Hello all,
This is probably the first post that you see, but still. I would like to say that this Performance Task went very well, and I managed to score 18/20.

Thank you, all you kind supporters who read my blog and commented on it.

Love,
Michelle

Analysis of Three Blogs
Jennifer Ho: jennplusfood.blogspot.com

I felt that the graphics was really pretty for the blog. The extensive use of photographs also showed a lot of effort put in. I thought the analysis of the one-dish meal could be more detailed but overall, I felt that it was good.

Melissa Tan: talkfoodtoday.blogspot.com/

I thought that it was very detailed and meticulously organized. Also, much effort was put in, especially in the one-dish meal preparation (photographs were taken). I was also given very clear explanations of her diet. I think that it was excellent.

Quek Rui Tong: iamveryhungryyy.blogspot.com/

The graphics were clear and easy to follow, with big labels showing which was which. However, some parts were missing (e.g. one-dish meal photo)and I only saw one way she analysed her diet (through the HPD diet assessment).

Reflection

What have you learnt from your eating habits?
I learnt that I did not have good eating habits as I tended to eat very little in the morning and afternoon and eat a lot during dinner. This resulted in me not receiving enough food for energy during school hours but being kept awake during the night as I had too much energy to burn off. Also, when I calculated my RDDA, I was shocked that I was actually eating more than was needed. In fact, I was eating double my RDDA. I learnt that I must change my eating habits as they were unhealthy.

Do you consider your diet a healthy one? Why?
No, as I do not eat enough during the morning and afternoon and too much during dinner time. I feel that I should change it to eat more calcium-related products and such. However, I feel that I have a large variety in my diet and I eat a lot of vegetables, which is healthy. Thus, I should tweak my diet such that my RDDA is regulated, but keep the variety of the diet and the large amount of vegetables that I eat.

Also, one of my CCAs is NCC (Air), which requires me to train hard for about four hours a week, so my metabolic rate can be quite high, which does not make my diet as unhealthy as it would be if I did not excercise.

Are the suggested nutritional tools useful? How?
They are useful, however, they were confusing as for example, I did not know how much exactly was one serving was. I was unsure of how to judge the amount that I ate. Also, because I traced my diet a few weeks before, I did not remember as well exactly how much I ate. However, I thought that they were quite good in that they gave a lot of variety and choices in giving us what we ate in our diet.

Why is your suggested one-dish meal healthy?
It is healthy as it uses brown rice. In my diet, I eat a lot of white rice, but there is a more healthy alternative to it, namely brown rice. In this Performance Task, I decided to use brown rice as white rice should be switched to brown rice if I want to have a healthier diet. Furthermore, it uses vegetables and not meat, so some of diet problems are reduced if I eat this meal.

Suggest one-dish meal

I feel that I should convert my dinner of rice with many dishes into a one-dish meal that is more convienient.



http://www.google.com.sg/imglanding?q=brown%20rice%20recipes&imgurl=http://hostedmedia.reimanpub.com/TOH/Images/Photos/37/exps25291_LT10504D37A.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Vegetable-Brown-Rice&usg=__lHdRf2XQAyzmnllu1L-DBzYfXhI=&h=300&w=300&sz=13&hl=en&itbs=1&tbnid=i6HmvQkVXL45tM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbrown%2Brice%2Brecipes%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1&start=4#tbnid=i6HmvQkVXL45tM&start=8

I chose to use brown rice as it contains a higher amount of fibre content and a variety of colour pigments that are good for your health. Studies have shown that it lowers the risk of diabetes, some cancers and heart disease. It is also a whole-grain food, a type of food I am missing in my diet.

Although brown rice is not different from white rice in terms of carbohydrates and proteins, brown rice has more nutritients than white rice as the polishing of white rice leads to the nutrients being taken off as well. The unpolished brown rice thus has a higher nutritive factor.

I chose to use vegetables as I noticed I needed more vegetables in my diet.

Analyse the Diet 3

Recipe Name : Doumiao
No. of serving(s) : 4

Recipe Analysis
Ingredient Energy (kcal) Protein (g) Total Fat (g) Saturated Fat (g) Cholesterol (mg) Carbohydrate
(g) Dietary Fibre (g) Sodium (mg)
Pea shoot, doumiao, stir-fried 256 8 24 10.2 0 3 2.2 704
Ginger, raw, peeled 226 9 4 1.3 0 38 7.4 13
Oil, corn 135 0 15 2.0 0 0 0.0 0
Total (per serving) 154 4 11 3.4 0 10 2.4 179

Analyse the Diet Part 2

If this looks confusing, please go to: http://www.hpb.gov.sg/hpb/ere/ere070306.asp

Based on the information you have provided, your daily energy requirement is estimated to be 1,940 kcal. This energy requirement is the level of calorie intake from food that will balance the calories your body burns, thus maintaining your weight. For weight loss, you should consume fewer calories and be more active. If you need to gain weight, consume more calories than your body requires.

Period of Analysis: 28/04/2010 - 30/04/2010
Energy (kcal) Carbohydrate (g) Protein (g) Total Fat (g) Saturated Fat (g) Cholesterol (mg) Calcium (mg) Dietary Fibre (g) Sodium (mg)
Average intake per day 3,891 562.6 117.6 132.0 53.0 422.0 702.2 53.1 4,503.5
Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) 1,940 291.0 62.3 64.7 21.6 194.0 1,000.0 19.4 1,293.8
% of recommendation met 201 193 189 204 246 218 70 274 348



View graph of actual nutritional intake compared against RDA

Energy 201%

Carbohydrate 193%

Protein 189%

Total Fat 204%

Saturated Fat 246%

Cholesterol 218%

Calcium 70%

Dietary Fibre 274%

Sodium 348%


0

50 100 150 200 250 300 350
% RDA Met



Table showing the % of total calories of diet versus recommendation
% of total energy intake
Your diet Recommendation
Total Carbohydrates 58% 55 - 65%
Total Protein 12% 10 - 15%
Total Fat 31% 25 - 30%



Nutrition messages based on results

Energy
Your intake of energy from your diet was more than you need. Frequently eating above your energy needs can contribute to excess calories, which will be stored as body fat if it is not being used for physical activities. Excessive body fat leads to blood pressure, stroke diabetes and even certain cancers.

Energy in the foods we eat comes from three categories of nutrients - carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Fat is the most concentrated source of energy. Gram for gram, fat (9 kcal/g) has more than twice the energy of carbohydrate (4 kcal/g) or protein (4 kcal/g). Hence, foods high in fat are generally high in calories. Alcohol also supplies more calories (7 kcal/g) than carbohydrate or protein.

Know your daily energy allowance, and balance the energy from the food you eat with the energy your body uses for physical activities.

Total Fat
Your total fat intake was more than the recommended amount. A diet high in fat is associated with overweight, high blood cholesterol, heart disease and other related health problems.

To reduce total fat in your diet, use less oil or fats when cooking and use fat spreads sparingly. Use lean cuts of meat and poultry, and remove visible fat and skin. When eating out, ask for less fat or oil in your food. As extras add up, make your food choices wisely. Choose reduced fat or skimmed milk and dairy products instead of full cream varieties. Choose plain rice over flavoured rice, and cut down on the use of sweetened condensed milk or creamers.

Saturated Fat
Your intake of saturated fat was higher that the recommended amount. An excess of saturated fat can raise your blood cholesterol, subsequently increasing your risk of heart disease.

The main sources of fat in our diet are also the sources of saturated fat! These include coconut-milk based foods, blended oil (usually used in commercial cooking), flavoured rice (e.g. chicken rice, nasi lemak, nasi briyani) and creamer/whitener/condensed and evaporated milk in beverages. Cutting down or limiting such sources of fat will also help to reduce saturated fat intake.

Sodium
Your sodium intake was greater than the recommended amounts. Sodium acts like a sponge, holding water in our body. Excess sodium increases the blood volume, which then raises the pressure in our blood vessels. Hypertension or high blood pressure increases the risk of stroke and heart attacks.

The main source of sodium in our diet comes from salt (sodium chloride) and sauces added during cooking or at the table. To cut down on sodium intake, gradually reduce the use of salt and sauces when preparing or cooking food so that your taste buds have the chance to adjust. Try flavouring foods with natural seasonings like lemon juice or herbs and spices. Choose fresh food over processed foods over processed foods and enjoy the natural taste of foods. When eating out, ask for less sauces or gravy in dishes.

Cholesterol
Your intake of cholesterol was more than the recommended amount. Excessive cholesterol intake, especially as part of a high fat diet, can increase blood cholesterol level and put you at risk of heart diseases.

To cut down the intake of cholesterol, replace meat with beans, peas, lentils or bean products 3 times a week. For healthy adults and adolescents, limit eggs to 4 per week. In recipes, try to replace part of the use of whole eggs with just the egg white. Shellfish, prawns, shrimps, crabs, cuttlefish etc as well as organ meats should be eaten no more than twice a week and in small portions.

Calcium
You were not getting enough calcium in your diet. Without adequate calcium, you may be at risk of developing osteoporosis, a condition where your bones become weak and brittle. If left untreated, osteoporosis can worsen until a fracture (crack or break in the bone) occurs.

Increase your calcium intake from a variety of sources. Consume calcium-enriched breads and biscuits, green leafy vegetables, calcium-fortified juices, high-calcium soya bean milk, ikan bilis, sardines (with bones), tofu, as well as milk and other dairy products. Vitamin D helps our body absorb calcium. Your body can make this vitamin after sunlight hits your skin. You can easily obtain enough by getting at least 30-60 minutes of sunlight a day.


Aside from eating wisely, remember to make exercise a part of your life. Exercise helps to burn fat, tone your muscles, improve your stamina, relax and sleep better, as well as keep you alert and study better! Exercise at least 20 to 60 minutes, 3 to 5 times a week, until you sweat and breathe deeply without getting breathless. Choose an exercise that you enjoy, and try a variety so that you don’t get bored. Keep your exercise routine simple, fun and interesting.

If this looks confusing, please go to: http://www.hpb.gov.sg/hpb/ere/ere070306.asp

Analyse the diet Part 1


Wednesday 28th April:

Rice & Alternatives: 2.5 servings

• Whole-Grain Products: NIL

Fruits: 3 servings

Vegetables: 2 servings

Meat & Alternatives: 1 serving

• Dairy & other high calcium products: half serving

Fats, Oils, Sugar and Salt: Too high content due to Chicken Nuggets

Thursday 29th April:

Rice & Alternatives: 2 servings

• Whole-Grain Products: NIL

Fruits: 4 servings

Vegetables: 2 servings

Meat & Alternatives: 2 servings

• Dairy & other high calcium products: NIL

Fats, Oils, Sugar and Salt: Normal

Friday 30th April

Rice & Alternatives: 3.5 servings

• Whole-Grain Products: NIL

Fruits: 0.5 servings

Vegetables: 2 servings

Meat & Alternatives: 1 servings

• Dairy & other high calcium products: NIL

Fats, Oils, Sugar and Salt: Normal