Eating Healthy Caribbean Food can be an Island Breeze! Read to find out what to eat and what to stay away from!
When we think of Latin & Caribbean food, we think of seafood, tropical fruit, fresh pastries… What about fried bread? Fried plantains? Fried fish? Yes, that too!
People that eat Caribbean food love it and probably eat it for the majority of their meals, like me 🙂 But does eating a heavy Caribbean based diet give you the balanced nutrition you need? Does indulging in Latin and Caribbean fare ‘fare well’ on the waistline? Or does all the dancing, swimming and tropical lifestyle burn off the extra calories.
Healthy Caribbean Food – What’s Good and What to Avoid.
Research shows that Latin and Caribbean people don’t get what they need from their diets, are developing poor health and obesity, and aren’t dancing and swimming enough to balance their lifestyle. But you can balance the rich in fat Caribbean foods with healthier options.
Look into the standard Caribbean meal, and you find a well-rounded group of ingredients – vegetables, carbs, legumes, grains, protein and fruit. It’s a worldly food, derived from Africa, India, Spain, Central and South America, and Asia. The cuisine requires cooking techniques like fire-roasting, frying, baking and stewing. Spices are used generously, with flavors being on the bold side. And always fresh. You’re thinking “that sounds amazing, Desi, what could be so bad? All these things make me want to EAT Caribbean food!”
Well, the heavy parts of Latin & Caribbean cuisine are beautifully disguised as tasty patties, pastelitos, rice, tubers and potatoes, and a comforting list of fried foods, including bread, conch, fish, pork, vegetables, etc. The trick is finding a good balance between the more sinful treats and the healthy ones, and making healthier choices when you have options.
You can take a page from the Ital lifestyle and stick to organic, vegan natural foods low in fats and sodium one or two days a week for a power punch to your diet. But when you hit the Latin and Caribbean markets for a tasty treat, beware of the bakery’s novelties, know what you’re eating and how to balance it all out. Here’s some examples of where to find the hidden calories in Latin and Caribbean food:
Hidden Calories in Caribbean Food: Where to Find ’em.
#1 Cuban Bread – This fine baked good is made with lard. Its then served with tons of butter to make toast. Then you dip it in a sweet Cafe con Leche. If you must eat Cuban toast or a Cuban sandwich (which I, of course, recommend), eat it early in the day and don’t just munch on the loaf (as I would as a kid – WHILE grocery shopping for more tasty things).
#2 Fried Food – Puerto Rican Frituras are made from fried fish. Griot from Haiti is deep fried pork. Croquetas, Empanadas, Bake and Shark, all fried. Festival is fried bread. And why not a whole Snapper, head first into the fryer? Absolutely. It’s hard to avoid these foods, and even harder to replace them. So try limiting your fried treats to active days, like walking the shopping mall or beach day treats! Also, some healthier options, like baked empanadas and roasted pork, are just as great.
#3 Lard and Butter – Jamaican patty dough calls for beef suet or shortening. The Griot from #2? It’s in #3 too, because it’s deep fried in lard. And Latin pastries are made with puff pastry, beautiful layers of dough and tons of butter. Lard is 135% SATURATED FAT per serving and should be eaten very sparingly, there’s no other way around it (even though I am craving a Spicy Beef Patty right now).
#4 Heavy Meals – No meal is served without a huge bed of rice. Beans and plantains too.. Any meal is a large meal. If your take-out container is not filled to the rim, the Caribbean lady at your local spot doesn’t like you much. And, beware, it’s going to taste good. And you’re going to eat it all, maybe in two sittings, but also maybe in one sitting. It’s best to eat these decadent meals early in the day and skip dinner.
#5 High Sodium – Stews, beans and marinades can be high in salt, and with the addition of fat and carbs, can lead to a diet that can cause high-blood pressure, diabetes and heart failure, all leading health issues amongst Latin and Caribbean people. Eating a balanced meal full of lean protein and fresh vegetables can help balance your sodium intake, just don’t cover your salad in dressing.
There are more ways to create HEALTHY Caribbean food, like holding off on carb-heavy staples and cooking with less salt and fat. Keep reading for more options!
Make Healthy Caribbean Food Options.
#1 – Avocados are like part of the family. And it’s a good fat. Avocados also provide tons of protein and fiber and are a great way to fill up on something healthy. Usually served with olive oil and a pinch of salt, I recommend eating it with pretty much everything.
#2 – Eat fresh fruit, like mangoes, papaya, bananas, and starfruit. Fruit contains natural sugar, they also contain vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber to keep your insides happy. A breakfast full of tropical fruit, instead of Cuban toast, is a great way to start your day.
#3 – There’s a lot of rice in Caribbean food, but there’s also beans. Lots of beans, and peas too. Pigeon Peas, Black Beans, Split Peas, Garbanzo Beans, Red Kidney Beans, so many.
Beans add nutrients like iron and fiber to your diet that keep you strong and full. Eating smaller servings of rice and beans can help avoid overeating. Beans are usually cooked with veggies and olive oil, just keep an eye out for heavy salt content. Beans, beans they’re good for your heart..
#4 – Proteins are many times fried. You should try grilled, baked or roasted versions. Roasted meats and chicken are marinated in citrus juices, aromatic herbs, garlic and spices. Using such bold flavors gives great depth to the protein and call for less salt when made fresh at home (Beware: bottled marinades are high in sodium, try my marinade recipes for healthy, homemade options). Stewed meats are usually combined with tubers and veggies, providing fiber and nutrients that make for a hearty meal. If you can resist, skip the rice.
#5 – Herbs and Spices are essential to providing tons of flavor, all the while including natural and beneficial medicinal elements to your meal! There’s tons of herb and spice blends throughout the Caribbean, like Mojo, Jerk Seasoning, Bajan Spice and Trinidad’s Green Seasoning. These are low salt, high-flavor condiments and marinades that makes everything taste great. Spice blends, like my Paradise Spice line, contain many beneficial spices, like turmeric and garlic, which have natural anti-oxidant and ant-inflammatory effects, among other benefits. My spices make cooking healthy Caribbean food at home a breeze!
So aside from decadent pastry dough, and fried everything, healthy Caribbean food can be prepared with your body in mind, without sacrificing flavor. And let’s not forget how important it is to get out of your beach chair and pick up healthy exercise habits.
Let me know how you make your own healthy Caribbean food and if you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them! Here’s to happy, healthy eating!
