Are you eating right?

Mind Your Body of the Straits Time dated May 12, 2011

Are you eating right?

You may think you are, but dietitians tell JONATHAN LIAUTRAKUL that an Asian diet often lacks vital nutrients

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Ms Julie Neo has always believed her diet was a reasonably healthy one - low in fat and high in greens.

So the 57-year-old administrator in a private company was concerned when she was told she may not be getting enough wholegrains, fruit and calcium.

In a typical day, Ms Neo has a slice of plain white bread with a cup of coffee for breakfast, white rice with a bowl of mixed seafood soup and vegetables from the hawker centre for lunch, and white rice with stir-fried vegetables and steamed egg with pork for dinner at home. She also has biscuits, a pear and a cup of green tea as snacks.

What she is eating is not high enough in the nutrients stakes, said Ms Lim Yen Peng, who heads the department of nutrition and dietetics at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

'She is not consuming adequate amounts of wholegrain products and she has not included any dairy products or other high-calcium food. Her fruit consumption is also inadequate,' MsLim said.

On the positive side, Ms Neo is eating enough carbohydrates, vegetables and protein.
She agrees her diet could be better.

'I don't take milk at all. I will try to include that, brown rice for my dinner and more fruits each day,' she said.

Like Ms Neo, many Singaporeans have a nutritional gap between what they eat and what the daily recommended requirements are, said MsKalpana Bhaskaran, a nutritionist at the Singapore Nutrition and Dietetics Association.

This may be because wholegrains and dairy products are not regular features in Asian meals. However, it is important that they are incorporated, said MsBhaskaran.

Wholegrains help in cholesterol control, while dairy products provide calcium for strong bones. Fruit and vegetables are chockful of antioxidants that protect against a host of chronic diseases including cancer.

Luckily, there are easy ways to include these foods, even for busy folks who eat out a lot, said Ms Lim.

For instance, breakfast could comprise wholegrain bread with low-fat cheese or wholegrain cereals with low-fat milk.

'Mix white rice with brown rice for dinner and eat wholewheat biscuits, high-calcium soya milk or low-fat yogurt for snacks. Eat at least two servings of fruit per day,' she advised.

The Health Promotion Board recommends that adults should have five to seven servings of carbohydrates each day, of which at least one serving should be a wholegrain product like brown rice. Two servings each of fruit and vegetables, and three servings of protein a day are also recommended.

One serving of fruit is equivalent to a small apple, while a serving of vegetables is equivalent to 150g of raw leafy vegetables.

'Generally, it is more challenging to ensure an adequate intake of nutrients when one is having meals frequently at hawker centres,' said MsLim.

'In order to achieve a healthy, balanced diet when eating out, adult Singaporeans will have to make a conscious effort to ensure that they choose more vegetables, ask for wholegrain options whenever they are available, and remember to end their meals with fruit.'

For calcium, include dairy products such as low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese, sardines, green leafy vegetables, lentils and calcium-enriched orange juice.

Food choices are important as they can either 'promote our health or increase our risk of developing chronic lifestyle-related diseases', added Ms Bhaskaran.

Finally, food that is steamed, boiled, grilled, baked or raw, is healthier than fried.