Knowing what to eat

There are seven food groups to consider: grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy, protein, sugars and fats.
Today we are going to look at grains.

The grain group includes all foods made from wheat, rice, oats, maize, barley, rye, quinoa or millet. These grains originate as the fruit, or seeds, of grasses and grass-type plants. They are cultivated on a large scale as staple crops - crops which provide more food energy for world populations than any other food group. Potatoes are also included in this group. At least half of all the grains you consume should be whole grain. Choose whole grain breads and breakfast cereals, whole wheat pasta, and wild or brown rice, rather than their refined counterparts.

When grains are refined, the outer husk, the bran and the germ are lost, leaving only the endosperm, which is pretty much all carbohydrate. Gone are the vitamins, minerals and fibre that used to be part of each little grain. Keep them whole, and they will keep you healthy!

An average person, of average height, weight, age and activity levels, consuming an average of 2000 kcals/8400kjoules daily requires 5-6 servings of grains per day.
1 serving of grains equates to:
1 slice of whole wheat bread,
OR 1 cup of ready-to-eat-cereal,
OR ½ cup of cooked pasta, rice or cooked cereal,
OR a potato the size of a large egg.
Of course, young children may find whole grains difficult to cope with, so they need to be introduced gradually as teeth and tummies develop.

Even though grains are an essential part of our daily food intake, too much of even a good thing can cause weight grain.

False economy

Yesterday, someone told me they found shopping for groceries very expensive, and that eating take-aways was far less costly. Am I missing something here?

My weekly grocery bill is between R600 and R800 for two people. That includes some toiletries and cleaning products – these products are expensive, so let’s say they constitute 15% of R700 (average) - that’s R105, which leaves R595 spent on food. R595 divided by 2 is R297.50 per person. R297.50 divided by 7 (days of the week) equals R42.50 per person per day: divided by 3 (meals a day) comes to just over R14 per meal. Show me where I can buy a healthy take-away meal for R14!

Here’s what I get at each of my R14 meals:
My typical daily menu consists of breakfast – cereal or toast, with fruit; lunch – a salad with cheese, canned fish or an egg, or maybe the same ingredients in a sandwich; dinner – fish, chicken, vegetarian or, very occasionally, red meat with loads of fresh vegetables and some starch (pasta, rice, couscous, beans, whatever), followed by a good size helping of fresh fruit salad and yoghurt.

At the end of each week, there is still plenty of food in my house – I could probably go six weeks without shopping, and we would still eat reasonably well. There is always something in my freezer – chicken, fish, frozen peas, home-made ready-meals etc. There is always plenty of pasta, rice, flour, canned goods, dried beans, nuts, tea, coffee and treats in my store cupboard. Of course, I would run out of fresh fruit, vegetables and yoghurt within 10 days, but we would survive the six weeks in reasonable health.

And that is the key issue in my book – reasonable health. Take-aways are notorious for their high fat and salt content, and are usually starch based. Loads of calories that will push you way over the recommended daily allowances of cholesterol (300mg), salt / sodium (2,400mg), fats (65gm, including 20gm saturated fats) and carbohydrates (300gm) – and all in one meal. Eating in excess of these allowances can lead to weight gain, water retention, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, diabetes… must I go on? Poor eating habits lead to disease, which can be horribly expensive.

Beyond the ubiquitous paracetamol I keep on hand, and sinus tabs (we live in a gold-mining area with a lot of environmental pollution), I don’t need to buy vitamin and mineral supplements, antacid powders, laxatives or any of the other thousands of over-the-counter medications most people take (in an attempt) to compensate for poor eating habits.

Eating a variety of foods from all the food groups provides all the vitamins, minerals, fibre and calories anyone needs – in a balanced and healthy form; vitamins and minerals are synergistic – they work together. Fresh foods provide a wonderful variety of textures, aromas, colours and flavours – far more interesting, satisfying and delicious than a burger and chips, don’t you think?

Cheaper, too.

5 Super foods

When you eat a varied selection of foods from all the food groups you get visual pleasure, hunger satisfaction and far more than you could ever get from vitamin pills and supplements.

Fruits
Blueberries, raspberries and strawberries are packed with antioxidants and phytochemicals which help the brain to manufacture dopamine – the feel good hormone. Apples are high in antioxidants to protect us against free radicals; they also contain lots of fibre, especially the skin. Apples are said to reduce the risk of diabetes, some cancers, asthma and heart disease. Oranges are probably the best source of Vitamin C – also rich in antioxidants.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes, specially when cooked, contain lycopene, which is said to prevent prostate and breast cancers. We eat a lot of tomatoes all the time and my husband finds that this prevents his legs from getting dry and itchy in winter.

Nuts and seeds
Walnuts and almonds are anti-inflammatory. Sunflower seeds, almonds and brazil nuts are rich in protein. Most nuts and seeds contain Vitamin A, all the Bs, C and E and most minerals. All contain zero cholesterol and are rich in unsaturated fats.

Fish
Fish, such as salmon and mackerel, contain high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids, which help keep the heart in good condition and encourage muscle recovery after exercise. Your body will store less fat when there are Omega 3s available, also the fat you store will be more easily converted to energy.

Vegetables
We should all be eating 5-8 servings of fruit and vegetables every single day. Preferably 8 servings.
Broccoli features high on the list of super foods, but other cruciferous veg are good, too, so have some cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, spinach or kale. They all contain cancer fighting chemicals. Dark green leafy veg contain carotenoids which boost the immune system and protect us from harmful ultraviolet rays. Asparagus, carrots, green beans, romaine lettuce green peas and sweet peppers are great sources of Vitamin A and all the Bs, C and minerals.

Come back on Friday for another 5 super foods to boost your health.

Add fibre with ease.

Yesterday, my number one tip was to eat more fibre, and it really isn't difficult.

A high-fibre cereal for breakfast - oats, muesli or bran. A forty to fifty gram serving of any of these with 1/2 a cup of fat free milk and 1/2 cup of fat free yoghurt, sprinkled with a little powdered cinnamon, makes a great start to the day.

A whole grain bread sandwich for lunch: two slices of bread (or a roll) stuffed with lettuce, tomato and cucumber slices, cress, 1/4 of an avocado pear, spread with mustard and/or low fat mayo. Add a hard boiled egg or a thin slice of ham or cheese for protein. Serve this with some home-made, broth-based vegetable soup, if you like - chunky or smooth.

Dinner: at least two fresh vegetables (carrots, broccoli, butternut, spinach, mixed salad, whatever - I like to combine different coloured vegetables on my plate) with brown rice, barley or beans as your starch. Try and stick with chicken or fish as your animal protein source. They are lower in saturated fats than red meats.
Check out the dinner recipes I post here: there is a new recipe every day.

Snacks: choose from fresh fruit, nuts and seeds.

And drink plenty of fluids (preferably water). All that extra fibre needs lots of water to digest.