VIRUS NUTRITION GUIDELINES

NUTRITIONAL GUIDELINE

A Good Guide To Healthy Eating

It is a common misconception that healthy eating is bland, boring and difficult to practise. Truth is, you don’t have to be qualified in nutrition to make it part of your daily living. Another misconception is that healthy eating is only about restrictions. Draconian rules  like no salt, no sugar, no fats, no this, or no that  only serve to further mystify everyone.  By the same token, there are some parties that propagate trendy diet regimes or insist upon  special food  based on dubious scientific evidence, if at all any! When people get the wrong idea about healthy eating, they reject it (can you blame them?). By rejecting, they are only depriving themselves of one of life’s pleasures, or end up compromising their health. What should you eat? How much should you eat? Can you be sure of meeting your nutritional needs? Follow the guidelines and you will be well informed of what to eat to enjoy a healthier and more fulfilling life-style.

The basic concept is to eat according to our needs and maintain a well-balanced diet. Yes, we’re going to discuss the Food Guide Pyramid. 

T

he main focus of the guideline is to explain and educate the general public about the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and nutrition in our daily eating activities.  A food pyramid consists of levels that represent various food groups. Indicated beside each food group is the recommended number of servings per day from each group. From the bottom to the top of the food pyramid, the size of each food group becomes smaller indicating that an individual should cat more of the foods at the base of the pyramid and less of the foods at the top of the pyramid.

Another important terminologies related to dietary and nutrition are:

• Adequate diet

An adequate diet provides enough energy, nutrients and fibre to maintain an individual’s health. A diet that is adequate for one individual may not be adequate for another

• Balanced diet

A balanced diet is a diet that contains the combination of foods that provide the proper balance of nutrients. The body needs many types of foods in varying amounts to maintain health. The right balance of nutrients needed to maintain health can be achieved by eating the proper balance of all healthy foods including fruits, vegetables and meats.

• Food group

A food group puts together foods of similar nutrient content and function. There are five food groups. These food groups contain foods that are similar in calories, carbohydrate, protein and fat content.

• Healthy diet  

A healthy diet is a diet which provides the proper combination of energy and nutrients. Four characteristics explain a healthful diet adequate, balanced, moderate and varied

• Moderation

Moderation is key to a healthy diet. Moderation refers to eating the right amounts of foods to maintain a healthy weight and to optimise the body’s metabolic process.

• Serving size

In the dietary guideline, serving size is the recommended amount of foods consumed daily in household measures used for foods and drinks, for example cup, plate, bowl, tablespoon and teaspoon. A serving size defined in the Malaysian Food Pyramid may not equal to a serving size defined in a food label.

• Variety

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

So the two key important messages by the guideline are:

☺   Key recommendation 1 : Choose your daily food intake from a combination of foods based    on the Malaysian Food Pyramid.

☺   Key recommendation 2 : Choose your daily food intake according to the serving size recommended.

It is very important that an individual ensures getting appropriate foods and incorporates the principle of good nutrition such as variety, a balanced intake of nutrients and moderation. The best way to meet the daily requirements is to eat a varied diet that combines cereals, fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, poultry, legumes and dairy products.

Eating a variety of foods daily as guided by the Malaysian Food Pyramid should provide all the nutrients needed by the body. Therefore, supplements are not necessary for most individuals. Nutrient supplements should only be taken on the advice of nutritionists, dietitians or medical doctors.

CALORIE FACULTY 

            

W

hat Are Calories?

Calories are the unit measurement of energy for food (1 calorie = 4 joules). The main sources in food are carbohydrates, protein and fat. We eat so that we get nutrition and, more importantly, energy to sustain our activities, bodily functions and life itself. Every breath you take, every movement requires a certain amount of energy. The unit's name is French and derives from the Latin calor (heat). Scientists now use the joule as the unit of energy. However, the calorie remains in common use for the amount of energy obtained from food. Human fat tissue contains about 87% lipids (what non-scientists refer to as fat), so that one pound of body-fat tissue has roughly the caloric energy of 1,914 g of pure fat, or 3,500 calories. Therefore, to lose weight, one has to create a 3,500 calorie deficit between energy intake and use to lose one pound of body-fat.

H

ow Calories Influence Weight Gain And Weight Loss

Losing or gaining weight is all about energy, and all about CALORIES.

If you supply your body with more energy (food) than it needs, the surplus can’t just disappear. It will be stored (you could call it potential energy) as fat. So what is the impact in terms of weight gain or loss?

·         Energy and weight gain: People who gain weight are supplying too much energy into their system. In other words, based on their natural metabolic rate and daily activities, they are eating more than they should. Hence the excess is stored as fat.

·         Energy and weight loss: When people don’t eat enough food to create energy to support their daily activities, their body will tap into reserves (fat) to balance the equation.

H

ow Many Calories Do You Need Per Day?

                                

Everyone should generally know how many calorie they need per day and the factors that influence it. There are different formulas to calculate this but let’s keep it practical.

One’s daily calorie requirement depends on various factors:

·         Gender: Males generally require more energy compared to women, having been intended by Nature to do the heavier work

·         Age: The older you become, the fewer calories you need because the natural metabolic rate slows down

·         Weight: The more you weigh, the more calories your body needs to keep alive (just as a heavier car consumes more fuel); this is also why people find it harder to lose weight after dropping a few pounds

·         Level of Activity: Keeping fit ensures that you have more calories (energy) going out; being active also plays a big role in lifting your overall metabolic rate

 

BASAL METABOLIC RATE (BMR)

One of the most common questions that I am asked is "How many calories should I eat?" and while many of us are hoping to hear that "magic number" of what is going to help us lose weight, the fact is our caloric needs are highly individual. Calculating your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the simplest way to find the answer. Here's how it works:

The BMR is the amount of energy you need to sustain your life. We use about 60% of the calories we consume each day for basic bodily functions such as breathing. Other factors that influence your BMR are height, weight, age and sex.  This includes your breathing, organs and everything else you need to keep alive:

Men: BMR = 66 + (13.7 x wt in kg) + (5 x ht in cm) - (6.8 x age in years)

Women: BMR = 655 + (9.6 x wt in kg) + (1.8 x ht in cm) - (4.7 x age in years)

 

DAILY CALORIE REQUIREMENT (DCR)

Next, we factor in how active the person is, by using the Activity Multiplier:

·         Sedentary = BMR x 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)

·         Lightly active = BMR x 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)

·         Moderately active = BMR x 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)

·         Very active = BMR x 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)

·         Extra active = BMR x 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2xday training)

DAILY CALORIE REQUIREMENT (DCR)

You are a 30 year old female, 30 years old, 5' 6 " tall (167.6cm) and weigh 120 lbs (54.5 kg).

·         Your BMR = 655 + 523 + 302 - 141 = 1,339 calories/day

Your DCR = 1.55 x 1339 = 2,075 calories/day

BODY MASS INDEX CHART

BMI CALCULATOR

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ody Mass Index(BMI) formula was developed by Belgium statistician Adolphe Quetelet (1796-1874), and was known as the Quetelet Index. BMI is also referred to as 'body mass indicator'. BMI is an internationally used measure of obesity.

Metric Imperial BMI Formula

The metric bmi formula accepts weight measurements in kilograms & height measurements in either cm's or meters.
1 meter = 100cms
meters² = meters * meters

Table: Metric BMI Formula
BMI = ( kg/m² )	weight in kilograms
	————————————
	height in meters²

Calculate BMI & Find Weight Status

Table: BMI Weight Status Categories
BMI	Weight Status
Below 18.5	Underweight
18.5 -24.9	Normal
25 - 29.9	Overweight
30 & Above	Obese

FOOD DATABASE

Roti Canai

Malaysia's favorite "roti" for breakfast. Its yummy but packed with calories. (95g = 1 regular sized canai)

CALORIES = 301.5 Total Fat 10.3 g Sat Fat 0 g Total Carbs 45.5 g Dietary Fibers 0 g Sugars 25 g Protein 6.7 g

Nasi Lemak

Delicious Malaysian coconut rice or "nasi lemak". This food item states ONLY the rice and not the other side dishes. (230g is about one single serving)

CALORIES = 389.5 Total Fat 13.1 g Sat Fat 0 g Total Carbs 58.2 g Dietary Fibers 0 g Sugars 0 g Protein 9.7 g

Satay

Chicken satay stick. (1 skewer = 2.5oz)

Calories 139.68 (Kj 586.66 ) Total Fat 4.8 g Sat Fat 1.65 g Total Carbs 2.7 g Dietary Fibers 0.58 g Sugars 1.1 g Protein 22 g

  

Mee Goreng

Mee goreng (English: fried noodles) is made with thin yellow noodles fried with onion, fried tofu, chili, vegetables, tomatoes and egg. (170g is a typical serving)

CALORIES = 281 Total Fat 9 g Sat Fat 0 g Total Carbs 40.6 g Dietary Fibers 0 g Sugars 0 g Protein 9.4 g

Laksa

Very good thick noodle with coconut gravy. (1 serving size = 450g)

Calories 412.62 (Kj 1,733.00 ) Total Fat 1.98 g Sat Fat 0 g Total Carbs 82.5 g Dietary Fibers 4.9 g Sugars 0 g Protein 21.1 g

Nasi Goreng

Fried rice accompanied with other items, or to a more complicated fried rice, typically spiced with tamarind and chilli and including other ingredients, particularly egg and prawns. (1 serving size = 10 oz)

CALORIES = 309.87 Total Fat 11.15 g Sat Fat 0 g Total Carbs 0 g Dietary Fibers 6 g Sugars 0 g Protein 6.68 g

Chicken Rice

Hainan Chicken Rice

CALORIES = 356.5 Total Fat 7.2 g Sat Fat 3 g Total Carbs 56 g Dietary Fibers 2.3 g Sugars 0 g Protein 19 g

Udang Sambal

Prawns Cooked in Spicy Sauce . A type of dish that are mixed with veges and usually served with rice

Calories 165.2 (Kj 693.84 ) Total Fat 12 g Sat Fat 0 g Total Carbs 2 g Dietary Fibers 2 g Sugars 142 g Protein 14.3 g

Chicken Wing

Kepak Ayam Goreng. (1 serving = 550grams)

Total Fat 89.7 g Sat Fat 0 g Total Carbs 0 g Dietary Fibers 0 g Sugars 0 g Protein 121.7 g

Sandwich

Sandwich with lettuce and spread (1 serving size = 255g)

Calories 480.55 (Kj 2,018.31 ) Total Fat 28.55 g Sat Fat 4.55 g Total Carbs 31.2 g Dietary Fibers 1.85 g Sugars 0 g Protein 26.55 g