Every morning starts with a choice.
What goes into the lunchbox? What lands on the breakfast table? Which cooking oil goes into the pan? What do we reach for when hunger strikes?
These everyday decisions may seem small. Yet, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa, approximately 225 South Africans die from heart disease every day.
That amounts to around 82,125 deaths a year.
With World Heart Day taking place on 29 September, the figure puts a powerful spotlight on the role that everyday food choices can play in conversations about heart health.
One approach gaining attention is the 80/20 rule.
The idea is straightforward: aim for around 80% of your diet to consist of healthy, nutrient-rich foods, while allowing the remaining 20% for more indulgent choices.
It is not about perfection.
Instead, it offers a way to make healthier choices the norm while still leaving room for enjoyment.
Why South Africa’s Changing Food Landscape Matters
The conversation is particularly relevant as South Africa becomes increasingly urbanised.
Around 67% of South Africans now live in urban areas. Research cited in the supplied information links urbanisation with greater exposure to processed foods, sugary beverages and higher-kilojoule diets, together with lower consumption of whole fruit and vegetables.
These dietary shifts can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and obesity.
That makes the heart-health conversation bigger than what happens during an annual medical check-up.
It also brings the focus into the supermarket aisle, the kitchen, the restaurant and the family lunchbox.
So, what could small changes look like in everyday life?
Yoghurt: A Simple Addition To The Plate
The heart works constantly.
It pumps about 7,500 litres of blood through the body and beats around 100,000 times each day.
Good nutrition is therefore an important part of supporting the body’s needs.
According to registered dietitian and Head of Public Affairs at Danone Southern Africa, Leane Kiezer, available data associates yoghurt consumption with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
She points to several nutrients naturally found in yoghurt.
“Potassium helps support healthy blood pressure by balancing the effects of sodium (usually from salt) in the diet. Calcium is essential for normal muscle function, including the heart muscle, while protein helps keep you fuller for longer, making it easier to make nourishing food choices throughout the day.”
Kiezer also highlights growing scientific interest in the relationship between the gut microbiota and cardiovascular health.
Studies cited in the supplied information have linked an imbalance in gut microbiota composition with a higher risk of major cardiovascular events.
Diet is one of the important factors that can influence gut microbiota composition and function.
Scientists are also exploring how the live cultures found in yoghurt, as a result of fermentation, may contribute to heart health.
For Kiezer, yoghurt can therefore be an easy addition to everyday meals.
She suggests starting the morning with yoghurt, seasonal fruit, oats and nuts or seeds. It can also be blended into a smoothie or served with warm pap, fruit and cinnamon.
At lunchtime, plain yoghurt can be used as a base for creamy dips and salad dressings.
It can also be incorporated into cooking, from soups and curries to roasted vegetables, baked sweet potatoes and chicken marinades.
The message is not about creating a perfect diet overnight.
It is about finding practical ways to make nourishing choices part of normal routines.
The Cooking Oil Question
Then there is the kitchen staple that often gets overlooked: cooking oil.
According to independent nutrition and dietetics consultant Megan Pentz-Kluyts, on behalf of B-well, the type of cooking oil chosen can form part of a balanced approach to heart health.
She highlights canola oil, which contains 7% saturated fat, according to the supplied information.
Canola oil is also endorsed by the Heart & Stroke Foundation of South Africa and the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), as stated in the press release.
The focus on saturated fat matters because saturated fat is associated with higher “bad” LDL cholesterol and an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
Canola oil also naturally provides an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 2:1.
Both are essential fatty acids because the body cannot produce them and they therefore need to come from the diet.
Omega-3 is associated with cardiovascular health, brain function, eye health, reduced inflammation and reduced chronic disease risk. Omega-6 is important for skin health, metabolism and immune response.
Health And Enjoyment Can Share The Same Plate
For Pentz-Kluyts, healthy eating does not have to mean removing enjoyment from food.
“Finding balance in your diet should not mean sacrificing the meals or food items that bring joy in your life. It’s about making the choice that offers the best of both; taste and health can co-exist just like two sides of the same coin.”
That idea sits at the heart of the 80/20 approach.
Rather than viewing food choices as an all-or-nothing decision, the principle encourages consistency while allowing room for foods that are enjoyed in moderation.
Pentz-Kluyts also points to simple habit changes, including a balanced diet rich in whole fruit, vegetables and healthy fats, as choices that can support a healthy body weight and make a meaningful difference in reducing overall risk.
The 80/20 Idea Starts With Small Choices
There is no single meal that determines someone’s heart health.
Instead, everyday eating patterns build over time.
That means the 80/20 rule is less about chasing dietary perfection and more about considering what becomes routine.
A yoghurt and fruit breakfast.
Vegetables added to lunch.
A thoughtful choice of cooking oil.
Whole fruit within reach.
Healthy fats included in meals.
And, alongside those choices, space for the foods that bring enjoyment.
As World Heart Day arrives on 29 September, the conversation around South Africa’s heart health comes back to something remarkably ordinary: what we choose to eat every day.
Because heart health is not built in a doctor’s office alone.
It is built through thousands of small decisions made at home, in the supermarket, around the family table and in the kitchen.
And if approximately 225 South Africans are dying from heart disease every day, those everyday decisions deserve a much closer look.
