Recently Launched 2010 Malaysian Food Pyramid

The Ministry of Health recently issued a new 2010 Dietary Guidelines Malaysia on 1 April 2010. The main objective of this guide is to explain and raise awareness on the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and nutrition in our food daily activities. Malaysian food pyramid is a visual tool that is used as a guide in the development of a healthy diet. The food consists of levels of the pyramid representing different food groups. Shown next to each food group is the recommended number of daily servings from each group. From the base to the top of the pyramid food, the size of each food group becomes smaller, indicating that the individual is more cat food in the base of the pyramid and less food on top of the pyramid.

Another important terminologies related to food and nutrition are:


Proper diet

A suitable diet provides sufficient energy, nutrients and fiber to maintain the health of an individual. A diet that is appropriate for one person may not suit others

A balanced diet

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

Food group

A food group meets the nutrient content of foods like and function. There are five food groups. These groups of foods containing foods that are similar in calories, carbohydrates, protein and fat.

Healthy eating

A healthy diet is a diet that provides the right mix of energy and nutrients. Four characteristics explain a good healthy diet, balanced, moderate and varied

Moderation

Moderation is the key to a healthy diet. Moderation refers to eating a certain amount of food to maintain a healthy weight and optimize the metabolic processes of the body.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)

Recommended Dietary Allowance is the daily intake which meets the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97%) of apparently healthy people in a specific population age and sex. Part

Food guideline, the serving size is the recommended amount of food consumed daily in the traditional measures used for food and drinks, for example, cup, plate, bowl, spoon and teaspoon. One size fits meals defined in the Malaysian Food Pyramid may not match the size of the dose set on a food label.

Variety

Variety reports eating different types of food every day and ensure a better selection of healthier foods. When you select a variety of foods, the chances of consuming a variety of nutrients that the body needs are optimized.

Thus, the two important messages affected by the Directive are:

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

Main recommendation 2: Choose your daily food intake according to the recommended serving.

Eat a variety of foods every day as directed by the Malaysian Food Pyramid should provide all the nutrients needed by the body.