01: A Mediterranean style diet (and moderate consumption of alcohol) is the best bet for people with Type 2 diabetes A Mediterranean style diet is high in vegetables, legumes (beans and peas), fruits, nuts and whole grain cereals and uses olive oil. The main protein is fish with cultured dairy products such as cheese and yogurt. Also, wine in moderation never hurts.
Based on a study by the American Diabetes Association that compared people on a Mediterranean style diet and a low fat American diabetic diet, 56% of those who followed the Mediterranean style diet did not have to go on medication to manage their blood sugars, while 70% of the people on the American style diet ended up going on medication.
Opening Keynote: Just Tell Me What to Eat! – Eating Great Food, Your Easiest Path to Health: Talk by associate professor of clinical medicine Dr Tim Harlan, Tulane University School of Medicine
02: You may have heard it before but vegetables really can help prevent cancer However, you need to eat at least five whole portions of different vegetables and fruits each day to get all the different nutrients your body needs.
Can Cancer be Prevented Through Diet: Talk by dietitian Jane Freeman, Food Equation
03: Type 2 diabetes is prevalent in Asia due to our carbohydrate-rich diet Carbohydrates, which include rice, noodles and bread, are high glycemic index (GI) foods, which means they result in higher blood glucose levels. This generally leads to type 2 diabetes.
Preventing Type 2 Diabetes in Asia Through the Food That We Consume: Talk by senior research officer Bhupinder Kaur, Clinical Nutrition Research Centre
04: Carrots really ARE good for your eyes Nope, this one truly wasn’t a trick to get you to eat your vegetables. Other helpful foods include spinach, goji berries and broccoli.
Nutrition and the Eye – Eating Your Way to Better Sight: Talk by eye surgeon Dr Jerry Tan, Jerry Tan Eye Surgery
05: Besides adding flavour to dishes, spices also have healing properties Examples include red chili with benefits like speeding up metabolism and relief from aches, arthritic pain and sprains, as well as cinnamon, which has anti-inflammatory properties, eases digestion, and reduces both sugar and cholesterol levels in the blood.
Working with Spices: Workshop by chef-instructor and incubator manager Satish Madaan, At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy
06: Food harvested locally is your best bet In Japanese macrobiotics, which is a diet which balances the ‘yin’ and ‘yang’ of food, the concept of Shindofuji (“local production for local consumption” in Japanese), it is believed that the most natural thing for your body is to eat the products of the land around you when they are in peak season, such as the foods that are grown in the nearby area and heaped up on display at your local grocery store.
Macrobiotics – Japanese Practice of Healing Foods: Talk and workshop by chef-proprietor Hidemasa Yamamoto, Hide Yamamoto Worldwide
07: A plant-based diet does not necessarily mean a lack of protein Although protein usually comes from meat in your diet, some plants are able to give protein to you as well. Examples include asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli and spinach.
Spotlight on Plant-based Diet: Co-presentation by president Dr George Jacobs and honorary secretary Pauline Menezes, Vegetarian Society (Singapore)
08: Gradually eliminating certain foods is the tried and tested route to transitioning into a plant-based diet By doing so slowly, instead of removing all meat at one go, you will ease your body into accepting only plants better and get used to not eating meat. Most people start with removing red meats, before finally removing processed food.
Workshop by senior chef and instructor Andreas Nauser, At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy
09: Restaurants are bringing in healthy menus on the side Fine dining establishment Saint Pierre is just one such establishment with a healthier menu focusing on plants for people looking for a healthier fix.
Great Menu, Awesome Food, Better Life: Chefs Dialogue by clinician, coach and chef Dr Chan Tat Hon, The Food School & The Bento People; & chef-owner Emmanuel Stroobant, Emmanuel Stroobant Group & Saint Pierre
BONUS: Food that Heals 2016 is collaborating with the following restaurants for special menus at each outlet that will be available until Jul 8.
