New day, new diet

Posted on 8 June 2016

The prevailing wisdom about food seems to change more often than we can fit in a square meal. Dietician Rhoyda Singwane of Mediclinic Nelspruit has some healthy helpings of facts and science to help you improve your food choices.

SUGAR
A lot has been said and written recently about sugar being super-bad. So what is the latest thinking about the sweet stuff? Sugar is a useful preservative and for many of us it makes food more palatable, but we should always be wary of eating too much of it. There are three main types of sugars you should look out for:
• monosaccharides
• disaccharides
• polysaccharides

Monosaccharides are simple sugars that can cause blood sugar highs and lows. Watch out for fruit juice, sweet fizzy drinks and cereals packed with sugar. Disaccharides are found in the form of lactose in foods like milk. Polysaccharides or starches are found in complex carbohydrates like wholewheat bread.

Both of disaccharides and polysaccharides take longer to break down in the body, so they’re less likely to cause ups and downs in blood sugar.

Provided you are not diabetic, sugar and starch should not cause health problems when consumed in moderation and with a focus on complex carbohydrates. But always be mindful of your sugar intake and read food labels.

PROTEIN
Protein is not all about building muscle. It is also essential for repair and sustenance. But you need to eat it in moderation and in combination with other nutrients so make sure you vary your food groups.

Many South Africans eat too much protein by way of meat, which can put our kidneys under strain. You need only 0,8g of protein a day for every kilogram of body weight. Go for lean cuts of meat like chicken breasts (without the skin!) and use cooking methods like grilling and steaming. Roasting, pan-frying and deep-frying reduce the nutritional value of the meat you eat.

LOW FAT
It’s not about eating no fat – it’s about eating good fat. Eat only small amounts of animal or saturated fat and aim for monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
• Monounsaturated fats Peanut butter, avocados and canola oil.
• Polyunsaturated fats Sunflower oil, soya, corn and nuts.
Fatty or oily fish such as sardines are great sources of good fats as they provide Omega 3 fatty acids that are often missing from our diet.
Watch out for foods labeled as ‘low fat’ or ‘fat free’ as they are sometimes laced with sugar to improve the taste.

TEA AND COFFEE
Even though our bodies are composed of roughly 60% water we need to stay hydrated by drinking 1,5-2 litres of water a day. A small portion of this can come from tea or coffee, but at least half of it should be water.

VITAMIN C
Your body cannot store vitamin C so high-dose supplements aren’t necessary. Also, your body does not require only one nutrient to function optimally. So rather aim for balance by eating a variety of fruits and vegetables to boost your overall intake of vitamins and minerals. Organ meats, such as liver and kidneys, are also considered nutritional powerhouses, although they are not to everyone’s taste.

Remember to follow a healthy lifestyle that consists of a balanced diet with enough rest, mild exercise and moderate food intake. Excessive intake of calories in the form of sugars or carbohydrates may be harmful.