A Caribbean Guide to Healthy Eating
As the old adage goes: your health is your wealth. We’re always looking for ways to eat better and make our favourite foods healthier without sacrificing flavour.
Luckily, the Caribbean is chock full of organic ingredients that make some of the most mouthwatering dishes in the world while promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Healthier Eating Tips
Let’s break down how you can add simple healthy ingredients to create healthy food to eat.
For a Healthier Breakfast
Sweet Potato Flour
Sweet potato flour is a versatile flour made from the finest sweet potatoes grown in Tobago and actually has more nutritional content than traditional flours–including soy and wheat! Rich in iron and antioxidants, it’s gluten-free and has cancer-fighting compounds.
How To Use It
Sweet potato meal is a fantastic addition to your favourite breakfast meals. Start your day with a traditional, hearty sweet potato porridge. Substitute them with regular flour to make muffins or a tower of fluffy pancakes or waffles for the whole family. If you’re on the go, add it to your favourite breakfast fruit, punch or green smoothie recipes.
For a Healthier Desserts
Green Fig Meal
Green fig meal packs a punch (pun intended!) in health benefits and can be used as a flour substitute as well as a supplement. It allows for better absorption of nutrients, is a great source of probiotic bacteria (which is great for maintaining a healthy gut), is high in fibre, and is an excellent source of vitamin B6 and vitamin C.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is another secret weapon to add to your baking arsenal. It’s been linked to cholesterol level maintenance, weight loss, boosted immune system, proper digestion and regulated metabolism. a healthy gut), is high in fibre, and is an excellent source of vitamin B6 and vitamin C.
How To Use It
Green fig meal and coconut oil are perfect for desserts, so you can still indulge in those sweet tooth cravings guilt-free. It goes without saying that they are a must for banana bread! You can also use them as a substitute for your cakes, brownies, and cookies, for healthier delectable bites that everyone can enjoy.
For a Healthier Flavours
Bay Leaf
A widely used spice, bay leaf has been used since ancient times and for good reason. It’s a medicinal herb that may help manage diabetes and other lifestyle diseases, and anxiety, as well as help lower levels of stress hormones in the body. While most of us typically drink it as tea, you may be surprised to know that you can also add it to many savoury dishes.
Chandon Beni
Chadon beni is considered the quintessential seasoning of the Caribbean and there’s even more reason to love it: This chadon beni sauce is made with culantro, which possesses a number of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties which can aid with a number of ailments ranging from digestional problems, blood pressure to pain relief and more.
How To Use It
With bay leaf powder, you can add depth and flavour to your soups, sauces and meats. Culantro sauce can easily become a pantry fave: it’s diverse enough to be used as a condiment for bake and shark, doubles, or pholourie, and an ingredient in snacks and meals like chow, stews, and the go-to meal prep seasoning for meat and fish.
Bonus Tip
Kale
Considered one of the top superfoods, kale is a highly nutritious plant used in many healthy diets. It’s rich in Vitamin A (important for eye and bone health and strong immune system), vitamin C (aids in cold and chronic disease prevention), and vitamin K (good for blood clotting and bone-building), to name a few.
How To Use It
Kale leaves are popularly consumed in salads and smoothies, but you can sprinkle kale flakes over any of your meals if you want to up your daily nutritional intake.
As Caribbean people, food and cuisine are defining features of our culture. While we all want to indulge, we also want to make sure that we're eating right. At ShopCaribe, we pride ourselves in having a suite of items that allow us to bring a healthy taste of those flavours of the region to you!
Disclaimer: While multiple studies have highlighted the health benefits of the ingredients listed above, you should still check with your doctor for guidance on treatment.
