Healthy Eating

[LadyDeath]

Healthy eating means eating a variety of foods that give you the nutrients you need to maintain your health, feel good, and have energy. These nutrients include protein, carbohydrates, fat, water, vitamins, and minerals.

Nutrition is important for everyone. When combined with being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight, eating well is an excellent way to help your body stay strong and healthy.

1. Do you eat healthy or do you think you eat healthy?
2. What foods do you incoporate in your diet to be healthy
3. Do you consider our caribbean cuisines to be healthy? Which ones or dishes in particular?

 

[Shadowhunter]

1. I eat healthy sometimes. I am known for craving terribly unhealthy stuff lol

2. There is no wheat or dairy in my diet, so I try to eat a lot of fresh produce and find ways to incorporate it into my meals to make up for the lack of filling ingredients like wheat and dairy. I try to avoid greasy, fried foods most of the time, and try following healthy cooking tips from my health practitioners that cater to my own and my family's needs. I do not drink juice or carbonated or artificial beverages and I try to avoid processed foods when possible. I look out for specific ingredients that I believe are harmful or unnecessary and read labels for everything I buy to avoid them as much as possible.

3. I think the majority of our cuisine is unhealthy, but this is to be expected. Our ancestors did not bring and develop dishes based on how healthy it was, but based on what they could afford on laboring and slave salaries, what was easily accessible to them, what could be stretched to last as many meals as possible, and what kept them going through a long, hard work day until their next meal. I think a lot of our dishes could be made healthy if we want to make the effort, but customs/traditions tend to trump health details for some. Soups, provision dishes, and meals like callaloo are healthy IMO and can be made healthier if we wish.

 

[LadyDeath]

I try my very best to eat healthy . However, in a traditional indian household my parents always think i am trying to loose weight lol. '

1. I drink smoothies mostly every morning made from fresh fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, pear, plums, apples, oranges , beets , bananas, watermelons etc. I also try to incorporate alot of fresh green vegetables in my diet and ease up on oil & fatty foods. Red meat is also something i am trying to cut out permanently from my diet as well. I also try to find healthier substitutes for normal things that i use such as Milk- Almond Milk , Butter- Almond butter , Sugar- honey etc.

2. Yes and no for me. Some of our Caribbean foods are considered to be healthy compared to American foods . Most of our foods don't have cheese or butter, milk or sugar in them . Some of our healthy cuisines are :
- Bok Choy
- Bhagi
- Callaloo
- Soups
- Boiled Provisions
- Tomato & Saltfish
- Dhal
- Tomato Choka without the oil
- 'Zaboka choka'
- Curried aloo without the oil
- Steamed breadfruit
- Lentils , peas and beans

and the list can go on. Pelau and Stew Foods are not healthy due to the amount of sugar ( which i happen to love ;( )

 

[Lorenzo]

Found this for cravings a while back..

 

[Shadowhunter]

Found this for cravings a while back..

Thanks Lorenzo! I'll have to pay special attention to the sugar section lol

 

[LadyDeath]

Thank you Lorenzo ! I needed this chart ..Very helpful when i have my cravings lol.

 

[Lorenzo]

Here's something about dark chocolate..

 

[Shadowhunter]

2 blocks of 70% (or higher) dark chocolate a day keeps the doctor away! But if you eat a whole bar (or two) in one sitting like me it gets a bit counter productive lol