Sweet potatoes, peanuts, black-eyed peas, lima beans, collard and mustard greens, sorghum, millet…. these and so many other healthy foods originated in Africa and the African diaspora. Reconnecting with these foods offers the opportunity to make Black History Month a celebration of wellness as well as a celebration of culture.
Mention okra to someone you generally get one of two reactions – a passionate declaration of undying love, or a repulsed face followed by a dismissive reference to its sliminess. Strong reactions aside, there’s no denying that okra is a very healthy vegetable with some interesting medicinal properties.
When the Oxford English Dictionary released a list of contenders for its prestigious 2013 Word of the Year award, among the runners-up was the word “schmeat.” Defined as, “a form of meat produced synthetically from biological tissue” schmeat ultimately lost out to the far more ubiquitous “selfie.”
For thousands of years, indigenous peoples in tropical regions have recognized the vast nutritional and medicinal value of the coconut palm. Referred to as the “tree of life” among tropical cultures, virtually all parts of the coconut palm have found use in traditional foods and medicines.
There are many reasons to love avocados: they’re tasty and satisfying; they’re packed with healthy fats, B vitamins, potassium. lutein and zeaxanthin; and they fit nicely into a wide range of culinary styles. But did you know that inclusion of half an avocado in one’s lunch can markedly increase satiety and reduce the desire to […]
A recent photo exhibit at the Sydney International Food Festival tells an interesting tale about culture, cuisine and by extension, health.
From the now common veggie burgers, “not dogs,” and “chicken” nuggets to innovations like meatless buffalo wings and scallops, the selection of faux-flesh delicacies is almost as wide as that of an actual meat market. With such a great diversity of options, how can vegetarians and other meat-conscious consumers make informed, nutritionally-sound choices?
As the blossoming raw foods movement spreads throughout the US, it raises many questions. How can healthcare providers best guide patients interested in exploring a raw foods lifestyle?
Oregano has a long legacy in traditional medicine from Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. Hippocrates recommended it as an antiseptic and a treatment for gastrointestinal and respiratory ailments. A spate of recent research shows that the herb can inhibit a number of human pathogens including Staphylococcus, Salmonella and Aspergillus.
All this “Listeria Hysteria” that followed the reports of contaminated cantaloupe reminds me of a Twilight Zone episode. We’re destroying a relatively healthy food by the ton, and scaring an already scared public, without taking stock of what’s really going on. Blaming cantaloupe is an example of shooting the messenger, if ever I saw one.
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