EASY FOOD SWAPS
Rachel Ling, a professional Dietitian from Tan Tock Seng Hospital, suggests replacing these common foods with healthier options, which are readily available in supermarkets.
| Swap... |
With... |
| Full-fat cream |
Low-fat yoghurt |
| Potato chips |
Air-popped popcorn |
| Soda |
Sparkling mineral water/diet soft drinks/unsweetened beverages |
Crunchy crackers
in yu sheng |
Unsalted nuts |
| Salted varieties |
Unsalted natural products |
Saturated oil
(palm oil, coconut oil) |
Unsaturated oil (canola, sunflower, olive oil) |
| Fatty meats |
Lean meat and skinless poultry |
| Fried rice/bee hoon |
Unpolished rice or brown rice bee hoon |
GUIDELINES FOR GUILT-FREE FESTIVE FEASTING
Festive seasons are always fraught with dietary dangers, and Chinese New Year is no exception.
“Chinese New Year goodies are often packed with fat and sugar which means they contain high calories. It is difficult to avoid foods such as pineapple tarts, kueh bangkit, love letters and bak kwa during the festive period,” admitted Rachel. “However, portion control and making smart choices can help to keep calorie intake in check.”
Rachel shared these three tips for surviving the Chinese New Year diet danger zone.
- Choose dried fruits such as cranberries, blueberries, apricots and raisins over pineapple tarts.
- Choose baked or raw nuts and sunflower seeds over sugar-coated, salted and honey-coated ones.
- Choose baked goods over fried ones.
In addition, heed this cautionary note. “While these healthier food alternatives may be healthier than their counterparts, do keep in mind to eat in moderation as excessive intake will lead to extra calories and weight gain,” said Rachel.
CULTIVATE LONG-TERM HEALTHY EATING HABITS
While the immediate and present danger may be Chinese New Year, there is, at the risk of stating the obvious, the rest of your hopefully long life to consider.
Rachel emphasises that retraining taste buds takes time, and requires mindfulness and determination. Here are her tips for cleaning up your diet and cultivating long-term healthy eating habits.
- Eat mindfully – to focus on the flavour and texture food in our mouth. Avoid distractions and be sure to turn off the TV and switch your mobile to silent during mealtimes.
- Repeat-eat healthy foods – repeated exposure to similar foods helps the taste buds to become accustomed to their taste and grow to like them.
- Reduce high salt/sugar/fat food – this helps to retrain the taste buds to enjoy the natural taste of whole foods and leads to a lower preference threshold for these tastes.
MAKE YOUR OWN HEALTH LUCK
The Year of the Rooster holds many things, but don’t leave your health to chance (whatever the horoscopes say). Take charge of your diet, drop the excess kilos if you need to, and save immeasurable suffering and medical expenses in the long term.
And when people compliment you on your trim new physique or figure, encourage your loved ones to follow in your healthy eating footsteps. The rewards are enormous.
With thanks to:
Rachel Ling
Dietitian, Nutrition and Dietetics Department
Tan Tock Seng Hospital
