Muscle-building shakes don't always have as much protein as they claim to

Posted on July 13, 2016

A recent study by researchers at the University of Pretoria has found that when it comes to protein shakes, what is in the tub is not always what meets the eye.

Muscle-building shakes don’t always have as much protein as they claim to

Posted on July 07, 2016

People need protein, and it's central in building muscles. This makes it attractive for body building and fitness products. But Hettie Schönfeldt, Beulah Pretorius and Nicolette Hall, Associates of the University of Pretoria's Institute for Food, Nutrition and Well-being, warn that not all...

Why the African food basket should be full of beans and other pulses

Posted on July 05, 2016

Pulses -- or grain legumes such as dried beans, chickpeas and lentils -- are indigenous foods that can play a massive role in tackling food security on the African continent says Nokuthula Vilakati, a Post Doctoral Researcher with the University of Pretoria's Institute for Food, Nutrition and...

Limited food options take their toll on the health of South Africa’s rural poor

Posted on May 27, 2016

In the past 20 years, researchers have linked the increase of obesity and chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension in low- and middle-income countries to urbanisation, changing diets and less active lives.

Why a diverse diet is crucial for rural South Africans

Posted on May 27, 2016

Starvation and extreme under-nutrition are rare in South Africa’s poorest communities. The experience of hunger is related to many different forms of deprivation. There is widespread “hidden hunger,” in the form of micronutrient deficiencies, increasing rates of over-weight and...

Uniting researchers and journalists to bring about positive change

Posted on May 19, 2016

UP's Institute for Food, Nutrition and Well-being is involved in an international programme working towards bridging the gap between academia and the media by bringing them together to drive policy change in food security.

New Food Law initiative launched

Posted on May 12, 2016

In a seminar held to launch a new focus of the University's Institutional Research Theme (IRT) on Food, Nutrition and Well-being, Ms Anjanette Haller-Barker, lead researcher for this new research area, presented a theoretical framework for food law.

Indigenous, instant superfood for rural children

Posted on April 19, 2016

For her PhD research, Dr Nokuthula Vilakazi chose to investigate the possibility of using locally produced grains to develop a nutritious, ready-to-eat meal comparable to some of the so-called superfoods sold in shops.