Fat-proof your braai

Braais don’t need to derail your healthy eating plans. With a few simple swaps, you can slash fat and kj. Here’s what to choose and what to ditch…

CHOOSE	CHOOSE	CHOOSE
Sweet chilli chicken skewers (per 100g)	Venison steaks (100g)	Balsamic and orange vinaigrette (50ml)
588 kilojoules	660 kilojoules	220 kilojoules
4.1g fat	3.2g fat	0g fat
DITCH!	DITCH!	DITCH!
Boerewors 1568 kJ 36g fat	Lamb chops 1321 kJ 23.1g fat	French salad dressing (50ml) 600 kJ 15g fat

CHOOSE	CHOOSE	CHOOSE
Brown burger rolls	Baked potato	Frozen yoghurt with fresh cherries or kiwi fruit
537 kilojoules	410 kilojoules	650 kilojoules
1.7g fat	0.1g fat	2.6g fat
DITCH!	DITCH!	DITCH!
Pita bread 1091 kJ 3.4g fat	Mashed potato 1008 kJ 7.5g fat	Ice cream and chocolate sauce 1 213 kJ 15.4g fat

A healthy braai strategy:

• Use fresh herbs for light, summer flavours rather than thick, preservative-packed marinades and salty sauces. Dietitian Celynn Erasmus suggests using fruit juices, lemon juice, wine, soya sauce, sweet chili sauce, mustard, honey, or any fresh herbs to add new flavour infusions.
• Choose lean protein like fillet, pork or skinless chicken. “Watch out for boerewors which is typically high in fat and cholesterol,” says Erasmus. If you can’t go without the ‘wors’, ask your butcher to make a leaner option using game or ostrich meat.
• Another sharp idea is to let flavour infuse your meat by adding fresh herbs to the coals, rather than slathering on oily marinades.
• Adding vegetables such as mushrooms, onions, and sweet potato to your braai provides great antioxidants and means less fussing in the kitchen. Just wrap in foil and throw onto the coals. Cut a butternut in half and fill with fat-free smooth cottage cheese and a dash of nutmeg and brown sugar, says Erasmus.
• At a braai, we often fill up on butter-laden garlic bread. “Rather choose lower GI choices such as sweet potato, barley or low GI bread,” says Erasmus.
• Surprise your guests with a fish braai- it’s a healthy and delicious alternative. Erasmus recommends placing a whole fillet of salmon onto a sheet of foil. Slice half a lemon and layer over the top of the salmon. Wrap the foil to make a make a parcel and cook on the braai.
• Always keep the grill 12cm above the coals, says Martha Molete from the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA). “Cook your meat slowly to avoid burning, and never eat burnt meat,” she says. It’s known to be carcinogenic, and avoiding it can help to reduce your risk of cancer.
• A braai often goes hand in hand with an ice-cold beer, or sultry summer cocktail- this is fine but try limit yourself, choose low kJ options and drink water in between. You may not realise how many kilojoules you are consuming.
•  For dessert, cut pawpaw, peaches or pears in half and remove all seeds or pips. Braai for a few minutes on each side and serve with fat-free vanilla yoghurt or low-fat custard. For a more decadent treat try bananas wrapped in foil with a little melted dark chocolate.
• Looking for more braai recipes? Click here.