CookSmart (9th Issue) Page29

Dietitian Guide

What is low carbon diet?

Eat Less Meat

On average, a healthy adult only needs 5 to 6 taels of meat. Eating less meat and plenty of vegetables are good for your body and the environment.

Keep Cooking Simple

Simple cooking methods such as preparing a chilled dish, boiling, steaming and stir-frying with less oil are more energy-saving than deep-frying and stewing. These healthier cooking methods can also reduce the use of oil in dishes.

Eat Locally

Nutrients in food are easily lost during processing and transportation. Locally produced food, on the other hand, is likely to be fresher and to taste better.

Eat Just Enough

Chinese people use to finish up the left-over food, yet eating too much can lead obesity and related health problem. It is recommended to control portion by ordering just enough or share your dish with friends.

Eat Seasonally

Seasonal produces are allowed to ripen naturally. They do not have to be refrigerated or packaged, thus the resources used for processing are greatly reduced.

Table 1: Fuel consumption of different cooking methods

Low Carbon Eating vs Healthy Eating

Kathleen adds that there is a growing international concern about “food-miles”,- the distance food travels from where it is grown to your dining tables. Advocates for low carbon diet thus promote “eating locally”, which reduces the energy and resources consumed in transporting, refrigerating and processing food products. Canned and preserved food, moreover, tend to have higher sodium content.

Low carbon diet encourages eating more veggies and less meat. Having said that, Kathleen reminds that it does not mean going vegetarian, as meats contain certain vital nutrients such as iron and zinc that are essential to your body. While eating less meat, you may consume nuts, seafood, beans or dark leafy green vegetables as a replacement.

One may wonder whether organic food products are healthier choices than conventional food. Kathleen clarifies that, although organic farming do not use pesticide which are harmful to the body, there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that organic foods are healthier than conventional foods. On the other hand, imported organic foods need to be processed and transported, thus they may go against the principle of low carbon diet.