AFRICAN HERITAGE DIET: Getting Started

Getting Started with the African Heritage Diet: 10 Steps

The African Heritage Diet features familiar foods prepared in easy and affordable ways. Getting started with the African Heritage Diet couldn’t be simpler. Try anyone of these steps… and then another… and another!

1. Boost Flavor With Spice.Curries, peppers, coconut, fresh herbs, garlic, onions, fresh lemon, and all spices are low-sodium ways to add incredible flavors to grains, beans, vegetables, and seafood. Try a different herb every week for a touch of African heritage.
2. Make Vegetables the Star of Your Plate.Steamed, sautéed, roasted, grilled or raw, enjoy veggies like okra, cabbage, green beans, or eggplant in larger portions than the other parts of your meal. If you’re grabbing seconds, go for the veggies!
3. Change the Way You Think About Meat.Use lean, healthy meats in smaller amounts for flavor. Replace ham-hocks with smoked turkey or fish, or pile on the herbs and spices instead! With the zesty flavors of African heritage, you may not even notice the meat’s not there. We’ve got plenty of vegetarian recipes and a guide to help you on the Oldways website.
4. Make Rice & Beans Your New Staple. Fiber-filled Rice-and-Beans is a favorite meal all over the world. Add African heritage whole grains like millet, sorghum and teff to your soups, or partner them with peas.

5. Enjoy Mashes & Medleys.Bake or boil sweet potatoes, yams and potatoes or mash them with eggplants, beans, grains, onions and seasonings. One-Pot Cooking lets flavors sing together! Let okra, corn and tomatoes collide in a “Mix Up,” or add extra color and flavor to your greens with purple cabbage and leeks.
6. Find Real Foods Everywhere.At a corner store, buy peanuts or fruit; at a lunch buffet, load up your plate with salad, veggies, fruit, and beans. Look to African heritage whole foods, in their natural state, to crowd out processed and packaged “convenience foods.”
7. Family Support & Food Fellowship.Food is meant to be shared, and so is good health. Think of your dinner table as a “healing table,” a place where people come to share beautiful, fresh foods and reinforce a long, happy and healthy life.
8. Make Room for Celebration Foods.We all have special foods that have always been in our families. Some of these foods may fall outside the guidelines of the African Heritage Pyramid. Save these foods of meaning and memory for special occasions. Enjoy them infrequently, but when you do have them, enjoy them whole-heartedly!
9. Jazz Up Fruits for Dessert.Fresh or frozen fruits like melons, peaches, berries, and mangos—plain or sprinkled with chopped nuts or coconut—add a sweet taste of satisfaction at the end of a meal.
10. Drink to Your Health.A splash of flavor can make water your go-to drink. Add crushed fruits or small amounts of 100% fruit juice to water or sparkling water to make refreshing “ades” (like lemonade!). Iced tea with a little honey is another refreshing alternative to soda and other highly sugared drinks.

 

(Source: https://oldwayspt.org/traditional-diets/african-heritage-diet )