It is so important to keep you and your family healthy, but where do you start? If you aren’t a nutritionist, it’s almost impossible to figure out how good or bad some food really is for you.
With our Eat Well Live Well programme, we’re taking the guesswork out of healthy eating. When you see the Eat Well Live Well stamp of approval, you know you are making a healthier choice for you and your family.
But let’s take it one step further. Every Eat Well Live Well product provides you with an easy-to-read and easy-to-understand GDA table. This table shows what percentage of one’s daily guideline amount of nutrients is in each product. Now you can calculate your GDAs, and keep a check on the nutrients that you need to monitor. GDAs are guidelines and an individual's nutrient requirements vary depending on age, gender, weight and physical activity. This has resulted in three GDA's that have been scientifically devised: adult men and women, and one for children aged 5 to 10 years of age.
The Big 5
Kilojoules:
Energy is measured in kilojoules (kJ). Kilojoules are used during various activities, whether it’s shopping, sitting at your desk or even sleeping. To maintain a balanced lifestyle, be sure to substitute the same amount of kilojoules we use up in a day with nutritious food. An adult’s GDA for Kilojoules is 8 400kJ. This varies depending on the amount of activity one does during the course of the day.
Sugars:
Sugars give your body energy. Many of us tend to have a sweet tooth, and food often tastes better with added sugar. It is very important to keep the amount of sugar intake during the course of the day below the recommended GDA to maintain a healthy balance of energy.
An adult’s GDA for sugars is 90g.
Fat:
To have a balance diet, cutting out fat completely is not a good idea. Although you should aim to stay below your fat GDA, eating the necessary amount of fat will give you much needed energy to go about your day. Fat may also assist in absorbing the vital vitamins your body essentially needs to stay healthy.
An adult’s GDA for fat is 70g.
Saturates:
You and your family should try to keep saturated fats to a minimum. Consuming too many Saturates can increase your cholesterol level in the blood, which can also heighten one’s risk of developing heart disease.
An adult’s GDA for saturates is 20g.
Salt:
Salt gives food flavour. However, too much salt in your diet can increase the risk of certain diseases, such as high blood pressure and heart disease. This is why it is recommended to keep your salt intake below that of the GDA to help reduce any unnecessary health risks.
An adult’s GDA for salt is 6g.
The GDA table makes it easier for us to see how each Eat Well Live Well product fits within our overall diet.
The Nutrition Information Centre of the University of Stellenbosch (NICUS) has developed credible criteria and parameters to indicate a “better for you” range for Tiger Brands Limited, and these products now carry the Eat Well Live Well symbol.