Columbia Asia x World Diabetes Day

Well, it is not secret that Malaysians live to eat more than they eat to live. Self-reward and indulgence would not be complete if food wasn't in the equation. As such, we're known to travel across great distances in pursuit of a bowl of authentic Penang Asam Laksa or a plate of east coast Nasi Dagang. 

With this apparent obsession with our food, it is not surprising that Malaysians are amongst the most obese in the South East Asia region according to National Health and Morbidity Survey 2014 (NHMS). People often overindulge in the myriad of sumptuous but unhealthy local fare. It goes without saying that for many of us, giving in to temptation is a friendly foe that takes precedence over health. And we all know that healthy food has not enjoyed much favourable reputation where taste is concerned. It is often viewed as too bland or too expensive to prepare. 

stir fried brown rice ala kerabu with chicken roll and percik sauce

Nine chefs from across Columbia Asia's facilities nationwide faced-off in the Columbia Asia Master Chef Challenge 2015. They worked closely with the in-house dietitian to reinterpret Malaysian favorites and recipes so that the output is a diabetic-safe meal plan without compromising taste. At the end of the challenge, Chef Fauziah Pakwan Chik from Columbia Asia Setapak was crowned the champion by the judges for her Stir Fried Brown Rice ala Kerabu with Chicken Roll and Percik Sauce while Chef Ravindran A/L Mathavan from Columbia Asia Seremban was declared the media's favorite with his version of the ever loved Nasi Lemak. 

In celebration of World Diabetes Day (14th November 2015), Columbia Asia will be opening its doors to all Malaysians who love to sample delicious yet healthy dishes. On top of that, they will also get a chance to try appetizing diabetic-friendly dishes. Diabetics and in-house patients will get the chance to savour the meals for free while visitors can taste a diabetic-friendly dish or choose from 10 traditional healthy meals for RM4. Proceeds from the meals will be donated to Diabetes Malaysia. 

Recipes from the Columbia Asia Master Chef Challenge 2015 and other healthy recipes have also been compiled into a booklet. This recipe booklet is available for free on 14th November at participating hospitals. The participating Columbia Asia hospitals are Bukit Rimau, Cheras, Nusajaya, Petaling Jaya, Puchong, Seremban, Setapak, Shah Alam and Taiping. 

To find out more about Columbia Asia and its diabetes campaign, please visit its website at www.columbiaasia.com or its Facebook Page at fb.com/columbiaasia.