Revisiting Healthy Latino Foods

Apps suggests that advances in dehydration technology are yielding dry powders with the natural benefits of the raw product intact. “There is exciting potential for aloe-based drink mixes that would be appealing to emerging ethnic markets,” she says.

You say tomato...

Although they’re from the same Solanaceae family as tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), tomatillos (Physalis philadelphica), which resemble small, green tomatoes with a papery husk, are a distinct genus. Green when ripe, their color can advance to yellow or purple. Dating back to 800 B.C., they were first grown for harvest by the Aztecs. Today, tomatillos are becoming more common in America as the Hispanic population grows. The main ingredient in salsa verde, these small fruit (like tomatoes, treated like a vegetable) pack a hearty serving of healthy elements, including potassium, vitamins A, C and K, and folic acid.

Aquacate—abacate in Brazil, but avocado to you and me—has found tremendous acceptance in mainstream America in the form of guacamole. Salsa guasacaca, creamy avocado sauce spiked with chiles, is a Venezuelan favorite. And in Columbia, avocado is diced for addition to soup, stew and even a frozen cocktail called guacamaya. Rich in beneficial compounds, 1 oz. of avocado provides nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including 4% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for vitamin E, 4% vitamin C, 8% folate, 4% fiber, 2% iron and 4% potassium, with 81 μg of lutein and 19 μg of beta carotene.

Heat wave

Not all Latino foods are spicy. Chiles are, however, no stranger to the cuisines. Tastes vary almost as much as the colors of these little items. Anaheim chiles are commonly available in the United States—mild, green and often used for stuffing or adding to salsa. Pasilla chiles exhibit a deep-raisin-brown color that matches the sweet, raisinlike note they often add to moles and other traditional sauces. Cascabels can be green or deep-red in color, with a lightly woody or nutty flavor. Poblanos resemble small, green, bell peppers and provide an earthy note often incorporated into soups and sauces. Anchos (dried poblanos) range in color from dark-red to virtually black and have a mildly fruity flavor with notes of raisin, coffee or tobacco. Fiery habeneros are usually yellow-orange, lantern-shaped and fruity or floral in flavor.

Heat imparted by chiles is described in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). Using a method devised in 1912, taste panelists would determine when the capsaicin from a standard weight of a chile was no longer detectable to the palate. Today, HPLC determines the amount of capsaicin in parts per million, which is then converted to SHU. At the mild end of the spectrum are Anaheim chiles, weighing in at 100 to 500 SHU, and poblanos ranging from 500 to 1,000 SHU. Habeneros, the hottest chiles grown commercially, deliver 100,000 to 300,000 SHU. Pure capsaicin, by the way, is 16,000,000 SHU.

More than just heat, chiles are a healthy addition to any formulation. Low in calories and high in fiber, they are rich in vitamins A, C and E, beta carotene, folic acid and potassium. Chiles also provide various amounts and types of healthful phytochemicals, depending on color. Red chiles provide lycopene, while yellow chiles offer lutein. Orange chiles contain beta carotene, and green chiles provide varying levels of sulforaphanes, isothiocyanates and indoles. Chiles have demonstrated an array of health benefits, including reducing inflammation and congestion, boosting immunity, preventing stomach ulcers and lowering oxidation of blood cholesterol (the first step in atherosclerosis). Of special interest to Latino consumers, however, is how chiles help reduce the risk of hyperinsulinemia (a condition associated with type 2 diabetes) by lowering the amount of insulin needed to reduce blood sugar after eating—an effect that increases with body mass index (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2006; 84:63-69).

Beyond the rainbow of healthful elements in chiles lies a treasure of benefits to be found in the traditional Latino diet. It would seem we need only open our eyes and say “sí.”

R. J. Foster is a wordsmith with a B.S. in food science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and over 15 years experience in the food industry. He can be reached by e-mail at askrjfoster@sbcglobal.net.

Latino Grocery Goldmine

Latino consumers shop for groceries far more often than average American consumers, according to the Latino Nutrition Coalition, Boston. As many as five trips per week find Latino shoppers spending over 20% more per trip, over $100, as compared to less than $90 spent by American consumers at large. These dollars are spent at local bodegas, regional markets and supermarket chains that target Hispanic shoppers.