It could also reveal areas ripe for innovation for manufacturers looking to meet increasing consumer demand for global flavors, culturally relevant and healthier, yet convenient foods and beverages.
“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” — hampering the development of evidence-based, culturally appropriate dietary guidelines that could help address health disparities across demographics, researchers wrote in the study led by Kelly LeBlanc, VP of nutrition programming at the nonprofit Oldways for Food and Nutrition.
She explained to FoodNavigator-USA that nutritionists intuitively understand that different cultures and cuisines have beneficial components and that they want to honor and respect the cultural traditions of their clients by providing guidance from these different perspectives. However, currently there is no common language or sufficient evidence-based research on different cultural diets as there is for the Mediterranean diet.
By creating a common language and basic framework around different heritage diets, researchers can systematically and scientifically document and measure their health effects. They can also make evidence-based recommendations that elevate the cuisines and their benefits, she added.
In assessing diets from Latin America, Asia and Africa as cultural models for healthy eating, LeBlanc emphasized that the researchers “are not pitting one diet or one group against another” and “not saying you have to eat a certain way.” food because of your cultural or ethnic background.”
At the same time, the researchers wanted to demonstrate that diet-related diseases, which are currently more common among demographic subgroups in the US, are not inherent to their culture or heritage. But rather that there are many healthy, flavorful foods that are part of their heritage.
“The goal is to show that there are multiple paths to good health and well-being,” and to encourage people “to look at the great choices we have and hopefully find something that inspires you and that you can connection with it,” LeBlanc said.
Cultural diets share common patterns with different specific ingredients and flavors
When assessing traditional diets from Latin America, Asia and Africa, researchers found that they all followed a “core-edge-legume” pattern, “consisting of unrefined carbohydrate foods, such as whole grains or tubers, as the base (core) of the meal, along with vegetables and small amounts of meat, sauces or fish (edge) and legumes, which add flavor and variety,” the study said.
“Whether we look at Latin American heritage diets, African heritage diets or Asian heritage diets, we see a strong emphasis on plant-based foods and while each pattern may seem the same from one part of the world, the specific ingredients feel different,” LeBlanc said .
She explained: “One place might be more inclined to cook with black beans, while another place might be more inclined to cook with lentils than another place might be more inclined to cook with pigeon peas. So we look at the similarities in the patterns, but at the differences in the food and flavors.”
With this in mind, and realizing that substantial variations in diets exist within broad geographic areas, the researchers found that traditional Latin American diets are often rooted in whole grains (primarily corn) and beans, along with fruits and vegetables, including peppers, tomatoes, avocado, potatoes, pineapple, passion fruit, carrots and zucchini, and sometimes seafood.
“Many ingredients popularized today as ‘superfoods’, such as quinoa, amaranth, chia seeds and acai berries, originate from Central and South America,” the researchers added.
Higher fiber intake from black beans is associated with better heart health and metabolism, while high intake of fruits and whole grains and lower intake of added sugars and refined grains or added fats are associated with less inflammation, the study reports.
Despite differences between cultures in East, Southeast and South Asia, the researchers found common eating patterns among traditional Asian diets, including high intakes 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.
Consuming traditional Asian foods is associated with higher fiber intake, which can help prevent chronic diseases. Similarly, high intakes of soy, fish and n-3 fatty acids and green tea, along with low intakes of red meat and saturated fat, are associated with a lower risk of certain cancers, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, it said. research.
The African heritage diet is based on four major regions – continental Africa, the American South, the Caribbean and South America – and includes vegetables, black-eyed peas, okra, yams, peppery sauces and seafood, whole grains such as corn and limited dairy products , meat, sweets, bread and eggs. Teff, millet and sorghum are also important grains.
These foods are associated with a lower risk of hypertension, breast cancer – especially the more aggressive estrogen receptor-negative forms –, reduced intestinal inflammation and greater diversity of gut bacteria, according to the study.
Call to action: Keep an open mind and build on research
The study is a starting point for defining heritage diets from different geographic regions and cultures, but additional research is needed to create evidence-based guidelines, LeBlanc said.
“The call to action is to continue to move this field forward. We would like to see more research into these different cultural traditions and more open-mindedness” in offering culturally tailored nutrition programs and advice, LeBlanc said.
Packaged food and beverage manufacturers can participate by creating foods and strengthening supply chains for ingredients that are culturally relevant and provide health benefits.