Publications
Partners
Dr Ingrid van Heerden, is South African born, and received her high school training at Jan van Riebeeck High School in Cape Town, obtaining her Senior Certificate with Distinction. She studied Dietetics and Physiology at the University of Stellenbosch and graduated with a B.Sc. (Distinction in Dietetics), in 1965. Ingrid furthered her academic studies at Stellenbosch University by obtaining both a B.Sc. Hons., and M.Sc. in Dietetics, Cum laude, in 1967 and 1969, respectively. Her M.Sc. Thesis was on "A study of the relationship between exercise, dietary factors and blood cholesterol levels in a group of active young men."
In 1982, Ingrid was awarded a D.Sc. in Biochemistry, by the University of Pretoria for her research entitled, "The nutritive content of sorghum beer." She also obtained a B.Sc. Hons. in Psychology from the University of South Africa in 1986.
From 1969 to 1991, Ingrid was employed by the Department of Agricultural Technical Services (Nutrition Extension Officer), the S A Cooperative Citrus Exchange (Dietitian), the S A Medical Research Council (Research Officer), the Division of Biological Evaluation, National Food Research Institute (NFRI), CSIR (Research Officer), the Division of Interpreting & Translation, IRS, CSIR (Senior Technical Officer), the Sorghum Beer Unit, NFRI, CSIR (Senior & Chief Research Officer, Chief Researcher), the Bioevaluation Programme, Division of Food Science & Technology (Foodtek), CSIR (Chief Researcher) and the Food Quality Programme, Foodtek, CSIR (Nutritionist).
As of May 1991, Ingrid started working as a Private Nutrition Consultant, and a Scientific Editor, Translator & Interpreter. In February 1997, she launched the DIETDOC Nutrition Service on M-WEB, which has developed into the DIETDOC Site on Health24.
Ingrid has carried out research in Human Nutrition with special emphasis on ensuring that populations ingest balanced diets; Lipid Biochemistry, particularly in relation to arterio- and atherosclerosis; Vitamin Biochemistry, with special emphasis on B-complex vitamins and ascorbic acid; the nutritive value of sorghum beer and related products; Food Labelling in South Africa and the USA; and dietary fibre. In addition to analytical research, Ingrid has also developed products containing sorghum flour and tested consumer acceptance with taste panels, calculated diets for humans in both health and disease, evaluated the results of nutritional assays, and identified flag statements for food products. Ingrid received a total of 10 different awards and merit bonuses from her various employers.
Ingrid is registered the Health Professions Council of SA as a dietitian, and affiliated with SAAFoST (South African Association of Food Science & Technology), SATI (The South African Translators' Institute), the SA Nutrition Society and ADSA (Association for Dietetics in South Africa).
In her career, she has published 34 scientific papers, 90 industrial reports, and 7 technical notes, and presented 39 nutrition-related lectures to a wide variety of audiences.
Her experience in publishing nutrition-related information is extensive. In the past she wrote and published the original NUTRILIT (14 editions) and DAIRYLIT (18 editions), which were monthly nutrition updating services published in hard-copy. She also wrote articles for Medicine and Pharmacy Today on a monthly basis for 24 months. In June 1994, Ingrid became the Editor of the Foodtek Magazine for Foodtek of the CSIR and was responsible for publishing 16 editions. She has also published more than 400 nutrition articles on the Internet.
In 2008, Health24 entered Ingrid as a candidate for the Checkers Woman of the Year Award for her contributions to health and nutrition in South Africa.
In May 2009 she was awarded the SAAFoST Meritorious Award for Journalism for 2008/2009 for an article on “Melamine scandal: are we at risk?” published on the DietDoc Site of Health24 in November 2008.
Ingrid is particularly interested in helping people understand nutrition, diets, food and beverages. She believes that, "we are what we eat", and that nutrition is a powerful tool which should be used more effectively to promote the health and well-being of people in South Africa, and the world.
Her basic nutrition message in a nutshell is: "eat lots of fresh, raw fruit and vegetables and you can't go wrong.”
Find DietDoc FAQs here.
