The new food guidelines by the u.s. government is clearly outlined in foodfit.com. again, in its simplicity, the guidelines call for eating less, exercising more, and making healthier food choices.
There's also an emerging trend in the wake of the low-carb products backlash and subsequent decline in popularity. This is the rise in the numbers of low or 0% trans-fat products.Trans-fat is the fat used in most packaged products to prolong shelf-life and at the same time, give them that yummy taste. Manufacturers take vegetable oil and hydrogenate it (add hydrogen to stabilize it for a longer time). Trans-fat is found to raise the levels of bad cholesterol (low density lipoprotein).
Back to the 2005 guidelines, there were recommendations on the ff.:
- Exercise (at least 60 minutes on most days in lieu of sitting on the couch and watching the flat or not so flat TV)
- Veggies (at least 2 1/2 cups)
- Fruits (2 cups minimum)
- Milk (at least 2 cups, preferably low or non-fat)
- Whole grains
- A lot less sugar
- Less salt (max of 2,400 mg or 1 level teaspoon)
This last one is kinda tough especially when it comes to the common Pinoy foods. most of our food is laden with sodium. Some pilosopos will say that if you put in too much salt into your stew, you can just dilute it with more water. Well, that doesn't really solve the problem since the brew contains so much salt anyway. Hmmm, soup for thought.
