Having a hearty appetite has long been perceived at Latino tables as the equivalent to “good health”. Seeing how large quantities of food disappear at family reunions has made countless generations of Latina matriarchs happy. This holiday season, when we join family and friends to celebrate, most of us will overeat our delicious Latin food despite any previous good intentions. And why not? Christmas only comes once a year!

Pinto, red, black, kidney, or white. Beans have been popular for a long time: they were already a staple food in Central America by 3,500 BCE. Besides their rich flavor, beans are revered by diet watchers because they are a great source of protein, soluble fiber, iron, B-vitamins, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. And they are low in fat and contain no cholesterol. While beans might sound too good to be true, they are by nature a ‘super food’. 

Did you know the avocado is a fruit and not a vegetable? No matter what variety – and there are hundreds of them – shape, color, or size, avocados are healthy for you. When you eat an avocado you are truly nourishing your body with many essential nutrients: vitamins A, C & E, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and fiber. What‘s more, avocados are ‗farm-to-market‘ foods, meaning they don‘t require any processing, preservatives, or taste enhancers.

Many Hispanics use lard – pig fat – to flavor food, but is this a good thing?

Like most fats, lard gets a bad rep. But not all fats are created equal. Fats are a densely concentrated source of energy: gram-for-gram, they provide more than twice the calories as carbohydrates and proteins. Fats carry fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K; provide essential fatty acids that our bodies can’t make on their own; give foods their distinct and satisfying feel and taste; and contribute to the feeling of ‘fullness’ or satiety. Fats are necessary, but a little fat can go a long way! 

Diabetes now affects over 29 million people in the United States. Its cost in 2012 alone was estimated at $245 billion. As Hispanics, we must be aware that our risk of developing diabetes is higher and it can happen at any age. Abnormally high levels of blood glucose (sugar) result from problems in how insulin is produced, how effectively it works at lowering blood glucose, or sometimes both.