Health knowledge made personal
Hi there,
I actually spent a summer volunteering and living in West Africa and thoroughly enjoyed the food I ate there. As you said, they ate lots of sweet potatoes/yams, greens, peanuts, rice, and greens. We were near the ocean so we also enjoyed lots of fresh fish as well.
I believe that the ancestral African diet was very similar. Like so many other cultures, the diet was determined by the foods that were readily available and able to be grown in that particular climate.
All of the aforementioned foods that I enjoyed are very healthy and I see no reason to not include west african meals and ingredients in your diet! :)
I forgot to mention that I created a recipe that reminded me of the flavors that I enjoyed while I was living in West Africa.
Spicy West African Peanut and Sweet Potato Soup
http://fitnesshealthandfood.com/2011/04/26/vegan-spicy-west-african-peanut-and-sweet-potato-soup-recipe/
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Posted by tambra
Because of misinformation of palm oil, I am curious what other ingredients and cooking methods from Africa are healthy that isn't mentioned in food media outlets. Many African Americans originated from west Africa and have brought ingredients such as greens, sweet potatoes, peanuts and rice; however their American cooking style has given the cultural diet a bad reputation. So traditionally were the diets of ancestral Africa better? If so what was it?