Author Archives: Spiders

Making Whole Foods a Way of Life | National Nutrition Week, by Kelly Francis, Registered Dietitian

In South Africa, the 9th to the 19th of October represents National Nutrition and National Obesity Week.  This year’s theme is “Make Eating Whole Foods a Way of Life”! The prevalence of obesity is increasing in all stages of life from pre-schoolers to young adults and a huge contributing factor to this epidemic, is the …

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Coping with Picky Eaters by Registered Dietitian, Kelly Francis

Apart from the frustration and stress that picky eating causes for parents of picky eaters, long term picky eating can lead to malnutrition which can manifest as either underweight or overweight. A third, less obvious sign of malnutrition is stunted growth in height which is difficult to undo. Addressing Picky Eating is important and the …

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Less ‘kid-friendly’ foods, more family foods, by Kelly Francis, Registered Dietitian

The concept of ‘kid-friendly’ foods seems to have grown out of proportion. People are still quick to condemn sugary breakfast cereals for their high sugar content and clever marketing ploys aimed at children but the truth is that the ‘kid-friendly’ food market has expanded far beyond this one shopping aisle. In fact, it has even …

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Achieving Weight Loss in Young Children by Kelly Francis, Registered Dietitian

A calorie restricted diet is never the answer to undoing excessive weight gain in children.  The risk of stunting a child’s growth in height or causing micronutrient deficiencies is much too high. Either of these negative consequences will have a long term negative impact. That said, the reduction of empty calories is the best way …

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Healthy Eating on a Not so Healthy Budget by Kelly Francis, Registered Dietitian

With food prices seemingly increasing by the week, healthy eating might seem next to impossible. Compromising our health however is not an option and there are definitely ways in which to trim the food budget without increasing the risk for obesity or disease. When it comes to convenience, the nutrient empty foods are far cheaper …

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Teens and Vegetarianism by Kelly Francis, Registered Dietitian

While religious fasting with the abstinence of meat is not a new thing, it is becoming popular for teens to experiment with vegetarianism or veganism. Any teen following a diet without a daily intake of meat, chicken or fish, requires parental support in the nutrition department. Whether abstaining from meat for religious or environmental reasons, …

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Unpacking the tip of the food pyramid by Registered Dietitian, Kelly Francis

Unpacking the tip of the food pyramid by Registered Dietitian, Kelly Francis It may be interesting to some that the South African Health Department and South African dietitians do not in fact use the Food Pyramid as a nutrition education tool. We have our very own nationalized Food Based Dietary Guidelines. In spite of this, …

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The Mediterranean Way By Kelly Francis Registered Dietitian

Striving for a traditional Mediterranean diet is a great way to achieve optimal health because of its nutrient dense, socially feasible and fairly economical dietary recommendations. There are many studies to prove the effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet in reducing risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke. A stroke, if not fatal, can have …

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Sweet Potato Fries vs. French Fries

Sweet potato fries have a reputation for being healthier than French fries, but you may wonder whether they’re really better for you. After all, both kinds are usually deep-fried and served in oversized portions. This article reviews the nutrition of sweet potato and French fries, as well as their potential health effects. Nutrition Comparison Detailed …

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The great butter vs margarine debate!

There is much controversy surrounding these two spreads that look similar and essentially serve the same purpose but it is well worth knowing the difference, and more importantly, the facts that will hopefully put this debate to rest. Firstly, the reason for the creation of margarine in the 1860’s is a very simple one. In …

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Teaching children how to eat well.

“Teaching’ Children How to Eat Well” by Kelly Francis, Registered Dietitian Eating well does not come as naturally as we might assume. While children are naturally good at self-regulation we cannot expect that they will make the healthy choice when presented with different food choices. In the same way that we teach children to do …

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Keeping up with fruit & veg intake during the holidays

With school holidays and the festive season just around the corner, fun food and holiday treats are becoming more of a focus. Mince pies have been available for some time now and with Black Friday done and dusted, some of you might already be stocked up on all the treats you associate with Christmas and …

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