Nutritional facts that moms, dads and au pairs should know.
Over the last few weeks we have been exploring the topic of breastfeeding. Today we investigate the let-down reflex and how to make sure yours is working well. Stress, anxiety, baby blues, and post partum depression can interfere with your let-down reflex. The let-down reflex is your bodies natural release of milk into the milk ducts, triggered by hormones that are released when your baby … Continue reading The Let-Down Reflex – Breastfeeding
It’s a big worry for a lot of new moms. The question, is my baby getting enough milk? It’s a question which tends to create stress for new mummies during what should be a beautiful period in a mother’s life, is worrying about producing enough milk. It’s very rare for women not to produce enough milk but it may take a while for you to … Continue reading Is My Baby Getting Enough Milk? – Breastfeeding
Last week we looked at how easy it is breastfeed and noted that there are some challenges that women face when breast feeding. Today we look at some of the physical challenges that may arise. When making the decision to breastfeed, it’s a good idea to review the possible challenges with your partner so that should these challenges arrive your well informed partner can provide … Continue reading What are Some of the Common Challenges of Breast Feeding?
For many new mummies, the decision to breastfeed at first appears to be a difficult one. Many people struggle with the idea that they will breastfeed their newborn. The idea itself is foreign. For myself I certainly experienced this feeling. In day to day society breastfeeding in public is only recently becoming acceptable. There is a lot of contradictory information in the general media. They … Continue reading Is the Breast Best?
In 2010 the hard fought battle for food labeling regulations finally became law, with the introduction of regulation R146. As a consumer, its important to know your rights. You have the right to know that a product that does not have the following information on the label should. You have the right to inquire should this information not be displayed. You have the right to … Continue reading What Should Be on Your Food Labels?
A percentage breakdown of ingredients advertised on a label should be listed in their relevant unit of measurement. This should indicate the percentage of the particular nutrient in terms their NRV (national reference values) or RDA (recommended daily allowance). This requirement is listed under what’s called QID or Quantitative Ingredient Declarations. “Where, in the case of a foodstuff, the labelling places special emphasis on the … Continue reading What’s the Law on Labels: Ingredient Percentages
Until recently consumers have been bombarded with products professing up to 5 or more health claims on their front packaging. You may have noticed these claims slowly but surely disappearing as producers become compliant with the new labeling laws. Statements such as “high fiber”, “sugar free” and “low fat” must now be substantiated by nutritional content. While labels are starting to comply with the regulations not all … Continue reading What’s the Law on Labels: Claims
According to the this article (click to view) the following unlabelled food’s have tested positive for GMO’s: Nestle’s Infant cereal, Cerelac Honey Bokomo’s Wheat Free Pronutro Futurelife Energy meal. Impala maize meal A few items we have noted as labelled ‘may contain genetically modified organisms’ found at your local stores and which many mom’s view as ‘safe’: Jungle oats energy bars Snacker bars Mini cheddars Jack o … Continue reading Products Available on South African Store Shelves Containing GMO’s
According to a number of resources; most of the public do not currently grasp the difference between the terms ‘grass fed’ and ‘grain fed’. Grain fed animals are generally those raised in lots, which restrict the animal, making it easier to fatten them up as quickly as possible. Their fodder is often non-organic, consisting of mainly genetically modified grains or soy, occasionally even containing animal … Continue reading Understanding the Difference Between Grain Fed vs Grass Fed
The Consumer Protection Act (CPA) specifies that all products sold in South Africa must specify the country or countries of the product’s origin. If all the main ingredients, processing and labor used in used in a products production is from one country, the label will read: ‘Product of (name of country)’ When the product is processed in a secondary country that changes the nature of … Continue reading What’s the Law on Labels: Origin
Organic, it’s a term thrown around like a tennis ball at times. We find the term labelling clothing, fruits, vegetable, meats, wines and more. We know it’s better than a non organic product, but do we know why and what ‘organic’ actually implies? When we are referring to livestock that is certified organic; we are referring to animals who have been raised ‘free range’, and have been … Continue reading What Does the Term ‘Organic’ Really Mean?
Battery farmed eggs are eggs produced by chickens kept in ‘battery cages’. These are cages that confine the chicken to a tiny space which allows very little movement, they generally do not even allow space for the bird to turn. Considering that chickens, generally thought of as ‘bird-brains’, have been proven to be intelligent creatures, capable of grasping complex mental concepts including ‘cause and effect’ … Continue reading What’s in a Free Range Egg?
According to the new Consumer Protection Act the laws with regards to labeling of ingredients now specify that all ingredients used in a food product need to be listed on the product. There are however a few exceptions. One being the exception of produce that does not provide many nutrients. Examples of such products include coffee, alcohol and spices. Labeling on meats, poultry and seafood … Continue reading What’s the Law on Labels: Ingredients
South Africa is the world’s eighth largest producer of genetically modified organisms. No other African country grows GM crops on a commercial basis. Estimates vary, but the general consensus is that 40% of our maize crop, 60% of our soya, and 80% of our cotton are GM varieties. We import GM maize and soya from Argentina and the USA mainly for animal feed. GM and non-GM crops are … Continue reading 10 Facts About GMO’s in South Africa
Genetically modified foods are foods derived from genetically modified organisms (GMO). The term GM foods or GMO’s commonly refer to crop plants, bacteria or animals created for human or animal consumption where the organism’s genetic material or DNA has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally. This is done by introducing specific changes to their DNA using genetic engineering techniques. These techniques … Continue reading What are Genetically Modified Foods?
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