Introduction guidelines for healthy living and food guide

Introduction

Food is a source of nutrients needed for life and health; it is part of the way people live.

The way individuals and their families eat is shaped by many different factors. Some of these factors include:

The foods eaten by their parents and the ways they prepare these foods.
The foods that their own family prefer to eat because they like the taste.
The traditional and cultural backgrounds of communities.
The amount of money available to spend on food.
Foods available in local shops and markets.
Advertisements and promotions for foods.
Knowledge about food choices for good health.

The Guidelines for Healthy Eating and Food Guide provides information to help people make healthy food choices. Eating in this way helps the body to stay healthy; it improves the ability to do everyday tasks, improves mental ability and overall sense of well being. A healthy eating plan provides the body with energy to function and helps prevent short and long-term illnesses.

The Guidelines for Healthy Eating and Food Guide

Many South Africans are not as healthy as they could be. Many adults and children weigh more than they should, while some children weigh less than they should. Some children and adults do not get enough of all the vitamins and minerals that they need from food, even though they have enough to eat.

The information in these guidelines promotes understanding of eating patterns that help promote health. Making changes to food choices, cooking methods or meal patterns can be done on a gradual basis, so that over time the eating plan becomes healthier and healthier.

The Guidelines for Healthy Eating is illustrated by the Food Guide. This includes information on the suggested amounts of foods needed daily. Using the correct food quantities, from all the food groups, will help people to ensure that they get all the nutrients that the body needs.