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.

Meals (ready to eat)

GI	Name of product / food	GL	Unit	Mass (g)	Comments	GF
Low	Soya mince & vegetable stew, tinned, chilli, Lucky Star	<5	1/2 tin	200	GIFSA & DSA
Low	Soya mince & vegetable stew, tinned, curry, Lucky Star	<5	1/2 tin	200	GIFSA & DSA
Low	Soya mince & vegetable stew, tinned, savoury beef, Lucky Star	<5	1/2 tin	200	GIFSA & DSA
Low	Soya mince & vegetable stew, tinned, tomato, Lucky Star	<5	1/2 tin	200	GIFSA & DSA
Low	Tomato soup, tinned	<10	1 cup	250	Canadian GI
Low	Sushi, salmon & rice	<10	3 pieces	100	Australian GI	GF
Low	Chef2Table, mega rice and lentil meal, all flavours (add water)	<20	1/4 packet	62.5	Tested by GI Science Lab
Low	Sushi, sea algae, rice & vinegar (no filling)	<20	3 pieces	100	Japanese GI	GF
Medium	Pea (split pea) soup, tinned*	>20	1 cup	250	Canadian GI
Medium	Pizza, ham & mushrooms**	<20	1 slice of large	70	Australian GI

Meals in a glass

GI	Name of product / food	GL	Unit	Mass (g)	Comments	GF
Low	Nutren Diabetes, meal-in-a-glass**, Nestlé	<10	1 small glass rtd	250	Swiss GI; high fat	GF
Low	Diasip drink, strawberry, vanilla, Nutricia**	<10	1 bottle	200	GIFSA
Low	Glucerna SR, vanilla, ready-to-drink**, Abbott	<10	1 small box	230	USA GI; high fat, mainly beneficial fats	GF
Low	Replace Shake, Diabetic*, chocolate, dry (or with water)	<10	1 serving	52	GIFSA & DSA	GF
Low	Replace Shake, Diabetic*, strawberry, dry (with water)	<10	1 serving	52	GIFSA & DSA	GF
Low	*Replace Shake, Diabetic, vanilla, dry (or with water)**	<10	1 serving	52	GIFSA & DSA	GF
Low	*FutureLife Mothersfood Shake, vanilla (with water)**	<10	1 serving	55		GF
Low	FutureLife Zero Shake**, banana (with LF milk)	<20	50g + 250ml	300	Calculated values; GIFSA & DSA	GF
Low	FutureLife Zero Shake**, chocolate (with LF milk)	<20	50g + 250ml	300	Calculated values; GIFSA & DSA	GF
Low	FutureLife Zero Shake**, original (with LF milk)	<20	50g + 250ml	300	Calculated values; GIFSA & DSA	GF
Low	Renilon, meal-in-a-glass, Nutricia**	<10	1 serving	250
Low	FutureLife Smart Food Shake**, banana (with LF milk)	<20	50g + 250ml	300	High in energy, calculated values	GF
Low	*FutureLife Beauti shake, French vanilla/ Caramel latté (with water)**	<10	55g powder	55
Low	FutureLife Smart Food Shake**, original (with LF milk)	<20	50g + 250ml	300	High in energy, calculated values	GF
Low	FutureLife Smart Food Shake**, strawberry (LF milk)	<20	50 g + 250 ml	300	High in energy, calculated values	GF
Low	FutureLife High protein Smart Food Shake*, chocolate (50g + 250ml LF milk)	<20	50g + 250ml	300	Calculated values	GF
Low	FutureLife High protein Smart Food Shake, original* (50g + 250ml LF milk)	<20	50g + 250ml	300	Calculated values	GF
Low	FutureLife Smart Food Shake**, chocolate (LF milk)	<20	50g + 250ml	300	High in energy; calculated values	GF
Low	Manna shake, chocolate, strawberry, vanilla (50g + 375ml with water)	<10	1 serving(50g)	50	Tested by GI Science Lab
Low	Sustagen, chocolate, meal-in-a-glass, in water	<20	1 small glass rtd	250	Australian GI	GF
Low	FutureLife Smart Food Shake**, peanut butter (LF milk)	<20	50g + 250ml	300	High in energy; calculated values	GF
Low	FutureLife Zero with oats Shake*, Apple Berry (LF milk)	<20	50g + 250ml	300	Calculated values; GIFSA & DSA
Low	Ensure, meal-in-a-glass*, Abbott (53.8g / 6 scoops powder)	<20	1 small glass rtd	230	Australian GI	GF
Low	FutureLife Repair shake**, chocolate (with water)	<20	75g powder	75	Estimated GI
Low	*FutureLife Repair shake, vanilla (with water)**	<20	75g powder	75
Low	Nutren Fibre, meal-in-a-glass**, Nestlé	<20	1 small glass rtd	250	Tested by University of NW; high fat	GF
Low	Supa Shake*, Back to Basics Nutrition (with water)	<20	50g + 300ml	350	Tested by GI Science Lab; GIFSA

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.