For South Africans, the braai is a part of our heritage and a social gathering event that has been bringing friends and families together for as far back as we can remember.
Whilst it may be delicious, it’s not always the healthiest option… A steak or lamb chop on its own might not be the worst thing for your diet but that’s not where the braai stops. It’s often how you prepare your meat and what you eat alongside your protein that causes the problems (We won’t even mention the beer and brandy part of the braai).
Unfortunately, there is quite a lot of evidence that proves that eating processed meats like sausages and cheese grillers can increase your risk of heart disease.
Here are the 4 things that you need to know in order to make sure that you can celebrate national braai day in a healthy, care-free way.
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Healthy Meat Options this Braai Day
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Lean meats:
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Good heart-healthy meats include chicken breast or fillet, pork, beef, or lamb with not too much fat. Braai over medium-hot coals to keep it juicy and tasty – don’t overcook them.
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Always trim off the fat:
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Yes, I know that you might feel that a steak, chops, and of course pork chops aren’t complete without the nicely grilled piece of fat but the truth is that it is often the most unhealthy part of the meat.
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Read the label:
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Especially when buying processed sausage like boerewors. These often contain excess fat, salt and preservatives. Make the best choice and enjoy moderate portions.
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Fish:
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It is one of the best options when it comes to lean protein. Braai it as a delicious and healthy alternative to meat.
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Healthy Braai Day Marinades
A marinade is an excellent way to enhance the flavour and the texture of your meat.
Be careful of store-bought marinades, as they may often contain high levels of salt, sugar and chemical preservatives in order to increase their shelf-lives. This makes them unhealthy and some of them may actually draw the natural juices out of the meat.
There are hundreds of recipes for fresh, home-made marinades out there (thank you Google) or you can embrace a tradition as old as the braai itself – create your own.
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Seasoning
Try and keep your seasoning as fresh as possible. There are many spices on the store shelves that contain preservatives and chemicals. Go with natural seasoning like dried or fresh herbs, salt-free spices like coriander or cumin, mustard or mustard seeds, lemon juice and/or black pepper.
Try the Manna Mix:
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- Start with 7.5ml each of ground coriander, paprika and dried rosemary.
- Add 15ml of dried thyme and 15ml organum.
- Put in 5 ml ground cumin into the mix.
- Stir in a dash of olive oil.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Rub onto meat or chicken.
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Healthy Braai Side Dishes – The final and most Important Ingredient
Your meal might be pretty healthy until you add your sides. We generally go for sides like starches that are high in refined carbohydrates and are not the best for your heart health.
Here are some tips on selecting your sides…
Healthy Sides –
Some peppers, onions, and pretty much any other type of veggie that you would usually roast in the oven is great for grilling – add them to your braai. Wrap them up in some tinfoil with a little bit if fresh farm butter or olive oil, and put them directly into the coals while your meat is on the fire.
Alternatively, you can try your hand at some veggie kebabs. A side salad or fruit salad is always a winner in the summertime. Whatever you decide on, always make sure that at least half of your plate is fruits or vegetables.
Not-so-healthy sides –
Stay away from high-carb starches like potato salad, potato bake, garlic bread and pasta salad.
You can still enjoy your braai, but making the right choices can help you to prevent unhealthy weight-gain this summer.
