WARM UP THIS WINTER WITH HEALTHY STEWS

What better comfort food on a cold winter’s night than a hearty stew or curry? But comfort food doesn’t have to be stodgy. Here are some tips to keep it healthy.

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We probably all have a childhood memory of our grandmother’s favourite stew, but in Gogo’s time people weren’t so aware of what might have been unhealthy. Let’s take a look at a few core ingredients of a good stew or curry and put a healthy spin on them.

REPLACE FATTY MEAT WITH LEAN MEAT OR FATTY FISH
Unfortunately the cheaper cuts of meat that we usually choose for stews tend to be fatty, which is not good for our hearts. Meaty bones provide good nutrients (vitamins and minerals), however, so trim off all visible fat before cooking – the bone marrow will provide enough fat so you won’t be losing the taste.

Using skinless chicken or fish instead of red meat will also cut down on unhealthy fats. And with fish, ‘fatty’ fish (sardines, pilchards, mackerel) is the healthiest as it contains omega 3 fatty acids which are excellent for heart health.

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CHOOSE LOW-SALT SEASONING
It’s easy to grab a packet soup to add flavour to a stew if you’ve run out of stock cubes, but you need to look at both labels very carefully. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of SA, 1 in every 3 South Africans lives with high blood pressure, which is the cause of 1 out of every 2 strokes, and 2 out of every 5 heart attacks. Another scary statistic is that 50% of South Africans don’t know that they have high blood pressure.

What’s this got to do with your stew? Eating too much salt (sodium chloride) is linked to high blood pressure, so it’s important to limit your salt intake. Many people don’t realise how much salt is hidden in processed foods like packet soups, stock cubes and gravy powders. So look for a low-sodium product or use other seasoning.

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SEASON STEWS AND CURRIES WITH FRESH HERBS AND SPICES
Prepared spice mixes and curry pastes can contain excess sugar and chemical preservatives, as well as too much sodium, so try to give your stews and curries a personal flavour and a healthy boost by using herbs (fresh or dried), ginger, garlic and a combination of spices.

Herbs like basil, parsley and coriander contain antioxidants to fight disease, and turmeric, a key ingredient of curry, is a powerful anti-inflammatory, shown in studies to be as effective as some anti-inflammatory drugs. Cinnamon is thought to assist in reducing blood sugar levels, while chilli powder aids the body’s metabolism and promotes heart health as well as reducing pain in arthritis.

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ADD PLANT-BASED PROTEIN LIKE BEANS OR LENTILS
‘Plant based’ has become a buzzword in health circles as more people are turning to vegetarian and vegan ways of eating. But there’s a traditional dish, umngqusho (samp and beans), which was popular long before plant-based food became fashionable. Chakalaka is another plant-based meal that provides protein and fibre without unhealthy fat.

Vegetable curries are especially delicious, but if you think your family might miss the meat or look at chickpeas with suspicion as something strange, start by substituting half of the meat or chicken in your usual recipe with vegetable protein. Beans, lentils and chickpeas all blend well into curries and stews, and once the family get used to different forms of protein, you can try a totally plant-based curry.

HEALTHY SIDE DISHES
Go for whole grains to complete the healthy picture: wholewheat pasta to stretch your stew, brown rice with your curry, or wholewheat bread to mop up the delicious sauce. 

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