1. Xue Qi (20) 207
http://xq-foodandnutrition.blogspot.com/
Xue Qi's blog is neatly organised and it's easy for readers to find the relevant blog posts and information. Her food intake assessment is detailed and informative, and she seems to understand the good and bad points of her current every day diet. She used RDA to view the breakdown of her actual nutritional intake as a comparison and went on to explain the nutritional messages based on the results obtained.
Her one-dish meal is a bowl of meatball macaroni. She starts off by commenting on the bad points of the dish, like how the broth is very salty, before moving on to provide her own suggestions of how to transform this dish into a healthy one, like removing the skin from the chicken breast meat first. The description is simple and easy to digest. Furthermore, she also provided a recipe analysis of her one dish meal, making use of the one from HPB, and came up with the conclusion that chicken macaroni is a healthier choice for a dish as compared to porkball macaroni.
Finally, her reflections show that through this PT, she has come to understand more about her diet and what are the areas in which she can make improvements on to come up with the most suitable healthy diet for herself. She has also learnt more about the various nutritional tools that can be used to assess one's diet, and she seems to understand how useful it can be. I think her blog, on the whole, is detailed yet not too difficult to understand, which is what makes it so enjoyable to look through.
2) Nicole Yee (34) 207
http://blogyourdietpt-nicoleyee207.blogspot.com/
Nicole's blog is extrememly detailed and informative, and she has done a great job of tracking her diet and providing readers with a good food intake assessment. She used various nutritional tools like the RDA to analyse her diet thoroughly, and it's good that she recognises the difficulties of keeping to a healthy diet, for it'll help her to continue to strive to form that healthy diet for herself. She seems to know that she faces difficulty when it comes to controlling her food intake, and her posts are funny and down-to-earth, which is one aspect of this blog that I really like.
The one-dish meal she chose is her favourite dish, Alfredo sauce pasta. In this blog post, she suggests to readers what ingredients they can use to make this dish a healthy yet enjoyable one. For example, she suggests using whole-wheat pasta instead of enriched pasta, for it triples the fibre and reduces the number of calories, and so on.
Her reflections show that she really has a heightened knowlegde of food and nutrition after completing this PT, identifying her weaknesses when it comes to her diet and resolving to use the nutritional tools and such to keep track of what she's eating. Nicole's blog is filled with information but she still manages to keep it real, making it a blog which will interest her readers.
3) Thiyana Ilangchizian (30) 207
http://foodandnutritionperformancetask.blogspot.com
I found Thiyana's blog to be relatively simple, and it's short and sweet style draws readers in to read what she has to say. She managed to track her 3-day diet well, and later analyzed her food intake using the food intake assessment tool provided by the Health Promotion Board. Seeing that she has also posted the nutritional messages based on the results of the assessment show that she has come to a better understanding of her current diet, on what she needs to eat more of, and what she needs to consume less off. Her analysis was through and well done.
Moving on, the one-dish meal she chose to write on was a double cheeseburger which she had consumed on one of the three days while tracking her diet. She provided readers with the ingredients used in the burger and the method of preparation, before going on to write about how she plans on modifying this dish to make it healthier. She has chosen to replace the regular ground turkey which is currently being used with lean ground turkey, as it has a lower fat content. This shows that she knows how to improve on the dish to make it healthier, satisfying the aim of this component.
Based on her reflections, it can be seen that although Thiyana started off this PT with the same begrudging attitude like the other PTs we receive, her outlook has changed after completing it. She now has a greater understanding of her eating habits, managing to identify some bad habits she needs to change, like wasting food and then binging on unhealthy chocolates and sweets. She also mentioned that she is happy she managed to expose herself to various nutritional tools provided online. I really enjoyed reading Thiyana's blog and especially liked her choice of a one-dish meal.
Monday, 12 September 2011
Friday, 26 August 2011
Reflecting on the PT
This PT has allowed me to really understand the food I was consuming everyday, what kinds of food I was eating well and what were the areas in which I could improve on to have the best healthy diet possible for myself. For example, I learnt that my intake of fruits and vegetables should be increased, whereas my consumption of foods containing large amounts of fats, oil, salt and sugar should be reduced. As such, I personally consider my diet as not very healthy, and I would like to make amendments to the food I consume to achieve a suitable healthy diet for myself.
Furthermore, I also learnt about the importance of eating a variety of food, having a balanced diet as well as eating in moderation. In the Healthy Diet Pyramid, each food group offers a variety of choices and each one has a unique nutritional value. Eating the recommended number of servings and eating the right amount of food are equally important as well when it comes to having a healthy diet. The Healthy Diet Pyramid is one nutritional tool which I find very useful and helpful when it comes to the formation of a healthy diet, for it is informative yet simple to understand, and provides you with the knowledge you need to ensure that the food you eat everyday is healthy for your body.
My suggested one-dish meal of Buckwheat Linguine is something I consider healthy as well, for its components are fresh, and the level of fats, oil, salt and sugar are reduced when compared to normal ingredients that are commonly used. From using virgin olive oil instead of normal cooking oil, to creating a fresh pasta sauce from ingredients like plum tomatoes instead of using canned ready made sauce, it gives me reason to believe that Buckwheat Linguine is an example of a one-dish meal which is healthier than others around.
On the whole, my greatest takeaway from this PT would be that I now know more about what is in the food I eat everyday, and I can now understand what I'm eating, and how my diet can be improved to be healthier. I plan on using my new found knowlegde to create a healthier diet for myself, aiming to achieve a healthy body weight, basing my daily diet on the Healthy Diet Pyramid recommendations as well as choosing my food wisely to maintain overall good health.
Furthermore, I also learnt about the importance of eating a variety of food, having a balanced diet as well as eating in moderation. In the Healthy Diet Pyramid, each food group offers a variety of choices and each one has a unique nutritional value. Eating the recommended number of servings and eating the right amount of food are equally important as well when it comes to having a healthy diet. The Healthy Diet Pyramid is one nutritional tool which I find very useful and helpful when it comes to the formation of a healthy diet, for it is informative yet simple to understand, and provides you with the knowledge you need to ensure that the food you eat everyday is healthy for your body.
My suggested one-dish meal of Buckwheat Linguine is something I consider healthy as well, for its components are fresh, and the level of fats, oil, salt and sugar are reduced when compared to normal ingredients that are commonly used. From using virgin olive oil instead of normal cooking oil, to creating a fresh pasta sauce from ingredients like plum tomatoes instead of using canned ready made sauce, it gives me reason to believe that Buckwheat Linguine is an example of a one-dish meal which is healthier than others around.
On the whole, my greatest takeaway from this PT would be that I now know more about what is in the food I eat everyday, and I can now understand what I'm eating, and how my diet can be improved to be healthier. I plan on using my new found knowlegde to create a healthier diet for myself, aiming to achieve a healthy body weight, basing my daily diet on the Healthy Diet Pyramid recommendations as well as choosing my food wisely to maintain overall good health.
Thursday, 25 August 2011
A Healthy One-Dish Meal
Buckwheat Linguine
Ingredients:
Buckwheat
Linguine
Plum tomatoes
Basil
Oregano
Sea salt flakes
Fresh brown mushrooms
Why is it healthy?
Since this dish is made out of buckwheat, it's not traditional pasta which is made of normal flour. Buckwheat is energizing and nutritious, and diets that contain buckwheat have been linked to lowered risks of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Containing almost 86 milligrams of magnesium in a one-cup serving which relaxes blood vessels, improves blood flow and nutrient delivery while lowering blood pressure, it is perfect for a healthy cardiovascular system. Buckwheat also betters blood sugar control and lowers the risk of diabetes, and it also helps prevent gallstones. Their health-promoting potential equals to or even exceeds that of vegetables and fruits, and they provide protection against heart diseases as well.
Moreover, instead of using normal cooking oil, 100% extra virgin olive oil is used instead. The beneficial health effects of olive oil are due to both its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidative substances. Olive oil offers protection against heart disease and colon cancer.
Lastly, the other ingredients such as the plum tomatoes as well as the fresh herbs like basil and oregano are used to make the sauce as opposed to canned ready made sauce. Some canned ready made sauces like dairy-based sauces, such as Alfredo sauce, are often high in fat and calories. Another disadvantage of canned pasta sauce would be its sugar content. Though it seems as though this isn't so, manufacturers do sometimes add sugarto sauces because it balances out acidity and improves the overall taste. Hence, this dish is healthier in the sense that the sauce is fresh and doesn't come straight from a can.
| Home made tomato sauce |
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
Analyse the Diet
Healthy eating is selecting a balanced diet that is low in fat, cholestrol, sugar and salt, but high in dietary fibre. Healthy eating also means having different types of food in the right amounts, not overeating any one type of food, for different foods contain different nutrients, and no single food is able to supply your body with all the nutrients you need. Hence, by using the Healthy Diet Pyramid as a guide, I analysed my diet based on the 3-day diet track to check if i was eating healthy or otherwise.
The Healthy Diet Pyramid translates nutrient needs into actual foods, categorising commonly eaten food into four main groups, namely rice and alternatives, fruit and vegetables, meat and alternatives as well as fats, oils, salt and sugar. It serves as a guide to aid you in the formation of a suitable healthy diet.
By using this pyramid as a guide, I analysed bits of my 3-day diet track to check for a healthy diet.
Day 1
Rice and alternatives- 6.5 servings
Fruit and vegetables- 1 serving of fruit, 2 servings of vegetables
Meat and alternatives- 3 servings
Fats, oils, sugar and salts- Small amount
For this day, I consumed a sufficient amount of rice and alternatives as well as meat and alternatives, eating within the recommended range. However, I also lacked one serving of fruit. Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre, helping to strengthen the body's immune system. Moreover, a diet rich in fruit and vegetables is important as it helps to reduce the risk of developing heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer by around 20%-30%, and they also help to stimulate the senses. Hence, although the servings of fruit was low today, I aim on increasing my consumption of fruits and vegetables, aiming for a wide and rich variety as well.
Day 2
Rice and alternatives- 6 servings
Fruit and vegetables- 1 serving of fruit, 1 serving of vegetables
Meat and alternatives- 3 servings
Fats, oils, sugar and salts- Moderate amount
Similar to day 1, my consumption of fruits and vegetables needs to be increased in order to attain a healthy diet. The reason for the increase in the amounts of fats, oils and sugar and salts is mainly due to the fact that I ate a relatively large slice of sweet chocolate banana cake, which definitely contained high amounts of sugar. Sugar, although is slower to impact our health as we don’t die from an overdose right away, it’s that slow destructive process that is the most dangerous and unfortunately, most people don’t know the damage until it has already been done. For example, diabetes. Sugar increases fat storing, disrupts normal brain function and decreases your overall health and makes you age quicker. Thus, I plan on watching the amount of sugar as I take in, ensuring that I keep it at a small amount.
Day 3
Rice and alternatives- 4 servings
Fruit and vegetables- 1 servings of fruit, 0 servings of vegetables
Meat and alternatives- 4 servings
Fats, oils, sugar and salts- Slightly high amount
Just like the previous two days, today I was at a lack of fruits and vegetables. The food that I ate today mainly comprised of meat and alternatives, as can be seen from the drop to only 4 servings of rice and alternatives, which does not meet the required number of servings we need to consume. These foods provide our body with complex carbohydrates, also known as starches, which are very important sources of energy. They also provide vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Therefore, I plan on keeping track that my consumption of rice and alternatives meets the required number of servings.
Furthermore, today, my consumption of meat and alternatives increased to 4 servings, exceeding the recommended 2-3 servings. Over consumption of meat can lead to detrimental diseases such as cancer, heart attack and other chronic degenerative diseases. My intake of fats, oils, sugar and salts rose again today, and it is mostly attributed to the fact that I ate deep fried fish and chips, which definitely contained relatively high amounts of fats, oils and salt. Although it is not necessary to completely stop eating all this deep fried food when you feel like snacking, I plan on restricting myself to consuming food of this sort to no more than 3 times a month. This is because fats provide more than twice the number of calories for an equal amount of carbohydrate or protein. If these calories aren't burnt off through physical activity, you gain weight and may become obese over time.
Through this analysis of my diet over three days, I am now able to see what I am eating right and wrong, and I hope to use this as a basis to form a suitable healthy diet for myself in future.
The Healthy Diet Pyramid translates nutrient needs into actual foods, categorising commonly eaten food into four main groups, namely rice and alternatives, fruit and vegetables, meat and alternatives as well as fats, oils, salt and sugar. It serves as a guide to aid you in the formation of a suitable healthy diet.
 |
| Healthy Diet Pyramid |
Day 1
Rice and alternatives- 6.5 servings
Fruit and vegetables- 1 serving of fruit, 2 servings of vegetables
Meat and alternatives- 3 servings
Fats, oils, sugar and salts- Small amount
For this day, I consumed a sufficient amount of rice and alternatives as well as meat and alternatives, eating within the recommended range. However, I also lacked one serving of fruit. Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre, helping to strengthen the body's immune system. Moreover, a diet rich in fruit and vegetables is important as it helps to reduce the risk of developing heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer by around 20%-30%, and they also help to stimulate the senses. Hence, although the servings of fruit was low today, I aim on increasing my consumption of fruits and vegetables, aiming for a wide and rich variety as well.
Day 2
Rice and alternatives- 6 servings
Fruit and vegetables- 1 serving of fruit, 1 serving of vegetables
Meat and alternatives- 3 servings
Fats, oils, sugar and salts- Moderate amount
Similar to day 1, my consumption of fruits and vegetables needs to be increased in order to attain a healthy diet. The reason for the increase in the amounts of fats, oils and sugar and salts is mainly due to the fact that I ate a relatively large slice of sweet chocolate banana cake, which definitely contained high amounts of sugar. Sugar, although is slower to impact our health as we don’t die from an overdose right away, it’s that slow destructive process that is the most dangerous and unfortunately, most people don’t know the damage until it has already been done. For example, diabetes. Sugar increases fat storing, disrupts normal brain function and decreases your overall health and makes you age quicker. Thus, I plan on watching the amount of sugar as I take in, ensuring that I keep it at a small amount.
Day 3
Rice and alternatives- 4 servings
Fruit and vegetables- 1 servings of fruit, 0 servings of vegetables
Meat and alternatives- 4 servings
Fats, oils, sugar and salts- Slightly high amount
Just like the previous two days, today I was at a lack of fruits and vegetables. The food that I ate today mainly comprised of meat and alternatives, as can be seen from the drop to only 4 servings of rice and alternatives, which does not meet the required number of servings we need to consume. These foods provide our body with complex carbohydrates, also known as starches, which are very important sources of energy. They also provide vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Therefore, I plan on keeping track that my consumption of rice and alternatives meets the required number of servings.
Furthermore, today, my consumption of meat and alternatives increased to 4 servings, exceeding the recommended 2-3 servings. Over consumption of meat can lead to detrimental diseases such as cancer, heart attack and other chronic degenerative diseases. My intake of fats, oils, sugar and salts rose again today, and it is mostly attributed to the fact that I ate deep fried fish and chips, which definitely contained relatively high amounts of fats, oils and salt. Although it is not necessary to completely stop eating all this deep fried food when you feel like snacking, I plan on restricting myself to consuming food of this sort to no more than 3 times a month. This is because fats provide more than twice the number of calories for an equal amount of carbohydrate or protein. If these calories aren't burnt off through physical activity, you gain weight and may become obese over time.
Through this analysis of my diet over three days, I am now able to see what I am eating right and wrong, and I hope to use this as a basis to form a suitable healthy diet for myself in future.
Monday, 22 August 2011
Tracing my 3-Day Diet
Day 1: 11th August 2011- Thursday
Day 2: 12th August 2011- Friday
Day 3: 13th August 2011- Saturday
Time | Food eaten | Quantity |
6.45 am | Water Milo Peanut butter & jam bread | 200 ml 200 ml 1 slice of wholemeal bread Peanut butter & strawberry jam spread |
8.45 am | Chocolate bubble tea Rice and dishes | 300 ml 1 plate of rice 1 serving of fried green chye sim 1 serving of tofu with mixed peas and gravy |
2.00 pm | Water Terriyaki chicken rice Miso soup | 250 ml 1 plate of Japanese rice 7 slices of chicken breast Terriyaki sauce 1 bowl with seaweed and tofu cubes |
5.30 pm | Water Peanut rice balls | 250 ml 3 rice balls with peanuts |
7.30 pm | Water Rice and dishes Chicken karagae Wintermelon soup | 250 ml 1 plate of white rice ¼ steamed white pomfret 1 serving of taogay with taokwa 1 serving of tofu with minced chicken and gravy 1 piece 1 bowl with old cucumber and red dates |
9.30 pm | Water Watermelon | 250 ml 1 serving |
Day 2: 12th August 2011- Friday
Time | Food eaten | Quantity |
7.00 am | Water Milo Omelette | 200 ml 200 ml 1 egg 3 pieces of fresh mushroom 1 slice of cheese 1 piece of picnic ham |
9.30 am | Chicken stew with rice Nugget | 1 plate of white rice with mixed carrots, potato and chicken 1 piece |
2.00 pm | Rice and dishes | 1 plate of rice 1 serving of tofu 1 piece of fried fish |
5.00 pm | Wrap | 1 piece of picnic ham 1 slice of cheese 1 piece of sandwich wrap |
8.00 pm | Fried rice Orange juice | 1 plate of fried rice with ham, carrots, lettuce and eggs 2 freshly squeezed oranges |
9.30 pm | Water Chocolate banana cake | 250 ml 1 piece |
Day 3: 13th August 2011- Saturday
Time | Food eaten | Quantity |
7.20 am | Water Milo Cheese sausages Bread | 200 ml 200 ml 2 pieces ½ a piece of wholemeal bread |
12.30 pm | Water Chicken rice | 250 ml 1 plate of white rice 7 slices of steamed white chicken breast Dark sauce |
3.30 pm | Water Pear | 200 ml 1 serving |
5.30 pm | Water Chippy’s fish and chips | 300 ml 1 packet (5 pieces of fried fish) |
9.00 pm | Spaghetti Bolognese Iced chocolate | 1 plate of spaghetti with chicken Bolognese 1 cup |
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