Health, Culture and Traditional Ways
Bring back old Traditions. Travel with your taste buddies!
Hey kids, did you know that there is more than one way to eat healthy? That's right. People of different cultures like to eat different foods and prepare it in different ways. Over hundreds of years various cultures have come up with different ways of eating, and all of them fit into the category of healthy eating!
The trick is to know which dishes are generally healthy and which are not. So how do I do that you ask?
A simple way to figure it out is to have a general idea of what is healthy and what isn’t. For example fresh fruits and vegetables are healthy. Whole grain foods are healthy. Lean meats and fish are healthy. Just stay away from saturated fats, refined grains, processed foods and sugars.
Eating foods from different cultures is a great way to live and experience new things. You and your taste buds can travel the world. Go to Latin America one day, Russia the next, and then Italy after that! Yum!
So let's try it out. First, we are going to take a couple flights to Mexico and South America. We are also going to go back in time to look at the traditional ways Native Americans like the Aztecs and Incas used to eat. Buckle up!
It's time to start! Eat healthy!
Travel with your taste buds! Experience new things!
Be a FitKid! Be healthy for life!
Latino/Native America
Old World expertise mixes with New World ingredients and techniques in healthy Latino cooking. The result: delicious foods, cooked with flair.
Latino cuisine encompasses the culinary traditions of Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, South and Central America and other Spanish cultures and origins, although each region bears its own distinct flavors and noble roots. But what they all share is a sense of culinary adventure and emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients that can be easily incorporated into a healthy diet.
Healthy Latino cuisine includes lots of fresh fruits and veggies, beans, whole grains, herbs and spices! They eat fish and other seafood often. Some special dishes include: Mexican Fish Tacos with Tomato and Avocado Salsa, Puerto Rican Codfish Stew, and South American Squash, Black Bean and Goat Cheese Tamales. Where are our taste buds traveling to next you ask?
The Mediterranean
It’s generally accepted that the folks in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea live longer and suffer less than most Americans from cancer and cardiovascular ailments. The not-so-surprising secret is an active lifestyle, weight control, and a diet low in red meat, sugar, and saturated fat and high in fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, and other healthful foods.
The Mediterranean diet has become universally recognized as one of the healthiest ways to eat. It emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, legumes, olive oil, and flavorful herbs and spices; eating fish and seafood at least a couple of times a week; enjoying poultry, eggs, cheese, and yogurt in moderation; and saving sweets and red meat for special occasions.
Some popular Mediterranean dishes include: Healthy Spaghetti, Salmon with Tomato and Olive Salad, Shrimp with Penne, Eggplant Parmesan, Chopped Greek Salad with Chicken, and Seafood Couscous.
Asia
There are lots of countries in Asia, all with different styles of cooking and preparing food. But, there are many similarities in what they eat. A healthy Asian diet includes brown rice, fresh seafood and colorful fruits and vegetables.
Some popular healthy Asian dishes include Kung Pao Tofu, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Vegetable Fried Rice, Honey Soy Broiled Salmon and Sichuan Style Chicken with Peanuts Oh boy, that was a lot of traveling! And just think, we only went to a handful of cultures! There are tons and tons of different places your taste buds can go! And all with a unique and healthy taste! It’s time to try them out! Make your taste buds go wild with the excitement of eating different kinds of healthy foods! Oh, and one more thing before we go. Did you notice one of the main parts of all of these cultures’ diets? Fruits and vegetables! These superheroes must be doing something right if everyone eats them every single day! Are you following the trend?
