1.

Enjoy a variety of foods- This guideline aimsto encourage people to change their diets where necessary soas to increase the variety of foods eaten and to enjoy their food. In this way they will consume a variety of nutrients and vitamins contained in the different foods.

2.

Be active- One of the more important and widely understood messages is encouragement to participate in regular, physical activity. This guideline is based on the well-established link between physical activity and many chronic diseases of lifestyle. The recommendation is that individuals should attempt ‘to accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, if possible all, days of the week’.

3.

Make starchy foods the basis of most meals – The guideline advises that starchy foods should be the main food in a meal, and the rest of the meal should be planned around this food. The nutritional objective is to promote an increased intake of carbohydrate-rich foods in those people who have low intakes, and to maintain optimal intakes among those currently eating high-carbohydrate diets. This recommendationisaccompanied by advice to choose unrefined or complex cereals and grains where possible, and to concentrate on fortified cereals and grains when available.

4.

Eat plenty of vegetable and fruit everyday- Vegetables and fruits are important sources of many vitamins, minerals, fibre and other substances which are beneficial in promoting good health and contributes to disease prevention.

5.

Eat more legumes for better overall health - Legumes include soybeans and peanuts and common beans, lentils, lima beans, cowpeas, fava beans, chickpeas and common peas. Beans, peas and lentils are also known as ‘pulses’. Legumes are unique foods because of their rich nutrientcontent, including starch, vegetable protein, dietary fibre,oligosaccharides, phytochemicals (especially the isoflavones insoy) and minerals.

6.

Food from animals can be eaten everyday - Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk and other dairy products form part of a healthy, balanced diet. Nevertheless carefully chosen vegetarian diets can also be adequate without these foods. Food from animals are the best sources of high-quality protein and excellent sources of essential micronutrients such as iron, zinc, calcium, thiamine, riboflavin and the omega-3 fatty acids.

7.

Eat fats sparingly -This guideline is aimed at lowering the prevalence of chronic diseases of lifestyle among South Africans.It aims to lower fat intakes, especially the intake of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), among those who follow a diet high in fat, and to control fat intake in those following a diet low in fat. Dietary fat plays an important role in the health and functioning of the human body however overconsumption is linked with coronary heart disease (CHD), obesity and cancers such as breast, colon and prostate cancer.

8.

Eat salt sparingly–Sprinkle don’t shake - An excessive salt intake leads to an increase in blood pressure in genetically susceptible persons and, if high intake is maintained long term, it ultimately leads to sustained hypertension. Salt should be used sparingly, or notat all, in the preparation of meals and at the table. The intake of processed foods high in salt should be limited. This would result in a reduction in intake from an average of around 9 g salt to about 6 g salt per day which is the recommendation. This recommendation supports the initiative to effectively decrease blood pressure.

9.

Drink lots of clean safe water–The guideline to ‘drink lots of clean, safe water’ is a unique but very important one for South Africans, living in such a hot and relatively dry climate. Water supports the cardiovascular, respiratory, and thermoregulatory systems in the body and complete water deprivation leads to death in a matter of days. The US National Research Council recommended water intake is 2.9 l/day for men and 2.2 l/day for women under average conditions. Water is a potential source or carrier of various pathogens and receiving purified safe water in South Africa is still a challenge due to the fact that not all South Africans have taps with purified water inside their dwellings.

10.

If you drink alcohol, drink sensibly- This guideline aims to promote the sensible use of alcohol.The ingestion of alcohol, particularly in excessive quantities, often has detrimental effects on adult health, teratogenic effects on the fetus and negative social and economic effects, however recent research, identified some potentially positive health effects associated with moderate intakes of alcohol.