A WAY OF LIFE, A WAY OF EATING

HEALTHY eating doesn’t need to be about a choice of food alone. It’s also a way of eating. Whether at home or when you’re dining out, healthy eating is not “dieting” or depriving yourself of meals and being hungry. It’s a way of life, by eating the right things in the right balance and proportion.

Some of the key concepts include: Portion - be mindful of how much food you’re supposed to eat depending on your age, size and activities.

Ingredients - plant-based foods are better for your health than animal-based products, so eat lots of vegetables.

Pick whole grains as they are higher in nutritional content. Be mindful keeping a balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fibre, fat and water.

How it’s cooked - steaming or roasting is better than deep frying. Cooking food in the microwave can also work to preserve the nutrients.

Drink plain water - drinking water is essential to our health and plain water with zero calories is usually the way to go. Drinks like tea and coffee may contain good antioxidants but its benefits can be impacted by the sugar or dairy in the drink. Fresh fruit juice may be high in sugar but it also comes with other nutrients, so consider the cost and benefits of that.

Calorie counting - use calorie count as a guide on how much you can eat versus how much energy you will expend in a day. Do note that calorie counting tends to put an exact number on meals with many variables so don’t get too hung up about it. Remember that you still burn calories just by doing regular everyday things.