REFLECTIONSSS!(:
I always thought that I keep a healthy diet but I now realised that I was wrong. I usually avoid eating sweet and creamy foods, such as cakes and chocolates, snacks like potato chips and dishes with coconut milk like curry. Despite avoiding these unhealthy foods, my diet analysis shows that I do not eat very healthily. There is too much consumption of fat and sodium. I need to learn to abide by the Healthy Diet Pyramid, in order to have a more balanced diet. For my age group, I require 6-7 servings of carbohydrates, 2 servings of fruit and vegetables, 2 servings of protein and 250-500ml of milk per day.


There is a need for me to increase my carbohydrates intake, as I have constantly been consuming less than the recommended. It is the reverse for my intake of fat. I should cut down on foods high in fat and replace them with rice and alternatives. My percentage of energy-giving food consumed will then be more proportionate. I need to increase my consumption of fruits or vegetables, as I definitely did not eat 2 servings each on the 3 days. My calcium intake was very low, but I feel I should drink more than my one glass of milk for breakfast. More calcium helps to strengthen my bones. :) The amount of sodium in my food is quite high. I never knew this, but I guess it is because I enjoy eating food with gravy and sauces. I had better limit my gravy intake, and learn to appreciate the natural flavours of food. My total calorie intake per day exceeds by a bit. I can try cutting down, but I realise that I am still hungry after school despite eating quite a lot. Hence I doubt I can cut down on the amount of food I eat, and the only way out is exercising more to burn up the excess calories.


When I eat at home, I should ask my helper to use natural ingredients, use fresh food instead of processed or preserved food. I should ask my mum to look out for foods with the Healthier Choice logo when shopping. When eating out at restaurants or hawker centres, I can start requesting for less oil, salt and sugar, and more vegetables.


The nutritional tools on the HPB website I made use of were very useful. The Food Intake Assessment tool gave me a general analysis on the food I consumed for the entire day. I will know which food category to cut down or increase. The Energy and Nutrient Composition of Foods tool gave me information on the specific types of food. I learnt which foods to eat more of, which to avoid and how I could modify them to make them healthier. The last tool I used was the Recipe Analysis tool. This was another effective tool, as I used to it to analyse and compare my unhealthy dish and my self-invented one. I realised that by just using boiling instead of frying, there can be a significant decrease in cholesterol, fat and calorie intake. Besides, by adding just some vegetables, the dietary fibre consumption can increase but nearly two times! In general, the tools gave me new insights or healthy eating, which I can use in the future, in ensuring a healthy lifestyle.


Overall, this performance task was an enriching experience. I discovered that healthy eating was not just about consuming fewer calories, but also keeping in mind a balanced diet. I have learnt to think more about what I am eating. Analysing my diet has helped me see the flaws in my eating habits. From now on, I shall start eating a healthy and balanced diet!