Back to basics

> Ruminating the important aspects of a proper diet

AS Malaysians, we are notoriously known for our love affair with food. While passionate and proud of our own local cuisines, as foodies, we have also happily embraced flavours from around the world, inevitably welcoming the surge of international cuisines into our food scene. In addition to the constant availability of food round the clock, with the proliferation of 24-hour mamaks and fastfood joints, clearly, we Malaysians are spoilt for choice.

Unfortunately, this phenomenon does not come without repercussions. The alarming rate of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease is worrying. Obesity is also on the rise. By now, it should be widely known that Malaysia is the fattest country in Southeast Asia. Modernisation has a hand in it with the urban population increasingly time-challenged, highly pressured and forced to seek convenience over quality. While at large, it is the urbanites that primarily contribute to the chronic illness statistics, it seems, along the way, we as a nation have forgotten or perhaps more likely lost focus in regards to our diet.

WHY THE POOR DIET?

There is no one reason for our unhealthy diet. It is a combination of forces that seem to have encouraged our descent from a wholesome way of life. This includes our increasing tendency to opt for fastfood, have our meals at the mamak stall, snack in between meals, consume lesser fresh foods and such. Misinformation about what is “good” and “bad” foods, also has its effects on people’s food choices, which can harm their bodies in the long run or at the very least, create confusion on what truly is good and bad.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the trends driving our unhealthy diet include:

Changes to how food is processed and delivered, along with our eating habits, which have had a huge effect.

Globally, calories and nutrients obtained from meat, sugars, oils and fats have increased and have become relatively more affordable, while calories from foods that should form the largest part of our diet, such as whole grains, pulses and root vegetables, which have been declining. There are many reasons for this shift, but changes to trade and agricultural policies are key factors.

Modern processing, distribution and retail mean that highly processed convenience foods, often high in saturated fats, transfats, sugar or salt, are increasingly available and affordable in many countries. In many cases, consumers struggle to identify healthy options.

The marketing and promotion of food on television and billboards, online and via social media, tend to offer foods high in saturated fats, trans fats, sugar or salt, and often target children.

Increased portion sizes, eating outside the home, take-away foods, snacking, and consuming sugarsweetened beverages instead of water have changed the way we consume food.

HEALTHY DIET DEFINED

With many great influences beyond our control that aim to take charge of our dietary habits, it is even more imperative for us to increase our awareness about food and proper diet. We should start by understanding what exactly is a healthy diet.

According to the Malaysian Dietary Guidelines by the Ministry of Health (MOH) , a healthy diet is defined as: “A diet that provides proper combination of energy and nutrients. Four components that reflect a healthy diet are:

Adequate: Ensuring we are getting enough energy, nutrients and fibre to maintain the wellbeing of one’s health. This is based on an individual’s needs.

Balanced: Contains a combination of food that provides the proper balance of nutrients. This can be achieved by eating healthy food including fruits, vegetables and meats.

Moderation: Practising this is the key to a healthy diet. Hence, the right amount of food to maintain a healthy weight and optimise the body’s metabolism process.

Variety: This refers to eating different types of food each day and to ensure better selection of healthier food. By selecting a variety of food, the chances of consuming a multitude of nutrients the body needs are multiplied.

GET TO KNOW YOUR A TO Z

Food is essentially fuel for the body. Broken down, there are two types of “fuel” we require, macronutrients and micronutrients.

Macronutriets consist of carbohydrate, fat and protein, which is tasked with providing the body with energy and calories, that allow us to stay active. Unfortunately, with our increasingly sedentary lifestyles, the intake of these three food groups are not in proportion with our output or energy spent in daily activities.

Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that ensure the proper functioning of the body and promotes wound healing. Micronutrients can be received through a variety of food we consume. Hence the reason it is encouraged to add variety in one’s meals.

Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients because they perform hundreds of roles in the body.

There is a fine line between getting enough of these nutrients (which is healthy) and getting too much (which can end up harming you). Eating a healthy diet remains the best way to get sufficient amounts of vitamins and minerals you need.

Therefore, knowing what foods are rich in relevant vitamins and minerals allows us to supply our body with the proper amounts.

In addition to essential nutrients, foods also contain non-nutrients that can affect the body. These include fibre and phytochemicals (found in plants), many of which provide protection against disease. Some of these compounds act as antioxidants which protect the body’s cell from damage.

BALANCED AND NATURAL

When in doubt, the best bet is to go for balance. Every individual is unique with our own likes and dislikes. To make a positive change toward a healthier life, an honest review of our diet is required. It is easiest to take a look at our dietary habits during a week instead of looking at it daily because it allows us to determine if we are eating balanced, adequate, moderate and varied diet. Based on this review, we can then incorporate little changes into our diet based on what is lacking, excessive and such. For example, is it variety that is lacking? Start by adding more varieties to three meals in the week. If you consume too much meat, perhaps instead of consuming meat seven meals in a week, cut it down to five meals a week, incorporating other subsitutes for protein.

We are often led to believe that practising a healthier diet is too difficult. The key is little changes and doing it gradually. Changes do not have to be incorporated three meals a week as suggested above. If it suits you better, start one meal a week and take it from there. While it may seem like a measly effort, the truth is it makes a lot of difference. The important thing is to continue making these changes and moving forward. Before long and you may not notice immediately, you will find that you are practising a balanced diet.

One of the greatest issues about our diet today, as compared to our grandparents’ time is the food source. Today, we are increasingly consuming foods that are processed, as opposed to those

straight from the source. The term “processed food” applies to any food that has been altered from its natural state in some way. We don’t realise it but most foods that we commonly consume in a week such as fastfood, instant noodles, cookies, canned foods, etc, are processed. Unfortunately a lot of it is heavily processed too for example frozen pre-made meals or ready to eat foods such processed meats i.e. burgers and hot dogs, salad dressings, storebought cookies and cakes. Minimally processed foods include bagged vegetables which are pre-prepped for convenience and is still a healthy choice. Some canned foods can be healthy options but it is wise to read the label to see if it has any added sugar, salt and fat. When we consume more processed foods, it basically means that we are eating less food from its natural source which helps the body stay fit and healthy, have higher stamina and more energy, effectively fight diseases and more. It is therefore important that we aim to eat a wholesome diet comprising fresh produce and keep the processed food to a minimal.

As true foodies, Malaysians do not have to sacrifice our love for food. In fact, the variety of produce in the market actually gives us the opportunity to enrich our lives through experimenting with food.