Proximate, mineral and fatty acid compositions of healthy recipes used in Fit, Eat, Active, Training (F.E.A.T) programme

Abstract

Introduction: Many people are seeking knowledge and skills about preparing healthy meals at home. This study aimed to determine the content of nutrients in 60 healthy dishes prepared for the recipe book Mudah, Sihat, Sedap used in the F.E.A.T nutrition intervention programme. The recipe book was developed as an educational material to guide participants in preparing healthy meals at home. Methods: A needs assessment survey was done to identify food preferences for breakfast, lunch and dinner of obese and overweight respondents. Recipes for these foods were then modified to reduce the calorie, fat, and sugar contents, while adding in fibre sources. Proximate analysis was done based on standard methods of AOAC, while total carbohydrate and calorie contents were calculated using the differentiation and Atwater methods, respectively. Mineral content was determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer, while fatty acids content was analysed by gas chromatography using the FAME method. Results: Proximate analysis results showed that Kobis Goreng had the most calories (305 kcal/100g) (p<0.05) in all categories. Mineral analysis showed that sodium was significantly highest (p<0.05) in Asam Pedas Daging (554 mg/100g). For fatty acid analysis, Masak Lemak Telur Itik had the highest amount of MUFA (45.1%), Masak Lemak Sotong had the highest amount for SFA (71.8%), and Masak Lemak Cili Api Udang had the highest amount of PUFA (33.7%). Conclusion: This study successfully modified original recipes of selected cuisines used in the recipe book, which contained lower calories compared to original recipes. The calorie and nutrient values for each recipe will be included as nutrition composition information in the recipe book.