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Imagine a life without sugar and salt? Not easy to do, yet both these ingredients are coming under scrutiny from the Department of Health who are going to restrict their amounts in our food - all to protect us from them.
It's important to note that, like everything in life, taken in moderation there is no proof that they are harmful in healthy individuals. While whether we really need sugar is up for debate, it is a fact that too little salt is just as bad.
But taken in excess, they can be and considering the huge increase in consumption of fast foods and salty and sugary snacks, it's a no-brainer that most of us are getting too much sugar and salt in our diets.
Excess sugar has been linked to obesity and diabetes, while excess salt contributes to South Africans having the highest rate of hypertension in the world.
Interestingly, black South Africans are said to be 'salt sensitive' - react to high salt intakes by developing dangerously high blood pressure levels - which contributes to the high incidence of stroke in SA.
Without further ado, skill up on these topics by reading these stories, hot off our digital press:
Writer Andreas Spath takes a closer look at the Government's proposal to tax sugary drinks to curb obesity. What ill that Coke cost now?
DietDoc Dr Ingrid van Heerden takes a look at why the Government wants to reduce the amount of salt in our foods, especially considering our black population is salt sensitive.
Staff writer Harry Phillips unpacks the recent attack on Prof Tim Noakes by academics at UCT. They fear his recommendations will convince Government to change their policies on food and health and question Noakes' claims that the Banting diet can cure lifestyle diseases.
Eat well and live long!
It's important to note that, like everything in life, taken in moderation there is no proof that they are harmful in healthy individuals. While whether we really need sugar is up for debate, it is a fact that too little salt is just as bad.
But taken in excess, they can be and considering the huge increase in consumption of fast foods and salty and sugary snacks, it's a no-brainer that most of us are getting too much sugar and salt in our diets.
Excess sugar has been linked to obesity and diabetes, while excess salt contributes to South Africans having the highest rate of hypertension in the world.
Interestingly, black South Africans are said to be 'salt sensitive' - react to high salt intakes by developing dangerously high blood pressure levels - which contributes to the high incidence of stroke in SA.
Without further ado, skill up on these topics by reading these stories, hot off our digital press:
Writer Andreas Spath takes a closer look at the Government's proposal to tax sugary drinks to curb obesity. What ill that Coke cost now?
DietDoc Dr Ingrid van Heerden takes a look at why the Government wants to reduce the amount of salt in our foods, especially considering our black population is salt sensitive.
Staff writer Harry Phillips unpacks the recent attack on Prof Tim Noakes by academics at UCT. They fear his recommendations will convince Government to change their policies on food and health and question Noakes' claims that the Banting diet can cure lifestyle diseases.
Eat well and live long!
