January  25,  2018   THE  WITNESS | 15

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Why what carbs you

at is important
Dedicated students 
R: Low GI foods place less strain on the body
few years, the glycaemic index
, sustained energy and balanced
r levels have become commonly
opics in most conversations that
ng to do with healthy eating. In-
cusing solely on the type and
arbohydrate in a food, the world
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES: As far as fruits go,
deciduous and citrus fruits have the lowest
GI rating. Make pears, apples, strawberries,
peaches, grapefruits, naartjies and oranges
some of your first choices.
Tropical fruits such as pineapple, banana,
paw paw and melons are intermediate in
rise to the occasion
is now focusing more on how the
lly responds to a food after it is
esponse to food is often very dif-
their GI rating, and they should be eaten in
smaller portions.
Most vegetables are low GI. However,
‘Foodie’ guests impressed 
that which was previously antic-
paper.
that contain carbohydrates are
make sure that you keep them healthy by
not adding butter, margarine or cheese
sauces to them.
by wedding feast, writes 
d broken down to release certain
sugar or glucose into the blood-
is glucose reaches the blood-
STARCHES: Traditionally these foods have
been blamed as the culprits for weight gain
and diabetes. However, sweet potatoes, rice,
JACKIE CAMERON
arying rates, depending on the samp and most pastas are healthy options.
he food that is eaten. The downfall of this category is often eating
he University of Toronto coined too large a portion. The amount that you eat
“glycaemic index”, which is a must be balanced against your body size and IT’S  seldom  that  one  can  leave  one’s  school  two  weeks  ago,  and  the  in­
how foods affect the blood sugar activity levels. entire  wedding  feast  to  a  group  of  take  for  2018/19  started  two  days  lat­
eaten. The GI of food was deter- Although low-GI meals should be the ba-
e following way. A subject would sis for most of our eating, there are excep-
students  —  and  it  is  testament  to  er.  I  shall  introduce  you  to  the  new 
Enjoy 50some 
on of food containing grams cooked  or  raw  vegetables  with  lunch 
tions.and  supper 
For example everyday.
sportsmen or sportwom- the  quality  of  the  aspiring  chefs  at  students  in  the  upcoming  months. 
drate. The resulting fluctuations
PHOTO:  SUPPLIED en need higher GI snacks and drinks during Jackie  Cameron  School  of  Food  &  But  for  now  we  celebrate  the  2017/18 
ugar were then compared with and after endurance events.
s when the same subject con- Diabetics will need some intermediate GI Wine  that  I  could  do  just  that. students  who  are  doing  their  respec­

Basics for a heathy heart
grams of glucose. snacks after exercise to replenish their One  of  the  countless  highlights  of tive  workplace  practicals  with  re­
was expected to raise the blood energy stores.
most and was thus given the high- If you need to find out more about how the  meal  —  which  comprised  many  nowned  chefs  at  prominent  places 
f 100, with all the other foods be- to implement the GI in your daily eating interesting  and  tasty  delights  —  such  as  La  Colombe,  Constantia, 
elative to it. Foods with a rating pattern, contact a dietitian who can guide
n 55 are low-GI foods. A rating you in the correct portions and GI levels to
were  little,  individual  bread  boards.  Cape  Town  (Scot  Kirton);  Chef’s 
and 69 classifies the food as in- be used throughout your day. They  required  hours  of  hard  work  Table,  Umhlanga  Rocks  (Kayla­Ann 
EATSMART
GI and higher than 70 indicates
gh GI. Low-GI foods result in the
ctuations in blood sugar levels,
In a fortnight’s time we’ll look at how to
keep our eating habits in check during the
Christmas season.
and  today  I’m  sharing  two  of  the 
items  on  that  board.  It’s  an  irresisti­
Osborn);  Boschendal  Wine  Estate, 
Franschhoek  (Christiaan  Campbell); 
g the least strain on the body.

Sharon 
many benefits to eating low-GI
h should form the basis of most
e are a few:
• Sharon Hultzer is a
consulting dietitian.
She can be reached
ble  chilli  bites  and  patta  recipe  that 
Ramola  Makan,  the  proud  ambassa­
dor  of  Elba,  taught  me  many  years 
île  de  païn,  Knysna  (Markus  Farbin­
ger  and  Liezie  Mulder);  Foliage  Res­
taurant,  Franschhoek  (Chris  Eras­
Hultzer
energy levels;
concentration (including for at-

THE  start  of  a  new  year  often  signals
fresh  determination  to  achieve  goals.
Without  an  alteration  in  thinking  and
ultimately behaviour, new achievements
may  never  be  realised.  Let’s  not  waste
time warming up to the idea of improv­
ing our health, but rather start today get­
ting  the  basics  in  order.
A healthy heart is arguably one of the
most vital factors in maintaining physi­
cal  (and  emotional)  wellbeing.  In  hu­
mans, the heart starts to beat within a
couple  days  of  conception  and  has  to
continue  unceasingly  from  then  on­
wards.  Various  factors  can  place  this
hard­working  pump  under  additional
strain and reduce its ability to keep work­
ing effectively. In South Africa, cardio­
vascular  disease  (which  includes  heart
disease  and  stroke)  is  second  only  to
HIV/Aids  as  a  leading  cause  of  death.
The  good  news  is  that  many  of  the
risk factors for development of heart dis­
ease can be reduced by a change of lifes­
tyle. Some of the more common risk fac­
tors include smoking, being overweight,
being physically inactive, a high “bad”
cholesterol  (LDL­cholesterol)  and  low
“good”  cholesterol  (HDL­cholesterol),
the  presence  of  diabetes  mellitus  and
high  blood  pressure.
Dietary  modification  plays  a  major
role  in  reducing  these  risk  factors  and
thus decreasing the likelihood of devel­
oping  heart  disease.  To  achieve  these
changes  we  need  to  navigate  some
murky waters. Why is it that with more
reduced­fat, trans fat­free and/or choles­
terol­free  products  available,  obesity
and cardiovascular disease continue to
at eatsmart@
iburst.co.za
increase? To get started, let’s focus on
just  three  dietary  changes.
Firstly, reduce the total fat content of
your meals. Even if “healthier” fats are
being used, it is important to use them
sparingly. Rather bake, grill, casserole or
microwave foods instead of frying. Use
lean cuts of meat and trim off all excess
fat before cooking — that way you avoid
the  temptation.
Secondly, aim to increase the propor­
tion of mono­ and polyunsaturated fats
(almonds;  walnuts;  sunflower,  sesame
and pumpkin seeds; avocado, canola and
olive oil) to that of saturated fats (from
animal products, palm oil and coconut
oil,  commercial  biscuits,  cakes,  choco­
lates). Changing these proportions will
help you to get the “bad” cholesterol lev­
els down and reduce risk of heart disease.
The  third  change  that  will  improve
your overall health is increasing fruit and
vegetable intake. Aim to eat five servings
of fruits and vegetables (combined total)
every day. Diets rich in vegetables and
fruit  have  been  shown  to  lower  blood
pressure and reduce risk of cardiovascu­
lar disease (particularly stroke). Use a va­
riety of fresh fruit or crunchy vegetables
as tea­time snacks instead of the tradi­
tional biscuit break. Enjoy some cooked
or fresh vegetables with lunch and sup­
per  everyday.
Let’s steer our food choices back onto
the  narrow  path  before  the  month  is
over, and get 2018 off to the best start
possible.
• Sharon  Hultzer  is  a  registered  45 ml  coriander,  chopped
dietitian  and  can  be  contacted  at  65 g onions,  grated
sharonhultzer@gmail.com
ago.  We  use  Elba  cookers,  an  Italian 
designed­and­manufactured  brand,  in 
mus);  Reuben’s,  Franschhoek  (Reu­
ben  Riffel);  Fresh  Living  magazine 
the  school. (Justine  Drake);  Hartford  House, 
December  was  a  busy  month  with KwaZulu­Natal  Midlands  (Constant­
numerous  functions  for  the  students,  jin  Hahndiek);  Greenhouse  Restau­
who  gained  valuable  work­place  ex­ rant,  Constantia  (Peter  Tempelhoff); 
perience,  and  happy  clients  proved  Test  Kitchen,  Cape  Town  (Luke 
our  prowess.  The  year  rounded  off  Dale­Roberts)  and  Marble,  Rosebank, 
with  Ben  Wessels’  and  my  wedding  Johannesburg  (David  Higgs).
where  our  “foodie”  guests  were  as­ Here’s  to  a  happy,  super­busy  year
tonished  by  the  students’  commit­ for  us  all.
ment  to  their  chosen  careers  —  they  I  always  look  forward  to  hearing 
were  super­impressed. from  you  so  please  communicate  via 
For  the  students  in  their  last  se­ e­mail  at  jackie@jackiecameron.co.za
mester,  the  new  year  started  with  • Jackie  Cameron  is  the  owner  of 
the  internationally  recognised  Wine  Jackie  Cameron  School  of  Food  & 
&  Spirit  Education  Trust  (WSET)  Wine  in  Hilton,  KZN.
course  with  Laurie  Smorthwaite  of  • Please  note  that  Jackie  Cameron’s 
Abingdon  Wine  Estate  in  the  Mid­ articles  and  recipes  will  now  appear 
lands.  We  await  their  results. in  The  Witness  on  the  last  Thursday 
The  2017/2018  students  left  the  of  the  month. PHOTO:  PETER  WICKHAM
RAMOLA’S CHILLI BITES RAMOLA’S PATTA
Makes:  about  40­50  (this  recipe  sunflower  oil,  for  frying
can  be  halved) Method: Makes:  six  rolls 10 ml fresh  coriander,  chopped amadumbie  leaves,  wash  and  dry. 
Ingredients: Heat  oil  for  deep­frying. Ingredients: 50 ml  sunflower  oil Lay  the  leaves  flat,  shiny  side 
250 ml  gram  flour/chickpea  flour Mix  the  gram  flour,  cake  flour,  salt,  500 ml  gram  flour/chickpea  flour 2 ml bicarbonate  of  soda down  and  pointed  end  away  from 
125 ml cake  flour turmeric,  masala,  sugar  and  baking  250 ml  mielie  meal  (maize  meal) 40 ml  white  sugar you.
Oryx  salt,  to  taste powder  together.  Add  the  oil  and  125 ml white  bread  flour 200 ml  vinegar Apply  a  thin  layer  of  batter  with 
2,5 ml turmeric,  fresh  if  possible mix  through.  Add  the  warm  water,  15 ml fine  salt 200 ml warm  water your  fingertips  on  the  entire  leaf. 
7,5 ml Durban  masala  to  make  a  coating  batter.  Add  the  2,5 ml turmeric  powder,  freshly  amadumbie  leaves  or  spinach  as  a  Fold  the  sides  to  meet  in  the  cen­
or  red  masala remaining  ingredients. grated  if  possible substitute tre.  Spread  some  more  batter  over 
5ml white  sugar Take  teaspoons  of  the  batter  and  5 ml ginger  powder sunflower  oil,  for  frying the  leaves.  Roll  up  tightly  like  a 
5 ml baking  powder drop  them  into  the  oil  (best  for  5 ml fresh  garlic,  grated Method: Swiss  roll,  wrap  in  plastic.
15 ml  sunflower  oil the  oil  to  be  on  a  medium  heat,  20 ml Durban  masala  or  hot  and  Combine  all  the  dry  ingredients  and  Place  in  a  pot  of  boiling  water  to 
250 ml  warm  water as  you  don’t  want  the  outside  to  spicy  masala mix  together.  Add  the  oil  and  crum­ poach  for  15  minutes.
75 g  carrots,  peeled  and  grated get  too  brown  before  the  inside  is  10 ml garam  masala  or  hot  and  ble  together.  Add  the  remaining  in­ Allow  to  cool,  remove  the  plastic, 
100 g  potatoes,  peeled  and  grated cooked),  turning  them  around,  and  spicy  masala gredients  and  make  a  soft  spreadable  cut  into  slices  and  shallow­fry  well 
cook  until  brown  on  the  outside  10 ml cumin  seeds batter. on  both  sides.  Drain  on  paper  tow­
and  cooked  inside. 15 ml desiccated  coconut Scrape  and  thin  the  veins  out  of  the  elling  and  serve.

Probiotics help 
23 January - 19 February 2018
fight effects of  10-in-1 Min
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refined sugars
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THE  South  African  fast­food  industry  is  valued 

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at  over  R300  billion,  according  to  South  Africa­
based  market  research  company  Insight  Survey. 
So  it’s  hardly  surprising  that  South  Africa  has
the  highest  overweight  and  obesity  rate  in  sub­
Saharan  Africa,  with  up  to  70%  of  women  and 
SPECIALS

a  third  of  men  battling  with  serious  weight 

problems.  Fast  food  is  generally  nutrient  poor  Wood Rasp
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but  high  in  the  kinds  of  refined  carbohydrates  Set 3pc 3 piece set
and  saturated  fats  that  pile  on  the  kilos.
Being  overweight  affects  all  aspects  of 
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health,  not  least  the  digestive  system,  and  this 
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tems.  “Over  the  past  two  decades,  researchers 
have  revealed  that  gut  health  is  critical  to  over­
all  health,  and  that  an  unhealthy  gut  contrib­
utes  to  a  wide  range  of  diseases,  including  dia­
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betes,  obesity,  rheumatoid  arthritis,  autism 
spectrum  disorder,  depression  and  chronic  fa­
tigue  syndrome,”  says  Vanessa  de  Ascencao,  nu­
tritional  consultant  and  member  of  the  Health  Dimple Handless LED Safetty Miinii Light with Voltage Tester
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Probiotics,  which  are  the  “good”  bacteria  that Satin Chrome 8154 4739 4620 5322
line  the  digestive  tract,  assist  in  nutrient  ab­

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sorption  and  support  the  immune  system. 
Found  naturally  in  foods  such  as  yogurt  and
pickles,  probiotics  in  the  gut  can  be  depleted 
through  poor  diet  (especially  one  high  in  refined 
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sugars)  and  when  taking  antibiotics.  “Today, 
due  to  our  high  stress  levels,  lack  of  fresh 
foods  and  good  soil,  and  the  fact  that  we  no 
longer  need  to  ferment  our  foods  to  keep  them  Zoom LED 27
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Probiotic  supplements  can  help  your  body  to
function  at  its  best,  and  it’s  clear  that  many  @gelmaronline @gelmarsa
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Dennison,  president  of  the  HPASA,  says  that 
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25%  in  2016  in  South  Africa  as  consumers  real­ Pietermaritzburg:
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ised  the  role  probiotics  can  play  in  improving 
their  health.  —  Supplied. OPEN ON SUNDAYS. E&OE • VAT Included • Whiles Stocks last. We reserve the right to limit quantities. Accessories are used for display only.