Healthy eating doesn't mean abandoning family favourites
Arthur Ramoroka, corporate nutritionist at Tiger Brands, is a leading voice in this conversation, promoting how wholesome eating can be achieved through simple, everyday food choices.
At the heart of his message is Koo, a brand that has consistently proven how eating better can be made easier for all South Africans.
A modern approach to better eating
According to the South African 2024 National Food and Nutrition Security Survey, despite SA's abundant agricultural resources, a large portion of the population still struggles to maintain nutritious diets due to time constraints, cost and accessibility.
'We understand that many South Africans want to make healthier choices, but life doesn't always make that easy,' says Ramoroka. 'That's where Koo comes in — meeting consumers at their point of need with products that are not only nutritious but also convenient and culturally familiar.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Stateless in South Africa: The untold crisis facing millions without documentation
Earlier this year, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber sounded the alarm on what he described as a 'silent crisis' gripping the country, as millions of South Africans continue to live without identity documents. This quandary has only been exacerbated as anti-immigrant groups like Operation Dudula and the March and March Movement demand that those seeking healthcare provide documentation before entering public facilities. "I say there is a silent crisis in the country of undocumented South Africans. There are children who are going to school who didn't have their birth registered," Schreiber told the National Council of Provinces. The minister warned that undocumented children are being denied access to essential rights such as education, healthcare, and social grants. When it comes to figures, undocumented South Africans are in the millions. Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR), a prominent legal advocacy group, has been actively engaged in highlighting the issue of statelessness and undocumented citizens.
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Sweet deception: everyday foods and drinks that are loading us up with sugar
Excessive sugar intake impacts not only weight, but also our organs, skin, teeth and energy levels. Image: Pexels/Nataliya Vaitkevich South Africans are consuming dangerously high amounts of sugar every day - far more than what health experts recommend. A recent study by Wits University revealed that the average person could be taking in between 12 and 24 teaspoons of sugar daily, a staggering figure compared to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) guideline of just six teaspoons. Dietitian Mbali Mapholi has also cautioned: 'Hidden sugars are often sneaky and can add up quickly throughout the day without us even realising it.' 'Many snacks and drinks that aren't noticeably sweet still contain sugar, meaning that many of us may be consuming a lot more sugar than we realise, which can significantly impact our health over time.' This growing concern has prompted health organisations and experts to call for greater awareness about the dangers of added sugars, especially those hidden in processed foods and sugary beverages. Both Nicole Jennings, spokesperson for Pharma Dynamics, and Professor Pamela Naidoo, CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa (HSFSA), have expressed concerns regarding sugar's role in exacerbating the nation's health crisis. 'The country faces an epidemic of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and obesity, with raised sugar consumption playing a key role in driving these conditions,' said Naidoo. Most of this excess comes not from natural sugars found in fruits or vegetables, but from added sugars in processed foods and sugary drinks. Items like soft drinks, energy drinks, flavoured waters, fruit juices, breakfast cereals, sauces and packaged snacks often contain high amounts of hidden sugar. Over time, this excess intake raises blood sugar levels, burdens vital organs and contributes to serious illnesses such as: Heart disease and hypertension. Type 2 diabetes. Liver disease. Dental decay. Obesity and related complications. 'Excessive sugar intake affects not only weight but also our organs, skin, teeth and energy levels,' Naidoo added. 'The high rate of added sugars in diets, especially in beverages, is a major contributing factor to SA's obesity crisis.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Excessive sugar intake impacts not only weight, but also our organs, skin, teeth and energy levels. Image: Pexels/Mikhail Nilov To help tackle the issue, the South African government introduced a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax in 2018 - but experts say awareness and personal lifestyle changes remain just as important. Jennings pointed out that sugary drinks pose a particularly dangerous risk because of how quickly the body absorbs liquid sugar. 'When we consume sugar-sweetened beverages, the body absorbs it rapidly, often within 30 minutes, which can lead to a sharp spike in blood sugar levels,' she explained. 'Unlike solid foods, these drinks don't make us feel full - so people often end up drinking more without realising it. Cutting down on SSBs is one of the simplest and most effective changes people can make to reduce their sugar intake.' Even seemingly 'healthy' options, such as fruit juices or smoothies, can be deceptively high in sugar. For example, one glass of fruit juice can contain as much sugar as a can of soda. The first step to managing sugar intake is understanding where it hides. Added sugars can appear under many different names on food labels, including: Sucrose. Glucose. High-fructose corn syrup. Dextrose. Maltose. Syrup (such as rice syrup or corn syrup). Molasses. Fruit juice concentrate. 'Reading food labels carefully is crucial,' said Mapholi. 'Many products marketed as 'low-fat' or 'healthy' often compensate with high sugar content to improve taste.' Practical tips for reducing added sugar Cut down on sugary drinks: Replace sodas, energy drinks and fruit juices with water, rooibos tea or sparkling water infused with fresh fruit. Watch your snacks: Opt for whole foods like nuts, fresh fruit and plain yoghurt instead of processed options. Cook at home: Preparing meals allows you to control how much sugar goes into your food. Limit sauces and condiments: Tomato sauce, salad dressings and marinades can be surprisingly high in sugar. Choose whole fruit over juice: Whole fruit contains fibre, which helps regulate blood sugar spikes. Gradually retrain your palate: Reducing sugar slowly allows your taste buds to adjust over time. 'Small changes - like replacing one sugary drink a day with water or unsweetened rooibos - can make a massive difference over time. It's about taking back control and making conscious choices for better health," noted Jennings.
SowetanLIVE
2 days ago
- SowetanLIVE
Five values that could change medical aid as we know it
You don't always see it in the fine print. But the values your medical aid holds at its core matter most when life happens. When the unexpected shows up, you need your medical aid to show up too. Following Sanlam's endorsement of Fedhealth as its preferred open medical scheme partner, Fedhealth and Sanlam have come together to ask: is there a better way? In response to this, the companies are on a mission to revitalise medical aid as we know it, with a reimagined scheme aimed at embodying five core values: affordability, customisation, inclusivity, simplicity and trust. So what do these values look like in real life? Meet five people whose stories show how the reimagined scheme aims to deliver what everyday South Africans really want from a medical aid. Thato, a 32-year-old IT consultant, didn't think he could afford medical aid — until he found out about a medical aid that will allow him to choose the features he wants and leave the ones he doesn't. Fedhealth and Sanlam's reimagined scheme uniquely offers: Backup day-to-day savings on its hospital plans that Thato can access if and when he needs to; flexi FED Savvy, SA's most affordable hospital plan for under-35s; and FED Savvy, A 25% discount on certain plans through its flexi FED Elect excess options. Wherever you are in life, affordability matters to everyone. That's why affordability for all members is a cornerstone of Fedhealth and Sanlam's new approach to medical aid. That's affordability rebooted. Jody, a 24-year-old freelancer, can only pay for what she needs, when she needs it. Nothing more. Nothing wasted. The scheme will allow her to upgrade any time of the year within 30 days of a life-changing event like pregnancy or a serious illness. That's customisation rebooted. Imran, a 28-year-old small business owner, has never really considered joining a medical scheme before. But now, as a self-employed father of two, he finally feels like medical aid is for him too. The reimagined scheme offers a variety of differently structured medical aid plans at varying price points, so Imran can pick a plan that suits his specific needs to a T. That's inclusivity rebooted.
