The perfect Braai Day side dish!

If you are planning to celebrate Braai Day this weekend, add this delicious, South African Baby Marrow, Feta & Peppadew Salad to your menu. Created by dietitian and co-author of Eat Ting, Mpho Tshukudu, this salad is versatile and goes well with meat, chicken and fish.

Baby marrows are indigenous to South Africa. They make beautiful salads, soups, stir-fries and can also be used in baking to add moisture and fibre to the dish. They are a relatively low kilojoule vegetable and are a source of fibre and vitamin C.

INGREDIENTS

4 medium baby marrows (about 180 – 200g)

1/2 cup (125 ml) peppadew peppers, drained and roughly chopped and 1 Tbsp of the liquid

1 tsp (5 ml) + 1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, divided

1 cup (250 ml / 220 g) halved cherry tomatoes – use different colours if available

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tbsp (30 ml) fresh thyme

3 Tbsp (45 ml) chopped chives

(60 g) feta cheese, broke into small pieces or cubed

Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Preheat grill to medium. Slice baby marrow into 1/2 cm rounds.

Toss the baby marrow with 1 tsp (5 ml) oil.

Lay the baby marrow on a hot grill and turn once water droplets form on top, and there are slight char marks on the heated side.

Place the baby marrow on a cooling rack to cool, in a single layer to prevent them going too soft

In a large bowl, toss together baby marrow, peppadew peppers, tomatoes, chives and thyme.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic and black pepper.

Add the dressing to the vegetables and toss to coat.

Add feta cheese.

 

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS PER SERVING

This recipe serves 4.

 

Energy: 113.75 kCal / 477.75 kJ

Carbs: 9.7 g

Protein: 4.2 g

Fat: 8.2 g

Sodium: 197.8 mg

Fibre: 1.5 g

 


‘Making a contribution to the bigger health picture’

ADSA_NeilStephens2017a_1We chatted to Neil Stephen, Chief Dietitian at Addington Hospital in Durban, to find out why he became a dietitian, what he loves about his work and what the challenges are:

Why did you become a Registered Dietitian?

I developed an interest in nutrition when someone at the gym suggested I should see a dietitian to improve my performance.  I asked my parents if they knew of any dietitians and they told me that my cousin Nathan was one.  Later I decided to change from a general BSc to BSc Dietetics.  I was going to pursue a career in sports nutrition… which is the last thing I am interested in now.  To my surprise I was one of very few males in the class,  I had no idea that dietitians were mostly female!

What do you enjoy most about the work you do? What are the most satisfying moments?

I have quite a diverse range of areas I really love.  Top of the list is child health, followed by critical care, maternal health, student training and lastly, monitoring and evaluation of health systems and programmes (I’m a bit of a nerd).  I work daily with patients who have very little or nothing.  These patients are so humble and appreciative of any assistance you give them, whether its counselling or treatment.  The most satisfying moments are when I bump into moms with their young children or babies, who stop me, and they proudly tell me they are still breastfeeding. Another is when an acutely ill malnourished child improves over night and I know that nutrition has greatly contributed to the positive outcome.  Finally, its awesome speaking to previous interns and finding out they are succeeding at what they do. 

What has been your career highlight?

Well I started to collect data on every patient I treated when I started working.  I had a good amount of information per patient.  I put together a cool spreadsheet in excel to do my monthly stats for me, and eventually got my whole department on to it.  After a few years I decided to study further and used the information I had been collecting over the years.  So a highlight was definitely that I was selected to present my research for the MEC and Head of the KZN Department of Health.  Being selected really made me feel like I was valued and was making a contribution to the bigger health picture. 

What are the most challenging aspects of your career?

I think that for me its been a long journey of challenges and realisations which have grown me into the dietitian I am today.  Working in the public sector, I experience first hand the outcomes of social and economic  issues that face the general population on a daily basis.  It is heartbreaking to find that children are severely malnourished purely because they have a limited access to food.  A large proportion of patients of all ages are referred for HIV related problems which are often hard to manage and outcomes may be poor.  I need to mention that I love pregnant moms, children, and critically ill patients because they almost always accept advice and are compliant – the challenge is the patient who is resistant to change, because they don’t embrace the importance of lifestyle and dietary change.

How do you cope after a day of nutrition disaster and bad eating choices?

Hahaha, I usually just take a nap.

What are the three things that you think people should stop saying when they meet a dietitian?

  • How can I lose the fat on my….(insert body part!!)???
  • Isn’t there some kind of a pill or something I can take??
  • I don’t eat carbs.

What should clients look out for when deciding which dietitian to work with?

Dietitians are all equally qualified to treat any patient presented to them.  If you have a specific need, some dietitians will list their special interests, one of which you may be looking for. 

What is your favourite dish and your favourite treat food?

  • Favourite dish – Butter Chicken Curry with garlic butter naan bread
  • Favourite treat food – chocolate mousse (I can eat it by the litre)

 

Read more about the career of a registered dietitian: Is a career as a dietitian for you?

 


6 Eating Habits for Healthy Kidneys

When it comes to health advice, our hearts are often in the spotlight. However, as equally vital organs, our kidneys really shouldn’t be relegated to the shadows. Worldwide, Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is on the rise – 1 in 10 people globally are affected, and that’s every bit as serious as cardiac disease.

Our kidneys work very hard for our bodies, and the downside of their dogged efficiency is that by the time we are bothered enough by the symptoms of CKD, the damage has been done. In the late stages of CKD, only ongoing dialysis or surgical transplant may help prolong life – treatments that are not available to many South Africans. This is why health professionals drawing attention to Kidney Awareness Week from 2 to 6 September, advocate for regular screening of kidney function, especially if you fall into the high risk categories.

Interestingly, similar to heart health, obesity, diabetes and hypertension put us at risk for CKD as well. The view of ADSA (the Association for Dietetics in South Africa) is that with the high prevalence of obesity, diabetes and hypertension in the country, it stands to reason that we need to become a nation aware of, and caring about our kidneys.

People who are overweight or obese are up to seven times more likely to develop end-stage renal disease compared to those of normal weight. A family history of CKD or renal failure is also a red flag indicating that you need to actively focus on the health of your kidneys. However, the prime culprit in the majority of CKD cases in South Africa (64%) is undetected or uncontrolled hypertension, which is abnormally high blood pressure. So a basic step in ensuring kidney health is regular blood pressure testing and adherence to treatment and lifestyle changes in order to keep your blood pressure in check.

Every day, our valiant kidneys help us dispose of the excess salt and water that we consume. In the process, they also happen to eliminate toxins that would otherwise build up and take down the living system that is our body. Our kidneys also play an important role in controlling our blood acidity and blood pressure levels. For those who are obese, the kidneys have to work harder, filtering more blood than normal to cope with the demands of the greater body weight. This increased workload can damage the kidneys and raise the risk of developing CKD in the long-term. “When kidneys do fail, the body is literally overwhelmed by excess water, salt and toxins, which defeat every other organ and body system,” says ADSA spokesperson, Registered Dietitian, Abby Courtenay, “The job of the kidneys may not be glamorous or poetic, like the heart, but it is every bit as important.”

The good news in all of this is that there is a lot we can do day to day to promote the health of our kidneys. Courtenay adds: “If you have been screened and diagnosed in the earlier stages of CKD, or need to implement measures because you suffer from obesity, diabetes or hypertension, you can make a significant positive difference just with your daily diet.”

“Nutritional strategies to deal with CKD, as well as its risk factors are well-researched and documented,” says Registered Dietitian, Cecile Verseput, “What’s important to note is that in the most up to date professional interpretation of the research available, the focus has turned from considering single nutrients to looking more holistically at an overall healthful dietary pattern, particularly rich in plant-based foods.” Cecile points out that recent SA consumer statistics show that fresh fruit and veg, as well as healthy sources of vegetable protein, are low shopping priorities in the country.

Here are her Six Top Tips for Boosting Kidney Health:

  1. Go green – and red, yellow, orange, purple and blue! Boosting the fresh fruit and veg in your diet is one of the best ways to protect your kidneys. There are so many ways to make vegetables and salads a delicious part of your family’s eating.
  2. Get real – Drop the high-salt, trans-fat takeaways and convenience foods like hot cakes. Cultivate a real interest and enjoyment in cooking from scratch with fresh, healthy ingredients. It’s so much more delicious, and good for your kidneys.
  3. Be choosy about fats – They are not equal. Go for extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil rather than hard fats to protect the blood vessels in your kidneys.
  4. Go nuts – Boost your intake of nuts and legumes. They are delicious, and provide healthy fats and fibre.
  5. Forget the convenient fads – Let go of the sugar-sweetened drinks and treats, fast foods, processed and red meat.
  6. Embrace plant protein power – Open up to the wide range of legumes, grains and nuts that are readily available and make them part of your daily eating. Swap red meat with legumes or alternatively with fish or poultry.