Nikki Verwey - Registered Dietitian

06/03/2025

Do you struggle with lunch box ideas for your little one?
I find variety is key but so is simplicity!
I try mixing things up and give something different everyday but keep the “base” the same 😊 So I might put a different spread or filling on the low GI white bread everyday or change to a brown bread in between the low GI white. I also change the fruit / veg up to add colour and variety 🍎🍌🫐🍇🥒🥕 I also always try and make sure there is a balance e.g. a carb, protein, fat and a fruit/veg 😊
Why not try and make yourself a lunchbox while you make your kiddies - this way you will also see that variety makes it more appetising and you might find you get more creative as you are also the one eating the same foods ☺️

17/10/2024

Changed your eating habits but still struggling to lose weight? Have you ever considered your alcohol intake could be hindering your weight loss progress? 🍷🥃🍸🍺🍹🥂🍻
Contact a registered dietitian to help you understand the energy density of alcohol and how you can include this into your meal plan without compromising your weight loss goals ✅

17/10/2024

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20/03/2024

💦
Do you struggle to get water in during the day?
Here are some tips to get your water intake up:
💦 Spread intake over the course of the whole day instead of trying to get it all in when it’s right before bed time
💦 Add lemon slices, mint leaves, cucumber slices (or any fruit or veg you like actually) or sugar free cordial every now and then to change the flavour
💦 Rooibos tea and Decaffeinated coffee count as water and you can drink as many cups as needed to get your water intake up (as long as you’re not adding any sugar)
💦 Set a reminder on your phone if you’re struggling to remember to drink throughout the day
☎️ Consult a dietitian who will be able to guide you how much water you need throughout the day ✅

09/02/2024

Did you know that certain foods should be avoided with various gastrointestinal conditions like diverticula disease, colitis or gastritis to name a few 😊
If you’re ever unsure which foods to include / avoid - chat to a dietitian who will be able to guide you in the right direction ☺️🍏

13/07/2023

👋 For those of you who don’t know me, I’m the face behind Nikki Verwey Registered Dietitian 🍏
I have a passion for helping people become the best versions of themselves through evidence-based nutrition advice and counselling 🥦
I am also a mom of 2 - which makes life extremely busy juggling home-work-life balance 🍓
I enjoy spending time outdoors, cooking healthy and nutritious meals & spending quality time with my loved ones ❤️

13/07/2023

Smoothies - such a great way to get a whole lot of different nutrients into your diet ✅
If you struggle to eat fruit (or veggies), smoothies can be a great way to get these into your diet 🍇🍎🍌🥕🥬
You can add sugar- and salt-free peanut butter or any other nut butter to get in some healthy fats into your diet - but always remember the portion size! 2 teaspoons (10g) gives you about 1 fat portion 🥜
You can add yoghurt or milk (you can choose any unsweetened dairy alternative or low-fat / fat-free cow’s milk) to make it ‘creamier’ in consistency 🥛🍶
Be careful with adding things like honey / sugar as this adds extra calories which sometimes isn’t necessary if you choose sweet tasting fruits like banana, strawberries or peaches 🍌🍓🍑 1 teaspoon of honey is the same in energy as 1 teaspoon of sugar so be mindful when adding honey to your smoothies 🍯
Be mindful of the portion size of fruit you add - 1 small fruit / half a cup of chopped fruit = 1 fruit portion - I generally recommend choosing 1-2 fruits + 1 serving of vegetables per smoothie 🍊🍓🍇🍍🥬🥕

14/10/2021

Eat more fruit and veggies 🍇🍈🍉🍊🍋🍌🍍🥭🍎🍏🍐🍑🍒🍓🫐🥝🍅🫒🥥🍆🥔🥕🌽🌶🫑🥒🥬🥦🧄🧅

In the second pandemic year with new variants rising and straining the country, the health of South Africans remains a top-of-mind concern. COVID-19 is not our only battle. The country has high levels of diet and lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension and Type 2 diab...

22/09/2021

💦 Do you also find it easier to drink more water in summer than in winter? 💦
I find if I don't pack a water bottle then it's "out of sight, out of mind", is that the same for you too?
Try adding some flavour to your water if you struggle to get water in during the day such as:
🍋 Adding lemon juice / sliced lemon
🍓🫐 Adding crushed strawberries / blueberries
🫖 Adding some Rooibos and making it into an iced tea

30/04/2021

In the freezing cold weather this morning I got my covid-19 vaccine 💉

25/05/2020

IRON
Haem iron found in animal sources (excluding eggs and milk) is best absorbed by the body. 🥩🍗🍖Non-haem iron found in other iron sources is not absorbed as well as haem iron by the body. 🥔🥬
Adding a vitamin C-rich food with iron-rich foods helps to increase the absorption of iron - e.g. having orange juice with your chicken mayonnaise sandwich for lunch 🍊 or adding green pepper / strawberries to a tuna salad. 🍓
Calcium, tea and coffee decrease the absorption of iron and should be avoided with meals. 🥛☕️ Rather have a cup of Rooibos tea in between meals or have a glass of milk as a snack instead of with your lunch.

15/05/2020

CALCIUM 🍶🥛
A lot of people say to me that they choose full cream milk because if has a higher calcium content than low fat milk, however that’s not the case.
People also think that non-dairy alternatives are equivalent in calcium to dairy-based options (e.g. almond milk vs cow’s milk). This will depend on the brand and whether or not calcium has been added to that product or not (always good to check the label before thinking it does contain calcium).