Stay healthy while keeping you and your body happy

DIETERS are expected to turn away from low-fat foods and return to cavemen diets with lots of fruit and vegetables, coconut oil, apps and friends to help them lose weight in the new year, an authoritative international survey of 500 dietitians has predicted.

The survey published in the authoritative nutrition trade magazine Today’s Dietitian, also added that there was great worry in the medical community about the number of overweight patients who are complacent about their weight.

Dietitians predicted that the most popular diet plan for the year will be the Paleo diet based on the assumed diet of cavemen and consisting of fish, meats, eggs, vegetables, fruit and nuts. It excludes grains, legumes, dairy products, potatoes, refined salt, refined sugar, and processed oils.

The survey also found that the gluten-free or “wheat belly” diet will remain popular in 2014.

“Despite the lack of evidence to support wheator gluten-elimination diets for weight loss or health – not associated with a clinical disorder or disease – consumers are still looking for ways to control their weight,” Jenna Bell, the senior vice president and director of food & wellness at Pollock Communications who conducted the survey, said.

Bell said it was their prediction that the Paleo diet would be the most popular of this year’s eating plans – with low-fat diet plans falling out of favour.

Other trends predicted by dietitians worldwide are:

ý So-called “ancient grains” (gluten-free grains like buckwheat, millet, chia, quinoa and sorghum) are expected to rise in popularity, as is kale, coconut or chia seeds.

While 32% of dietitians forecast a fondness for ancient grains, 27% say that kale will be the hottest diet ingredient of the coming year.

Kale has powerful antioxidant properties and is reckoned to be antiinflammatory. It is also an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C and manganese.

The survey further predicted that apps like MyPlate, helping users to create a healthy diet, would become increasingly popular.

Port Elizabeth-based business Health Plate also helps with portion control. The melamine plate has an indication of appropriate portions for fruit and vegetables, carbs and by “an initial rapid grab phrase”, following an hour in which about 78% of chocolates will be eaten.

They also found that healthcare assistants ate the most chocolates, followed by nurses.

The two groups consumed 28% of the chocolate while doctors ate about half of that, consuming 15% of the sweets. protein printed on it.

Health Plate was started in the city by Selwyn and Natasha Willis in 2010 and also provides the service of a dietitian.

ý Dietitians who took part in the survey also said their clients were increasingly using their friends and family to measure their own weight and health.

In Port Elizabeth, Facebook groups like PE Weightloss Challenge have been very popular.

Elsa van Huyssteen said she had tried it and it really worked.

ý Consumers would turn to other sources of diet information, like blogs, for nutrition advice, dietitians said, but added that about 67% of info out there on healthy eating was wrong and predicted that this percentage was set to increase.

ý Eco-friendly foods are becoming more and more popular with consumers turning to local produce from sustainable suppliers.

In a more disturbing trend, American dietitians said 44% of their clients were becoming increasingly complacent about weight.

Port Elizabeth residents keen to lose some unwanted kilograms shared some of their diet tips this week:

Jayde Panayiotou said she would be cutting out sugar and carbs and having lots of steamed vegetables and lean proteins, lots of water and exercise. “There is no way around it!” she said.

Rosemary Joshua said she tried the Weigh Less programme last year and lost 52kg in 12 months.

Nazley Laher said she started a juicing diet and lost 8kg in 10days. “I watched a programme called ‘Fat, Sick and nearly Dead’ and that was a great inspiration,” she said.

Michelle Geel said she followed her own successful dietary programme but based it on Weight Watchers principles.

“I started mid-June and lost 18kg to date.

“No pills, potions or special foods that need to be made or bought which is fabulous because I can’t afford it anyway,” she said.