Introducing the Latin American Diet Pyramid
(1 comments)
You don't have to be Latino to adopt some or all of this diet.
Maybe our ancestors really did know best. This is the philosophy behind the Latin American Diet Pyramid, an effort to reintroduce traditional Latin American nutritional patterns to Hispanic Americans, who suffer disproportionately from health problems such as obesity and diabetes.
Developed by the Latino Nutrition Coalition of Boston, this pyramid is designed to help Hispanic Americans return to the leaner diet of Latin American countries, explains Liz Mintz, nutrition council manager. The pyramid is explained in the colorful new pamphlet
Camino Magico. You can find it by visiting www.latinonutrition.org.
The pyramid favors seafood and poultry in place of red meat. Tropical fruits (mangos, papaya, pineapple), vegetables (onions, tomatoes, peppers), whole grains, beans, nuts, and tubers (potato-like vegetables such as yucca) form the base of the pyramid because they are foods that should be included with every meal.
You don't have to be Latino to adopt some or all of this diet. It's healthful for everyone, says Mintz. "People are always looking for new foods and new ways to interpret older recipes. This food pyramid provides that."
1 Comments
i love this latin food pyramid, and agree with it 100%. red meat takes forever to digest; fish and poultry are much better choices. i love the fresh fruits and veggies being at the first level, and whole grains next. right on Latin America!
Posted at
2:24 PM
September 6 2007
by
bridges,
Timberlade NC'
