East Africa is a diverse part of the continent of Africa, but what binds all East African countries together is their love for food and their cultural dishes.
A staple like Ugali paired with a flavoursome fish curry is just one example of a delicious East African dish that speaks culture and tradition.
At Second Nature, we know it’s important for you to reach your health goals whilst enjoying your traditional foods. Here are some suggestions for maintaining a traditional East African diet while following the Second Nature programme.
Protein
Protein should comprise 25 % of your balanced plate at every meal.
Protein sources traditional to East Africa are:
Fish
Beans
Goat
Lamb
Beef
Wildebeest
Tripe
Ox
Camel
Sheep
Zebra
Antelope
Complex Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates should comprise 25 % of your balanced plate. Try to opt for complex carbohydrates as much as possible and be mindful of your portion size, as it can be easy to over-serve carbohydrates.
Some carbohydrate options include:
Teff
Sorghum
Maize/Corn
Rice
Barley
Beans
Chickpeas
Flatbreads
Cassava
Eddo (root vegetable)
Potato and sweet potato
Yam
Plantain
Squash
Fruits and Vegetables
There are many colourful fruits and vegetables used in traditional East African cooking. Vegetables should make up 50 % of your plate. Meals may contain vegetables such as:
Tomatoes
Onions
Hot peppers
Leafy greens i.e. spinach, cabbage, kale, collard greens such as potato leaves and pumpkin leaves
Baobabs
Okra
Spiderweed (tsisaka in Luhya)
Amaranthus (terere in Kikuyu)
Pigweed (Mchicha in Swahili)
Black nightshade (Managu in Kikuyu),
Cowpeas and Black Jack
Sunnhemp (Miro in Luhya)
Jute plant (Murere in Luhya, mrenda in Swahili)
Stinging nettle (Thabai in Kikuyu)
African eggplant
Peas
Carrot
We recommend a daily upper limit of 2 servings of fruit. Fruits might include:
Paw Paw
Mangoes
Papaya
Passion fruit
Pineapple
Variety of bananas - Dwarf, Red, Yellow, Matokes, Plantains
For further information, here’s our guide on fruit.
Fats
Aim for at least one serving of fat with each meal to ensure the meal is energising and filling. Some options here might be:
Smoked milk
Butter
Ghee
Nuts and seeds
Coconut milk
We’ve also created the East African Healthy Balanced Plate to help make following the balanced plate model easier.
If want to print the East African Healthy Balanced Plate, you can download the following version:
To support your meal planning, here is an example shopping list for you and some suggested SN recipes:
Shopping List
Collard greens - fresh or frozen
Onions
Tomatoes
Plantains
Garlic
Fresh or frozen fish fillets (halibut, cod, red snapper)
Coconut milk
Peanuts
Frozen peas
Tinned beans
Bananas
Cornmeal
Cassava
Second Nature Recipes
In addition, here are some other traditional East African recipes that are Second Nature friendly:
Remember, it’s all about balancing occasional foods with everyday foods and enjoying your traditional meals whilst following the balanced plate.
Happy meal planning!
Written by our health coach Simi Ryatt