May 20, 2024 is the 35th "Chinese Student Nutrition Day". In order to promote youth nutrition, Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT) recently launched a healthy diet activity and invited experts from the Clinical Nutrition Department of The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College to publicize health knowledge.

Rows of delicious and nutritious dishes were displayed on the booth, with vivid posters and interesting gifts aside, which instantly attracted many teachers and students.

The light rain failed to reduce the enthusiasm of the students. In a variety of games, they gained a further understanding of the nutritional characteristics of various foods, which would help them build up a healthy lifestyle. The canteen chefs also got involved, showing the participants the fresh ingredients of light salad amid interactive atmosphere.

In the crowd, the staff actively distributed nutritional dietary manuals to the participants, carefully explaining the types and reasonable amounts of food that adults should intake every day. Doctors from The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College patiently cleared the doubts of the participants and provided professional suggestions for them.

Ms. Xu from the hospital noted that due to the influence of takeout service, excessive intake of oil, sugar and salt, as well as scarcity of beans and milk eating among students have brought some problems. She emphasized the significance of the principle "Reduce Oil, Increase Beans, Add Milk” and suggested alternating consumption of different oils to ensure a balanced intake of fatty acids.

The activity ended amid the dynamic atmosphere. It not only effectively popularized the knowledge of nutrition and health, but also contributed to building a balanced diet lifestyle on campus.

Healthy Diet

This year's nutrition week is surrounded by three key words: "Reduce Oil, Increase Beans, Add Milk” , to guide residents to rationally match daily meals and develop good eating habits.

Reduce Oil

As one of the important nutrients of human body, fat can provide energy and essential fatty acids, etc. It mainly comes from cooking oil and meat. It is recommended that adults consume 25-30g of cooking oil per day. Presently, the average intake of cooking oil in China has exceeded the recommended value by 1/3.

Increase Beans

With rich variety and nutrition, soybean and its products can provide high-quality protein, unsaturated fatty acids, calcium, potassium, vitamin E, etc. It is recommended that adults should consume an average of 15-25g of soybeans or an equivalent amount of soy products per day. Presently, more than 2/3 of Chinese residents fail to reach the recommended intake. Beans eating should be appropriately increased.

Add Milk

Milk and dairy products provide high-quality protein andserve as a good source of calcium. Consuming 300-500ml of milk or an equivalentamount of dairy products every day is recommended.

Among the Israeli meals offered in the canteen in mid-May, the main ingredient of Hummus and Falafel is chickpeas. 

Every 100 g of cooked chickpeas contains 8.9 g of protein, 2.6 g of fat and 27.4 g of carbohydrates, providing 686.5 KJ of calories. Chickpeas are rich in folic acid, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper and vitamin B1, as well as a certain amount of niacin, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, calcium and fiber. Chickpeas are very rich in nutrients, far exceeding other beans in terms of variety and quantity.

Text: GTIIT News & Public Affairs, GTIIT Operations Department

Photos: GTIIT News & Public Affairs