Poor man foods

 

Have you ever encountered hard times while growing up in the Caribbean? Parents often told their families that they were to eat certain foods because "they are good for you". They never said good for what. It is against this backdrop that I have always questioned what foods do within my body.

As I age, I became even more interested since when life began at 40; no one ever said what it would begin to do. Finding out is experiential. The wear and tear on our bodies over the years seem to start manifesting themselves at this stage. Perhaps it's time we stop taking things we eat for granted and begin to understand exactly what they do within our bodies and why we should consume them the way we do.

I am suspecting this may take more than one article. There are just so many foods that we are yet to understand their relationship within our bodies. Here are a few:

Breadfruit;

As quoted from this source - click link: It is an excellent source of proteins, essential amino acids, vitamin C, B1, B5, and minerals. These nutrients help strengthen the immune system by reducing the chances of infections. They also improve skin and hair and aid in bone growth. 

It is interesting to note the number of benefits that this food handles within our bodies. Though a formal study hasn't been done that I'm aware of, can this be why Caribbean people are so healthy, particularly those who stay away from processed foods? Breadfruit has made its way onto menus in ways other than pudding and souse or boiled breadfruit which seemed to be a staple among the locals. However, the innovation extends to where entities like https://www.yelluhmeat.com/ have made it quite the business. 

They have managed to showcase the dexterity of the breadfruit in the ways they present it to the consuming public. Many of them are repeat customers returning for the fare and variety of the menu offered there. 

Sweet potato;

When I saw this link: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sweet-potato-benefits#supports-vision I was in awe at the amount of benefits that sweet potatoes offer the body. Don't take my word, see it for yourselves by following that link. 

Sweet potatoes have been linked with the following health benefits:

• Cancer. Carotenoids in sweet potatoes might lower your risk for cancer. ...
• Diabetes. Compounds in sweet potatoes could help control blood sugar. ...
• Heart disease. Research shows that sweet potatoes can lower your LDL "bad" cholesterol, which may lower your odds of heart problems.
• Macular degeneration. ...
• Obesity.

It makes me wonder why we experience the impact levels of NCDs that we see daily. Are we taking the time to understand the foods we consume or are we just eating for a FULL STOMACH? 

Engage on your own information search via the internet by looking up the benefits of sweet potato,  this humble vegetable needs more recognition than it actually receives. 

Cornmeal;

When we grew up, children would say that cornmeal is duck food. Particularly if it was made in cou cou, what is known in other areas as polenta. It was a staple for many poor families. It was a cheaper way to feed large families who had meagre means and resources. 

However, when looking up how cornmeal works within the body, here's what I found. Apart from filling your stomach to help you feel satisfied, here's some additional information. 

Cornmeal is an excellent source of fibre and selenium. Also, it contains all the essential nutrients required by the human body. Due to its high fibre content, it is good for heart health. It lowers the cholesterol level in the body, making it heart-healthy.

If you need more information, see how cornmeal helps us cope with blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, and iron deficiency. 

If we are going to embark on having so many produce foods shouldn't they also pay attention to the nutritional content of the food we eat. 

Beets;

Beets are great! Why do I say that? The information is there to support it. They're loaded with health benefits for us, yet so many people are abstaining from using vegetables and fruit within their diets. 

Beets are dense with vitamins and minerals which make them extremely good at helping us fight many of the ailments that can impact our lives. Based on the information, beets help us maintain our bodies on a variety of levels - spanning the entire digestive spectrum from when we consume them through to when we discard them as a waste product. 

See these sources - https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-beets#TOC_TITLE_HDR_10

Here's another article that you can view: https://draxe.com/nutrition/beets-benefits/ 

Recognizing that you're busy, I'll stop here for today and encourage you to follow us and share with others are we continue to research and showcase foods of the Caribbean. Have a magnificent week.