The holidays may be coming to an end but you're probably still spending many of the balmy summer evenings outdoors around the braai. The health aspects of a braai depend mostly on what is put on the grill, for how long and all the other foods and drinks that make up the meal.

Having the leaner and healthier meats more often is better because they are lower in unhealthy saturated fat, which means a healthier heart and less risk of diabetes and cancer. It will also make it much easier keep your beach bod looking good.

Here are a few hints to help keep your braai on the healthier side:

Choose lean cuts of red meat – look for meats labelled ‘lean’ or ‘extra lean’. Meat that visually seems to be lower in fat, usually is – so go for meats where you can’t see a lot of white fat. Remember, even when you can’t see any fat, there will still be some fat in the flesh, which will contribute to the flavour and keep the meat moist and tender.

Trim all visible fat from meat and remove skin from chicken before cooking or buy the skinless versions. Chicken with its skin contains about the same amount of fat as medium-fat red meat. By removing the skin from chicken, the fat content is reduced substantially to about five percent.

Fish and skinless chicken are great because they are lower in total fat, but also because they contain less unhealthy saturated fat. To keep fish and chicken moist on the coals, wrap in foil parcels and add fat-free tasty bastings like fresh lemon or orange juice and loads of fresh herbs. Skinless chicken thighs are less dry than the breast portions and are available deboned. They are great for making your own chicken and veg sosaties.

A whole fish on the braai is quick and easy and makes for a healthy, nutritious meal. Go for the oily fish, like snoek, tuna or cob, which are excellent sources of essential omega-3 fats.

Steer clear of marbled meats, sausages, patties and other processed meats. They are very high in fat, especially unhealthy saturated fat and processed foods are usually also high in salt.

Keep meat portions moderate, about the size of your palm, and add healthy side-dishes and lots of greens.

Try to stick to wholewheat breads and rolls, they are generally more filling due their fibre content and contain more nutrients than refined white breads. If you have white bread, have lots of veggies and salad to add good amounts of fibre and disease-fighting vitamins and minerals to your meal.

Avoid high-fat dressings and salads like coleslaw, potato salad or pasta salad made with lots of mayonaisse. If you’re having potato, have it baked or wrapped in foil and cooked on the braai then top it with fat-free flavoured cottage cheese and some seasoning, like chilli flakes.

Avoid adding large amounts of salt to your food. For fresh new flavours season your food with herbs, spices and fruit juices.