By clairemac93
I’m rather surprised that the subject of Tim Noakes would inspire me to write a blog entry. However, ever since I heard of the diet that Tim Noakes advertises I have been flabbergasted by how many people follow his plan here in South Africa.
The Tim Noakes diet entails eating no sugar, no carbs, but having a high protein-high fat diet. The people advertising the diet claim that new studies have shown no association between such a diet and things like high cholesterol or heart problems. Coming from a Western country, the diet seems nuts. I’ve seen TV advertisements here where they create a typically Tim Noakes meal in which butter on butter on butter is added and grease in encouraged. One thinks, “Who would actually follow this?”
Well, apparently a lot of people. In school, it seems as though everyone’s parents or they themselves are following this diet. Added to this, they are having results of massive weight loss. These success stories, like in the days of the Atkins diet, only spur more people to join.
It’s an appropriate diet choice for South Africans. South Africans love their meat, especially red meat, and tend to look at all vegetarians with a look of shocked curiosity. In fact, I know many South Africans who don’t consider it a meal unless there is meat on the plate.
There is also a huge market for dried meats, or biltong, as it’s called here, as well as dried fruits. This is out of the fact that in many places on the African continent, there is no electricity or refrigeration available. As such, they tend to dry most of their fruits and meats to reduce the flies and potential of spoiling. This became such a staple that even now that there’s refrigeration available- to some, dried fruits and meat are still a standard snack.
Anyhow, although it seems like a small cultural phenomenon, the diet of Tim Noakes is fascinating to me as it not only is catered specially to a South African audience, but is only an option for those who can choose what to eat and what not to eat- meaning predominantly whites. Meat is, all over the world, a luxury good, and most sugary items and processed foods are the staples of the lower income. A diet based purely off of vegetables and fruits, as well as meat and fat, is the most expensive dietary option that could be chosen here.
Though I myself would never start the diet, I’m curious to see whether the fad lives on and what the results will be. Truly shows a difference from the western mindset on diets!