It could also reveal areas ripe for innovation for manufacturers eager to meet growing consumer demand for global flavors, culturally relevant and better-for-you, yet convenient, global flavors.
“The Mediterranean diet is a well-studied cultural model of healthy eating, but research on healthy models from other cultures and cuisines has been limited” – hindering the development of evidence-based and culturally appropriate dietary advice that could help reduce health disparities across demographics. , write researchers in the study led by Kelly LeBlanc, vice president of nutrition programs at Oldways, a nonprofit organization dedicated to food and nutrition.
She explained to FoodNavigator-USA that nutrition professionals intuitively understand that different cultures and cuisines have useful elements and that they want to honor and respect their clients’ cultural traditions by offering advice through these different lenses – but it currently there is no common language or sufficient evidence. research based on different cultural diets, as is the case for the Mediterranean diet.
Establishing a common language and basic framework around different traditional diets can help researchers systematically and scientifically document and measure their health impacts and create evidence-based recommendations that value cuisines and their benefits, she added.
In examining diets of Latin American, Asian and African origins as cultural models of healthy eating, LeBlanc emphasized that researchers were “not pitting one diet or group against another” and “telling you no having to eat a certain way because of your cultural or ethnic background.
At the same time, she said, the researchers wanted to show that diet-related diseases, which are currently more prevalent among demographic subgroups in the United States, are not inherent to their culture or heritage. But rather, there are many healthy and tasty foods that are part of their heritage.
“The goal is really to signal that there are multiple pathways to good health and well-being” and to encourage people “to look at the wonderful choices available to us and, hopefully, to find something that inspires you and that you connect with,” LeBlanc said. said.
Cultural diets share common patterns with different specific ingredients and flavors
Looking at the traditional diets of Latin America, Asia, and Africa, researchers found that each followed a “core-fringe-legumes” pattern “consisting of unrefined carbohydrate foods, such as whole grains or tubers, as the base (core) of the meal, as well as vegetables and small amounts of meats, sauces or fish (fringes) and legumes, which add flavor and variety,” according to the study.
“Whether we look at diets of Latin American origin, diets of African origin, or diets of Asian origin, we see a strong emphasis on plant-based foods and, although each pattern seems similar in one part of the globe to another, what seems different is the specific ingredients,” LeBlanc said.
She explained: “One place might have been more inclined to cook with black beans, while another place might have felt more inclined to cook with lentils than another place which might have been more inclined to cook with pigeon peas. So we look at similarities in patterns, but also differences in foods and flavors.
Source: Oldways, www.oldwayspt.org.
With this in mind and recognizing that there are substantial variations in diets within large geographic areas, researchers have found that traditional Latin American diets tend to be based on whole grains (primarily corn) and beans, as well as fruits and vegetables, including peppers and tomatoes. , avocado, potatoes, pineapple, passion fruit, carrots and zucchini, and sometimes seafood.
“Many ingredients now popularized as ‘superfoods,’ such as quinoa, amaranth, chia seeds, and acai berries, originated in Central and South America,” the researchers add. .
Higher fiber intake from black beans is associated with better heart and metabolic health, while higher intake of fruits and whole grains and lower intake of added sugar and refined grains or added fats are associated with lower inflammation, the study reports.
Despite the differences between East, Southeast, and South Asian cultures, researchers have discovered common eating habits among traditional Asian diets, including high consumption of vegetables, vegetarian protein sources, such as tofu, legumes and nuts, and whole grains, such as millet and barley. . Fermented foods are also common in these cuisines.
Consumption of traditional Asian foods is associated with higher fiber intake, which may help prevent chronic diseases. Similarly, high consumption of soy, fish, n-3 fatty acids and green tea as well as low consumption of red meat and saturated fats are associated with lower risks of certain cancers, according to research. , heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
The African Heritage Diet draws on four major regions – continental Africa, the southern United States, the Caribbean and South America – and includes green vegetables, black-eyed peas, okra, yams, pepper sauces and seafood, whole grains like corn and limited dairy, meats. , sweets, bread and eggs. Teff, millet and sorghum are also important cereals.
These foods are associated with lower risks of high blood pressure, breast cancer – particularly the more aggressive, estrogen receptor-negative forms – reduced colon inflammation and increased diversity of gut bacteria, the study found.
Call to action: keep an open mind and rely on research
The study is a starting point for defining traditional diets of different geographic regions and cultures, but additional research is needed to create evidence-based guidance, LeBlanc said.
“The call to action is to continue to advance this area. We would like to see more research on these different cultural traditions and more open-mindedness” when it comes to offering culturally appropriate nutrition programs and counseling, LeBlanc said.
Packaged food and beverage manufacturers can participate by creating foods and improving supply chains for ingredients that are culturally relevant and provide health benefits.
