Dramatic weight loss

One of the most striking characteristics of the Survivor programmes is that the Survivors have always lost masses of weight. In each series, the Survivors start out looking well-fed, sleek and healthy, but after 40 days in the wilderness with a limited food supply they become thin to the point of emaciation. This is the most important diet lesson we viewers can learn from the Survivors: If you want to lose weight, then you must cut down on your energy intake - it’s as simple as that.

Low fat intake = weight loss

In the present series, Tom the Texan, has lost in excess of 25 lb and is a shadow of his former tubby self. The Survivor Africa participants are basically existing on maize meal or mielie pap as we would call it. Their fat intake is very low and the kilograms are melting away. The diet lesson is obvious: If you want to lose weight then cut down on fat intake, not carbohydrates.

Fat contains 37 kJ of energy per gram which is more than double the energy content of carbohydrates and protein which only supply 17 kJ of energy per gram. So by restricting fat intake, you will achieve weight loss more efficiently than if you cut out all carbs. This is also the reason why a low-fat, high-fibre, high-carbohydrate diet has been found to be more successful in weight loss programmes than low- or zero-carbohydrate, or high-protein diets.

A balanced diet is essential

The Survivor Series has also underlined another important diet truth: If you want to be healthy and full of energy, then you need to eat a variety of foods as part of a balanced diet.

The Survivors in Africa are starting to exhibit symptoms of nutrient deficiencies. Kim Senior is suffering from peripheral oedema - her legs are swelling up as we saw a while ago. This is probably due to a protein deficiency, as this group of Survivors have not been able to supplement their monotonous diet of maize meal with fish or pork like their Australian counterparts. This shows us that we need to eat a variety of foods, including protein derived from animals like meat, fish, milk, cheese, yoghurt and eggs. Vegans should take this lesson to heart and switch over to a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet instead.

Vitamin deficiencies

Tom the Texan, has a boil of massive proportions which is featured in all its gory splendour on most episodes. This is not surprising as the Survivor diet appears to be totally lacking in vitamin C and beta-carotene. The Survivors in this series may be getting some vitamin C and beta-carotene from canned foods, but they are all edging closer to scurvy and vitamin A deficiency by the day.

To prevent yourself from getting deficient in these two essential vitamins. Remember to eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables every day. Vitamin C is found in fresh citrus fruits, strawberries, guavas, pawpaw. Kiwi fruit, mangoes and spanspek, as well as vegetables belonging to the cabbage family, sweet green peppers and tomatoes. Beta-carotene which is turned into vitamin A in our bodies, is found in yellow peaches, pawpaw, mangoes, pumpkin, butternut and yellow sweet potatoes. So stock up on these fruits and vegetables every day.

Diet and mood

A striking feature of the present Survivor Series is that the Survivors are very lethargic and often appear depressed. I reckon they are all suffering from vitamin and mineral deficiencies by now and that this is responsible for their gloomy outlook and lack of energy. The B vitamins, iron and calcium, which must all be lacking in the monotonous diet they are eating, play pivotal roles in keeping our bodies healthy and our nervous system functioning normally.

If you are feeling down and blue, check your diet for deficiencies. You may need to take a vitamin B supplement, or switch over to unprocessed cereals, whole grains and wholewheat bread, legumes, and plenty of green leafy vegetables, and increase your milk intake to provide those missing B vitamins.

27-year-old professional soccer player Ethan Zohn may be the sole Survivor in Africa, but we can all be Survivors and Winners if we eat a balanced diet.

DIETDOC©, Dr I. V. van Heerden, D.Sc.

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