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Cultural cuisine

There’s no single way to eat right. No matter what kinds of foods you enjoy eating – you can always make your cultural cuisine healthier.

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If you enjoy East Asian cuisine – delicious dumplings, stir-fried vegetables, savoury soups, barbecued meats and so on – these tips can help you modify your meal planning for healthier eating.

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Fibre rich foods

  • Vegetables
    (mushroom, bok choy, gai lan, broccoli, corn, lotus root, sweet potato, taro, water chestnut, squash, snow pea, baby corn)
  • Fruits
    (apple, banana, durian, berries, mandarin, grapes, guava, longan, lychee, mango, melon, persimmon, pear)
  • Grains
    (rice and noodles made from whole grain whole wheat or brown rice)
  • Legumes
    (dried mung beans, adzuki beans, kidney beans, black eyed peas, lentils, peas, soybeans [edamame])
  • Nuts and seeds
    (almonds, cashews, peanuts, walnuts, sesame seeds)

Lean animal proteins

  • Lean meat, fresh fish, skinless poultry

Vegetable proteins

  • Tofu, tempeh, seitan, legumes

CHOOSE LESS

Sugary + high-fat items

  • Sweets
    (jam, sugar, honey)
  • Desserts
    (sesame pastry, sweet buns, egg tarts, glutinous rice balls, ice cream – green tea, red bean, sesame)
  • Deep fried foods
    (egg rolls, spring rolls, fried wontons, fried fish, fried noodles)
  • Deep fried snacks
    (shrimp chips, wasabi peas)
  • Sweet sauces
    (honey garlic, sweet & sour plum sauce)
  • Sweetened mung bean soup and red bean soup

    High-sodium sauces

    • Soy sauce, miso paste/soybean paste, fish sauce/fish paste, teriyaki sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, black bean sauce

    Sample East Asian dinner

    Portion Meal idea

    ¼ PLATE GRAINS & STARCHES

    • Brown rice – ½ cup

    ½ PLATE VEGETABLES

    • Bok choy + mushrooms – 1 cup

    ¼ PLATE PROTEIN

    • Mapo tofu* – ½ cup
  • * This dish (with main ingredients being firm tofu and ground pork loin) contains soy sauce and oyster sauce. Try to find reduced sodium varieties.

    • Round out your meal with…

    • Dragon fruit – ½ of fruit

     

    Adapted from EatRight Ontario, 2012.

    If you enjoy South Asian cuisine – spicy curries, rich rice dishes, stewed meats and so on – these tips can help you modify your meal planning for healthier eating.

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    Fibre rich foods

    • Vegetables
      (snake gourd, plantain, cauliflower, spinach, corn, sweet potato, green bean, broccoli, mustard green, carrot)
    • Fruits
      (plantain, apple, banana, berries, mango, papaya, pineapple, guava, melon, pomegranate)
    • Grains
      (use whole grain wheat, besan, brown rice, millet or sorghum to make roti, dosa, adai, appam, puttu, upma, venpongal)
    • Legumes
      (lentils, dried beans and peas)
    • Nuts and seeds
      (almonds, cashews, pistachios)

    Lean animal proteins

    • Fish, lean meats, skinless poultry, low-fat cheese, paneer, eggs

    Vegetable proteins

    • Tofu, dhal

    CHOOSE LESS

    Sugary + high-fat items

    • Sweets
      (jam, sugar, jaggery, honey)
    • Desserts
      (ladoo, jalebi, halwa, adhirasam, gulab jamoon and so on)
    • Deep fried foods
      (pakora, bhaji, medu vada)
    • Chips
      (banana, plantain, potato, jackfruit, tapioca)
    • Saturated fats
      (ghee, butter, cream, lard, shortening, coconut oil)
    • Payasam
    • Coconut
    • Murukku and papadums
    • Samosa

    Sample South Asian dinner

    Portion Meal idea

    ¼ PLATE GRAINS & STARCHES

    • Rice (basmati or brown)– ½ cup
      • OR
    • Roti – ½ piece

    ½ PLATE VEGETABLES

    • Tomato salad (with cucumber + mint + chickpeas + onion) – as much as you want

    ¼ PLATE PROTEIN

    • Saag* with tofu – 1 cup
    • Dhal – ½ cup
  • * This dish combines different greens (e.g., spinach, mustard greens, collard greens, etc.) with garlic, peppers and spices; it can be prepared in a variety of ways.

    • Round out your meal with…

    • Melon – ½ cup

     

    Adapted from Diabetes Canada, 2018 & EatRight Ontario, 2012.

    If you enjoy Mediterranean cuisine – beautiful breads, tangy tomatoes, fresh seafood, meaty olives and so on – these tips can help you modify your meal planning for healthier eating.

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    Fibre rich foods

    • Vegetables
      (tomato, pepper, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, onion, olive, eggplant, zucchini, cucumber)
    • Fruits
      (citrus, grapes, fig, pomegranate, date, apricot)
    • Grains
      (whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, oats, barley, couscous, brown rice)
    • Legumes
      (chickpeas, peas, lentils, cannellini beans)
    • Nuts and seeds
      (almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts)

    Lean animal proteins

    • Fish (tuna, salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines), chicken, turkey, rabbit, eggs

     

    Healthy fats

    • Olive oil, olive oil margarine

    CHOOSE LESS

    Sugary + high-fat items

    • Sweets
      (candies, pastries, desserts and sweetened pop and/or juice)
    • Refined carbohydrates
      (white flour-based bread, pizza dough, pasta)
    • High-sodium antipasto foods
      (cured meats, cheeses, marinated vegetables and so on)
    • Red meat
    • Breaded, deep fried meat/fish
    • Breaded, deep fried vegetable dishes
    • Creamy sauces

    Sample Mediterranean dinner

    Portion Meal idea

    ¼ PLATE GRAINS & STARCHES

    • Whole wheat couscous salad (add vegetables of your choice, with olive oil and vinegar) – up to 1 cup

    ½ PLATE VEGETABLES

    • Steamed broccoli – as much as you want

    ¼ PLATE PROTEIN

    • Salmon* (baked) – 2 ½ ounces
  • * Season with dill, sea salt, garlic, pepper and garnish with a slice of lemon.

    • Round out your meal with…

    • Orange – 1 medium

     

    Adapted from Dietitians of Canada, 2017.

    If you enjoy Caribbean & African cuisine – spicy stews, rich curries, marinated meats, succulent fruit and so on – these tips can help you modify your meal planning for healthier eating.

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    Fibre rich foods

    • Vegetables
      (okra, eggplant, carrot, broccoli, leafy greens such as callaloo, kale, collards, spinach, Swiss chard)
    • Fruits
      (guava, sapodilla, pomegranate, orange, mango, banana, papaya, pineapple, apple, melon, berries)
    • Grains
      (oats, millet, teff, barley, brown rice, maize, whole wheat)
    • Legumes
      (kidney beans, lentils, pigeon peas, chickpeas, cowpeas)
    • Nuts and seeds
      (almonds, walnuts, peanuts, flax seeds and cashews)

    Lean animal proteins

    • Fresh fish, skinless poultry, low-fat milk products

     

    Healthy fats

    • Oils (olive, canola, sunflower), nuts and seeds, avocado, oily fish

    CHOOSE LESS

    Sugary + high-fat items

    • Sweets
      (fruit juice and nectars, jam, candy, pop, baked goods such as pastries, tarts)
    • Fried snack foods
      (plantain chips, mandazi, vetkoek, puff puff, dumplings)
    • Saturated fats
      (butter, lard, shortening, palm oil, coconut oil)
    • High-fat meats
      (chicken wings, sausage, spareribs, chicken, cow or pig feet, cow tongue, pig or ox tail)

    Sample Caribbean & African dinner

    Portion Meal idea

    ¼ PLATE GRAINS & STARCHES

    • Small, whole grain roll

    ½ PLATE VEGETABLES

    • Collard greens – 1 cup

    ¼ PLATE PROTEIN

    • Roasted (jerk) chicken* – 2 ½ ounces
  • * Season with jerk marinade – combo of green onion, scotch bonnet pepper, water, garlic, lime juice, ginger, allspice, thyme, salt, cinnamon, black pepper and nutmeg – or whichever flavours you prefer.

    • Round out your meal with…

    • Mango – ½ cup

     

    Adapted from Dietitians of Canada, 2020.

    If you enjoy Latin American cuisine – fiery salsas, fragrant fish, hearty bean stews and so on – these tips can help you modify your meal planning for healthier eating.

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    Fibre rich foods

    • Vegetables
      (Swiss chard, spinach, cabbage, auyama [pumpkin], nopal [cactus pad], artichoke, peppers, zucchini, tomatillo, broccoli, cassava, corn, plantain, sweet potato, yam, winter squash, carrot, cauliflower)
    • Fruits
      (fig, mango, papaya, orange, cherimoya, prickly pear, guava, banana, soursop, dragon fruit, apple, melon, berries)
    • Grains
      (whole wheat, maize, oats, quinoa, tapioca, mote, barley, brown rice)
    • Legumes
      (pinto beans, black beans, chickpeas, lentils)
    • Nuts and seeds
      (Brazil nuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, cashews)

    Lean animal proteins

    • Fresh fish, skinless poultry, low-fat milk products

     

    Healthy fats

    • Oils (olive, canola, sunflower), nuts and seeds, avocado, oily fish

    CHOOSE LESS

    Sugary + high-fat items

    • Sweets
      (jam, dulce de leche [caramel], candy, baked goods, pop)
    • Deep fried foods
      (fritters, fried tortillas, churros, pork skins, dumplings, beef or chicken turnovers, plantain chips)
    • Saturated fats
      (butter, lard, shortening, palm oil, coconut oil)
    • Refined flour*
      (arepas, empanadas, tamales, tortillas)
  •  * Substitute with 100% whole grain whole wheat flour or whole grain corn flour instead.

    • Sample Latin American dinner

    Portion Meal idea

    ¼ PLATE GRAINS & STARCHES

    • Rice (brown) – ½ cup

    ½ PLATE VEGETABLES

    • Swiss chard (sauté in olive oil with your choice of seasoning) – 1 cup

    ¼ PLATE PROTEIN

    • Chicken* – 2 ½ ounces
  • * Arroz con pollo – cook rice and chicken in a tomato-based stock, with onion and garlic

    • Round out your meal with…

    • Prickly pear – ½ of fruit

     

    Adapted from Dietitians of Canada, 2020.

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    Information presented within Cart2Table is not intended to replace the advice of a healthcare professional.

    Cart2Table has been reviewed and approved by Registered Dietitian Caroline Leblanc and Certified Diabetes Educator Naomi Orzech.