By Briana Hayes
Staff Writer
Food is a culture all over the world. It brings people together.
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, the two ideas of food and family become closer in America.
When we think about “American” food, basically anything under the sun can be considered: from BBQ to Chinese takeout to cheeseburgers to southern cooking to New England seafood. However, in other parts of the world, food is more distinctive.
When you are trying new cultural foods, which ones are the healthiest? Which ones have the most nutrients?
It becomes pretty obvious when looking at obesity and heart disease rates in specific regions of the world to see which cuisines are the healthiest. For example, southern cooking with tons of butter and then more butter is probably the reason southern states tend to have a higher obesity rate than northeastern states.
The Mediterranean Diet is considered one of the healthiest in the world and there is definitely good reasons behind it. Traditional Greek foods like dark leafy veggies, fresh fruit, high-fiber beans, lentils, grains, olive oil, and omega-3-rich fish deliver lots of immune-boosting and cancer-fighting ingredients that cut your risks of heart disease, diabetes, and other diet-related ailments.
This type of diet is typically eaten on smaller plates to reduce the amount eaten. The foods such as garlic, greens, and olive oil reduce blood pressure and heart disease.
Vietnamese cooking is another healthy option. They use fresh herbs, vegetables, seafood, and they cook with water broths instead of oil.
Traditional Vietnamese flavorings (including cilantro, mint, Thai basil, star anise, and red chili) have long been used as alternative remedies for all sorts of ailments, and cilantro and anise have actually been shown to aid digestion and fight disease-causing inflammation.
One of the healthiest and most delicious Vietnamese dishes is pho (pronounced «fuh»), an aromatic, broth-based noodle soup full of antioxidant-packed spices.
Indian food packs a lot of flavor and punch. But it also packs tons of nutrients. The flavors you are probably thinking about include turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon.
These distinctive flavors do more than perk up your favorite curry: They may actually protect against some cancers; turmeric and ginger help fight Alzheimer’s, according to recent studies.
Researchers point to the fact that rates of Alzheimer’s in India are four times lower than in America, perhaps because people there typically eat 100 to 200 milligrams of curry every day.
The Spanish eat tons of fresh seafood, vegetables, and olive oil Super healthy dishes include, gazpacho (full of cancer-fighting lycopene and antioxidants) and paella. Paella includes seafood, rice, and vegetables, and is very traditional.
All of these cuisines are generally healthy and have been around since the beginning of these cultures. If you can’t guess why, it is because they have supplied the nutrients needed to be prosperous and they taste delicious.
