This article was written for Cafe Flava The health of our environment needs help from us! We should all be making an effort to use less plastic and packaging while reducing food waste in general. The food we eat is responsible for a great deal of the waste we produce. If each family adopted some waste reducing strategies for 2019, a big difference can be made to the very source
This article was written for Cafe Flava There is much controversy surrounding these two spreads that look similar and essentially serve the same purpose but it is well worth knowing the difference, and more importantly, the facts that will hopefully put this debate to rest. Firstly, the reason for the creation of margarine in the 1860’s is a very simple one. In war times, butter was difficult to get hold
This article was written for Cafe Flava It may be interesting to some that the South African Health Department and South African dietitians do not in fact use the Food Pyramid as a nutrition education tool. We have our very own nationalized Food Based Dietary Guidelines. In spite of this, the Food Pyramid is familiar to most non-health professionals as the standard of nutrition education and is used in some
This article was written for Cafe Flava While religious fasting with the abstinence of meat is not a new thing, it is becoming popular for teens to experiment with vegetarianism or veganism. Any teen following a diet without a daily intake of meat, chicken or fish, requires parental support in the nutrition department. Whether abstaining from meat for religious or environmental reasons, following a vegetarian diet, even if only for
This article was written for Cafe Flava Striving for a traditional Mediterranean diet is a great way to achieve optimal health because of its nutrient dense, socially feasible and fairly economical dietary recommendations. There are many studies to prove the effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet in reducing risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke. A stroke, if not fatal, can have devastating consequences, all of which rapidly reduce
September Sugar Watch is my challenge to you to identify all the sources of added sugar in your diet. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends a sugar intake of no more than 5% total energy intake. This guideline applies to sugar we might add to cereals, teas, coffees and desserts as well as sugar added to food products during manufacturing. To put this into context, 1 teaspoon of sugar which
Dietitians Do Prevention is this year’s theme for Dietitian’s Week and it really highlights the role that dietitians play in the prevention and management of nutrition-related diseases. Prevention and optimum management of disease reduces the pressure on the public healthcare system, medical aid societies and the work force in general. Dietitians thrive on prevention and finding practical ways for individuals to optimize their nutrition intake. Dietitians work in all aspects
With the beginning of April and the increase of VAT, also comes sugar tax but with time going far to quickly and the cost of living going up, I for one am very hopeful that the sugar tax will lead to a reduction in obesity and diabetes in South Africa. The first important thing to note about the new sugar tax is that is applies to sugar sweetened beverages
Spending Christmas with diabetes might leave you dreading the festive season but there some tricks to both surviving and enjoying the holidays while managing your diabetes. These tips should make juggling special events with blood sugar control somewhat easier. 10 rules to success for spending Christmas with diabetes 1. Do not be too hard on yourself A couple of high readings will not cause long term damage.
“Women and Diabetes” is the theme for World Diabetes Day this year and it is highly appropriate because women are taking the lead when it comes to the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. Given that various lifestyle factors contribute to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the prevention of diabetes must be taken seriously and should start at a young age. In general, the prevention of disease and loss
Overweight and obesity are associated with disease, discomfort and regular disappointment. While weight loss is essential for improved health, rapid weight loss at the expense of your muscle mass is not advised. Constantly losing and regaining weight is not productive nor is it health promoting. Yes, people lose weight when they start Banting or following The Blood Group Diet but it is often more to do with what they are
“Rethink Your Drink – Choose Water” is the theme for National Nutrition Week, celebrated every year from the 9th to the 15th of October. The theme is selected with the nutritional education needs of South Africans in mind and should therefore not be dismissed. Sugar sweetened beverages are consumed in excessive quantities by many a South African and are contributing to the rise in obesity and diabetes in our country.
Lunch box food safety is an important part of healthy eating as many of the healthy foods and snacks we pack are perishable. As the weather begins to warm up, lunch box food safety is definitely something to factor into lunch meal planning and preparation. For many people, packing fresh, perishable, foods is avoided due to their spoiling nature or the altered taste when eaten warm. These are however the
As brown rice is a wholegrain, it is one of the high fibre carbohydrate containing foods we should be including as part of a nutritious diet. The term ‘well balanced meal’ is no cliche but rather a simplified description of a meal that is nutritionally complete for the complex requirements of our fascinating bodies. The brain needs glucose supplied by unrefined carbs while the muscles need carbs for both fuel
Complementary feeding is a wonderful opportunity to teach a child how to eat well. Sadly, however, it seems this opportunity is often a missed one. While breastfeeding has a great impact on childhood health and is strongly encouraged for optimal infant health and development, breast milk is part of a bigger picture … the first 1000 days of life. Infant and toddler feeding is the foundation of a life long relationship with food,