PETALING JAYA, July 20 — It comes as no surprise that Malaysians find the variety of food in the country hard to resist.
Some of the nation’s common food items such as keropok lekor, roti canai, curry puffs and sugar-coated doughnuts however are packed full of unhealthy saturated fats.
Saturated fat is a type of dietary fat that raises cholesterol, potentially increasing one’s risk of cardiovascular disease.
To help Malaysians visualise the amount of dangerous saturated fat they are ingesting, the Health Ministry’s nutrition division has come up with helpful infographics highlighting some of the country’s most popular snacks that have high levels of saturated fat.
For example, three slices of roti john with chicken (165g) boasts 17.2g of saturated fat which is equivalent to 3.4 teaspoons of the unhealthy fat.
Six pieces of nuggets equate to four teaspoons of saturated fat while two spheres of the traditional Indian sweet laddu contain three teaspoons of saturated fat.
“Foods that are high in saturated fat are the cause of high cholesterol, obesity and many other diseases,” stated the Facebook post.
It also said it would create a new list if the public felt the list of food items listed wasn’t comprehensive enough and they wanted to know what other foods contain high saturated fat.
“But before that, have a look at the list we’ve made. If you can avoid them, please avoid them.
“If you’re eating these items while reading this post, you can do some light exercises this evening.”
The Facebook post which was shared this morning has since garnered 4,800 reactions, over 400 comments and 4,800 shares.
The Health Ministry nutrition division is known for its casual tone and witty postings that encourage Malaysians to adopt a balanced diet.
Its recent posts highlighted the risks of processed food such as sausages and four easy ways to know if the eggs in your pantry are still fresh.
During the Hari Raya festivities, it also cleverly reminded the public to practice social distancing with rich foods such as lemang and rendang.
