By Karen Heslop
Recent studies show that Black Americans continue to be more prone to illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s as they age. One way to tackle your health is to take a closer look at your diet. While different diets are available, the African Heritage Diet might be the most beneficial for you.
What’s The African Heritage Diet?
The African Heritage Diet focuses on the culinary options of the African diaspora while also incorporating the essential basics of proper nutrition. Apart from improving your overall health, it may help you to connect with your African roots and help you to celebrate your culture.
The Foods You Should Eat
There’s an African Heritage Diet food pyramid that is meant to help you plan your daily meals. At the base of the pyramid, you’ll find leafy greens like callaloo, beet greens, kale, spinach, dandelion greens, and turnip greens. Above that is a level for vegetables like jicama, eggplants, okra, carrots, broccoli, squash, asparagus, and beets.
Tubers like yam, yuca, cassava, and potatoes are at that level as well. That level also has fruits, whole grains, nuts, and beans. There is also a level for herbs and spices such as ginger, arrowroot, cinnamon, cilantro, garlic, paprika, nutmeg, and cloves. According to the pyramid, you should try to base all your meals on these levels.
The next level is for fish and seafood which you should have at least two times per week. Some options include cod, crayfish, mackerel, oysters, tuna, shrimp, and sardines. Dairy, eggs, poultry, other meats, and healthy oils should be had moderately per week. Healthy oils include coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, and shea butter. The dairy products that are included in this diet are buttermilk, yogurt, almond milk, rice milk, and soymilk.
Finally, sweets are at the top of the pyramid and you should have those sparingly.
Easy Ways To Adopt The Diet
1. Focus On The Vegetables
According to the pyramid, all your main meals should include vegetables. These can be steamed, grilled, roasted, or sauteed for variety and many of them can be eaten raw.
2. Spice Up Your Dishes
Herbs and spices can make your meals more flavorful without adding excessive salt or fat. They’re especially great for plant-based dishes.
3. Make Rice And Beans Your Go To
If you’re looking for a staple to include in your dinner, rice and beans are a good bet. You can also lean further into your African heritage by using whole grains like millet, sorghum, and teff in soup, or paired with peas.
4. Sprinkle In Lean Meats
While you’re encouraged to eat meat a few times per week, you should opt for small portions of lean meats. It’s best to bulk up your meal with vegetables.
5. Mix Things Up
Mixing flavors is a great way to add variety to your meals. You can combine vegetables with tubers or load up a one-pot meal with colorful vegetables.
6. Look For Whole Foods
When adopting the African Heritage Diet, it’s best to avoid processed foods. You should look for whole foods or even grow some.
7. Make Healthy Drinks
Another way to incorporate fruits into your diet is to add them to water or smoothies.
8. Celebrate Wisely
If you’re going to celebrate any African festivals, you should still opt for eating according to the pyramid. Indulging in sweets and pastries is allowed but only a little.
9. Have Fruity Desserts
Even if you can’t have a lot of desserts, you can satisfy your sweet tooth by freezing sweet fruits like melons, peaches, berries, and mangos. You can even sprinkle them with chopped nuts or coconut.
10. Involve Your Family And Friends
It’s always easier to stick to a diet change if you have support. Additionally, you’re helping everyone else get as healthy as you. This will also come in handy if you celebrate African festivals together.
Potential Health Benefits For Aging African Americans
Unfortunately, the stereotypical African American diet is linked to poor health. These foods are usually high in unhealthy fats, added sugars, and added salt. By switching to a diet that includes the flavors you like but still makes your health a priority, you can make great strides in reducing your risk of developing the chronic illnesses that plague Black people. Though the structure is a little different from other diets, The African Heritage Diet still emphasizes eating meals that are high in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and nuts. Unlike other diets, it includes herbs and spices as a separate category, which is good because they have a variety of health benefits.
Some of the benefits of adopting this diet include maintaining a healthy weight, better heart health, reduced risk of developing high blood pressure, reduced risk of developing diabetes, and better brain health. As you age, these are areas you want to focus on because older African Americans are more likely to develop heart disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s Disease, heart failure, and other chronic illnesses.
Of course, you should remember that no diet suits everyone perfectly. If you have food allergies or intolerances, choose the food that best works for you. The same is true for those who have chronic illnesses that prohibit them from eating certain things. As always, you shouldn’t make any major changes to your diet without consulting your doctor first,
