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Basics of Eating Well
Plant foods are the foundation of a healthy Latin American diet. These foods are at the base of the pyramid to indicate that they are the building blocks, just like the strong building blocks used to make the pyramids of ancient Teotihuacán.
Legumes, grains, tubers, nuts, fruits and vegetables should be included at every meal and can be eaten in large amounts.
BEANS
Legumes are some of the healthiest foods in the pyramid. They include peas, lentils and a staggering number of beans, such as black beans, red beans, white beans, pinto beans and even lima beans. Legumes are a great source of protein. Unlike most protein-based foods (meats and dairy products for instance) legumes come with almost no fat. Research shows that legumes also lower ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood. Plus, they help stabilize blood sugar – good news for people with diabetes.
Beans are tops for vitamins too. One cup of cooked beans provides half the recommended daily amount of folate, a nutrient recommended for pregnant women to prevent birth defects. Lentils are even better. They provide 90% of the recommended amount of folate. Legumes are also high in fiber which, according to studies, can help prevent heart disease and certain cancers such as colon cancer.
WHOLE GRAINS
Corn, quinoa, amaranth, and rice have long been staple grains in Latin American cooking. These are excellent sources of complex carbohydrates, which help give you long-lasting energy. Grains don’t slouch on vitamins either. They’re full of nutrients like folate, magnesium, and vitamin E. According to researchers, grains can even help protect against heart disease – when they are prepared the old-fashioned way. That is, when they are unrefined or used as ‘whole grains’. Unfortunately, most people today eat refined white rice and white flour, which have had many of the beneficial nutrients removed. To get more vitamins and minerals in your diet, look for whole grains like corn (including corn tortillas) quinoa, brown rice, and whole-wheat flour tortillas.
NUTS
You might think nuts are off-limits in a healthy diet because of their high fat content. But research shows that that’s not true. “One thing that has become clear is that not all dietary fats are the same when it comes to increasing risk for heart disease,” says Frank Sacks, M.D., associate professor of medicine and nutrition at Harvard University. “Nuts are an excellent source of healthy unsaturated fat that can actually help lower the cholesterol in your blood,” he says.
Nuts are also cholesterol-free and a good source of protein and fiber. One ounce of peanuts contains 7 grams of protein, only 2 grams of saturated fat, and 2 grams of fiber. The 17 grams of unsaturated fats in peanuts may seem high, but remember that this type of fat can be good for you.
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
The star foods at the base of the pyramid are fruits and vegetables. These foods are generally excellent sources of fiber, carotenes, vitamin C, and other beneficial phytochemicals (plant chemicals). Some key verduras (cooked vegetables traditionally used in stews and soups) in the Latin diet include yucca, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and plantains. Diets high in fruits and vegetables may be especially important for Latinos to protect against the cancers that they experience more of – stomach and cervical cancer.
The practice of eating fruits and vegetables on a daily basis is an important component of the traditional diet in Latin America. For instance, fruits like bananas make great snacks and are easy to carry around. But fewer Latinos are eating fruits and vegetables these days. What happened to the mango? Where are the chiles, corn, yucca, and plantains? “Not in the contemporary Latin American diet,” says John Foreyt PhD., director of the Behavioral Medicine Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “The traditional Latin American diet has been largely replaced by unhealthy North American foods,” he says. The LNC encourages you to look to the past and eat more fruits and vegetables – to give yourself a healthier future.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
The Latin pyramid includes more than just dietary recommendations. This is the first dietary pyramid to include important lifestyle tips. When experts gathered to study the traditional Latin American diet, they found that people in ancient Latin America enjoyed a relatively healthy lifestyle. Men and women were quite active, didn’t smoke, and drank lots of water (because water was one of the only readily available beverages around). Today, however, the Latino lifestyle has changed right along with the Latino diet. The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Study found that 6 in every 10 modern Latinos are not physically active. Research from California State University, Los Angeles, shows that Latinos are reducing their physical activity and watching more TV. You might guess that this inactivity leads to extra body weight. You’re right. Resolve to get out, be active, and have fun!