If you’ve been doing your family, friends, community, and society a favor by spending the last couple of months inside, you could be running out of meal ideas. I don’t want to knock anybody, but North American eating isn’t always exciting.
There are only so many meat and starchy side options one can move through before it gets tired. But choosing to diversify your palate can lead to more than just a little fun in the kitchen and new flavors—it can boost your heart health.
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There’s nothing wrong with your steak and potatoes or ribs and potato salad, but there is a heck of a lot more out there. By eating foods from a variety of global regions, you have a great opportunity to increase nutrient intake and re-imagine ingredients.
For example, Indian curry dishes are often rich in healthy spices like turmeric. Indian dishes, in general, lend themselves quite easily to chickpeas and other plant-based foods in ways North Americans may fail to consider.
These high-fiber, high-nutrient dishes can help reduce blood pressure and promote heart health.
Stir-fry is another great regional delicacy, this time from China. Stir-fry uses meat as a supporting actor while veggies and spices take center stage. Spread over a small bed of white rice and this quick and tasty dinner can offer several health benefits.
That’s just a couple of options. You can span your search to Mexico, South America, and countless other regions to utilize healthy tastes that you may have never considered before.
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So, how are you going to learn to cook this stuff? Easy! The Internet is a vast resource where you can find countless recipes from around the world. In many cases, recipe authors will include links to buy any ingredients you might not have.
Further, if you’ve been a participant in the Instant Pot phenomenon or pressure-cooking resurgence, you could be one step ahead of the game. These machines seem like they are perfectly tailored for making flavorful Indian, Mexican, and more.
Spice things up under the stay at home order with a more diverse, heart-healthy meal plan. Let the world in!
Mohan Garikiparithi got his degree in medicine from Osmania University (University of Health Sciences). He practiced clinical medicine for over a decade before he shifted his focus to the field of health communications. During his active practice he served as the head of the Dept. of Microbiology in a diagnostic centre in India. On a three-year communications program in Germany, Mohan developed a keen interest in German Medicine (Homoeopathy), and other alternative systems of medicine. He now advocates treating different medical conditions without the use of traditional drugs. An ardent squash player, Mohan believes in the importance of fitness and wellness.
