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.

Porridge Products

GI	Name of product / food	GL	Unit	Mass (g)	Comments	GF
Low	Oats, Early Morning rolled, Golden Ray, Happy Valley, Manolis Munchies, cooked	<15	1 cup	220	GIFSA & DSA
Low	*Multivite instant porridge, vanilla, Nhlayisa Nutri Solution, dry (or with water)**	<15	1/2 cup	50	Soya, maize & sorghum based porridge	GF
Low	Sorghum porridge, acid added (Ting)	<15	1 cup	250	Traditional African food	GF
Low	Amandla Plus cereal, instant porridge, dry* (with water)	<15	1/2 cup	50	Instant maize & soya porridge;	GF
Low	Oats, Early Morning Quick cooking, Golden Ray, Happy Valley, Manolis Munchies, cooked	<15	1 cup	220	GIFSA & DSA
Low	FutureLife Zero, Smart food*, banana, dry (with water)	<15	1/2 cup	50	GIFSA & DSA	GF
Low	*FutureLIfe Zero, Smart food, chocolate, dry/water**	<15	1/2 cup	50	GIFSA & DSA	GF
Low	*FutureLife Zero, Smart food, original, dry/water**	<15	1/2 cup	50	GIFSA & DSA	GF
Low	"Krummelpap", mealiemeal porridge or phutu, crumbly, cooled (sifted & unsifted)	<15	1/2 cup	70	Note the 1/2 cup serving	GF
Low	Mealiemeal porridge / phutu, stiff, cooled	<15	1/2 cup	125	Note the 1/2 cup serving	GF
Low	Oats, Tiger, cooked	<15	1 cup	220	GIFSA & DSA
Low	Simple Truth whole grain cereal, High protein, chocolate, dry* (or with water)	<15	1/2 cup	50	Estimated GI; GIFSA & DSA
Low	*Simple Truth Whole grain cereal, High protein, original, dry (or with water)**	<15	1/2 cup	50	GIFSA & DSA
Low	*FutureLife, Smart Food, original, dry (or with water)**	<15	1/2 cup	50	High in energy	GF
Low	Oats, Jungle, cooked	<15	1 cup	220	GIFSA & DSA
Low	Oats, Jungle, flavoured, cooked (box / bag)	<15	1 cup	220	GIFSA & DSA
Low	*FutureLife Smart Food, banana, dry (or with water)**	<15	1/2 cup	50	High in energy	GF
Low	*FutureLife, Smart food, chocolate, dry (with water)**	<15	1/2 cup	50	High in energy	GF
Low	*FutureLife, Smart food, strawberry, dry (with water)**	<15	1/2 cup	50	High in energy	GF
Low	FutureLife Zero, Smart food, Apple Berry, dry/water	>15	1/2 cup	50	GIFSA & DSA
Low	FutureLife, High Protein, Smart food, original, dry/water*	>15	3/4 cup	75	Estimated GI	GF
Low	*Oats, instant, original, Jungle (box / bag)**	<15	1/2 cup	40	GIFSA & DSA
Low	Oats, rolled, Bokomo, cooked*	<15	1 cup	220	GIFSA & DSA
Low	Oats, whole grain, rolled or steel cut, Simple Truth, cooked	<15	1 cup	220	Estimated GI; GIFSA & DSA
Low	*Oats-so-easy, original, Jungle (sachet)**	>15	1 sachet	50
Low	*FutureLife, Smart Food, peanut butter, dry/water**	<15	1/2 cup	50	High in energy	GF
Low	Oats, traditional quick cooking, Bokomo, cooked	<15	1 cup	220	GIFSA & DSA
Low	Oats, whole grain, instant rolled, Simple Truth, cooked	<15	1 cup	220	Estimated GI; GIFSA & DSA
Low	Plus, high protein porridge, chocolate, Jungle	>15	1/2 cup	50	Tested by GI Science Lab
Low	Plus, high protein porridge, all flavours, Jungle	<15	1/2 cup	50	Tested by GI Science Lab
Low	Semolina or Taystee wheat, cooked	<15	1/2 cup	150	Indian GI
Medium	e'Pap, instant porridge, original, dry (or with water)	>15	1/2 cup	50	Lower GI with milk	GF
Medium	FutureLife Smart instant oats with ancient grains, all flavours, dry (or with water)	>15	1/2 cup	50	Lower GI with milk
Medium	Nutri Foods, instant maize porridge, all flavours	<15	½ cup	50	Lower GI with milk	GF
Medium	Mabela, coarse, cooked, hot, no sugar, King Korn	<15	1 cup	220	Lower GI with milk	GF
Medium	Oats, instant, plain, Bokomo (box/bag)	<15	1/2 cup	40	Lower GI with milk; GIFSA Ative Foods
High	Instant Maize a Betix, sugar free, Ace	>15	1/3 cup raw	50	Lower GI with milk	GF
High	Mabela porridge, fine, cooked, hot, no sugar, King Korn	>15	1 cup	260	Lower GI with milk	GF
High	*Oats, instant, flavoured, Bokomo (sachet)**	>15	1 sachet	50	Lower GI with milk
High	Instant maize, sweetened, banana, Impilo	>15	1/3 cup raw	50	Lower GI with milk	GF
High	"Krummelpap", mealiemeal porridge or phutu, crumbly, hot, (sifted or unsifted)	>15	1/2 cup	70	Note the 1/2 cup serving; lower GI with milk	GF
High	Mealiemeal porridge / phutu, crumbly, hot	>15	1/2 cup	70	Note the 1/2 cup serving; lower GI with milk	GF
High	Mealiemeal porridge / phutu, stiff, hot, (sifted and unsifted)	>15	1/2 cup	125	Note the 1/2 cup serving; lower GI with milk	GF
High	Sorghum porridge, fermented (Ting)	>15	1 cup	250	Lower GI with milk / sour milk	GF
High	Morvite porridge, strawberry, Jungle, dry (with water)	>25	1/2 cup	45	Note the high GL per serving; lower GI with milk	GF
High	Mealiemeal porridge soft, hot, no sugar added	>25	1 cup	250	Note the high GL per serving; lower GI with milk	GF
High	Morvite porridge, original, Jungle, dry (or with water)	>25	1/2 cup	45	Note the high GL per serving; lower GI with milk	GF
High	*Oats-so-easy, flavours, Jungle**	>25	1 sachet	50	Chocolate, Caramel & Blueberry

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.