LIFESTYLE NEWS - April kicked off with a focus on ‘Our planet, our health’ as the World Health Day 2022 theme called for everyone to consider sustainable diets that benefit the individual and the environment.

Specialist dietitian and Laager Rooibos partner, Mbali Mapholi, said this was the perfect nature-based theme to adopt, as the answer to a balanced diet lies in nature.

“Your daily food and drink choices contribute greatly towards your health,” explained Mapholi. 

“Combined with physical activity, what we choose to consume can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases, help us achieve a healthy weight, and promote overall health.

“World Health Day, a day set out by the World Health Organisation to remind the public about health issues, is the perfect opportunity to evaluate one’s choices that impact their health and refocus on those nutrition and health goals. For me, the answers are simple. "

"Everything we need for a healthy balanced diet comes from nature, so if we respect nature and respect our bodies, we will make better choices. We spend so much time trying to avoid bad food and drinks, but if we put more focus on including good food and drinks in our diet this won’t leave as much room for unhealthy choices.”

Mbali Mapholi’s 5 foods and drinks to include in a healthy diet:

 Leafy vegetables 

Leafy vegetables such as spinach, beet leaves, and mustard leaves are packed with vitamins and minerals which are essential for good health. 

These vegetables are also packed with antioxidants which are important for overall wellbeing, heart health, and mental health. 

These vegetables are easy to grow, easily accessible, and can be included frozen or fresh in a diet in many forms, such as smoothies, cooked vegetables, and raw salads.

Rooibos tea 

Regular consumption of Rooibos tea has been linked to good heart health, reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.

 Rooibos is packed with polyphenols which are antioxidants that contribute to the health of cells. Rooibos is naturally sugar-free, caffeine-free, and can be consumed by both adults and children as a cold or hot beverage. 

It is also versatile enough to be used in cooking. Laager Rooibos is the only Rooibos teabags in South Africa endorsed by the Heart and Stroke Foundation SA.

Nuts and seeds 

Nuts - Peanuts, walnuts, almonds, and nut butter – as well as seeds - pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, and chia seeds - are great sources of healthy fats, plant protein, and vitamin E, zinc, and dietary fiber, to name a few.

 Nuts and seeds can be expensive so it’s important to choose ones that are local and readily available.

Fruits 

As the saying goes, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away!’ While this may not be strictly true, eating more fruits instead of sugary treats is a great step towards better health, with at least two fruits as part of your 5-a-day (fruits and vegetables). 

Fruits are packed with vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and other plant compounds that are good for health.

Legumes and beans 

Legumes such as lentils and chickpeas; as well as beans like red kidney beans, soybeans, edamame beans, baked beans, and black beans can be added daily to all meals to bulk them up and increase their nutritional value. You can even try them as snacks such as roasted edamame beans or roasted chickpeas. 

Legumes and beans are packed with all sorts of nutrients that are good for overall health.

'We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news'