Yes, Mexican Food Can Be Healthy. Here's How
You’ve heard this all before but it must be said again: Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican independence day and it’s not an excuse to over-indulge in fat and cholesterol-laden food.
Today is actually a commemoration of the 1862 Mexican victory over the French army at the Battle of Puebla and, more importantly, Mexican food is much, much more than nachos, refried beans and sour cream.
Just ask Mexican-Americans like Roberto Rodriguez.
The University of Arizona assistant professor teaches a cultural nutrition class and has been trying for some years to, as it were, “take back” Cinco de Mayo. All the binging that happens doesn’t just overshadow the historical accuracy of this date, but it also completely takes away from the healthy aspect of Mexican cuisine and the many nutritious elements that go into its preparation, he says.
“Many Mexican foods are indigenous and have been around for thousands of years,” Rodriguez says. “Unfortunately, because of the way the food industry has evolved and the commercialization of Cinco de Mayo, we’ve lost many of these.”
That doesn’t mean that they do not exist, though. In fact, the healthier elements of the Mexican diet are becoming more widely available in the US, says celebrity chef and cookbook author Chef LaLa, who’s known for her healthy take on Mexican cuisine, and who views Cinco de Mayo as a day to celebrate her Mexican heritage through those foods “that are an important element of our culture.”
On this Cinco de Mayo, Yahoo Health celebrates some of the healthier elements of Mexican cuisine that you may or may not know about.
