vegetables.
It is quite troublesome when it comes to vegetables since most of the vegetables have short life span. Make sure 20%-30% of your vegetables coming from green leafy vegetables, since these are insoluble fiber which is good for your digestion and slow down the spike of your blood glucose level, but these are the kind of vegetables that is easily perishable as well. The rest you may add with rhizome types of vegetables such as carrot and radish, and another one us tuber such as potatoes.
Tuber kind of vegetables are mostly high in carbohydrate as well, it is still helping the digestion, but it can spike your glucose level. Thus, be careful on the consumption of this kind of vegetables.
3. Looking for LOW sodium, LOW sugar, LOW fat (6).
Always read food labels especially for condiments, but it is also suggested to use natural herbs as to give flavour to your dish. Garlic, ginger, celery, onion spring, turmeric, chili powder are the kind of herbs that can be used to improve your dish flavour.
As for condiments, less sugar, less salt and low fat, does not mean that it has no sugar, fat and salt, but it just means that it is the improve formulation from the previous. Meaning to say as an example if the previous formulation has 30g of salt the current formulation perhaps has only 15g of salt. Thus, do not go and binge using all these low in salt, sugar and condiment, still need to use in moderation but it is still the healthier option for your health!
In conclusion
Though it is very essential to buy healthy food in order to eat healthy food, but cooking method is as well as important. Make sure most of your cooking method is boiling, grilling, and steaming. Taste is something that you can mould if you mould your taste bud into consuming healthy food, as time passed by you will get use to it and eat healthily.
References
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
Infographic above explains types of
good and bad fats. But what about the differences between Omega 3, 6, and 9?
All these three fats can be considered as good fat, but there are certain thing
which differ it from one another.
MUFA or Omega 9
Monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA)
or also known as omega 9, is because of the double bond position which is on
the ninth position from the omega end. It is a type of fat that is found in
vegetable and animal fat such as in canola oil, sunflower oil, olive oil and in
nuts. Unlike Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), Omega 9 is a non essential
fat, which means body is able to produce these types of fat. However, there are
also benefits when it is obtained from food such as it can reduce risk of
cardiovascular disease and stroke, reduce LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and
increase HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and help to eliminate plague build
up in the arteries which can cause heart attack and stroke.
PUFA or Omega 3 & Omega 6
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)
can be divided into Omega 3 and Omega 6. The difference between these two is
that the position of the double bond for Omega 3 is at the third position from
the end, whilst for omega 6 is in the sixth position from the end.
Among types of Omega 3 with
extensive scientific research are Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA) and alpha lipoic acid (ALA). The difference between these three
types of Omega 3 fat is the number of carbon atoms 18, 20, and 22 for ALA, EPA,
and DHA respectively. ALA can be converted to EPA and then to DHA, but the
conversion which usually occurs in liver is less than 15%, which is why it is
recommended to consume EPA and DHA directly from foods or/ and dietary
supplement. ALA is present in plant oils, such as flaxseed, soybean and canola
oils. DHA and EPA is present in fish, fish oils, and krill oils. But the DHA
and EPA in krill oil is not originating from krill but rather from the
ingestion of microalgae.
Whilst, among types of Omega 6 are
linolenic acid (LA) and Arachidonic acid (AA). The difference between these two
are the position of double bond in the omega 6 fatty acid chain. Linolenic acid
(LA) is the same as ALA, it is essential fatty acids which cannot be produced
by human body. Sources of food with LA are soybean oil, corn oil,
safflower oil, peanut oil, cottonseed oil and rice bran oil. Whilst source of
food for AA are peanut oil, meat, eggs, and dairy products.
Omega 3 and Omega 6 are beneficial
for cardiovascular diseases where it can help with managing cholesterol level,
triglycerides level and blood pressure level. There are also certain supporting
data stated that it can help with reducing weight and waist size, improving
infant brain development in fetus and fighting inflammation. However, other
than for cardiovascular health the finding is rathe inconclusive. But as for
Omega 3 and 6 (PUFA) and heart health American Heart Association (AHA)
recommends that 8-10% of calories should come from PUFA as there is evidence
eating more PUFA up to 15% of daily calories in place of saturated fat can
lower risk of heart disease.
Diagram below shows the comparison
between these three types of good fat.
All in all, Omega 3, 6, and 9 are
beneficial for the cardiovascular health, as it can help with lowering LDL
level (bad cholesterol), increasing HDL level (good cholesterol) and help with
blood pressure level. Several other studies also mentioned that certain good
fat can help with inflammatory diseases such as joint pain and skin health such
as eczema. However, consumption of all these fats must be in balance since
overconsumption of these can lead to serious health effect! However, replacing
bad fat (or even good fat) with refined carbohydrates food, does not help with
your health either. It is so important to note that everything must be in
balance, and consuming healthy food is not about one type of food only, it
about variety kind of food and the quality of food, and the food source as
well!
References
Diet Suku – suku separuh adalah saranan diet oleh Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM) untuk cara pemakanan sihat. Pelbagai langkah dan inisiatif telah dilakukan bagi mempromosikan amalan pemakanan sihat kepada rakyat Malaysia.
MegaLive menyambut baik saranan ini dengan turut sama mempromosikan amalan pemakanan sihat kepada semua.
Suku – suku separuh adalah diet yang merangkumi suku jumlah karbohidrat seperti nasi, mee, bihun, capati, roti dll, suku jumlah protein seperti ayam, ikan, sotong dll dan separuh jumlah sayur – sayuran dan buah – buahan. Pinggan yang dirujuk dalam saranan diet ini adalah pinggan berukuran 10 inci/ 25sm.
Contoh hidangan suku – suku separuh:
Terdapat 5 mesej utama dalam amalan diet suku – suku separuh.
Mesej Utama 1: Makan 3 Hidangan Utama yang sihat dalam sehari.
Ambil sarapan, makan tengah hari, dan makan malam secara sihat dengan mengikuti konsep suku – suku separuh.
Makan pada waktu yang tetap juga membantu pengawalan porsi/ saiz hidangan makanan. Berikut adalah contoh waktu makan harian.
Mesej Utama 2: Makan 1-2 Snek yang Sihat di antara Waktu Makan Jika Perlu
Bagi menggalakan amalan pemakanan secara sihat secara holistik atau sebagai gaya hidup, anda juga digalakkan untuk mengambil snek sihat 1-2 kali/ hari dari sumber buah – buahan, kekacang, dan sayur – sayuran.
Contoh snek sihat yang boleh di ambil 1-2 sajian ialah:
Mesej Utama 3: Makan Sekurang-kurangnya Separuh Daripada Bijirin Anda Sebagai Bijirin Penuh
Malaysia adalah negara di mana, makanan rujinya adalah nasi, oleh itu tidak hairanlah jika kebanyakkan rakyat Malaysia masih berasa tidak kenyang selagi tidak makan nasi. Oleh yang demikian, Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM) menggariskan pengambilan karbohidrat hendaklah diambil kebanyakkannya dari sumber bijirin penuh, seperti dari sumber nasi beras perang, roti bijirin mil penuh, jagung, barli dll.
Contoh makanan berkarbohidrat yang tinggi serat:
Mesej Utama 4: Makan Hidangan Tidak Bergoreng dan Tanpa Santan Setiap Hari
Seterusnya, lauk -pauk di Malaysia begitu sinonim sekali dengan jenis lauk -pauk yang digoreng menggunakan minyak yang sangat banyak iaitu menggunakan kaedah ‘deep -frying’. Makanan bergoreng dengan minyak banyak yang digunakan secara berulang – ulang dan makanan yang mengandungi jumlah santan yang tinggi boleh meningkatkan masalah kesihatan seperti masalah jantung, darah tinggi, kolesterol dan kanser.
Justeru, pengambilan makanan dengan cara masakan dengan kandungan santan yang tinggi seperti masak lemak, kari, gulai, dan masakkan bergoreng hendaklah dihadkan.
Cara mengantikan pengambilan minyak dan santan dalam masakan dan makanan:
Mesej Utama 5: Makan Makanan yang dimasak di Rumah Lebih Kerap
Makanan yang dibeli di luar secara amnya mempunyai kandungan gula, garam, sos, kicap, perasa, dan monosodium glutamate (MSG) yang tinggi, ia juga kebanyakannya menggunakan kaedah memasak yang kurang sihat iaitu dengan cara menggoreng dengan minyak yang banyak dan berulang- ulang.
Kandungan makanan yang tinggi garam, gula, sos, kicap, perasa dan MSG boleh menyebabkan tinggi risiko kepada masalah kesihatan seperti diabetes, dan juga darah tinggi.
Selain daripada itu, pengambilan makanan dari luar juga seringkali mempunyai saiz hidangan yang tidak mengikut spesifikasi suku – suku separuh, hal ini menyebabkan individu lebih cenderung untuk makan secara berlebihan dan mendapat lebih risiko untuk menjadi obes.
Cadangan hidangan harian di rumah:
Rujukan
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 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.
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.
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!