West Africa is a region with rich cultural diversity.
While exploring the traditions behind a West African diet, we can also apply Second Nature’s guidance on making this diet a part of your healthy lifestyle.
This guide breaks down the components of a West African diet and how to bring it all together for balanced eating in the Second Nature and also the West African way.
Protein
Protein should comprise 25 % of your balanced plate at every meal. Try to opt for leaner meats such as game, chicken, lamb, goat, and beef.
Protein sources traditional to West Africa are:
Fresh fish
Dried fish
Chicken
Goat
Beef
Lamb
Beans
Peanuts
Crab
Soya
Gizzards
Offal
Game
Insects and Locus
Complex Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates should comprise 25 % of your balanced plate. Try to opt for complex carbohydrates as much as possible for more fibre, vitamins, and minerals to keep you fuller for longer and help stabilise your glucose levels with longer-lasting energy.
Remember, boiling or roasting some of these carbohydrate foods can be much healthier than traditional cooking methods like frying.
Some carbohydrate options include:
Rice
Millet
Sorghum
Maize (corn)
Plantain
Cassava
Yam
Sweet potatoes
Fruits and Vegetables
It’s best to aim for 1-2 portions of fruit a day, plus make up 50% of your plate with vegetables such as:
Spinach
Collard greens
Okra
Tomatoes
Peppers
Onions
Leaves/leafy greens
Fruits might include:
Baobab
Custard apple
Paw Paw
Jujube
Marula
Sugarcane
African Plum
Akee
Egusi
Mangoes
Banana
Guava
Pineapple
For further information, here’s our guide on fruit.
Fats
Including at least 1 serving of fat with each meal ensures the meal is satisfying and filling. Opting for butter and coconut oil more often can be healthier options too.
Here are some fat sources typical in a West African diet:
Palm oil
Shea butter
Butter
Groundnut oil
Coconut oil
Avocado Pears
Cheese
Sourmilk
Flavoured milk
Fermented milk
Following this, we’ve created a West African balanced plate for you to use as a guide when bringing these food groups together to make a meal:
If want to print the West African Healthy Balanced Plate, you can download the following version:
Second Nature Recipes
Here are also some Second Nature Recipes you may find appealing for a West African influence in your diet:
In addition, here are some other traditional West African recipes that are Second Nature friendly:
Here are some suggested ways you can include traditional West African meals into your daily meal plan:
Breakfast
40g oats/millet/sorghum to make porridge with 1-2 tablespoons of nut butter and a handful of berries.
Omelette with spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes
2 hard-boiled eggs, 1 portion of fruit, and a handful of nuts.
Avocado and boiled egg sandwich with wholegrain or sourdough bread
A portion of wholemeal breakfast cereal with fruit and a handful of nuts
Lunch & Dinner
Soup (e.g. okra) with beef/mackerel and leafy green vegetables. If having with eba/pounded yam, use your hands to measure the portion. Aim for a closed fistful.
Pepper soup with protein (e.g. fish) and lots of leafy green vegetables like uziza and kale.
Sauces/stew with mixed meat or fish and non-starchy vegetables with a serving of brown rice/potato/yam/plantain
50g of Jollof rice with salad and your choice of protein (e.g. chicken)
Beans/moi moi served with non-starchy vegetables
Egg sauce with onions, tomatoes and spinach with a serving of brown rice/plantain/yam
Snacks
There are some traditional snacks to enjoy more mindfully, such as chin chin, puff puff, vitumbua and garri, which are higher in sugar, carbohydrates and trans fats.
Some healthier snack options could be kuli kuli for a protein boost, homemade plantain chips, roasted or boiled groundnuts, boiled eggs, sweet potato cubes, roasted corn on the cob, or popcorn.
Remember, you can always contact your health coach for further guidance on traditional West African eating with healthier tweaks.
Written by our health coach Simi Ryatt