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Food, It fuels our bodies, tantalizes our taste buds, and brings people together. But beyond the immediate satisfaction, each bite holds a hidden world of nutrients, essential for our health and well-being. Let’s delve into the fascinating realm of nutritional values and discover how to make informed choices for a balanced and delicious diet.
Some commonly consumed foods in Sri Lanka and their nutritional values.
| Food Groups | Food items | Energy (kcal) | Protein(g) | Fat(g) | Carbs(g) | Serving size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dairy | Whole Milk tea | 150.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 12.0 | 1 cup |
| Yoghurt | 79.2 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 11.3 | 80ml | |
| starches | Bread | 146.9 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 28.3 | 2 slices |
| sandwich bread | 261.9 | 7.2 | 1.8 | 53.2 | 2 slices | |
| Bun | 227.4 | 0.5 | 5.2 | 39.2 | 1 medium | |
| Pumkin curry | 54.2 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 10.6 | 30g | |
| Hoppers | 89.0 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 15.0 | 3 medium | |
| itly | 89.0 | 3 | 0.5 | 16.0 | 3 medium | |
| Manioc boiled | 55.9 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 12.6 | 1/2 cup | |
| Manioc curry | 89.9 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 18.2 | 1/2 cup | |
| Pittu | 89.0 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 16.0 | 2 medium | |
| Potato curry | 56.0 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 10.4 | 1/2 cupg | |
| Those | 135.6 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 29.3 | 2 medium | |
| String hoppers | 99.0 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 21.8 | 5 medium | |
| Protein | Balaya fish curry | 72.3 | 14.2 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 30g |
| Prawn tempered | 50.8 | 1.9 | 4.2 | 1.4 | 30g | |
| Crab curry | 26.9 | 1.9 | 9.5 | 3.5 | 30g | |
| Chicken curry | 44.9 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 30g | |
| Sardine curry | 61.5 | 11.5 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 30g | |
| Dry fish tempered | 26.9 | 1.9 | 9.5 | 3.5 | 30g | |
| Pulse/ Lugumes | Dhal curry | 77.7 | 3.5 | 0.9 | 13.6 | 3Tbsp |
| Winged bean tempered | 282.4 | 1.9 | 27.9 | 5.6 | 3Tbsp | |
| Chick pea tempered | 85.0 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 8.2 | 3Tbsp | |
| Wing bean mallum | 89.6 | 2.1 | 7.5 | 3.1 | 3Tbsp | |
| Chick pea | 37.5 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 5.2 | 3Tbsp | |
| Vegetables | Kakiry curry | 52.4 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 7.6 | 3Tbsp |
| Thai eggplant curry | 71.6 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 12.5 | 3Tbsp | |
| Okra curry | 41.7 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 7.3 | 3Tbsp | |
| Okra tempered | 252.3 | 2.4 | 24.2 | 5.6 | 3Tbsp | |
| Winged bean curry | 188.3- 235.3 | 1.3- 1.6 | 166.1- 207.6 | 3.8- 4.7 | 3Tbsp | |
| Brinjal curry | 41.0 | 0.4 | 3.9 | 1.1 | 3Tbsp | |
| Cucumber salad | 15.9 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 2.80 | 3Tbsp | |
| Green leaves | Gotukola sambal | 25.2 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 1.3 | 30g |
| Fruits | Banana(kolikuttu) | 55.9 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 12.5 | 1 (45-50g) |
| Banana(ambul) | 64.5 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 13.9 | 1 (45-50g) | |
| Apple | 43.8 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 9.3 | 1/2(70g) | |
| Mango(villard) | 38.2 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 7.3 | 1/2(72g) | |
| Fruit salad | 80.0 | 32.0 | 5.0 | 15.0 | 1/2 cup | |
| Recipe | Dry fish tempered | 71.8 | 6.2 | 1.7 | 8.0 | 42g |
| Chicken fried rice | 120.3- 166.9 | 5.4- 7.5 | 23.5- 32.6 | 16.7- 23.2 | 62.0g-86.0g | |
| Chicken noodles | 119.2- 165.3 | 5.3- 7.3 | 23.1- 32.1 | 17.0- 23.5 | 62.0g-86.0g |
Glycemic index of foods
The concept invented by Dr. David, J. Jenkins, and colleagues in 1981 at the University of Toronto.
Read more: Nutritional values of foods
Definition
Glycemic Index is defined as “the incremental area under the blood glucose response curve of 75 g carbohydrate portion of a food Expressed as a percent of the response to the same amount of carbohydrate from a standard food taken by the same subject”.
What it says……
Glycemic Index (GI) is the measure of an increase in blood glucose level after intake of food rich in carbohydrates related to glucose.
It measures the rate at which the carbohydrate in a certain food is digested and absorbed into the bloodstream as glucose.
How it works……
It ranks carbohydrates according to their effects on blood glucose levels. It compares available carbohydrates gram for gram in individual foods, providing a numerical, evidence-based index of postprandial (post-meal) glycemia.
Below are commonly consumed Sri Lankan foods categorized based on Glycemic index.
| Low GI foods (55 or below) | Medium GI foods (56-69) | High GI foods (70 or above) | |||||||||
| Foods | GI value | Foods | GI value | Foods | GI value | ||||||
| Parboiled (Nadu) rice variety | 40 | Keeri samba(raw) | 66 | White raw rice | 81 | ||||||
| White (basmati Indian) rice variety | 54 | Brown bread + lentil curry | 61 | Red basmati(raw-local) | 73 | ||||||
| Red raw rice | 47 | Roti (Kurakkan) | 59 | White raw milk rice | 72 | ||||||
| Green gram milk rice | 55 | Pittu(kurakkan) | 64 | White bread | 80 | ||||||
| Roti(atta) | 52 | idly | 58 | Brown bread | 77 | ||||||
| Cowpea | 22 | Thosai | 64 | Hoppers | 90 | ||||||
| Chickpea | 34 | Jack fruit | 65 | String hoppers | 79 | ||||||
| Mung beans | 47 | Pineapple | 59 | Pittu | 76 | ||||||
| Rolled Oats | 55 | Popcorn | 65 | Boiled cassava | 79 | ||||||
| Apple | 36 | Pumpkin | 64 | Cornflakes | 81 | ||||||
| Banana | 51 | Sweet potato | 63 | Instant oats | 79 | ||||||
| Carrot, boiled | 39 | Potato | 78 | ||||||||
| Dates | 42 | Watermelon | 76 | ||||||||
| Kidney beans | 24 | ||||||||||
Fiber-content of different food sources
| High fiber content foods (5g/100g or above) | Medium fiber content foods ((2-5 g/100g) | Low fiber content foods (2g/100g or below) | |||||||||
| Foods | Fiber content | Foods | Fiber content | Foods | Fiber content | ||||||
| Grains: | Grains: | Grains: | |||||||||
| Finger millet (Ragi) | 7.6 | White rice | 0.2 | White bread | 1.1 | ||||||
| Brown rice | 2.4 | Corn | 2.4 | Pasta | 2.5 | ||||||
| Red rice | 2.7 | Vegetables: | Vegetables: | ||||||||
| Whole wheat roti | 5.4 | Carrots | 2.4 | Lettuce | 1.6 | ||||||
| Kitul roti | 4.9 | Broccoli | 2.6 | Onion | 1.7 | ||||||
| Vegetables: | Cucumber | 0.6 | Zucchini | 1.5 | |||||||
| Green beans | 5.4 | Tomato | 1.2 | Bell peppers | 1.3 | ||||||
| Spinach | 2.7 | Fruits: | Fruits: | ||||||||
| Pumpkin | 1.5 | Banana | 2.3 | Mango | 1.5 | ||||||
| Bitter gourd | 2.5 | Apple | 2.4 | Grapes | 0.4 | ||||||
| Drumsticks | 4.2 | Papaya | 1.7 | Pineapple | 1.4 | ||||||
| Fruits: | Watermelon | 0.4 | Cantaloupe | 1.2 | |||||||
| Jackfruit | 3.6 | Legumes: | Tubers and Roots: | ||||||||
| Guava | 5.4 | Kidney beans | 4 | Potatoes | 1.1 | ||||||
| Passionfruit | 2.2 | Tubers and Roots: | Nuts and Seeds: | ||||||||
| Avocado | 6.7 | Yam | 1.5 | Cashews | 1.5 | ||||||
| Durian | 4.4 | Nuts and Seeds: | |||||||||
| Legumes: | Almonds | 3.5 | |||||||||
| Lentils (masoor dal) | 5.5 | Walnuts | 2.7 | ||||||||
| Black beans | 5.4 | ||||||||||
| Chickpeas | 5.6 | ||||||||||
| Tubers and Roots: | |||||||||||
| Taro (Kiri ala) | 6.7 | ||||||||||
| Manioc (Cassava) | 1.8 | ||||||||||
| Sweet potato | 3.9 | ||||||||||
| Nuts and Seeds: | |||||||||||
| Pumpkin seeds | 5.2 | ||||||||||
| Sesame seeds | 6.5 | ||||||||||
| Peanuts | 2.4 | ||||||||||
Even the bitterest fruit has sugar in it.
– Terry a O’Neal
Some commonly consumed sources of fat-containing foods and values
| Food Item | Total Fat (g/100g) | Saturated Fat (g/100g) | Unsaturated Fat (g/100g) | Monounsaturated Fat (g/100g) | Polyunsaturated Fat (g/100g) | Source of Fat |
| Good fats: | ||||||
| Avocados | 14.7 | 1.8 | 12.9 | 9.7 | 3.2 | Unsaturated fats (MUFA & PUFA) |
| Tuna (fresh) | 3 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 1.3 | Unsaturated fats (MUFA & PUFA) |
| Salmon (fresh) | 7.4 | 1.2 | 6.2 | 3.4 | 2.8 | Unsaturated fats (MUFA & PUFA) |
| Nuts (almonds, peanuts) | 14.0-21.0 | 1.5-3.0 | 12.5-18.0 | 7.5-12.0 | 4.0-6.0 | Unsaturated fats (MUFA & PUFA) |
| Olive oil | 100 | 14 | 86 | 75 | 11 | Monounsaturated fat |
| Bad fats: | ||||||
| Coconut oil | 92.5 | 86.3 | 6.2 | 5.8 | 0.4 | Saturated fat |
| Butter | 83.7 | 51 | 32.7 | 23.6 | 9.1 | Saturated fat |
| Ghee | 99.5 | 62.1 | 37.4 | 28.7 | 8.7 | Saturated fat |
| Processed meats (sausages, sausages) | 10.0-20.0 | 3.0-6.0 | 7.0-14.0 | 4.0-8.0 | 3.0-6.0 | Saturated and trans fats |
| Deep-fried snacks (vadai, cutlets) | 15.0-25.0 | 5.0-7.0 | 10.0-18.0 | 4.0-6.0 | 6.0-12.0 | Saturated and trans fats |
| Recommendations for intakes of omega-3 LCPUFAs | |
| Organization | Recommended intake |
| UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) | Two portions of fish/week (including one oily); equivalent to 450 mg omega3 LCPUFAs/day |
| British Dietetic Association People with heart disease | Two to three portions of high omega-3 (oily) fish/week or 0.5–1 g omega-3s (EPA and DHA) daily |
| Everyone else | Follow FSA recommendation |
| American Heart Association People without documented coronary heart disease (CHD) | Eat a variety of fish (preferably oily) at least twice a week |
| People with documented CHD People with raised triglycerides | 1 g EPA/DHA daily preferably from fatty fish or consider supplement 1 g EPA þ DHA/daily (with medical advice) 2–4 g/daily of EPA þ DHA (with medical advice) |
| International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL) | Minimum of 500 mg/daily EPA + DHA for cardiovascular health |
| National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) | Post-myocardial infarction: 1 g daily LCPUFAs (preferably from oily fish, but from supplements if oily fish not consumed) |
| World Health Organization (WHO) | Two portions of fish/week; equivalent to 250–500 mg/daily EPA þ DHA |
Micronutrient information of foods rich in iron and calcium
| Iron sources | Calcium sources | ||
| Foods | Iron Content (mg)/100g | Foods | Calcium content (mg)/100g |
| Animal Sources (Heme Iron) | Full-fat cow’s milk | 207.08 | |
| Red Raw Rice (Rathu Kekulu) | 3.03 | Buffalo milk | 200.42 |
| Cooked Lentil Curry | 3.2 | Yogurt (natural, unsweetened) | 174.58 |
| Fried Marinated Sardinella (Salaya) | 2.56 | Cheese (Cheddar) | 728.57 |
| Tuna | 1.2 | Dried sprats (karuvaadu) | 1473.33 |
| Chicken Breast | 0.7 | Maldive fish (malu miris) | 1946.67 |
| Eggs | 0.7 | Canned sardines in brine | 214.67 |
| Liver | 6.1 | Mackerel | 217.65 |
| Plant Sources (Non-Heme Iron) | Collard greens (kola keerai) | 181.33 | |
| Gotukola (Sambol) | 1.6 | Drumstick leaves (murunga keerai) | 123.33 |
| Spinach | 2.7 | Sesame seeds (gingelly) | 293.33 |
| Pumpkin Seeds | 7.3 | Broccoli | 56.67 |
| Yellow Cabbage | 1 | Ragi flour (finger millet flour) | 573.33 |
| Cowpea | 5.4 | Tofu (firm) | 246 |
| Green gram(Mung beans) | 6.6 | Blackstrap molasses | 1246.67 |
| Black Sesame Seeds | 7.8 | ||
| Cashew Nuts | 2.8 | ||
| Jack fruit seeds | 2.1 | ||
Some commonly consumed foods in Sri Lanka known for their Sodium and potassium content
| Food | Sodium (mg) | Potassium (mg) |
| High Sodium | ||
| – Maldive fish (Maldive Fish Curry) | 5600 | 520 |
| – Pickled vegetables | 2200 | 580 |
| – Salted dried fish (Karuvattu) | 1900 | 120 |
| – Shrimp paste (Belacan) | 1800 | 340 |
| – Smoked meat (Lunuwila) | 1500 | 320 |
| Low Sodium | ||
| – Fresh fruits (e.g., banana, papaya) | 10-20 | 200-300 |
| – Boiled vegetables (e.g., spinach, beans) | 30-50 | 200-400 |
| – Brown rice | 50 | 200 |
| – Coconut milk | 50 | 230 |
| – Fresh fish | 60-80 | 300-400 |
| High Potassium | ||
| – Green banana | 380 | 420 |
| – Avocado | 480 | 350 |
| – Pumpkin | 380 | 260 |
| – Spinach | 550 | 830 |
| – Coconut | 400 | 460 |
| Low Potassium | ||
| – Refined flour | 5 | 40 |
| – White rice | 20 | 140 |
| – Eggs | 130 | 120 |
| – Full-fat dairy products | 140-200 | 180-250 |
| – Processed meats | 150-300 | 100-200 |
The trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.
– Molière
FODMAP foods
FODMAPs, which stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols, are a group of short-chain carbohydrates that some people may have difficulty digesting. These carbohydrates can be poorly absorbed in the small intestine and may ferment in the colon, leading to symptoms such as bloating, gas, abdominal pain, and changes in bowel habits. The low FODMAP diet is often recommended for individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other gastrointestinal disorders.
| FODMAP categories | Foods high in FODMAPs | Digestion and absorption behavior within the human body | Suitable alternatives low in FODMAPs |
| Oligosaccharides Fructans (oligofructose, inulin, fructo-oligosaccharides) Galacto-oligosaccharides (Raffinose, stachyose) | Wheat and rye (i.e., bread, pasta, couscous, crackers, biscuits) Vegetables: artichokes, asparagus, beetroot, Brussels sprout, broccoli, cabbage, fennel, garlic, leeks, okra, onions, peas, shallots dried onion, onion powder like concentrated sources of fructan Fruits: watermelon, custard apple, white peaches, rambutan, persimmon Pulses and legumes (i.e., chickpeas, lentils, red kidney beans, baked beans) | Humans do not have enzymes that hydrolyze these oligosaccharides and consequently, they are not digested or absorbed in the small intestine. On arrival in the colon, they are readily fermented by the colonic microbiota, in some cases producing short-chain fatty acids and gases (Shepherd et al., 2013). | Wheat-free breads and cereals based on rice flour/tapioca flour/potato starch blend. Cornflakes, rice cereals, rice bran, oats. Spring onions (green part only) garlic substitutes: garlic-infused oil Vegetables: bamboo shoots, carrot, celery, capsicum, corn, eggplant, green beans, lettuce, chives, parsnip, pumpkin, silver beet, spring onion (green only), tomato. |
| Disaccharide Lactose | Mainly cow, goat and sheep milk and milk-based food products (regular and low-fat) Ice cream Yoghurt (regular & low-fat) Cheeses: soft & fresh (i.e., ricotta, cottage) | The enzyme lactase is required for hydrolysis of lactose in milk allowing successive small intestinal absorption of the constituent monosaccharides (i.e., galactose and glucose). | Lower quantities of milk, yogurt and cheese can be consumed whilst restricting lactose intakes. Substitution of dairy sources with nondairy alternative milk products based on soya, almond, coconut, hemp, oat, rice, and nuts. Butter Ice cream substitutes: gelati, sorbet. Cheese: “hard” cheeses including brie, and camembert. Lactose-free yoghurt. |
| Monosaccharide Fructose | Fruits: apples, pears, peaches, mango, sugar watermelon. Tinned fruit in natural juice, Jam. Honey sweeteners: fructose, high-fructose corn syrup. Large total fructose dose: concentrated fruit sources; large serves of fruit, dried fruit, and fruit juice. | Fructose is a monosaccharide that is incompletely absorbed in some people, leading to the physiological consequences of the malabsorption including increasing osmotic load that acts in the lumen to drive water into the small intestinal. | In practice, foods with high levels of fructose, or where fructose is present in excess of glucose, are excluded Fruits: banana, blueberry, cantaloupe, carambola, durian, grape, grapefruit, honeydew melon, kiwi, lemon, lime, orange, passionfruit, pawpaw, raspberry, strawberry, |
| Polyols Sorbitol Mannitol Lactitol, xylitol, erythritol, maltitol | Fruits: apples, apricots, cherries, nectarine, pears, peaches, plums, prunes, and watermelon. Cauliflower, mushroom. Artificial sweeteners in some sugar-free chewing gums and sweets. | Polyols are passively absorbed along the small intestine depending on the molecular size, intestinal pore size, transit time, and presence of GI disease. There is scientific evidence proving that remarkably high doses of mannitol increase small intestinal water (Marciani et al., | Fruits: banana, blueberry, carambola, durian, grapefruit, grape, honeydew melon, kiwifruit, lemon, lime, mandarin, orange, passionfruit, pawpaw, raspberry, rock melon Sweeteners: sugar (sucrose), glucose, other artificial sweeteners except for polyols or not ending in “ol” (i.e., Aspartame, Stevia, etc.) |