Eat REGULAR, BALANCED MEALS with CONTROLLED PORTIONS. Less food is better unless you are underweight or malnourished. Eat slowly and mindfully, Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are satisfied.
Make EVERY MEAL SMARTLY BALANCED. The major macronutrient groups, carbohydrates, fat and protein with a carbs:fat:protein energy value distribution of approximately 50:30:20 to contribute optimally to your health.
VEGETABLES, LEGUMES and FRUIT should make up half of your food volume intake. (It also should fill half of your plate at every meal)
CARB SOURCES should mostly consist of SLOW DIGESTING CARBS and WHOLE GRAINS (low GI carbs, depending on your activity level and the timing of the meal).
Quality, lean, UNPROCESSED PROTEIN SOURCES are always preferable to processed, fatty protein sources.
FAT SOURCES that are rich in OMEGA-3 PUFAs and MUFAs should be SPECIFICALLY TARGETED, as should other foods that are high in VITAMINS, FIBRE and PHYTONUTRIENTS – these foods can make a major contribution to your health.
Have DAIRY PRODUCTS everyday.
FOCUS ON FRUIT and a few NUTS for snacks in between meals.
Avoid high kJ drinks, but rather drink WATER AND LOWER kJ BEVERAGES.
FITNESS is key and ACTIVITY is maximised with a daily goal of 30-60min.
If you consume ALCOHOL LIMIT CONSUMPTION to 1 drink a day.
Use SALT SPARINGLY and limit salty foods.
A plate of food should have half the volume filled with vegetables or salad, leaving one quarter for a serving of lean protein & the other quarter for a serving of whole grain lower GI starch. Include some healthy fat in every meal.
The SMART HEALTH DIET describes a BALANCED diet that is NUTRITIOUS and RISK FREE in every way, with SUSTAINABLE meal plans that all people and age groups can enjoy.

Pudding & Toppings

PUDDINGS and PUDDING TOPPINGS
GI	Name of product / food	GL	Unit	Mass (g)	Comments
Low	Ice cream, toffee, Diaby	<5	3 scoops	75
Low	Custard, egg, homemade (low fat milk, egg and sugar)*	<10	1/2 cup	125	Australian GI GF
Low	Custard, Ultramel Zero, Danone	<5	1/2 cup	125	GIFSA & DSA GF
Low	Custard, homemade (low fat milk, custard powder and sugar)	<10	1/2 cup	125	Australian GI
Low	Instant pudding made with milk*	<10	1/2 cup	100	Australian GI GF
Low	Pudding / fruit topping, strawberry, low GI, Thistlewood	<5	2 Tbs	30	Tested by GI Science Lab GF
Low	Ice cream, lite, vanilla, Country Fresh	<10	125 ml	60	GIFSA & DSA GF
Low	Ice cream, Dialite, fat free, vanilla / English toffee, Nestlé	<10	3 scoops	75	GIFSA & DSA GF
Low	Pudding / fruit topping, low GI, red cherry, Thistlewood	<10	2 Tbs	30	Tested by GI Science Lab GF
Low	Ice cream, low fat*	<10	3 scoops	75	Average nutritional values
Low	Pudding / fruit topping, low GI, blueberry, Thistlewood	<5	2 Tbs	30	Tested by GI Science Lab GF
intermedi-ate	Ice cream, regular* e.g. Country Fresh vanilla	<20	3 scoops	75	High fat
intermedi-ate	Jelly powder	<10	1/4 packet	20	Based on the GI of sugar GF
intermedi-ate	Jelly, ready to eat	<10	1/2 cup	125	Based on the GI of sugar GF
intermedi-ate	Instant pudding, powder	<20	1/4 packet	22.5	Calculated GI based on GI of cornstarch & sugar GF
High	Waffles**	<30	1 small	60	High fat
High	Tapioca pudding, made with milk	<40	1/2 cup	135	Canadian GI; note the very high GL GF
High	Sago pudding*	<30	1/2 cup	125	Estimated GI; MRC nutritionals; note the high GL GF
High	Tofu based frozen dessert (ice cream)	<20	3 scoops	75	Australian GI

Get The South African Glycemic Index & Load Guide for comprehensive explanations, GI-lists, GL-values and the fibre, fat, protein and Kj-values.

A true Low GI food releases glucose slowly and steadily into the bloodstream without overstimulating the pancreas to produce too much insulin. A High GI food, on the other hand, causes a sudden, large increase in blood glucose, resulting to either hyperglycaemia in Diabetics or hypoglycaemia in hypoglycaemics. GI of Glucose = 100
One of the services that we render as the GI Foundation, is to determine the GI of food products. Food companies are welcome to contact us for more information.
The products marked by an * are high in fat.
GF – means gluten free.
GI Foundation SA Endorsed: The product comply with health specifications and are nutritious for healthy and diabetic persons.