Banting’s Guiding Principles - A Deeper Dive
The Banting diet is more than just a low-carb eating plan. It is built on core principles that promote healthy, sustainable wellbeing through whole, unprocessed foods and avoiding ingredients that cause insulin spikes and inflammation. If you are new to banting, start with our complete guide: What is the Banting Diet - A Complete Guide for South Africans.
1. Eat Real, Whole Foods
The foundation of banting is to eat real, whole, unprocessed foods as close to their natural state as possible. Fresh vegetables, high-quality meats, full-fat dairy and healthy fats like avocado and olive oil are encouraged. Processed foods, refined sugars and artificial ingredients are eliminated entirely.
This principle alone - simply switching from processed food to real food - has a profound impact on blood sugar, energy levels and overall health for most people.
2. Limit Carbohydrate Intake
A central focus of the Banting diet is reducing carbohydrate consumption - particularly refined and starchy carbs including bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and sugary snacks. These foods cause rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin, which drive fat storage and cravings.
By limiting carbs, the body is encouraged to burn fat for energy instead. Most banters aim for under 50g of nett carbs per day, though the exact amount varies by individual. Use the green, orange and red lists as your guide.
3. Embrace Healthy Fats
Unlike traditional low-fat dietary advice, banting encourages healthy fats as the primary energy source - butter, cream, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, nuts and fatty fish. These fats are deeply satisfying, support brain function and do not spike blood sugar.
The key distinction is between healthy natural fats (encouraged) and industrial seed oils like sunflower, canola and soybean oil (firmly on the red list due to their inflammatory properties).
4. Eat Adequate Protein
Protein is essential for muscle maintenance, satiety and blood sugar stability. Good banting sources include meat, fish, eggs, cheese and full-fat dairy. Quality matters - grass-fed, free-range and minimally processed where possible.
5. Avoid Sugar in All Forms
Sugar is the primary target of banting - in all forms including honey, agave, maple syrup and the many names sugar hides under in processed food. For a full list of names sugar hides under, read our guide: Sugar-Free vs Sucrose-Free vs No Added Sugar - What's the Difference?
6. Avoid Seed Oils and Processed Foods
Industrial seed oils - sunflower, canola, soybean, cottonseed and corn oil - are pro-inflammatory and are firmly on the banting red list. Processed and packaged foods almost always contain some combination of refined carbs, sugar and seed oils.
7. Listen to Your Body
Banting encourages eating according to hunger rather than counting calories. When you eat real food with adequate fat and protein, hunger and cravings naturally reduce over time - making it easier to eat only when genuinely hungry.
8. It Is a Lifestyle, Not a Short-Term Diet
Banting is designed as a long-term lifestyle approach rather than a short-term diet. The goal is sustainable health - better energy, stable blood sugar, reduced inflammation and improved metabolic health over time. Many people who start banting for weight loss find they stay with it long-term simply because they feel so much better.
Please note: Always consult your doctor or dietitian before making significant dietary changes, especially if you have a medical condition or are on medication.
Banting-Friendly Treats at Caring Candies
Since 2003 Caring Candies has been making sugar-free treats for banters and diabetics across South Africa. Browse our banting collection - all made with natural low-GI sweeteners, no artificial additives, Kosher and Halaal certified, made in Cape Town and delivered nationwide.