Healthy Eating - Food Pyramid
Variety in food choices enables us to enjoy different tastes and helps to ensure health and adequate nutrition. A balanced diet should include correct proportions of different food groups. The best way to do so is to follow the food pyramid.
Food groups
Eat the most
- Grains:
Food from grains such as bread, cereal, rice, and pasta are the foundation of a healthy diet. We should avoid eating high-fat foods such as fried rice, fried noodles, or instant noodles which may lead to ingestion of excessive calories and cause weight gain. Whole grain food such as whole wheat bread and oatmeal are higher in dietary fibre and nutrient contents than refined grain foods such as white bread and white rice. On average we need about 3 to 5 bowls of rice (1 bowl of rice = 2 slices of bread) each day.
Eat more
- Vegetables and Fruits:
Fruits and vegetables are rich in dietary fibre, vitamins, and minerals such as vitamin A and C and potassium. We should select more of those with bright colours such as spinach, carrot, tomato, and papaya as they are often richer in vitamins and minerals. We should avoid overcooking vegetables to minimize nutrient loss. Vegetables can be chopped up into small pieces for the elderly with chewing problems. We need at least 3 servings of vegetables and at least 2 servings of fruits each day.
Eat moderate amount
- Meat, Fish, Egg and Alternatives:
Lean meat, skinless poultry, fish, or dried beans are lower in saturated fat and are healthier choices. Meat can be minced or chopped up for easy chewing. On average we need about 5 to 6 taels of meat each day. Consume food with more iodine, such as seafood, marine fish and eggs, as part of a healthy balanced diet.
- Milk and Alternatives:
Low-fat milk and fat-free milk are lower in saturated fat and are healthier choices. On average we need about 1 to 2 cups of milk each day. Milk and dairy products provides iodine. People who cannot tolerate milk can eat other calcium-rich foods such as fortified soy milk, soybeans, tofu, dark green leafy vegetables, canned sardines (eat with bones), etc.
Eat the least
- Fat/ oil, salt and sugar:
Avoid foods which are high in fat, sugar, and salt such as cakes, sausages, salted fish, and preserved vegetables. The use of natural seasoning such as ginger, green onions, garlic, and pepper powder can bring out the flavours of foods without adding sodium, sugar, or other food additives.
Create a Healthy Eating Pattern:
- Use plant foods such as grains, fruits, and vegetables as the foundation of our meals accompanied by moderate amounts of low-fat foods selected from the milk group and meat group.
- Use low-fat cooking methods such as steaming, blanching, braising, baking, micro-waving, or use a non-stick cooking pan to avoid excessive intake of calories to help prevent obesity.
- Use iodised salt instead of ordinary table salt, keeping total salt intake below 5g (1 teaspoon) per day to lower the risk of raised blood pressure. Persons with thyroid problems should seek medical advice.
- As iodine content in iodised salt may be affected by humidity, heat and sunlight, iodised salt should be stored in a tight and coloured container and kept in a cool dry place. To minimise loss of iodine through the cooking process, in particular from prolonged boiling and pressure cooking, add iodised salt to food as close to the time of serving as possible.