NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF MY LATIN KITCHEN:

Fats

Olive Oil: contains Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFAs) which are considered a healthy dietary fat. Some health benefits include: lowered risk of heart disease, lower LDL cholesterol, normalized blood clotting. And according to the Mayo clinic “MUFAs may also benefit insulin levels and blood sugar control, which can be especially helpful if you have type 2 diabetes.”

Avocados: actually classified as a fruit high in MUFAs and low in fructose, a benefit to diabetics. They provide approximately 20 essential nutrients including: fiber, potassium (an important electrolyte), vitamin E, b-vitamins and folic acid. A study* done in 2005 found that avocados helped participants absorb three to five times more cartenoids and antioxidants (than participants that did not eat avocados regularly), which help protect against free radical damage in the body. (*Journal of Nutrition March 1, 2005: 135(3); 431-436).

Almonds: technically a seed and not a nut; high in MUFAs. High in biotin, vitamin E, manganese, copper, vitamin B2, magnesium and fiber. “Almonds appear to not only decrease after-meal rises in blood sugar, but also provide antioxidants to mop up the smaller amounts of free radicals that still result.” (Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Journal of Nutrition)

Raw (probiotic) dairy: probiotics are live active cultures or beneficial bacteria often times found in fermented dairy such as yogurt, raw cheese and kefir. The health benefits include immune enhancement, enhanced digestion, improved reaction to allergies, improvement of irritable bowel syndrome, reduced inflammation, reduced colon tumors, improved blood pressure, improved dental health (Probiotics: Their Potential to Impact Human Health, CAST; 1-20)

Herbs

Cilantro: the most important herb in Latin American cooking. Cilantro is a powerful anti-inflammatory; found to have protective agents bacterial infection including Salmonella; helps to increase HDL cholesterol and reduce LDL cholesterol; shown to be a digestive aid; improves liver function; has been shown to aid in urinary tract infections; helps reduce nausea and mood swings; source of iron, magnesium and fiber.

Mint: this herb originated in Asia and the Mediterranean; especially high in carotenes (antioxidant precursors to vitamin A) and vitamin C; also a source of magnesium, phosphorous and calcium; benefits include: used as digestive aid; anticancer fighting compounds; helps control allergies via rosmarinic acid (an antioxidant) which is a COX-1 and 2 inhibitor.

Oregano: originated in the Mediterranean; contains vitamins A, C, E and K as well as fiber, folate, iron, magnesium, vitamin B6, calcium and potassium; health benefits include: contains rosmarinic acid, contains carvacol and thymol (two phytonutrients) which are great antimicrobials, contains beta-caryophyllin an anti-inflammatory; has been shown to fight cancer (Nutr Cancer. 2009; 61(3):381-9.)

Parsley: the world's most popular herb; contains vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, iron, copper, potassium, calcium, fiber, magnesium, zing, vitamin B3, vitamin B1 and manganese. Parsley has been shown to inhibit tumor formation via its volatile oil myristicin that neutralizes carcinogens. Other health benefits: high in flavenoids (antioxidants); promotes healthy heart, prevents rheumatoid arthritis, boosts immunity.

Spices

Cinnamon: helps control blood sugar and improves glucose utilization (Bolin Qin, M.D., Ph.D., Kiran S. Panickar and Richard A. Anderson, Ph.D., C.N.S.1; Cinnamon: Potential Role in the Prevention of Insulin Resistance, Metabolic Syndrome, and Type 2 Diabetes; Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology). Additional benefits: prevent cancer, anti-microbial, food preservative, helps with arthritis, antioxidant, lowering LDL, fights tooth decay, aids in digestion

Cardamon: originally from India, Guatemala is now the largest producer of cardamom in the world and because of that, it is now a staple of the Latin kitchen. The spice aids in blood pressure, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, helps detoxify, aids in digestion, aids in depression according to Ayurvedic teaching, regulates heart rate, fights anemia

Paprika: mild spice produced by grinding red fruits that come from the family of red peppers. Has been shown to regulate blood pressure, improve blood circulation, assist in digestion, normalize stomach acids, helps fight infections, anti-inflammatory (high in carotenids), is high in vitamin C and

Mineral Salt: table salt is composed of simply sodium chloride. Mineral salt is composed of phosphate, calcium, chloride, potassium and sodium. Therefore, mineral salt has a lower sodium percentage than normal table salt. It's a great swap for patients with hypertension and others watching their sodium intake.

Citrus zest: a wonderful addition to any diabetic meal as it adds flavor without calories. The zest also contains more vitamins and nutrients than the juice of the fruit. Benefits include: loaded with anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, cardioprotective, prevents cancer, helps regulate blood pressure, helps maintain bone strength, strong anti-depressive effect, helps tumors, decreases cholesterol levels (polyphenol flavenoids), protects against bacterial infections, strengthens nails

Staples

Onion: in conjunction with garlic, is considered the foundation for Latin cooking. Health benefits include: has phytochemicals that improve immunity, contains chromium which helps regulate blood sugar, helps fight inflammation, improves production of HDL cholesterol (when eaten raw), contains quercetin (a cancer fighter), high in vitamin A (especially the green tops)

Garlic: the pillar of savory cooking throughout the world (closely related to the onion so health benefits overlap); health benefits include: high in antioxidants, helps boost immune system, beneficial for respiratory and circulatory system including helping with high blood pressure and high cholesterol, helps reduce inflammation, helps fight fatigue, has been used as food “medicine” for thousands of years (athletes in Ancient Greece used it as a performance enhancer)

Tomatoes: usually classified as a fruit; health benefits include: high in alpha-lipoic acid (helps the body convert glucose into energy and aids in glucose control), contains antioxidants (including lycopene which gives tomatoes its red color), contains choline (helps with sleep, muscle movement, and memory), cancer fighting (high in vitamin C), high in potassium, high in fiber, has been shown to help with constipation and depression

Vinegar: aids in digestion (improving absorption and utilization of many essential nutrients), helps treat acid reflux, helps lower cholesterol, aids in weight loss, helps kill some cancer cells (some studies show), has positive effects on blood glucose levels (there are many studies that show that vinegar may aid in preventing diabetes and improving blood glucose levels for patients with Type 2 diabetes: 1) White AM, Johnston CS. 2007. Vinegar ingestion at bedtime moderates waking glucose concentrations in adults with well-controlled type 2 diabetes.Diabetes Care 11: 2814-2815.
2) Johnston CS, Kim CM, Buller AJ. 2004. Vinegar improves insulin sensitivity to a high-carbohydrate meal in subjects with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care27:281-282.
3) Ostman E, Granfeldt Y, Persson L, et al. 2005. Vinegar supplementation lowers glucose and insulin responses and increases satiety after a bread meal in healthy subjects. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 59;983-988.

Carbohydrates

Quinoa: three thousand year old grain of the Incas; benefits include: one of the most protein rich grains, contains twice as much fiber as most grains, contains high amounts of iron, magnesium and lysine, high in vitamin B2 (improves metabolism and energy production amongst other benefits), high in manganese (an anti-oxidant)

Brown Rice: high in manganese, selenium, phosphorus, copper, magnesium and vitamin B3. Interesting to note that the conversion of brown rice into white destroys up to 80% of all its vitamins and minerals. Some health benefits include: high in fiber, helps lower cholesterol, been shown to have cardiovascular benefits, contains anti-oxidant phytonutrients, protects against heart disease and metabolic syndrome, lowers risk of type 2 diabetes and some cancers (Van Dam RM, Hu FB, Diabetes Care), promotes bone health

Animal Proteins

Fatty/Oily Fish: rich in Omega-3s polyunsaturated fatty acids which are essential to good health. Some benefits include: prevention of cardiovascular disease, reduced risk of rheumatoid arthritis, protects against dementia, prevention against cancers (especially oral and skin), boosts infant sensory/cognitive and motor development, protects and boosts vision, improves memory

Examples of fatty fish: trout, salmon, kipper, eel, sardines, pilchards, whitebait, mackerel, tuna*, herring (*canned tuna not considered to be as high in Omega-3s as the fresh)