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Following Second Nature the East African Way
Following Second Nature the East African Way
Anastasia avatar
Written by Anastasia
Updated over a week ago

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

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