Good nutrition is the cornerstone of lasting health. The foods we choose shape our energy, mood, immunity, and vitality; influencing not just how we feel today, but how we thrive in the years ahead. This National Nutrition Week, The Noakes Foundation and Eat Better South Africa (EBSA) invite everyone to reframe how you think about food: not as convenience, but as daily fuel that supports health from the inside out.
This week is an opportunity to step back, simplify, and return to the basics of nutrition, making each meal a mindful choice that nourishes the body, restores balance, and builds lasting wellbeing.
The Modern Health Challenge
While access to food remains a challenge for many, access to nutritious food is an ongoing struggle for everyone. Busy lifestyles, aggressive marketing of convenience foods, and the belief that healthy eating is expensive or complicated lead many people to rely on packaged, ready‑to‑eat options. These products often prioritize speed over nourishment and are typically high in refined carbohydrates, added sugars, and industrial seed oils, which are key contributors to inflammation and metabolic ill health.
The result is a rise in chronic lifestyle-related conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disorders. These illnesses are not inevitable. Often, the solution begins with a simple step back: getting back to the basics of nutrition. Choosing whole, minimally processed foods doesn’t have to be costly or complicated. It can be as simple as checking a label, buying products in their original form, or preparing a meal at home with basic ingredients.
Back‑to‑Basics Habits for Better Nutrition
National Nutrition Week is the perfect time to start small and build lasting habits that make a real difference. Here are some basic habits anyone can adopt:
- Cook from scratch at least twice this week
- Prioritise nutrient‑dense foods
- Reduce refined and ultra‑processed foods
- Choose fresh, whole foods
- Cook with nourishing fats
- Plan your meals
- Eat mindfully
The Science of Nourishment
The food we eat becomes the building blocks of every cell in our body. Adequate nutrition affects everything from hormone balance and immune response to mental clarity and energy levels. Small, consistent changes can create powerful long‑term benefits. Over time, eating with intention builds a foundation for a healthier, more vibrant life.
From National Nutrition Week to the World Nutrition Summit
As this week closes, we look forward to the World Nutrition Summit 2025, where experts and advocates will come together to explore how basic nutrition can provide the foundation for health on a global scale. This summit aims to challenge conventional beliefs and explore innovative approaches to nutrition and chronic disease prevention.
By getting back to basics now, through simple habits like cooking more, prioritising whole foods, and eating mindfully, we can contribute to a future where nutritious food is the norm, not the exception.
Let’s use National Nutrition Week to reset our relationship with food. Nourish ourselves from the inside out. And step confidently into the World Nutrition Summit, ready to be part of the conversation that shapes the future of nutrition.
