The first and only time I went to a dietician, they gave me a pamphlet of healthy recipes, as you might expect.
Still, I was not prepared for what I saw.
Boring cantaloupe stuffed with cottage cheese, bland iceberg lettuce salads and bland rice substitutes greeted me when I peeled back the paper bundle.
“Is this really it?” I asked.
Needless to say, I was disappointed. As a food writer and recipe developer – and a person who likes to eat – I want taste, colour, texture and diversity in my food.
I am half Asian and half Latinx. My cultural background has always informed which dishes I’m drawn to, whether it’s because I grew up with a certain ingredient or wanted to find out more about the history of a recipe.
As I got a little older and became aware of the healthy food conversation, I soon realized that the foods I liked weren’t part of it.
Food considered healthy always came from a Eurocentric lens, and many, if not all, Asian and Latin dishes were left out.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Commission on Dietetic Registration, 80 percent of approximately 119,000 registered dietitians in the United States are non-Hispanic white.
In a New York Times article analyzing these findings, author Priya Krishna notes that “many dietitians say the academy’s research, programs and articles ignore non-Western foods or suggest they are unhealthy.”
Using Asian and Latin ingredients to eat well in my personal life feels like a small way to combat a lot of harmful thinking. I cook to nourish my body, but in return it also allows me to relive my happy memories.
The red and green skin of mango transports me to my childhood where I ran around mango trees with my brother.
The tangy taste of kimchi takes me back to evenings with friends around a hot Korean BBQ grill.
And every time I peel green plantains, the smell makes me feel at home.
Here are some of the Asian and Latinx ingredients I cook with to eat well for both body and mind. Each one brings a wealth of flavor, color and nutrition to whatever dish they’re in.
I am currently based in Tokyo, so there is a large variety of miso readily available to me.
In the US, you can usually choose from white, yellow, or red miso in Asian grocery stores. The range of colors depends on how long the soybeans have been fermented: white is the least fermented with subtle sweet tones to red is the most aged with a deep, robust flavor.
Why I love it
I love miso because of how extremely versatile it is. I’ve used it in everything from marinating chicken to mixing cake batter.
Benefits
It is rich in umami, but also offers a number of health benefits.
Research from 2021 found that it contains a wide variety of nutritious fermented enzymes, amino acids and beneficial microbes. See the article : USAID pledges nearly $1.3 billion to support food security in the Horn of Africa – Food Tank.
How to find and use miso
You can easily buy miso at most grocery stores, but for the largest selection, go to a Japanese market. See the article : Pinnertest Food Intolerance Test Review.
Use it for soups, salad dressings, marinades, baking and more.
Hands down, mango is my favorite fruit. I eat them mixed into salsa, mixed with ice, or sprinkled with Tajín, a Mexican condiment made from chili, lime, and salt. There is no way to enjoy them.
Why I love it
Most grocery stores in the US only carry Tommy Atkins mangoes (the big red and green ones), but there are over a thousand varieties with different textures and sweetness. This may interest you : Two metro area food charities help seniors facing food insecurity.
Hawai’i’s Excel mangoes have very thin skin and an equally thin seed, which means a much larger juicy fruit ratio. It is even sometimes referred to as Hawaii’s gold.
Pakistan’s Anwar Ratol and Chaunsa mangoes have created an underground WhatsApp market because these varieties are so sought after.
Benefits
Rich in vitamin C and vitamin A, this beloved fruit offers several health benefits.
According to 2021 research, eating mangoes was associated with higher nutrient intake, diet quality, and weight-related health outcomes.
How to find and use mango
Mangoes are readily available at almost all supermarkets. Warmer climates tend to grow more mango varieties, so be sure to check out local farmers markets.
Use them in salsa, salads (sweet or savory), sliced over sticky rice, mixed into mango lassi, or just raw with some Tajín.
Although I love the texture of dried beans, I often forget to soak them beforehand. That’s when canned beans come through.
In an instant I can eat refried beans, black beans seasoned with cumin, or crispy chickpeas.
Why I love it
Beans are a huge part of Latinx culture and are something I always gravitate towards for a quick but satisfying meal.
They’re also inexpensive and have a long shelf life, which is why I always have a large supply stashed away in my pantry when the bean craving hits.
Benefits
Just one can of pinto beans has 19.4 grams of protein, nearly 30 percent of the recommended dietary allowance of 64.8 grams or 0.36 grams of protein per pound (0.8 grams per kg) of body weight for a 180-pound person.
According to a 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis, regular beans reduced LDL cholesterol by 19 percent, cardiovascular disease risk by 11 percent, and coronary heart disease by 22 percent.
Some common types of beans mentioned in the study include:
The review also noted that beans are an ecologically sustainable source of protein compared to animal-based ones.
How to find and use beans
Fortunately, you’ll likely find canned beans at any grocery store. Use them as dips, pair with rice, spoon over tortillas, make a grain bowl and more.
Kimchi is arguably the most important cultural dish in Korea.
Why I love it
For over 3,000 years, huge heads of cabbage have been coated with mixtures of sugar, salt, onion, garlic, ginger and gochugaru (Korean red pepper) and left to ferment until sour.
Some of my favorite ways to eat it are in fried rice, jjigae (Korean stew), or simply straight from the jar.
Benefits
During the fermentation process, powerful probiotics are formed, making kimchi a Korean superfood.
According to a 2018 review, kimchi has been found to have several health benefits, including:
How to find and use kimchi
You can usually find kimchi in most health food stores. For the largest selection, visit a Korean grocery store, such as H-Mart.
There are countless types of kimchi, and each one is special. The most common variety is made with cabbage, which I like to mix into fried rice, eat in soups, or simply use as a side dish.
Not all kimchi found in a grocery store contains probiotics. Look for kimchi in the refrigerated food section and read the packaging to make sure the product contains live, active cultures. Most canned kimchi products do not contain live probiotic strains.
Last but not least is the mighty plantain. Throughout Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean, plantains have been a staple food for centuries.
Why I love them
Unlike sweet bananas, plantains are starchy and contain less sugar. I grew up enjoying them in both their green, unripe state and so ripe they turned black.
At both stages and in between, there are countless ways to prepare them.
Tostones and maduros were constant accessories in the family home.
Tostones are made when the plantains are green and unripe. It takes full advantage of their stretchiness by double frying them and leaving each edge golden.
On the other hand, maduros are best made with plantains which are black and full of natural sugar. In a quick shallow fry, the sugary bits caramelise and the whole slice becomes tender.
Benefits
They are a rich source of fiber and contain a variety of vitamins and minerals such as magnesium and potassium, among many other benefits.
Research from 2019 noted that plantain flesh and peel is high in several important nutrients, such as:
They also play an important role in food security and prevention of malnutrition in tropical and subtropical areas, including Africa.
How to find and use plantains
Cooking bananas are readily available in many grocery stores across the United States
If you can’t find them at your usual place, visit a grocery store in a Latinx neighborhood.
There really are an endless amount of ways to enjoy plantains at all stages of ripeness.
For green plantains, try making tostones. For near-black/full-black plantains, cut diagonally and fry to make maduros.
Want to learn more, access more diverse information, or even see a culturally competent dietitian? Check out the resources below.
No single culture has a monopoly on healthy food. It is time we honor the rich culture, traditions and cuisines that black and brown cultures have to offer.
Doing so can be as simple as visiting a new grocery store with different types of food than you’re used to, or digging up a recipe your ancestors used to make.
Healthy food does not have to be boring, bland or exclusively white.
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Kiera Wright-Ruiz is a food writer, recipe developer and author based in Tokyo. Her first picture book, “I WANT TO BE SPAGHETTI!”, will be published in July 2023, and her first cookbook, “The Half-Latinx Cookbook”, will be published in Spring 2025. Follow her @kierawrr for more.
