About
Yan Yin Phoi
"Knowledge is the food of the soul."
Plato
Hello! I’m Yan Yin, a dietitian from Singapore who prefers to be known for my love for food and for health. Never in my life growing up have I heard of what a dietitian was, let alone entertained the idea of being one. But here I am, penning on this site all that I know and have thought about nutrition, in the hopes that it will make an impact, steadily but surely.
Looking back on my childhood, I did not grow up entirely on healthy food. I remember with fondness my grandma’s cooking, which I will gobble up with no hesitation. She was a great cooked who whipped up dishes like deep fried chicken wings and battered prawns, stewed pork belly stewed in dark soy sauce, and curry chicken noodles. During my teenage years, there were pizza parties at school, days where I ate cake for breakfast, and a phase where I had a can of Sprite with lunch every day.
Somewhere in the middle of my dietetics degree, I would look back at that period of time with a shudder. How could I have eaten that way? Those foods were laden with fat, salt, sugar…you name it and it’s there. They’re just not the kinds of food kids should be having so regularly.
As a dietitian today, I think much has changed in me, and yet so little.
Of course, I know now that these foods in excess are harmful to health, as proven by science time and time again. Yet, I do think food should be enjoyed for what it is, for the emotions and memories they bring back. It may be having a breakfast of kaya and butter toast with kopi, or mum’s tangy fish curry made from the freshest fish dad got from the wet market. After all, these foods are what got us through life; they provide us comfort and remind us of our roots.
But think, without the right foods to keep you in good health, how do we go on living such a life of enjoyment?
Over the last six years, I’ve seen clients struggle with food, and its effects on their weight and health. I’ve learnt that the solution may seem easy, but can be so knotted. A garden takes years to become overgrown and unkempt, and requires time and help to restore to its natural state. This is the same for a diet, a lifestyle.
There are so many issues to discuss, break apart, and address.
What I hope to bring into your life is the best of both worlds. I want to bring you on a journey of food and nutrition, as I embarked on 10 years ago as a bright-eyed, thoughtful dietetic student. When you think about food, it should not lead to stress, guilt, unhappiness, or despair. You should be able to approach food, eat every meal, every snack, with confidence and joy…like I do.
I want to help you see food as a key to a happy and healthy life.
Professional Bio
Yan Yin holds a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Honours) from Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia. She was a recipient of the Ministry of Health Science Scholarship (Singapore). After she completed her clinical dietetic internship at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (Singapore), she worked as a senior clinical dietitian in Changi General Hospital (Singapore) for six years.
Her area of interest lies in the management of obesity. She ran outpatient clinics at Changi Sports Medicine Centre, Singapore Sports Medicine Centre, and Procter & Gamble (P&G). In those clinics, Yan Yin provided support to clients who were struggling with weight issues or lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. She believes in empowering clients through education, motivational counselling, and lifestyle adjustments for sustainable, life-long changes. In her day to day job, she also managed inpatients after bariatric surgery and general surgery, and those with liver disease, kidney disease, and gastrointestinal diseases.
Yan Yin has a passion in spreading the importance of a good diet for health, and that has led to her conducting talks to the public, government agencies, and corporate clients. She has contributed to the media (including Berita Harian and Mediacorp’s Channel 8) and was involved in health programs aimed to improve the weight and health status of participants. As an advocate of evidence-based nutrition, Yan Yin has presented at various local and international scientific meetings.
Yan Yin is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian with Dietitians Australia, and a member of the Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (Singapore) and the Golden Key International Honour Society.
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