Food-Based Dietary Guidelines of Southeast Asian Countries: Part 2 - Analysis of Pictorial Food Guides

Part 2 of the manuscriptcompares the main pictorial food guides and food plates of the officially published food-based dietry guidelines (FBDGs)of six countries of the Southeast Asian Region,.

Coconut oil revisited

The developing consensus for "tailor made" fats and oils, including omega-9,-6 and -3 fatty acids and both medium and long chain saturated fatty acids will provide preferred lipids for daily consumption. Structural lipids offer a convenient means of achieving this goal. When caloric intake is controlled to reduce total fat intake to about 30% of the calories, these coconut oil mixtures significantly contribute to better health in the U.S. In the Philippines, the goal is to increase caloric intake since nutrition studies indicate people are not getting sufficient coconut oil, corn, oil, protein, and milk intake required for optimum growth. When taken in an impartial and sound scientific light, a diet rich in coconut oil with omega-3 and-6 fatty acid supplementation through fish and the use of some vegetable oil such as corn oil, can be developed with a balanced fat intake. (Author)