Breakfast is the most important meal
of the day as it is the first meal we eat after 8 to 12 hours from our last
meal. Depriving our bodies of nutrients for as long as 12 hours means our brain
lacks energy when we wake up. Our metabolism also needs food to kick-start
itself into action.
Ashlee Ng, Marketing Director of
Dutch Lady Malaysia highlighted the importance for Malaysian families to get
sufficient essential nutrients from daily breakfast to help them start the day
strong.
“As such, the breakfast we consume needs
to provide sufficient essential nutrients to help us meet our daily nutrient
intake as recommended by the Ministry of Health. It also needs to provide a balance
of macro and micronutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and
minerals,” she added.
Are Malaysians’ favourite breakfasts
providing sufficient nutrients for the nation? This was the pertinent question Dutch Lady PureFarm, Malaysia’s no.
1 milk1 attempted
to answer at its breakfast campaign launch this morning, following a feast of
Malaysian breakfast favourites including nasilemak and mee goreng.
Professor Dr. Poh Bee Koon of Faculty of Health
Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, who led the SEANUTS Malaysia survey
also reported that a third of Malaysian children do not consume breakfast on a
daily basis,2 which makes it all the more important that breakfast
foods are selected wisely. Her team analysed seven popular breakfasts to see if they provide sufficient amounts of energy,
protein, vitamins A, B2 and D, and calcium to meet 20 to 25%3 of
recommended energy and nutrient intake for both adults and children.
According to Professor Poh, the study took cues from MyBreakfast Study of
School Children4 to identify the most commonly consumed foods in the morning
amongst Malaysian children, and the ingredients and portions of the breakfasts analysed
were according to the Malaysian Dietary Guidelines. The seven commonly
consumed Malaysian breakfasts analysed were nasi
lemak, mee goreng, nasi goreng, roti canai, roti telur or
French toast, sardines sandwich, and a combination of curry puff and two kuih.
“Analysis of these common Malaysian breakfasts shows
they do not supply enough essential nutrients to meet 20
to 25% of daily recommended nutrient intake (RNI) for both adults and children.
For adults, these breakfasts fall short of protein, vitamin D, calcium and
energy which is important to help them start their day; and for children, they are
lacking in vitamin D and calcium, which are essential for healthy bone growth
and development” remarked Prof. Poh.
The low levels of vitamin D and
calcium is also reflected in two surveys that shows Malaysian adults and
children are lacking these nutrients in their food intake. According to the
South East Asian Nutrition Survey (SEANUTS), nearly 50% of children in Malaysia
does not meet calcium and vitamin D needs;5 and the
Malaysian Adults Nutritional Survey 2014 indicates adults’ intake of major
micronutrients such as calcium, iron, vitamins A and C, is less than two-thirds
of the RNI by the Ministry of Health.6 More worrying is the findings
from the SEANUTS survey which showed that Malaysian children drink on average
only half a serving of milk a day, and that only a mere 5% of children actually
meets the recommended 2 servings of milk daily, which could have helped them
meet calcium and vitamin D needs.7
However, when these breakfasts were
consumed together with a 250ml serving of Dutch Lady PureFarm milk, the ideal
20 – 25% of daily nutrition intake could easily be met. Energy and all vitamins
and mineral measured (vitamins A, B2, D and calcium) met the 20 – 25% daily RNI
for adults and children.
Ng mentions that As
Malaysians, usually take nasi lemak, mee goreng and nasi goreng, especially in the morning. However, these breakfast
choices are not providing us with enough macro and micro nutrients to start the
day strong. To help Malaysian families meet their recommended nutrient intake
for breakfasts, we are advocating to add a glass of Dutch Lady PureFarm milk every morning!
The best part is Dutch Lady PureFarm milk comes in convenient packages that are ideal for hustling
mornings. Dutch Lady PureFarm milk also come in three flavours which is
original (Full cream or Low fat), strawberry and chocolate.
Dutch Lady PureFarm
milk contains the following essential nutrients to help give Malaysian families
a strong start every morning such as Protein
helps to build and repair tissue8 so that our muscles work in good
condition; Vitamin A allows our eyes
to function properly9 and helps us stay focused and alert, both at
school and at work; Vitamin B2
supports the release of energy from carbohydrates, fats and proteins10; Vitamin D aids the absorption and utilisation of calcium and phosphorus;11
and Calcium is the key for the
growth and development of strong bones and teeth for children, 12
and helps adults maintain a healthy bone mass13 for an active
lifestyle.
Drink a glass of Dutch Lady PureFarm milk together with
our family’s breakfast and we will be ready to take on the day - one glass in
the morning every day for a strong start!
For more
information about how a glass of Dutch Lady PureFarm milk can help you meet
your required nutrient intake,visit Dutch Lady Malaysia,
References:
1
Retail Audit for 12 months ending February 2017 in Total
Penisular Malaysia (Copyright
© 2017, The Nielsen Company (M) Sdn Bhd).
2
Chong KH, Wu SK, Noor Hafizah Y,
Bragt MC, Poh BK, SEANUTS Malaysia Study Group. Eating Habits of Malaysian
Children: Findings of the South East Asian Nutrition Surveys (SEANUTS). Asia
Pacific Journal of Public Health. 2016 Jul; 28(5_suppl):59S-73S.
3
Grovenor & Smolin, 2002.
4
MyBreakfastStudy
of School Children: Findings, Implications & Solutions, Symposium
Abstracts, 3 December 2015
5
Nutritional
status and dietary intakes of children aged 6 months to 12 years: findings of
the Nutrition Survey of Malaysian Children (SEANUTS Malaysia), British Journal
of Nutrition (2013), 110, S21–S35.
6
Current
nutrient intake among Malaysia, Adult: Finding from MANS 2014, THE MEDICAL
JOURNAL OF MALAYSIA, VOL. 70 SUPPLEMENT 1 SEPTEMBER 2015, pp 12.
7
Koo HC, Poh BK, Lee ST, Chong KH, Bragt MC, Abd Talib R, SEANUTS
Malaysia Study Group. Are Malaysian Children Achieving Dietary Guideline
Recommendations, Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health, 2016 Jul;
28(5_suppl):8S-20S.
8-13 MOH (2010). Guide to Nutrition
Labelling and Claims (as at December 2010). Food Safety and Quality Division,
Ministry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya.
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