This is the theme for this year’s National Nutrition Week campaign, which runs from the 9th – 19th of October 2020. Recent research undertaken in South African communities over the past few years shows a worrying rise in malnutrition. This is mainly attributed to the increasing consumption of cheap processed foods and reduced physical activity among our South African people.
COVID-19 has not helped matters either – the pandemic as well as the measures taken to reduce its spread, have disrupted food environments, not only in South Africa, but across the world. People are eating more processed foods at the expense of fresh and minimally processed foods resulting in diets that are low in nutritional quality but high in energy, sugars, salt and fats.
The problem is that people who are poorly nourished are at a greater risk of getting bacterial, viral, and other infections. Eating enough nutrients from a variety of whole foods is required for the health and function of all cells, including the immune cells.
Our diets should be based on a variety of whole foods, mostly unprocessed foods from plants, such as vegetables, fruits, starchy foods and legumes. We also need to drink water rather than sugary drinks and limit our intake of processed meats and nutrient poor foods which are high in fat, sugar and salt.
In addition to eating healthily, a general healthy lifestyle is also important to help boost the immune system. This means not smoking, moderate exercise regularly, getting enough sleep and trying to minimise stress.
Here are a few ways you can eat simply and healthily, without overspending:
- Many cheaper vegetables and fruits, such as pumpkin, cabbage, spinach, carrots, apples and oranges have just as many nutrients as more expensive varieties. If fruit becomes too expensive then aim for more vegetables.
- Prepare a large pot of stew with onion, tomato and added vegetables, such as sweet potato, butternut, marrows, onions, tomatoes and carrots.
- Prepare a thick vegetable soup at home with added butter beans or kidney beans – a delicious way to get great nutrition.
- When making mince add lentils, canned tomatoes and grated carrot into the mixture.
- If you are tired after work, bake a sweet potato in your microwave and once it is ready cover it with warmed up baked beans.
- Cook pasta or pap and have it with a home-made tomato rich sauce – use onion, garlic, fresh or canned tomatoes and grated carrots.
- Eggs are a great source of protein and will boost your zinc intake. Scrambled eggs with some slices of tomato is a simple and nutritious dinner when you don’t have much energy left from the day.
If you would like assistance with meal–plan suggestions and simple, but wholesome recipes for the family, email the Pick n Pay dietitian for further information on healthhotline@pnp.co.za.
