As a reminder before the Easter weekend, here are some questions and tips from our dietician, Kim.

The Dietician: So the big question is – Can we enjoy the Easter eggs and hot cross buns?

And of course you know what my answer is!!! Yes you can!!!
But the real question is how much?! About 25g of chocolate is equivalent to a slice of bread and a hot cross bun is equivalent to about 2 slices of bread. Chocolate is high in fat, whereas hot cross buns are not.

Q: Anthea Williams: Is ice cream healthy?

A: The Dietician:  Ice cream is not a food that will give you much nutrition, so you should enjoy it only occasionally. A scoop of ice cream is equivalent to a slice of bread. Other options that will be lower in fat is low fat frozen yoghurt and sorbet. Even though they are lower in fat they still need to be eaten in small portions!

Q: Nandie Usindisiwe Manie: I have a sweet tooth what can I eat? What is healthy?

A: The Dietician: Most of the time we want to choose the healthier, more nutritious foods (the higher fibre, less refined ones). But we can definitely choose the treat foods that nurture us occasionally. As a general rule I say you can have 3 treats per week, as long as they are portion controlled. The ‘healthier’ treats are those with less fat, so things like wine gums, sweets, liquorice, marshmallows, nougat are better choices. How much though? About 3-4 of any of these is equivalent to a slice of bread, so eat them slowly and savour them!!

Q: Patience Mugari:  I love fruit cake and chocolates but don’t know if don’t contribute to me putting on weight?

A: The Dietician:  Any treat will contribute to weight gain, especially if eaten often and in large quantities. Generally for weight control (and to make sure that you are still losing weight) I recommend that you don’t have starches at night if you are going to enjoy a small treat during the day.

Q: Sisanda Sinoyolo Mani:  What can I snack on while studying what food is good for losing weight and my brain.

A: The Dietician: Eating regularly so that you have consistent glucose in the blood is important. Your brain can only use glucose, so make sure you eat foods that convert into glucose/sugar so that there is immediate energy available. Foods such as fruit, yoghurt, glass of milk, crackers, slice of bread with a topping or popcorn are great options. Try to have a snack every 3-4 hours.

Q: Herbex Health: We all know dark chocolate is a better choice, can you tell us why?

A: The Dietician: Many people believe that dark chocolate is better. The reason for this is that it contains a higher percentage of cocoa, and cocoa is the ingredient that contains a lot of goodness in the form of antioxidants. However, all chocolate is roughly equivalent in energy and fat, so my suggestion is eat the chocolate that you enjoy the most, be it dark or milk or white! And of course in small quantities!

LAST THOUGHT:

Learn to enjoy a small amount (and I mean really enjoy!) occasionally. I generally sit in a comfy chair with a cup of coffee when I enjoy a treat!

Have a good Easter!