Sport Nutrition Education Series

Sport Nutrition Education No. II - Guidelines to a Healthful Diet

The Four Food Groups

Food Group	Functions and Characteristics
1. Breads and Cereals	- good source of carbohydrates, provide B vitamins and vegetable protein - whole grain products are good sources of dietary fibre - provide energy
2. Fruits and Vegetables (fruits, vegetables, gourds)	- good source of vitamins A, C etc., minerals and dietary fibre - fruits and vegetables are low in fat (except coconut and avocado) - reinforce immune system and prevent constipation
3. Meats, Beans and Bean Products (beef, pork, lamb, poultry, fish, egg, dried beans, tofu etc.)	- both meats and beans are good sources of protein, iron and B vitamins, therefore, beans can substitute meats nutritionally - meat products contain cholesterol but beans do not, beans also contain less fat than meats -function as building blocks of tissues; manufacture and repair cells
4. Milk & Dairy Products (fresh milk, powdered milk, UHT packaged milk, yogurt, cheese etc.)	- good source of protein, calcium, phosphorus and B vitamins, also provide carbohydrate and fat - best to choose low fat or skimmed milk - maintain healthy teeth and bones

Each food group provides unique nutrients and serves different functions in the body. To achieve nutritional balance, one must eat a variety of foods. A diet which is limited to a few foods will lead to nutritional deficiency.

Typical Hong Kong Chinese Eating Habit Is Not Desirable

1. Meats as main food item at meals, but very little rice.

2. Use too much oil in cooking e.g. pan-frying, deep fat frying, and use lots of seasoning.

3. Frequently eat junk food, desserts, soft drinks, instant noodles, and preserved foods like luncheon meat, ham, sausage.

4. Eat little vegetables, fruits and milk products.

5. Eat and work at the same time, and eat out often.

The Proper Way of Eating Is As Follows

Other countries (like USA, UK and Australia) also use the food pyramid to promote healthful eating. The pyramid consists of four levels. Each food group has its own area and the size of each is different. Total food intake should be proportional to the area each group occupies in the pyramid. For example, the fats, salt and sugar group is on the top of the pyramid, and occupies the smallest area. Therefore, they should be used sparingly. On the other hand, the breads and cereals group is at the bottom and occupies the largest area. Therefore, these foods should be the foundation of our diets. Carbohydrates should provide 60 - 70 % of total energy intake in an athlete's diet. In order to reach this recommendation, athletes must eat more bread and cereal products, fruits, milk and root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, corns etc.

Food Choices Recommendation

The following chart provides recommendation on food choices. No single food provides all the nutrients needed and no food is absolutely not allowed either. However, there are foods which are better choices and some which are less desirable.

Food Group	Better Choices	Eat less Often
Breads and Cereals	rice, noodles, breads, oatmeal, congee,breakfast cereals, biscuits, whole wheat bread, steamed buns etc.	Instant noodles, yee mein, cookies, fried donuts, croissant, French toast, Chinese sweet buns with filling, etc.
Fruits and Vegetable	all fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables; juices of fruits and vegetables	potato chips, French fries, coconut milk, avocados, preserved fruits and vegetables
Meats, Beans and Bean Products	all fresh or frozen lean meats: chicken, pork, beef, lamb, fish beans : red/mung beans, lima beans, kidney beans, lentils, soybeans etc.; tofu, dried bean curd sheet, wheat gluten; egg	fatty meats, poultry skin, preserved meats like corned beef, luncheon meat, beef jerky, salted preserved fish, sausage, Chinese BBQ meats
Note : Eat no more than 3 egg yolks per week, but egg white is not included in this limit.
Milk and Dairy Products	low fat/skimmed milk, low fat evaporated milk, yogurt, low fat cheese	full cream milk, regular evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cheese, ice cream
Note: Soybean milk contains little calcium, therefore, it cannot be used to substitute milk. If you have lactose intolerance (symptoms include stomachache and diarrhoea after drinking milk), you may eat other calcium-rich foods like: bones of canned fish, fresh tofu, small fish where bones may also be eaten, seafood (shrimp, oysters, scallops, sea cucumber), Chinese kale, broccoli, pak choi. Nutritional values of fresh milk, UHT packaged milk and powdered milk are similar.

Follow these Eating Guidelines for Good Health

1. Eat a variety of foods.

2. Maintain a healthy body weight.

3. Eat more fruits, vegetables and cereal products.

4. Reduce your use of salted, preserved or sugary foods.

5. If you drink alcohol, do so moderately.

6. Drink enough fluids daily.

Food provides energy, eating wisely can help in bringing out your potential. American Olympic Gymnastics Gold Medallist, Trent Dimas said, "Successful athletes must be healthy, because they would not miss training due to sickness, are often energetic and don't get tired easily."

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