18 | THE WITNESS APRIL 26, 2018

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Firm family favourite

Try the pudding and let the aspiring chefs know what you think of it
JACKIE CAMERON

FROM all reports, the Jackie Cameron

GRANNY To be most effective, the self-dosing of vitamin C
must be started as soon as possible after the
School of Food & Wine #20172018 stu-
dents are doing us proud in the industry.
PAT’S onset of symptoms of the common cold.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
And, I can confirm that the #20182019
VINEGAR
intake is getting stuck into the course ma-
terial with great enthusiasm. We are all
learning and growing.
PUDDING Vitamin C may
As mentioned previously, over the next
few months I shall introduce you to the Pudding ingredients:
help shorten the
school’s current students. Each will share
a family favourite recipe. We’d be grateful
if you’d try these dishes and e-mail your
2 cups of white sugar
2 whole eggs
2 cups white flour
duration of colds
comments to the school. Previous stu- 1 teaspoon of baking pow-
dents found feedback from readers to be der VITAMIN C supplementation may help shorten the
very beneficial. 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate duration of colds, research shows.
Heather-Lee Holliday, one of the of soda. Scientists from the University of Helsinki, Finland,
boarders on the property, completed her A pinch of salt found that, if taken at the onset, relatively high
schooling last year. Although from an En- 2 cups of full-cream milk doses of vitamin C may shorten the length of a
glish-speaking family she happily attend- 2 tablespoons apricot jam cold.
ed an Afrikaans school which means she 2,5 teaspoons of vinegar Analysing two randomised trials, researchers
is totally bilingual. The privilege of on-site found that compared to a placebo, eight grams of
accommodation means the school can Method: vitamin C administered on the first day of the cold
accept aspirant chefs from all corners of Preheat the oven to 150˚C. shortened the duration by an average 19%, while
the country and from across borders too. Mix the sugar and eggs the second study showed taking six grams of
Heather-Lee was born in the Richards together. vitamin C a day shortened colds by 17%.

arbs you
Bay area and spent most of her years in Sieve the flour, baking “Given the consistent effect of vitamin C on the
Standerton, which falls in Mpumalanga. powder, bicarbonate of so- duration of colds, and its safety and low cost, it
She is fortunate to have family in KwaZu- da and salt together and would be worthwhile for individual common-cold
lu-Natal, so time away from school is add it to the sugar and egg patients to test whether therapeutic eight grams
spent with her aunt in Pietermaritzburg mixture. per day of vitamin C is beneficial for them,” said

tant
and her grandparents, who live in Howick Add the milk, apricot jam head researcher Dr Harri Hemilä.
and Mooi River, respectively. She told me and vinegar to the mixture “Self-dosing of vitamin C must be started as
that some her fondest memories are those and mix well. soon as possible after the onset of symptoms of
with her cousins on their farms in Weenen Pour the batter into a common cold, to be most effective,” he added.
and in the Pongola district. A strong fami- 20x30 cm dish, nine centi- Research also shows that vitamin C may be
ly support group led Heather-Lee to share metres deep, and bake in a helpful in supporting immunity, protecting cells from
less strain on the body
her very delectable vinegar dessert. It is hot oven at 150˚C for free-radical damage and cardiovascular and chronic
her grandmother’s recipe that has “always one hour. disease, promoting muscle repair and generally
been a FRUITS
winner”. She tells As
AND VEGETABLES: of far
theasamusing
fruits go, PHOTOS: KAREN E. PHOTOGRAPHY contributing to improved health.
sibling deciduous
rivalry that andbreaks outhave
citrus fruits — between
the lowest Sauce ingredients: Additionally, studies show that a new technology
GIher
rating.
her dad,peaches,aunt Make
andpears, apples, —
her uncle strawberries,
over the 1 tin of Ideal Milk 235 ml Millac gold cream known as liposomal encapsulation may increase the
grapefruits, naartjies and oranges
leftovers forofbreakfast.
some your first choices. Heather-Lee Holliday. 1 cup of water 10 ml vanilla extract bioavailability of important nutrients in the body,
Tropicalare
Ingredients fruits suchto
easy asfind;
pineapple,
most banana,
of us 1 cup of white sugar 4 egg yolks including vitamin C.
paw paw and melons are intermediate in
have themtheir in the pantry
GI rating, and theycupboard.
should be eatenThisin agreed to make it for the school’s next hear. Here’s to each of the students reach- 125 g of salted butter 65 g white sugar Liposomes are tiny, “nano-sized” fat-soluble
cheerfulsmaller
dish portions.
has a true South African family meal. ing greater heights than they ever thought bubbles made from phospholipids. The liposomal
Most vegetables are low GI. However,
sweetnessmake tosure
it. Try
thatityouand
keepyou’ll
themknow
healthytheby Veterinary surgery was on Heather- possible. Method Method: encapsulation of vitamin C helps improve absorption
reason it’s
not aadding
familybutter,
favourite. Heather-Lee
margarine or cheese Lee’s list of possible careers but, after I always look forward to hearing from Place ingredients in a medium-sized pot on the In a small, heavy saucepan, heat the cream and and protects against degradation as the contents
sauces to them.
made the pudding for this article and —
STARCHES: Traditionally these foods have
choosing hospitality studies as a school you so please communicate via e-mail: stove over medium high heat. vanilla until bubbles form at the edges. pass through the harsh digestive system and into
after reviewing
been blamed theasprocess,
the culpritsexperiencing
for weight gain subject, she started creating desserts. Ex- jackie@jackiecameron.co.za Boil ingredients together. While the cream is heating, whisk together the blood.
and diabetes.
recipe writing, as However,
well sweet potatoes,
as styling rice,
and orga- perimentations led to her satisfying a very • Jackie Cameron is the owner of Jackie Pour the sauce over the baked pudding. the egg yolks and sugar until smooth. A study shows improved concentrations of
samp and most pastas are healthy options.
nising for the photoshoot — some of
The downfall of this category is often eating the dominant sweet tooth. I’m pleased to re- Cameron School of Food & Wine in Hilton, Prick holes in the pudding to allow the sauce to Slowly add the hot cream mixture to the egg vitamin C in the body through liposomal delivery,
students tooreported
large a portion.
notThe amounttasted
having that youher
eat port that Heather-Lee has stepped out of KZN. Inquiries: admin@jackiecameron. be absorbed. yolks, half a cup at a time, while whisking con- while research shows its advantages include high
must be balanced against your body size and
contribution to you,
activity levels. the reader. her sweet, comfort zone. “It’s amazing co.za Serve with custard. stantly. bioavailability and absorption compared to other
There was an outcry
Although because
low-GI meals shouldthose who
be the ba- how much I’ve learnt in only a few • Food assistant and recipe developer: Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the oral supplementation.
sis for most of our eating, there are excep-
had sampled
tions. Forthe dishsportsmen
example were raving about
or sportwom- months,” she said with a confident smile. Heather-Lee Cameron. Photos taken by Ka- Créme Anglaise ingredients: mixture coats the back of a spoon. It has also shown to be non-invasive, to increase
it so, toenavoid a revolution,
need higher GI snacks and Heather-Lee
drinks during Those are words every teacher likes to ren E. Photography intracellular delivery and to be more cost-effective
and after endurance events.
Diabetics will need some intermediate GI
as lower doses can be taken.
snacks after exercise to replenish their Nutritional expert Vanessa Ascencao shares the

Young children’s diets greatly affect their future health and wellbeing
energy stores. following tips for the upcoming winter season:
If you need to find out more about how
to implement the GI in your daily eating • increase intake of vitamin C, B, D, zinc and
pattern, contact a dietitian who can guide echinacea to help boost the immune system and
you in the correct portions and GI levels to
be used throughout your day. fight illness;

EATSMART In a fortnight’s time we’ll look at how to

keep our eating habits in check during the
Christmas season.
Sharon • Sharon Hultzer is a
consulting dietitian.
She can be reached
Hultzer at eatsmart@
iburst.co.za
CHILDREN’S diets before they turn
six years old greatly affect their mental
ability, chronic disease risk and obesity
potential for the remainder of their lives.
What we feed the younger generation
today determines their performance and
health now and into the future. Teeth and
bone development, nerve and muscle
function, and brain development, are just
a few areas that are affected by diet in the
developing child.
Training children to eat wisely and
healthily from a young age will give them
a jump start to a healthier body and en-
sure good habits into adulthood.
The size of a child’s stomach is not
much larger than his or her fist. This
means that small frequent meals and
snacks are essential, as opposed to a few
large meals during the day.
Here is a guide for putting meals to-
gether in the correct proportions. Use this
guide for every meal, whether on a plate,
in a lunch box or at a restaurant.
• Ideally, half of the meal should be vege-
tables and/or fruit.
• To this add a serving of lean protein no
larger than the palm of the person eating
the meal. Good protein sources include
chicken, fish, eggs, legumes such as baked
beans, dairy products such as yogurt and
milk.
• Add one fistful of starch (the size of the
fist of the person eating the meal). Some
better options for starches are sweet pota-
to, rice, barley, pasta, baby potatoes, low-
GI bread, and whole-wheat crackers.
• Add one fat serving to the meal. Exam-
ples of serving sizes are one tablespoon
of mayonnaise, nuts or seeds, one tea-
spoon of canola or olive oil; one quarter
of an avocado.
At snack time, some ideas to offer are
fruits, vegetables, yogurts, small packs of
nuts and raisins and home-made pop-
corn.
The final addition to these healthy
meals and snacks is water.
Water is often forgotten in our modern
lifestyles, and it is essential to keep chil-
dren healthy and energetic. Lethargy,
headaches and constipation are common
and frequently seen symptoms of poor
water intake.
When children are thirsty, they should
be encouraged to drink water.
A good rule of thumb is never to use
juices or cool drinks to quench thirst —
only offer them in small amounts once
thirst is quenched.
To encourage children to drink more
water, try some of the suggestions below.
• Freeze water in ice-lolly moulds and of-
fer them on hot days. Some children love
crunching through ice.
• Keep water available by taking a chilled
bottle in the car, and popping one in the
lunch box.
• Flavour water with lemon juice, cucum-
ber slices and fruit chunks.
• Offer sparkling water — the fizz may be
a fun novelty.
Let’s consider what long-term rewards
our children will reap from their eating
habits today.
• Sharon Hultzer is a consulting dietitian
and may be reached at sharonhult
zer@gmail.com
• during a cold, drink plenty of hot water with
lemon and honey, green tea or chicken soup, to
help relieve congestion and dehydration;
• increase your intake of fresh fruit, vegetables,
herbs and spices;
• increase intake of good fats such as olive oil,
coconut oil, seeds and nuts;
• take a good probiotic to help keep your gut
healthy, and try sauerkraut, kefir and plain yogurt;
• drink lots of water, exercise daily, manage stress
and aim for at least eight hours of sleep a night;
and
• avoid sugary food and drinks, and heavily
processed or oily food.
— Supplied.
Flu vaccine helps
protect your body
GIVE your body the best chance against the winter
flu and get vaccinated.
Water is often forgotten in our modern lifestyles, and it is essential to keep children healthy “Overseas, the influenza outbreak was severe and
and energetic. we are expecting South Africa to follow this trend,”
PHOTO: SUPPLIED said pharmacist Waheed Abduhrahman.
“The best time to get your flu vaccination is by
the end of April, before the cold weather hits. Even
if you had a flu shot last year, it is important to get
it again, so that you are protected throughout the
flu season.”
The flu vaccine is updated every year by the
World Health Organisation and it incorporates some
of the most severe or virulent strains, such as the
H3N2 Singapore strain, that need to be warded off
for the season.
“The best protection is prevention.
“Vaccinate, wash hands frequently, sneeze into
tissues, boost your immune system with
supplements, take vitamins and avoid contact with
those affected,” he said.
Symptoms of flu include fever, muscle pain, joint
pain, headache, nausea, vomiting, the loss of sense
of smell and taste, and lethargy.
“If you are sick, remember that you are a danger
to those with weak immune systems, e.g. anyone
older than 65 years, pregnant women or new moms,
children between six months and five years, and
anyone with a chronic illness like diabetes, asthma
or heart disease.
“You should protect them by avoiding contact
with them when you are sick.”
Anyone can get vaccinated, except babies younger
than six months and anyone who already has a
fever, has shown a past reaction to a vaccine, or is
allergic to eggs.
Abduhrahman stressed that having the flu
injection cannot give you the flu.
“It’s simply impossible to get the flu from the
vaccine, as the vaccine doesn’t contain the live flu
virus.
“However, it takes up to two weeks after having
the injection, for your body to develop antibodies to
protect you from the flu, so you can pick up a cold
or flu during this period if your immune system is
low.”
— Supplied.