This year’s World Food Day was celebrated with the theme – “Our Actions are our Future”, emphasising the fact that our food choices not only affect our health but the health of the planet as well.
With more and more people consuming processed foods for various reasons ranging from convenience factors, easy accessibility, low costs and taste amongst others, many of us don’t seem to realise how our food choices ultimately impact climate change.
With the recent COVID pandemic and the never-ending war on non-communicable diseases globally and locally as well, our individual food choices have become more important than ever, as the move towards a more sustainable agri-food system is seen as a solution to reduce carbon emissions and the impacts of climate change in the long term.
As individuals, we can make better food choices today to ensure a better future not only for our health but for the health of the planet as well.
Nutrition experts all over the world are currently emphasising the benefits of whole food plant-based diets to their patients and communities at large as studies continuously evidence the benefits of choosing plant foods.
Tips for better nutrition
Eat more wholegrains and root crops, legumes and beans, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, fresh fish (twice a week only) and water!
1. Wholegrains/root crops – brown rice, oats, wheat, cassava, dalo, kumala, uvi etc. These are energy foods and are also high in fibre which will keep you full for longer periods and provide your body energy. It’s important to include energy foods in every meal.
2. Legumes and beans – include variety of these foods in your daily meals such as chick peas, blue peas, black lentil, brown lentils, moong dhal, split peas, kidney beans etc.
These foods provide your body protein to build and repair body tissues. These are readily available at markets and supermarkets and can be grown at home as well.
Quick tip – for dried legumes and beans – Soak overnight for at least 7-10 hours before cooking (for reduced cooking time and removal of excess gas)
3. Include 2-3 fruits in your meals everyday – go for local seasonal fruits! These will be cheaper in the market and provide you with all good nutrients that your body needs to fight diseases.
4. Add variety of vegetables to your plate – include 2-3 different coloured vegetables at each meal, try to have rainbow colours every day. Example bele, tubua/chauriya, water cress, rourou, ota, carrot, raddish, pumpkin, eggplant, saijan leaves and drum sticks, cabbage, capsicum etc.
Quick tip – start planting your own vegetables to have easy and cheap access!
5. Make sure to have a handful of nuts and seeds every day! a. Seeds – pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flex seeds etc b. Nuts – almond, unsalted peanuts, cashew nuts, pistachio, vutu, ivi etc
6. At least 8 glasses of water every day! By eating more plant-based foods, you will also contribute to saving our environment. Meat-based food system and processed foods use more energy, land and water than plants. What you eat affects climate change! Healthy environment, healthy you!
- Kiti Vasu is a Nutrition Specialist at ADRA Fiji
