Diversify your protein sources for better nutrition

Protein, an essential nutrient needed by our body, can be found in both animal and plant food sources

One way of increasing your plant-based protein intake is by mixing your protein sources in one meal, e.g. you have dhall and chickpeas, alongside fish, in this dish. — Filepic

When discussing protein in our diets, we often think of animal-based protein sources, such as meat, fish and poultry.

But did you know that protein is also available in foods originating from plants?

In fact, it is essential to include these plant-based protein sources in our diet as part of our healthy eating plan.

Before delving deeper into the topic, we need to understand what protein is and why we need to eat foods containing it.

Apart from carbohydrates and fats, protein is a major nutrient needed by our body to function properly.

It contributes significantly to the growth and maintenance of our body, including the formation of new cells and the repair of old ones.

Additionally, protein serves as the building block for enzymes and hormones, which are key to various biological processes in the body.

It also provides energy when the supply from carbohydrates and fats is insufficient.

As protein is essential for cell growth and repair, adequate intake is important during periods of rapid development, such as during childhood, adolescence, pregnancy and breastfeeding.

In addition, sufficient intake of high-quality protein by the elderly is important to help improve mood, boost resistance against stress and prevent muscle loss.

In the most recent update to the Malaysian Food Pyramid, protein-rich foods are placed on the third level from the base, indicating that they need to be consumed in moderation.

According to this guideline, individuals are advised to incorporate a balanced mix of protein sources into their daily diet.

The Food Pyramid recommends one serving of fish; one to two servings of poultry, meat or eggs; and one serving of plant-based protein foods.

To achieve optimal health, adults are encouraged to aim for approximately one gramme of protein per kilogramme of body weight daily, as per the Malaysian Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) of 2017.

This means an individual weighing 70kg should aim for an intake of 70g of protein per day.

Understanding protein sources

As mentioned earlier, protein is not solely sourced from animal-based foods, such as chicken, meat, eggs and fish.

Indeed, protein can also be obtained from plant-based protein foods such as legumes, nuts and soybean products, which are equally nutritious and beneficial for our body.

Hence, incorporating both animal- and plant-based proteins into our daily meals can provide a higher quality of protein to support overall health.

To help us make better dietary choices, let’s learn more about the different sources of protein:

> Animal protein

Fishes such as Indian mackerel (ikan kembung), salmon and herring are excellent sources of protein with lower levels of saturated fats compared to meat and poultry.

Additionally, they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for brain development in children.

Shellfish varieties like crabs, lobsters and shrimps offer lean protein with minimal saturated fats and calories, and are high in many micronutrients.

Meat and poultry are complete proteins that contain all the essential amino acids.

They are also high in minerals and vitamins.

The fat content may vary depending on the cuts, with examples of lean options including skinless chicken or turkey breast, and beef or pork tenderloin.

A cost-effective protein source, eggs provide excellent quality protein containing all the essential amino acids.

Additionally, egg yolks are rich source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are good fats.

> Plant-based protein

Legumes are generally low in fat, high in dietary fibre, and free from saturated fats and cholesterol.Soybean is considered as one of the best complete protein sources and can make a pretty delicious dish, such as this Szechuan mapo tofu. — Filepic

They are also a good source of B-group vitamins and contain phytochemicals and antioxidants.

However, they are incomplete proteins as they are low in some essential amino acids.

Examples of legumes are dhal, lentils, peas, chickpeas and peanuts.

Nuts are nutrient- and energy- dense foods that contain high amounts of protein, healthy fats, phytochemicals and antioxidants.

They are also rich in dietary fibre and various micronutrients.

Examples include almonds, pistachios, chestnuts and hazelnuts.

Soybean is considered as one of the best complete protein sources.

Soybean foods are widely consumed and available in various forms.

They are also rich in protein, dietary fibre, unsaturated fat, vitamins and minerals.

Examples of soybean foods are soymilk, tofu, tempeh and natto.

Increase your plant-based proteins

Here are some practical tips to boost your intake of plant-based proteins:

• Add legumes to dishes

  Try mixing plant-based proteins and animal proteins in the same dish.

  For example, you can prepare stir-fry shrimps with added tofu or incorporate chickpeas into beef stew.

• Include legumes daily

  Aim to incorporate a serving of legumes every day as part of your daily protein intake.

  For example, you can have lentil soup with bread for breakfast, instead of toast with kaya.

• Have a variety of legume dishes

  Prepare different legume dishes to keep your meals exciting and nutritious.

  For example, you can have stir-fry tempeh one day and braised tofu the next.

• Choose legumes or nuts as snacks

  This is an easy way to increase your plant-based protein intake.

  However, be mindful of portion sizes, especially with nuts, as they are high in calories.

  For example, you can have steamed chickpeas, boiled peas/edamame, roasted almonds or chestnuts for a satisfying and nutritious snack.

Also, follow these simple cooking tips to ensure that you get the essential nutrients needed by your body, while avoiding excessive intake:

• Choose skinless or lean cuts

  Opt for skinless chicken or duck parts, and lean cuts of beef, lamb or pork, when buying meat or poultry.

  Otherwise, you can also remove the skin or trim excess fat before cooking to reduce saturated fat intake from animal protein.

• Include plant-based protein foods

  Add plant-based protein foods to your grocery shopping list to diversify your protein options when cooking dishes.

• Use healthier cooking methods

  Cooking methods can also affect the quality of your protein intake.

  Choose to cook by steaming, stewing, braising, boiling, poaching, grilling, roasting or air-frying.

  Limit deep-frying and breading as these methods will cause the food to soak up more oil during cooking, hence adding more fat and calories to your intake.

• Limit intake of organ meats

  Organ meats such as the liver, spleen or kidney are nutritious, but also high in cholesterol and saturated fat.

  Consume them in moderation to maintain a balanced diet.

When we have mixed rice for lunch, protein-based dishes are often the star of the meal.

However, most of us tend to choose chicken or meat as the primary protein source.

It is worth noting that dietary guidelines recommend including at least one serving of fish and one serving of plant-based protein as part of our daily protein intake.

This will ensure that we have a variety of protein sources in our diet.

Combining both animal and plant-based proteins in our diet will also provide higher-quality proteins for our body.

So go ahead and try some different protein-based dishes in your menu.

ByTan Ye Ting and Georgen , who are members of the Malaysian Dietitians’ Association (MDA). This article is contributed by Nutrition Month Malaysia (NMM) 2024, an annual community nutrition education initiative jointly organised by the Nutrition Society of Malaysia, MDA and the Malaysian Society of Body Composition. NMM’s annual Food-Fit-Fun Fair will be held in Pavilion Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, on May 22-26 (2024).

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China successfully launches epic Chang’e-6 lunar probe in first human attempt to retrieve samples from far side of the Moon

 

The mission will last 53 days. The first to visit the far side of the moon, in 2019, was Chang'e-4, which included a rover to explore the moon's Von Karman crater. China remains the only nation to send a lander to the other half of the moon

 
China has made another historic stride in its deep space endeavors on Friday, as the Long March-5 Y8 carrier rocket blasted off at 5:27 pm from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in South China’s tropical island of Hainan, sending the Chang’e-6 lunar probe onto its odyssey in the world’s first ever attempt to bring back lunar samples from the far side of the Moon.

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) confirmed the success of the launch after two pairs of solar panels of the spacecraft opened smoothly. 

The round trip of Chang'e-6 to the moon and back will take about 53 days, more than double the duration of its predecessor Chang’e-5, which returned samples from the near side of the moon in some 23 days, media reported.

The longer duration also indicates more complex flight stages – researchers have designed 11 stages for Chang’e-6, including launch and orbit insertion, lunar transfer, among others, media reported on Friday. 

The amount of Moon samples to be returned this time is also expected to be larger than the Chang’e-5 mission. It is expected to retrieve around 2,000 grams of lunar dust and rocks, an increase of some 270 grams than the last time.

The Chang'e-6 mission aims to break new ground in lunar retrograde orbit design and control, intelligent sampling on the moon's far side, and ascent from the lunar surface, according to the CNSA. It will conduct an automated sample return from the moon's far side, along with scientific exploration of the landing area and international collaboration, the agency added. 

After flying into orbit, it will head toward the Moon. Upon reaching its vicinity, the probe will brake to enter lunar orbit, and then fly around the orbit, during which time the lander and ascender combination will land on the far side of the moon, a research fellow with CASC revealed on Friday. 

After completing the sampling, the ascender carrying the collected lunar soil will take off from the far side of the Moon to rendezvous and dock with the orbiter-returner combination, transfer the lunar samples to the returner, and then head back to Earth. It will re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere in a semi-ballistic skip manner and land in Siziwang Banner, North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. 

Chang'e-6 will adopt the same sampling methods used by Chang'e-5, utilizing drilling and scooping to obtain samples from different layers and depths of the lunar surface, simultaneously conducting scientific exploration on the lunar far side.

The location of the drilling is targeted at the Aitken Basin in the lunar south pole, a crater formed some 4 billion years ago and believed to contain water ice. 

The Aitken Basin is one of the three major lunar landforms, and is the oldest and deepest impact crater basin on the moon, with significant scientific research value. 

“This is of great significance for humans to have a more comprehensive understanding of the Moon, deepen the study of lunar origin and evolution, planetary evolution, and the origin of the solar system,” said Hu Zhenyu, the chief engineer of the launch site engineering technology group for the mission.

To promote international cooperation, the Chang’e-6 mission will carry a number of international payloads to the Moon, including the European Space Agency's lunar surface ion composition analyzer, France's radon detection instrument, Italy's laser corner reflector, and a CubeSat from Pakistan, the CNSA revealed to the Global Times.

The Chang'e-6 mission is part of the country’s Phase-4 lunar exploration program, which eyes landing taikonauts on the Moon before 2030.

China is also leading the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) project together with Russia in the lunar south pole. The project will see a basic station built by 2035 and an expansion set for completion by 2045, with a moon-orbiting space station as the hub and facilities featuring complete functions.

So far, nearly 20 countries and organizations have joined the ILRS, including US Hawaii-based International Lunar Observatory Association, Swiss company Nano-SPACE for Cooperation, and France's Thales Group.

The mission comes amid increasing efforts by various countries to enhance their lunar programs, driven by a heightened interest in the opportunities for accessing resources and advancing deep space exploration.

Following Russia, the US and China, India successfully landed its first spacecraft on the Moon last year. And in January this year, Japan became the fifth member to join the lunar landing club, but its lander soon faced power issues due to incorrect landing angle.

The US is also pursuing its own schemes to return astronauts to the Moon as soon as 2026 and build a scientific base camp. However, the program, called Artemis, has been facing a number of challenges that put the scheduled date in question.

The Long March-5 carrier rocket, with a total length of nearly 60 meters and a takeoff mass of about 869 tons, is a true “giant” in China’s rocket family. 

It is equipped with four boosters and has a payload capacity of 25 tons to low Earth orbit and 14 tons to geostationary transfer orbit, making it the largest launch vehicle in active service in China.

Since the Chang'e-6 probe is 100 kilograms heavier than Chang'e-5, designers have managed to help the rocket to "lose weight" and thus increasing Long March-5’s lunar transfer orbit payload capacity by 100 kilograms to meet the requirements of its “passenger,” the CASC revealed. 

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M'sia to see more Chinese tourists during golden week, ‘Golden’ opportunity for Penang

 The Labour Day golden week, which runs from May first to fifth, is one of three major holidays in China, after the Chinese New Year and National Day celebrations. Tourism Malaysia is expecting a 30% increase in tourists compared with 2023 during the period

M'sia to see more Chinese tourists during golden week

International Labor Day: China's Travel Holiday

Breath of fresh air: Chinese nationals with a tour guide making the best out of Labour Day holiday to visit Penang Hill. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star

GEORGE TOWN: This is the “Golden Week” in China – a time for Chinese nationals to take a much-needed break, its beginning coinciding with International Workers’ Day.

And many of them are doing just that in Penang.Making up a large number among international tourists in Penang, they thronged tourist attractions such as Penang Hill.

Project manager Jerry Chen, 42, from Suzhou, said his colleagues are spending three days in Penang to celebrate their break from work.“Visiting Malaysia is now visa-free, so we took advantage of it.

“We had visited Malaysia in the past, but never to Penang so this is an eye-opening trip for us.

“The food, especially, is our favourite,” he said yesterday.Another tourist from Beijing, engineer Ming Xingshi, 32, and his wife Li Jiumei, 30, decided to leave work for a week.“Since there is a day off in the middle of the week, we decided to take the whole week and travel.“This is my third time in Malaysia and we are familiar with most of the food and culture here.“This time, we are putting up at a homestay nearby,” said Ming.Another group from Taiwan, comprising retirees, is spending 10 days in Malaysia and are caught up in the Labour Day crowd.

Their tour leader Sylvia Chen said the group is more into visiting places of historical significance.“The group of 16 was in Singapore and Melaka prior to coming to Penang.

“They are taking their itinerary at a slower pace and the crowd on Labour Day added to their excitement.

“So far, the food and culture in Penang is suitable for them and they are blending in well,” said Chen.

Apart from tourists from various countries, many locals also took the opportunity to spend the Labour Day in various places, including shopping malls and eateries.

Long queues were seen at famous eateries in George Town.There was a large crowd visiting attractions such as street murals, heritage clan houses and private attractions within the heritage enclave, with heavy traffic at busy roads coming to a crawl.

It was reported that Penang recorded a 370% increase in tourists from China within the first quarter of this year compared with the same period last year.

State tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said this is thanks to the visa-free policy and direct flights between Penang and China.

He said between January and March this year, Penang International Airport has received 22,420 visitors from China, compared with 4,768 arrivals in the same period last year.Wong said that these are only those who arrived via direct flights from China, while those who came via other means, such as through domestic flights from other states, were not factored in.

Travellers from Indonesia and Singapore, which stood as the highest number of arrivals, recorded an increase of 30.44% and 74.33% this year. This translated to an increase from 75,141 to 98,012 for Indonesia and from 22,310 to 38,890 for Singapore.

There are now 21 direct flights between Penang and China on a weekly schedule, with four more flights to be added at the end of May.

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Chinese man earns green beret

Setapak lad saluted for being first Chinese commando in ...

Chinese accountancy graduate earns coveted Green Beret

PETALING JAYA: Leftenan Muda Chan Ming Youn beat all the odds to achieve his aim to become a member of one of the world’s toughest military units – Gerup Gerak Khas or Special Service Group.

The 25-year-old from Setapak, who graduated from Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT), earned his “green beret” on Sunday after passing 12 weeks of harsh and gruelling training.

“My parents were deadset against me joining the military, otherwise I would have done so soon after my SPM. They wanted me to get a degree and a job related to what I studied.

“I had constant arguments with them when I insisted on joining the armed forces because it is my childhood dream.

“I want to serve and protect my country in the most noble way I know,” he said in an interview yesterday.

To appease his parents, Chan, who is the youngest of three siblings, took up accountancy at TAR UMT and obtained a bachelor’s degree. While studying for his degree, he signed up as a reservist with the Territorial Army Regiment to fulfil his yearning to be a serviceman.

As the longing grew with his stint as an army volunteer, he decided to apply to join the army as a cadet officer in 2022.

Upon passing the interview and undergoing regular army training for nine months, he was briefly posted to the 2nd Royal Ranger Regiment before he set his mind to enrol in February as a candidate in the commando unit, which is known through its Malay acronym GGK.

He was then put through the GGK’s basic training, an exercise that determines whether a candidate qualifies to make it as an elite member of the special forces before he is assigned to undergo other specialised skills in weaponry, parajumping and close-quarters combat to become a full-fledged commando.

Recounting his experience during his 12-week training stint at the Sungai Udang Army Camp in Melaka, Chan said it was the toughest moments he had ever undergone in his life despite his love for the military.

Soon after the exercise began, his body was in immense pain and aching all over and then riddled with blisters, bruises and torn skin.

He said the most difficult task he faced was a 160km run with other recruits that left the soles of his feet inflamed and torn.

“In the jungle, we were to survive on very little food, and went hungry. When we ran out of supplies, we had to feed ourselves with whatever we could find in the forest such as monitor lizards and pythons.

“It was beyond what I had ever imagined.

“The training will break you both mentally and physically but that is what it takes to be an elite member of the special forces and to make us resilient.

“I almost lost my mind and had thoughts of giving up halfway through the training but the comradeship of my fellow recruits and the constant support of my trainers kept me going.

“The camaraderie was amazing. We were united as a unit and there was no differentiating anyone by race.

“We were like brothers who watched over each other’s backs and ensured we stayed sane. This was the greatest thing I will never forget,” he said.

On Sunday, Chan received his green beret, blue lanyard and a dagger, which qualified him as commando, from 21st GGK commander Mejar-Jen Adi Ridzwan Abdullah in a graduation ceremony at the Sungai Udang camp.

Chan said his parents who were present were pleased to see him in good health.

“I know they are proud of me although all they asked me was if I had eaten and in good health. Those words were enough to affirm their support.

“During the tough training, my thoughts were also on my parents who had raised me and I just did not want to let them down.

“That too kept me motivated,” he said.

When contacted, Mejar-Jen Adi Ridzwan said Chan is the first Malaysian Chinese in decades to pass out as a commando.

“He had applied to undergo the tough training moreover, and was not assigned to it. This is very admirable and he proved himself very well.

“The last time we had Malaysian Chinese commandos was almost 20 years ago. There were many of them in the 1970s and 1980s.

“Hence, we are seeing a revival of Malaysian Chinese returning to serve the army like how their predecessors did.

“We are happy to see this and we hope more non-Malays will join the armed forces,” he said.

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Do BMI letters help?

A us state experimented with sending parents letters about their child’s body mass index in an effort to fight obesity.

SIXTH-GRADE (equivalent to Year Six) boys were lining up to be measured in the Mann Arts and Science Magnet Middle School library in Arkansas, United States.

As they took off their shoes and emptied their pockets, they joked about being the tallest. “It’s an advantage,” said one. “You can play basketball,” said another.

A taller dude can get more girls!” a third student offered. Everyone laughed.

What they didn’t joke about was their weight.

Anndrea Veasley, the school’s registered nurse, had them stand one by one.

One boy, Christopher, slumped as she measured his height. “Chin up slightly,” she said. Then Veasley asked him to stand backward on a scale so he didn’t see the numbers.

She silently noted his height as just shy of four feet, seven inches (139.7 centimetres) and his weight as 115.6 pounds (52.4 kilogrammes).

His parents would later be among thousands to receive a letter beginning, “Many children in Arkansas have health problems caused by their weight.”

The letter includes each student’s measurements, as well as their calculated body mass index (BMI), an indicator of body fat.

The BMI number categorises each child as “underweight”, “normal”, “overweight” or “obese”.

Christopher’s BMI of 25.1 put him in the range of obesity.

> Is it really useful?

In 2003, Arkansas became the first US state to send home BMI reports about all students as part of a broader anti-obesity initiative.

> But in the 20 years since, the state’s childhood obesity rates have risen to nearly 24% from 21%, reflecting a similar, albeit higher, trajectory than national US rates.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the state obesity rate hit a high of more than 26%.

Still, at least 23 US states followed Arkansas’ lead and required height and weight assessments of students.

Some have since scaled back their efforts after parents raised concerns.

One school district in Wyoming used to include a child’s BMI score in report cards, a practice it has since stopped.

Ohio allows districts to opt in, and last year, just two of 611 school districts reported BMI information to the state.

And Massachusetts stopped sending letters home.

Even Arkansas changed its rules to allow parents to opt out.

Multiple studies have shown that these reports, or “fat letters” as they’re sometimes mockingly called, have had no effect on weight loss.

And some nutritionists, psychologists and parents have criticised the letters, saying they can lead to weight stigma and eating disorders.

BMI as a tool has come under scrutiny too, because it does not consider differences across racial and ethnic groups, sex, gender, and age.

In 2023, the American Medical Association called the BMI “imperfect” and suggested it be used alongside other tools such as visceral fat measurements, body composition and genetic factors.

Meant for awareness

All that highlights a question: What purpose do BMI school measurements and letters serve?

Nearly 20% of American children were classified as obese just before the Covid-19 pandemic – up from only 5% some 50 years ago – and lockdowns made the problem worse.

It’s unclear what sorts of interventions might reverse the trend.

Dr Joe Thompson, a paediatrician who helped create Arkansas’ programme and now leads the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, said BMI letters are meant to be a screening tool, not a diagnostic test, to make parents aware if their child is at risk of developing serious health issues such as heart disease, diabetes and respiratory problems.

> Sharing this information with them is critical, he said, given that many don’t see it as a problem because obesity is so prevalent.

Arkansas is also a rural state, so many families don’t have easy access to paediatricians, he said.

Dr Thompson said he’s heard from many parents who have acted on the letters.

“To this day, they are still our strongest advocates,” he said.

The programme also led to new efforts to reduce obesity.

Some school districts in Arkansas have instituted “movement breaks”, while others have added vegetable gardens, cooking classes and walking trails.

One district sought funding for bicycles.

The state does not study whether these efforts are working.

Researchers say the BMI data also serves an important purpose in illuminating population-level trends, even if it isn’t helpful to individuals.

Parents are generally supportive of weighing children in school, and the letters have helped increase their awareness of obesity, research shows.

At the same time, few parents followed up with a healthcare provider or made changes to their child’s diet or physical activity after getting a BMI letter, several other studies have found.

In what is considered the gold standard study of BMI letters, published in 2020, researchers in California found that the letters home had no effect on students’ weight.

Dr Hannah Thompson, a University of California-berkeley assistant professor who coauthored the study, said most parents didn’t even remember getting the letters.

“It’s such a tiny-touch behavioural intervention,” she said.

Practical advice needed

Arkansas now measures all public school students in even grades annually, except for 12th graders (equivalent to Form Six or pre-university) because by that stage, Dr Thompson said the students are “beyond the opportunities for schools to have an impact”.

The change also came after many boys in one school wore leg weights under their jeans as a prank, he said. 

Kimberly Collins, 50, remembers being confused by the BMI letters sent to her from the Little Rock School District in Arkansas, stating that all her children were considered overweight and that one daughter was classified as obese.

“It offended me as a mama,” she said. “It made me feel like I wasn’t doing my job.”

She didn’t think her children looked overweight and the family paediatrician had never brought it up as a concern.

 Assist Prof Thompson said that’s the biggest problem with BMI letters: Parents don’t know what to do with the information.

Without support to help change behaviour, she said, the letters don’t do much. >

“You find out your child is asthmatic, and you can get an inhaler, right?” she said.

“You find out that your child is overweight and where do you even go from there? What do you do?”

Dr Kevin Gee, a professor at the University of Californiadavis, who has studied BMI letters, said the mailings miss cultural nuances.

In some communities, for example, people prefer their children to be heavier, associating it with comfort and happiness.

Or some eat foods that they know aren’t very nutritious, but are an important way of expressing love and traditions.

“There’s a lot of rich contextual pieces that we know influences rates of obesity,” he said.

“And so, how do we balance that information?” &

Collins’ daughter, now 15, said that as she’s grown older, she increasingly feels uncomfortable about her weight.

People stare at her and sometimes make comments. (Collins’ mother asked that her daughter’s name not be published because of her age and the sensitive nature of the subject.)

“On my birthday, I went to get my allergy shots and one of the nurses told me, ‘You are getting chubbier’,” she said.

“That didn’t make me feel the best.”

Collins said it pains her to see her soft-spoken daughter cover herself with her arms as if she’s trying to hide.

The teenager has also begun sneaking food and avoids the mirror by refusing to turn on the bathroom light, Collins said.

The girl signed up for tennis, but stopped after other children made fun of her, her mother said. (See From teen to adult: Weight stigma lingers on p8)

Looking back, Collins said, while she wishes she had paid more attention to the BMI letters, she also would have liked practical suggestions on what to do.

She said she had already been following the shortlist of recommended healthy practices, including feeding her children fruits and vegetables, and limiting screen time.

She isn’t sure what else she could have done.

Now everyone has an opinion on her daughter’s weight, Collins said.

One person told her to put a lock on the fridge.

Another t old her to buy vegan snacks.

Her mother bought them a scale.

“It’s a total uphill climb,” Collins said with a sigh. – KFF Health News/tribune News Service

This article was produced as a part of a project for the Spencer Education Journalism Fellowship. KFF Health News is a US national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programmes of KFF – the independent source for US health policy research, polling and journalism. 

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