|
by Jane Badham
What you eat impacts directly on your risk of disease – is it time to make healthy dietary changes?
Fruit and veg
We simply aren’t getting enough, yet when it comes to nutrient density (ratio of nutrient content in grams to total energy content in kilojoules) and phytonutrients, there are no foods that compare with veggies and fruit. Associated health benefits include protection against obesity, certain cancers, bone and eye health.
We should be eating five portions of fruit and veg a day but sadly, South Africans consume less than three. Frighteningly, low intakes of fruit and veg have been attributed to up to 20000 deaths per annum.
What you can do
 It is essential to get a variety of colours from your fruit and veg as different pigments contain different nutrients, says nutrition scientist Jane Badham, who is also CEO of the 5-a-Day Campaign, which urges people to eat more fruit and veg.
Mash an avo with a splash of lemon juice for a delicious sandwich filling. Avos have the highest content of vitamin E of all fruits plus a range of phytochemicals that positively impact on oral and prostate cancer.
Opt for sweet potato mash. It’s packed with vitamins A, C, B6 and E and is excellent for diabetics as it helps stabilise blood sugar.
Vegetable stews and curries are a hearty alternative to beef or chicken.
Salt
High blood pressure is the second-highest cause of death in SA (after sexually transmitted diseases) and sodium intake is directly linked to blood pressure. If everyone was to decrease their sodium intake by one less teaspoon of salt per day, there would be a 50 percent reduction in the number of people needing anti-hypertension therapy, says Badham, quoting research by the South African Medical Research Council.
What you can do
Cut your sodium intake to no more than 2g per day. Even some of the most unexpected foods contain hidden source of salt (cornflakes, packaged meat, cocoa), so read labels carefully. Use strong-flavoured herbs and spices as salt-alternatives when cooking.
Red meat
Iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency worldwide, affecting more than two billion people. Women of child-bearing age and young children are most at risk. In SA, says an MRC report on death and disease risk factors, 12 percent of pregnant women suffer from iron deficiency anaemia.
What you can do
Include red meat, egg yolk and liver in your diet — all excellent dietary sources of iron. You’ll also find iron in pulses, legumes, grains and nuts though the rate of absorption from vegetarian sources is lower so you’ll need to eat more. To get the most iron out of your food, include vegetables rich in vitamin C in the same meal — this can double or even triple iron absorption, says Badham.
Alcohol
Current estimates suggest that the per capita consumption of alcohol in our country is 12 litres per year. Ouch! No wonder alcohol is the fourth highest risk factor for early death. If you drink to relieve stress or cope with emotional issues, chances are alcohol dependency is settling in. Yes, we know the antioxidants in red wine are good for you — but in moderation.
What you can do
Know your limits and stick to them. Some wine glasses are so big they contain two units — three glasses and you’ve had a whole bottle!
Alcohol is a big risk factor for breast cancer, and because it is high in kilojoules, it is very unkind to your waistline. Cut back to one glass a day — 25ml of
spirits (whisky, vodka, gin etc), 120ml wine or 340ml beer.
Don’t binge drink. Not drinking during the week and saving up for a weekend binge is equally harmful to your health.
Healthy weight tip
Use internal hunger cues — rather than social convention — as your “when to eat” guideline. Too many of us eat because it’s 1pm or because snacks have been provided with drinks, rather than listening to our tummies. Food scientists at Cornell University in the US suggest that French women stay slim because they’re more in tune with their appetites than we are.
RELATED ARTICLES:
Foods to power up your diet
Lentil and feta salad
Grilled vegetable salad
Smart cookies
|
|
Sign up to the newsletter
Join us on facebook
Follow us on Twitter
