The 6 rules of junk food

Make smarter choices when you indulge in chocolate, ice cream and fast food.

1. Control cravings
Complete deprivation is not the solution. A denied craving can quickly spiral out of control, leading to bingeing or overeating. If you're craving chips, for example, eat a small serving, or buy the mini 627-700 kilojoules bag of chips and be done with it.

2. Indulge sensibly
Splurging on occasion is acceptable - just don't get carried away! If you splurged on one day, make sure you are good for the next couple of days. If you want ice-cream, go for the low-fat version – a Nestle Mega Lite has 781 kilojoules per 100 grams while a Magnum Classic has 1 233 kilojoules per 100 grams. Read the labels.

3. Avoid stocking treats in your cabinets or fridge
Buy something only when the craving hits and enjoy a small quantity. You can share the rest with a homeless child, it will make you feel good and keep you slim!

4. Mix it up
Try eating something healthier along with the less-nutritious food, like a piece of fruit with your cheesecake. By eating the fruit first, you'll dull your appetite and be less likely to wolf down a second slice of cheesecake. Or instead of having a smoothie or milkshake with your chocolate brownie, have a glass of water.

5. Count kilojoules
Compare the amount of fat and kilojoules found in healthy, filling snacks versus less-healthy foods. For instance, a medium apple contains just 340 kilojoules and no fat; a 7 gram bag of pretzels has 452 kilojoules and also no fat, and a container of low-fat fruit yogurt provides 966 kilojoules and 2 grams of fat.

6. Focus on fat
Take extra care to read labels. After reviewing several types of packaged food, like cookies, snack cakes, and chips, researchers at the University of Minnesota found that less expensive items tend to have more trans fats than those that cost a little more. These processed fats, which have been shown to raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol level, may show up on ingredient lists as partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oil and shortening. While most manufacturers have cut back on the trans fats used in their products, some still haven't gone trans fat-free. The South African Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of transfat you eat to less than 1 percent of your total daily calories. To maintain your weight, no more than 25 percent of daily kilojoules should come from fat.

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Bea Potgieter is a clinical psychologist and relationships expert

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