Healthy diets

If you've tried to lose weight in the past, you'll know that it's difficult to keep the kilos down. That's why we created two eating plans with which long-term weight management is indeed possible.




Here are some simple rules on healthy eating that absolutely anyone can follow if they put their minds to it.

The ten rules:
Get down to and maintain your desirable body weight
Reduce your total fat intake, particularly your intake of saturated fats
Ensure adequate intake of mono- and certain poly-unsaturated fats
Reduce your intake of foods high in cholesterol
Reduce your intake of foods high in trans fats
Increase your fibre intake
Use sugar and foods high in simple carbohydrates in moderation
Use less salt
Eat a variety of foods
Drink alcohol only in moderation and regularly rather than in binges
Drink enough water or other fluids throughout the day (let thirst be your guide - remember that drinking too much water can actually be dangerous)

Healthy food choices include:

Fats, oils and nuts
Sunflower, canola, olive and soya oils
Soft margarines (check the label to see if it's free of trans fats)
Non-stick vegetable sprays
Almonds, pecan, hazelnuts and peanuts in moderation

Meat, fish and poultry
Lean cuts only
Portion sizes must be 90g to 120g a day – about the size of your palm
Eat chicken without the skin
Eat fish at least twice a week
Shellfish is fine, but limit your intake of prawns, shrimps and caviar
Tinned fish should be in water or brine

Lentils and dry beans
All types of lentils, peas and beans
Baked beans and other tinned beans

Eggs
Use a maximum of four egg yolks a week and cut down on other foods containing cholesterol if you do eat egg yolk

Milk and milk products
Low-fat and skim milk
Low-fat and fat-free yoghurt
Low-fat and fat-free cottage cheese
Low-fat buttermilk

Breads and cereals
Brown, wholewheat and low-GI bread
Oats, oat bran and maize meal
High-fibre, low-fat breakfast cereals
Low-fat wholewheat crackers
Rice and pasta

Fruit and vegetables
Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day
Choose fresh fruits instead of fruit juices
Use avocado and olives in moderation

Beverages
Tea and coffee without sugar, diet cold drinks, sugar-free squash
Use sweetened cold drinks in moderation
Use fruit juice in moderation
If you drink alcohol, have no more than two drinks a day (1 drink = 340ml beer or 120ml wine or 25ml spirits). Avoid alcohol if you have high blood pressure or if you are overweight.

Desserts
Choose fresh fruit, jelly, skim-milk custard, fat-free or low-fat yoghurt, fruit ices, fruit yoghurt

Avoid the following foods:

Fats and oils:
Butter
Hard brick margarine, brick cooking fat, lard
All fried foods
Coconut and biscuits containing coconut
Mayonnaise

Meat, fish and poultry:
Fatty beef, pork and mutton
Processed meats such as salami and polony
Organ meats such as offal, liver and kidneys
Tinned meat and pies
Take-aways such as fried chicken and hamburgers
Deep-fried foods such as doughnuts and samoosas

Milk and milk products:
Full-cream milk
Condensed milk
Cream, artificial cream, coffee and tea creamers
Full-fat ice cream and yoghurt
Full-fat cheeses

Breads and cereals:
White bread and rolls
Refined breakfast cereals
Salted, high-fat savoury snacks
Biscuits, cakes, puddings, chocolates, fudge etc.
Crisps, corn crisps, other savoury snacks