Health & Nutrition Disclaimer

This disclaimer applies to all content on www.instead.co.za and app.instead.co.za, including recipes, nutritional values, calorie and macro calculators, meal plans, programmes, emails and social-media posts by Instead Nutrition (“Instead”). It forms part of the Instead Terms & Conditions.

1. General information, not medical advice

1.1 Instead provides general lifestyle and nutrition information for healthy adults. It is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and it is not medical nutrition therapy or dietetic counselling.

1.2 Instead is founded and run by Monique Cloete, who is not a medical doctor, registered dietitian, nutritionist or other registered health-care practitioner. The content reflects a personal lifestyle approach to food and is shared for general information.

1.3 Nothing on the Website or in the App replaces advice from a qualified health professional who knows your circumstances. Never ignore professional medical advice, or delay seeking it, because of something you read on Instead.

2. Speak to a professional first

You must consult a doctor or registered dietitian before using Instead’s recipes, calculators, meal plans or programmes if you:

• are under 18 (the App is for adults only);
• are pregnant, trying to fall pregnant or breastfeeding;
• have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart, kidney or liver disease, or any other medical condition;
• take medication that may be affected by your diet;
• have, or have had, an eating disorder or disordered eating; or
• have been advised to follow a specific diet for medical reasons.

Everyone should speak to a professional before making significant changes to their diet, weight or exercise.

3. Allergies and intolerances

3.1 Instead’s recipes are not formulated for food allergies, intolerances or medical diets, and we do not cater for them. No recipe is guaranteed to be free from any allergen, including recipes without an allergen in the ingredient list.

3.2 Recipes may contain, or come into contact with, common allergens such as peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat and gluten, soy, fish, shellfish and sesame.

3.3 Always read the labels of the products you buy, because manufacturers change their ingredients. If you have an allergy or intolerance, do not rely on Instead to identify safe foods.

4. Dietary labels

4.1 Labels such as High Protein, High Volume Lean, Low Carb, Low Fat, Keto, Vegan, Vegetarian and Whole Food Balanced describe the general style of a recipe. They are not medical or therapeutic claims, and they do not mean a recipe is suitable for any health condition.

4.2 Recipes labelled Vegan or Vegetarian are designed without animal or meat ingredients respectively, but always check the labels of the specific products you use.

5. Nutritional values and calculators

5.1 All nutritional values are estimates. They are calculated ingredient by ingredient from South African product labels and reputable reference data. Actual values vary with brands, product reformulations, portion sizes, ingredient substitutions and cooking methods.

5.2 The calorie and macro calculators use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and standard activity multipliers to give a general estimate. Your actual needs depend on your body composition, health, hormones, medication and other factors that no calculator can measure.

5.3 For your safety, the App does not allow daily calorie targets below 1,200 kcal for women or 1,500 kcal for men. If a health professional has advised you to eat less than this, follow their guidance under their supervision; the App is not designed for that.

5.4 Targets you enter or adjust yourself are your own responsibility.

6. No guaranteed results

Instead does not promise any particular result, such as weight loss, weight gain or changes in body composition or health. Results vary from person to person and depend on many factors outside our control. Testimonials and examples reflect individual experiences only.

7. Your responsibility

7.1 You choose whether and how to follow any recipe, meal plan, target or programme, and you do so at your own risk. Listen to your body and stop any change that makes you feel unwell.

7.2 Follow safe food-handling practices when preparing, cooking and storing food.

7.3 If you feel unwell, experience symptoms that concern you, or are struggling with food, weight or body image, please speak to a doctor or registered dietitian.

8. Liability

To the extent permitted by law, Instead is not liable for any loss, injury or illness arising from your use of, or reliance on, its content, as set out in clause 11 of the Terms & Conditions. Nothing in this disclaimer limits your rights under the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008.

9. Contact

Questions about this disclaimer? Email info@instead.co.za.