Healthy Living

If you’re hearing the faint echoes of mariachi melodies and feeling a sudden urge to go postal on a piñata, don’t worry.  You’re not going crazy, it’s just May 5!

Cinco de Mayo is an excellent opportunity to celebrate Mexican heritage and a wonderful reason to enjoy some fantastic south-of-the-border fare.  However, what most of us north of the border would consider “Mexican food” is actually an Americanized interpretation.  While I do love my country, when it comes to food we tend to think that if a little is good, then a lot has to be better.  And unfortunately, our version of Mexican food is no exception.

The good news is that you can have a perfectly healthy Cinco de Mayo fiesta with all the trimmings and still look great in that lithe little flamenco dress.  You just have to get back to the roots of good Mexican food!  As is the case with most ethnic fare, the closer you get to the origins of the cuisine the more you uncover a foundation of fresh, unprocessed foods.  That’s a tradition to which we should all strive to return.  Here are a few tips to help you do just that.

Choose whole grains.  Traditional Mexican food uses mostly whole grain corn tortillas and less that are made from white flour.  Grains were rarely refined many years ago, and corn was generally more plentiful than wheat.  Rice is actually not native to Mexico and was brought over by the Spanish in colonial times.  Whether this rice was traditionally refined or not, why not benefit from modern knowledge and choose brown rice for its extra fiber and nutrients?

Limit cheese and sour cream.  It may be surprising to learn that authentic Mexican food actually contains only small amounts of cheese and very little sour cream, especially since so many ethnic restaurants serve a majority of their menu items smothered in these dairy delights.  And who could blame them?  There aren’t too many foods out there that don’t taste better with cheese and sour cream.  But they are high in saturated fat, so you should consider using less as well as choosing the somewhat healthier reduced fat versions.  And above all, please:

No processed cheese!  You know what I’m talking about.  The stuff that melts into a liquid, drowning your poor unsuspecting nachos.  Velveeta.  Cheez Whiz.  American cheese slices (there’s that American thing again).  If you’ve ever read the label on these foods, you’ve probably wondered what all those ingredients are and pondered how much actual cheese is in that “cheese product.”  Those ingredients are mostly added preservatives, emulsifiers and stabilizers that give the “cheese” its liquid-like quality and extended shelf-life.  While these additives are approved for use and probably safe in moderation, we should really limit our exposure to these substances in favor of fresh foods which are definitely safe.  As for how much actual cheese is in them, I’m not sure anyone really knows…

Oh, and should you partake in this holiday’s traditional beverage (ahem), please do so responsibly.  ¡Olé mis amigos!

Jennifer Fetterley is a registered dietitian for the Backus Health System and Thames Valley Council for Community Action. This advice should not replace the advice of your personal healthcare provider. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy Living blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com or e-mail Ms. Fetterley or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.