MIND YOUR CALORIES
What Are Calories?
• Food energy
• Av. person's caloric diet
ranges from 1500 - 2400
High Calorie Foods + Inadequate Exercise = Fat Storage
General Guide to Calories
• Provides a general reference for calories
when looking at a Nutrition Facts label
• 40 Calories = Low
• 100 Calories = Moderate
• 400 Calories or More = High
How to Read Food Labels
1. Serving size
– Number of servings per
packaging
2. Check calories
How many calories of
FAT are there in one
serving?
How to Read Food Labels…
3. Limit these nutrients
otherwise…
increase risk of certain
chronic diseases
– heart disease
– some cancers, or
– high blood pressure
How to Read Food Labels…
4. Get Enough of These
– improve your health
– help reduce the risk of
some diseases and
conditions
• Dietary fiber promotes
healthy bowel function
How to Read Food Labels…
5. Understanding the Footnote on the Bottom of the
Nutrition Facts Label
• Recommended that you stay below - eat "less
than"
How to Read Food Labels…
6. The Percent Daily Value (%DV)
• Based on the Daily Value
recommendations for key nutrients
• Helps determine if a serving of food
is high or low in a nutrient
Maintaining Balance
Source: Health Promotion Board
What We Eat
708kcal
246kcal
1 = 98kcal
What We Eat
288kcal
742kcal
706kcal
Desserts We Can’t Resist!
70kcal
257kcal
593kcal
Drinks To “Quench”
Our Thirst
140 kcal
340 kcal
Let’s Calculate!
782 kcal
200g = 280kcal
234g = 153kcal
93 g = 208kcal
80g = 141kcal
Let’s Calculate!
200g = 280kcal
290g = 450kcal
215g = 339kcal
1688 kcal
191g = 448kcal
425g = 171kcal
Managing A
Healthier Diet
Managing Weight
With A Healthier Diet
1. Opt for lower calorie options
– Control type & amount of food and drinks
Source: Health Promotion Board
Managing Weight
With A Healthier Diet…
2. Swop to Whole-grains
– Natural is best!
Source: Health Promotion Board
Managing Weight
With A Healthier Diet…
3. Go for Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS)
Products
– generally lower in fat and sugar and are lower in
calories
Source: Health Promotion
Board
The New Food Icon
Planning Your Meals
Food
Unit
Energy (calories)
1 cup (170g)
20
Steam white rice
1 serving (224g)
380
Chicken Breast Meat (Raw)
1 serving (100g)
114
Lean Minced Beef (Raw)
1 serving (100g)
131
Lean Pork (Raw)
1oz (28g)
42
Medium Potato (Raw)
1 (213g)
164
Fish Fillet
1 (109g)
291
Medium Egg (Raw)
1 (50g)
72
1/6
86
Chinese Cabbage (Shredded,
Boiled, w/o salt)
Watermelon (Wedge)
Online Resources
You can refer to the Health Promotion Board
website and use the health tools provided.
http://www.hpb.gov.sg/healthtools/default.aspx
They will come in handy for sure!
For those who love to cook, a friend recommended
me this website which gives a breakdown of the
proportion of calories that are in different types of
dishes.
www.skinnytaste.com