Cordialis Msora-Kasago – Food & Nutrition Magazine

Roasted Red Pepper Peri-Peri Marinade

Cordialis Msora-Kasago — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 11:00:06 +0000

Ingredients

1 large red bell pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon peri-peri* spice, ground (use less for milder flavor)
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, stems removed
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
8 6-ounce chicken breasts

Directions

Preheat grill to 450°F.
Wash pepper, split open, remove the seeds and white membranes. Drizzle lightly with ½ teaspoon olive oil. Place skin up on a tray and roast until slightly charred. Then remove the pepper and let it cool.
Place garlic on tray and roast until soft and aromatic. Set aside to cool.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree to a thick paste. Add marinade to chicken. For best flavor, marinate overnight.

Cooking Note

Peri peri peppers, also known as African bird’s eye chilies, are a popular ingredient in African cooking. Cayenne pepper is a suitable substitute.

Nutrition Information

Serves 8 (Serving size : 1 tablespoon)

Calories 82; Total fat 9g; Sat. fat 1g; Chol. 12mg; Sodium 55mg; Carb. 1g; Fiber 0g; Sugars 0g; Protein 0g; Potassium 23mg; Phosphorous 7mg

Understanding and Promoting Nutrition and Health Equity

Cordialis Msora-Kasago — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:55:13 +0000

The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified severe health disparities along racial and ethnic lines. Black, Latino and Native American populations are more likely to be diagnosed with the novel coronavirus and, after adjusting for age, suffer death rates almost triple or more than that of white Americans.

The reasons for these disproportionate rates of infection are not biological, but rather a result of the impact from conditions in the environments where people live, learn, work and play. Known as “social determinants of health,” these environments influence disease risk more than health behaviors, such as diet, physical activity and smoking, and unfairly expose people of color to increased risk of morbidity and mortality.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black, Latino and Native American populations are more likely to become infected with COVID-19 because many are essential workers in critical job sectors such as transportation, foodservice and health care. Many live in crowded, sometimes multigenerational, households and are unable to properly social distance. Furthermore, despite suffering higher rates of underlying conditions, such as obesity, hypertension and Type 2 diabetes, minorities may not have access to preventive and curative services due to under-resourced health care facilities, lack of or inadequate health insurance and poor transportation systems.

These disparities in health are not new, and they stem from a lengthy history of structural racism and discriminatory policies and practices in the United States that marginalize specific groups of people. For instance, between 1934 and 1968, banks put a red outline on a map around numerous neighborhoods inhabited by non-white racial and ethnic minorities to indicate areas where they would not finance mortgages. Without cash, people who lived in those areas could not purchase property, and overall home values remained low. With no tax revenue for improvements, schools, hospitals, libraries, parks and other critical neighborhood fixtures, the neighborhoods were poorly funded and there was no incentive for businesses or community infrastructures such as supermarkets. The lack of jobs and underfunding of schools decreased opportunities for advancement and well-paying employment, perpetuating the cycle of poverty.

Likewise, racism plays a role in health disparities. Implicit bias — the unconscious prejudicial attitudes and stereotypes held about social groups of people — impacts the decisions and treatment plans offered by health care professionals. After correcting for access-related factors including insurance status, income and education, minorities are less likely than white people to receive necessary health services and interventions. For example, a 2020 study published in Surgical Endoscopy indicated that despite suffering more obesity-related complications such as kidney failure and diabetes than white men, Black men with severe obesity were less likely to be referred for metabolic bariatric surgery. Reasons cited include implicit bias and stereotyping, such as the assumption that Black males would be less likely to adhere to weight-loss protocols or explore surgical interventions for the treatment of obesity.

When communities are disadvantaged because of implicit bias, structural racism and the social determinants of health, they do not have a fair chance of achieving their best health possible. An equitable environment must be created through economic, environmental and social system changes.

Nutrition and Health Equity (vs. Equality)
Health equity gives all people the opportunity to reach their full health, regardless of race, education, gender identity, sexual orientation, job, neighborhood and whether they have a disability. In contrast to health equality — which distributes the same resources and opportunities to every individual across a population regardless of economic, environmental and societal disadvantages — health equity identifies barriers and allocates the resources required to remove those barriers.

The CDC shared an example of health equity in action: The Bibb County School Nutrition Program in Georgia implemented a standardized menu to ensure all students received nutritious meals. Inequalities existed because some schools did not have the equipment or staff necessary to prepare these foods. To solve this problem and ensure everyone has equitable access to the healthful menu, the nutrition program removed barriers by building a centralized kitchen to prepare and cook some foods.

People with less money, less education and poor living conditions are more likely to experience food insecurity and have a less healthful eating pattern and higher levels of diet-related diseases. The impact of the design and features of their neighborhoods on this burden of disease cannot be ignored. In addition to being food deserts with limited access to a variety of healthful and affordable food, many predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods lack supporting health infrastructure such as safe, walkable pathways and adequate health care facilities.

Furthermore, many of these food deserts co-exist with food swamps, areas where the ratio of fast-food outlets and convenience stores is greater than supermarkets and grocery stores. Unlike grocery stores, which carry a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other healthful foods, convenience stores usually offer a higher proportion of high-fat, high-calorie, sugary, salty, ultra-processed foods, often with low nutritional value. When they do carry healthier options, the prices are typically high, variety is poor and quality is low.

Historically, some suggestions for combating food insecurity have included building full-service grocery stores in communities lacking access to fresh, healthful food. However, emerging research shows that while new grocery stores increase access to a wider variety of food, create jobs and decrease transportation costs due to shorter commutes to get groceries, this does not necessarily translate into healthful food choices. Grocery stores and supermarkets continue to market snacks, sweets and other nutrient poor, heavily processed packaged foods. Since most people do not permanently change their purchasing habits simply because there is a new store closer to home, increasing food and nutrition literacy through diet and lifestyle education and the building of fundamental skills such as cooking and meal planning is key to instilling behavior change.

Promoting Equity
To help close the inequity gap and improve population health, food and nutrition professionals in all practice areas must recognize and respond to health and illness as the result of broad social, political and economic structures. Health practitioners should be committed to advocating for social justice and be willing to have difficult conversations about the impact of racial and social injustices on the health choices and behaviors of patients or clients. It starts at the individual level and intersects with patients, clients, their communities, the institutions that serve them and the policies that govern vital access to services that influence health.

For the individual practitioner: The food and nutrition professional must first acknowledge the presence of structural racism and unpack implicit biases before developing learning and listening plans to mitigate them. This learning is continuous and can be done through self-assessments such as Harvard University’s Implicit Association Test and training programs like the Implicit Bias Training from The EveryONE Project by the American Academy of Family Physicians, as well as utilizing resources such as the extensive library of training materials on StructuralCompetency.org.

Food and nutrition professionals should engage in ongoing dialogue with diverse groups of people, finding common ground and learning from differing opinions. Concurrently, and in addition to developing structural competency, nutrition professionals must practice with cultural humility and acknowledge that a person’s culture can impact not only their food choices, but also their health behaviors. Nutrition care plans should be individualized and avoid monolithic perspectives of what a “healthy plate” looks like. Rather, interventions should include a variety of nutritious heritage foods that are accessible and acceptable to the patient or client.

Beyond increasing food and nutrition literacy, interactions with clients and patients must include screening for food insecurity and other determinants of health. For example, hospitals and clinics can routinely screen patients for food insecurity and partner with local food banks and farmers markets to offer quality produce and groceries in underserved communities at free or affordable cost.

For the Community: Community-based organizations offer people-centric solutions such as community gardens and transportation programs. Stakeholders outside of health care such as faith-based organizations, beauty salons and barber shops have longstanding, trusting relationships and an extensive community reach. With training, these stakeholders can help improve health outcomes. For example, a 2018 clusterrandomized study of Black males with uncontrolled hypertension found that, when coupled with medication management, health promotion by barbers led to a decrease in participants’ blood pressure. In the intervention group, barbers trained to measure blood pressure and encourage follow-up with a pharmacist contributed to a 27.0 mm Hg drop in systolic blood pressure rates. The control group of barbers who only gave instructional information and encouraged follow-up with a health care provider saw a 9.3 mm Hg drop in systolic blood pressure rates.

For Policymakers: Government policies and programs are essential in dismantling health inequities. Food assistance programs such as the National School Lunch Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children improve food security and influence healthy eating patterns by promoting the purchase of nutritious foods and beverages. In 2009 when WIC introduced requirements for the purchase of fruits and vegetables, participants bought 29 percent more fruit and 18 percent more vegetables.

Similarly, subsidies on healthy options such as whole grains and taxes on unhealthful options such as products with added sugars and little or no nutritional value can alter nutrition environments. In Berkeley, Calif., consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages decreased by 21 percent after the introduction of a “sugar tax.” Boulder, Colo., used the revenue from a similar tax to fund health equity initiatives including wellness classes and chronic disease prevention programs.

Lawmakers can enhance the nutrition environment through food labeling laws that guide food reformulations and by implementing controls on marketing of low-nutrient density foods such as cookies, chips and candy in the most common forms of media including television, the internet and team sport sponsorships.

Access to nutrition education is critical for behavior modification and health outcomes. Therefore, food and nutrition professionals should advocate for policies and practices that increase access to nutrition education and counseling such as the Medical Nutrition Therapy Act of 2020, which would expand access to MNT to include treatment of chronic health conditions such as obesity, hypertension, cancer and unintentional weight loss. At present, only diabetes and renal disease are covered for Medicare beneficiaries.

For the Profession: A plethora of studies indicate that a diverse workforce is essential to improving the care of diverse patient populations and that people tend to work in the communities where they are raised. According to the Commission on Dietetic Registration, as of September 8, 81.1 percent of registered dietitian nutritionists are white, 3.9 percent Asian, 3.1 percent Hispanic or Latino, 0.3 percent American Indian or Alaskan Native, 2.6 percent Black or African American and 1.3 percent Native Hawaiian Pacific Islanders. To improve nutrition equity, the profession must increase diversity among practitioners and address obstacles for individuals entering the field.

The conversation has already begun. The Academy’s Board of Directors has empowered the Diversity and Inclusion Committee to make strategic, data-driven recommendations for informing organization-wide initiatives to increase diversity and inclusion in the profession and among leadership. Additionally, organizations such as Diversify Dietetics, Critical Dietetics and Academy member interest groups, including the National Organization of Blacks in Dietetics and Nutrition and Latinos and Hispanics in Dietetics and Nutrition, promote equity by engaging in crucial conversations, mentoring minority students and imparting skills to current and future nutrition and dietetics professionals.

References

A Practitioner’s Guide For Advancing Healthy Equity Community Strategies for Preventing Chronic Disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Accessed September 8, 2020.
Allcott H, Diamond R, Dubé J, Handbury J, et al. Food Deserts and the Causes of Nutritional Inequality. Q J Econ. 2019; 134(4):1793–1844.
The Color of Coronavirus: COVID-19 Deaths by Race and Ethnicity in the US. APM Research Lab website. Updated August 19, 2020. Accessed August 19, 2020.
Friel S, Hattersley L, Ford L, O’Rourke K. Addressing inequities in healthy eating. Health Promot Int. 2015;30(Suppl 2):ii77-ii88. doi:10.1093/heapro/dav073.
From the Diversity & Inclusion Committee: An Update. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website. Published July 22, 2020. Accessed September 8, 2020.
Health Equity Considerations & Racial & Ethnic Minority Groups. Center for Disease Control website. Accessed August 10, 2020.
Hoffman A, Myneni A, Orom H, et al. Disparity in Access to Bariatric Surgery Among African American Men. Surg. Endosc. 2020;34:2630–2637.
Kris-Etherton P, Petersen K et. al. Barriers, Opportunities and Challenges in Addressing Disparities in Diet-Related Cardiovascular Disease in the United States. J Am Heart Assoc. 2020;9:7.
Member Update: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website. Published July 23, 2020. Accessed September 8, 2020.
Nelson A, Smedley B, Stith A. Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care. Institute of Medicine. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 2003.
Social Determinants of Health: Know What Affects Health. Centers for Disease Control website. Reviewed August 19, 2020. Accessed August 19, 2020.
Registered Dietitian and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist By Ethnicity. Commission on Dietetic Registration website. Accessed August 12, 2020.
Remington L, Catlin B, Gennuso, K. The County Health Rankings: rationale and methods. Popul Health Metrics. 2015;13:11.
Smedley B, Stith A, Colburn L, Evans C, Institute of Medicine (US). The Right Thing to Do, The Smart Thing to Do: Enhancing Diversity in the Health Professions. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2001.
Victor G, Lynch K, Li N, et.al. A Cluster-Randomized Trial of Blood-Pressure Reduction in Black Barbershops. N. Engl. J. Med. 2018;378:1291-1301.
Williams D, Collins C. Racial residential segregation: a fundamental cause of racial disparities in health. Public Health Rep. 2001;116(5):404-416. doi:10.1093/phr/116.5.404.
What is Social Competency? Structural Competency Working Group website. Accessed August 12, 2020.
Wallace, EV. Health disparities: Using policies to rethink our strategies for eliminating the impact of food deserts by focusing on unhealthy dietary patterns. J Public Affairs. 2019;19:e1875.

My Global Table: Zimbabwe

Cordialis Msora-Kasago — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 10:00:48 +0000

It’s dinnertime and we’re sitting on reed mats, enjoying a meal together in true Zimbabwean style. I hold a basin in one hand and pour water from a hollowed gourd while my cousins scrub their hands. Then they do the same for me. We gather around metal communal platters (no need for silverware or individual plates) and break off chunks of sadza, mold them into small balls between our fingers and drag them through a stew delicately seasoned with salt and a hint of peri-peri peppers. I add a pinch of greens before popping each morsel in my mouth.

These are the sights, sounds and flavors of family meals shared at kumusha — my rural homestead in Zimbabwe, a country with a population of more than 16 million. Aptly nicknamed “Roots,” kumusha is the place I call home. It is where my kin originated and the place where my forefathers rest with fertile land passed on from generation to generation.

As a child, my visits to this cultural hub were not just about spending time with relatives, but also learning rituals, customs and food traditions that define who we are as a people.

We weren’t treated as visiting guests, either; we awoke at dawn and everyone had a job. Adults, mostly women, converged in the fields tilling soil, planting seeds and manually weeding each row of crops. They grew colorful vegetables, gourds and melons and boasted about the indigenous grains such as millet (mhunga) and sorghum (zviyo), which flourish alongside corn (maize), a grain that was introduced to the continent in the 15th century and today is Zimbabwe’s favored staple. Maize is consumed on the cob and by the kernel popped or broken into samp (also known as manhuchu or umngqusho), a small version of hominy.

While milking cows and herding cattle, the boys snacked on wild fruit that haphazardly grows on the land. Girls skipped to the well with buckets in hand and giggled on the return walk as townsfolk (like myself) staggered and spilled while trying to balance gallons of water for household use on our heads. Much like cooking, mastering this skill is an indication of maturity — and girls yearn for that recognition.

Recipes were rarely documented, so we learned to prepare food by working alongside the older girls and aunties. We cooked by touch, feel and taste — a true mark of soulful cooking. On any given day, women would dehull, grind, pulverize or pound ingredients using heavy grinding stones and take turns lifting tall pestles above their heads, keeping pace by singing a traditional rhyme that mimics the “du-du” sound of the pestle hitting the wooden mortar.

“Du du muduri. Du du muduri.”

While starches such as sweet potatoes, taro and red rice are sometimes available, meals in Zimbabwe are centered around sadza, a millet-, sorghum- or maize-based thick porridge that resembles stiff mashed potatoes. When cooked from maize meal (cornmeal), sadza tastes like unflavored grits. It is a versatile staple that demonstrates the diversity of Zimbabwean dishes, but much like rice or noodles, it is rarely eaten alone. Sadza is served alongside a variety of boiled or pan-fried vegetables including okra, wild mushrooms or local and indigenous greens such as mustards, blackjack (mutsine) and pumpkin leaves (muboora). It is dipped into hearty legume or meat stews which are boiled before being pan-fried in oil and seasoned with salt, onions, tomatoes and leafy greens or peanut butter — a must-have ingredient in many homes.

Curry powder and seasoning powders brought from neighboring cities are sometimes used to thicken and season dishes. When in season, insects such as hwiza (locusts), ishwa (flying ants) and madora (mopane worms) are grilled or pan-fried, making for sustainable, affordable and healthy sadza accompaniments.

At kumusha, nothing is wasted. Entire animal carcasses are utilized. In the absence of electricity, vegetables, legumes, fish and meats are sun-dried or smoked for later use while milk is fermented in clay pots to form a probiotic-rich, kefir-like product. Surpluses are sold to traders or packaged to give to loved ones in the city.

As with many immigrants, the flavors of my home country are an integral part of my diet. In the absence of some of the quintessential ingredients, I have learned to seek new staples and re-create the tastes, textures and aromas that bring kumusha into my kitchen. I have leaned on international stores and local farmers markets as reliable sources of groceries and in-season yet hard to find produce. I have embraced backyard gardening and give produce to friends.

What excites me most is the rise of African cuisine and new eateries in the U.S. that provide an opportunity for others to experience the foods that have shaped not only Zimbabwe, but an entire continent.

See the Zimbabwean recipes that accompanied this story: Hominy and Beans, Peanut and Roasted Tomato Braised Chicken and Sautéed Mustard Greens.

How Ethiopia Safeguards Its Native Ancient Grain

Cordialis Msora-Kasago — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 23:29:16 +0000

Visit any Ethiopian restaurant, and you’re bound to receive a generous serving of injera, a spongy, fermented flatbread commonly found in Ethiopian cuisine.

Increasing in global popularity due to the expanding diaspora and interest in ethnic cuisines, injera is arguably one of the most recognizable African foods on the international scene. Each day, thousands of ready-made pieces are exported from Ethiopia to expats and restaurateurs in the United States, Europe and other African countries. However, it is teff — the grain from which injera is made — that is making ripples in the international health food arena and poised to rival quinoa as the top healthy ancient grain.

Grown by both smallholder and commercial farmers in Ethiopia and some parts of Eritrea, teff is a relatively low-risk, sustainable grain that thrives in both wet sands and dry desert conditions. A staple in many Africans’ diets, wholegrain teff is an essential source of calcium, fiber, protein and iron.

While the international food market recognizes whole-grain teff as a nutrient powerhouse, its versatility as a gluten-free grain has piqued the interest of foodies and fostered its expansion beyond East Africa. Recipes using teff as a nontraditional substitute for wheat range from gluten-free pasta and bread to cookies and porridge, and to thicken soups or add texture to salads.

In 2006, years before the rise of quinoa, the Ethiopian government sought to improve domestic food security in a country that, years before, had been plagued by severe famine. It placed an embargo on the exportation of teff grain and teff flour, both which played an important role in overall diet quality. Only cooked teff products (such as injera) could be exported. Despite the ban, traditional practices of growing teff could not meet the demands of the growing population and prices continued to increase.

Although Ethiopia is the largest producer by volume, the embargo has prevented the country from benefitting from the international teff trend, and most of the teff found in U.S. stores is from non-indigenous sources, such as U.S., India, Canada and the Netherlands.

Recognizing the opportunities teff can bring and to obtain much needed foreign currency to improve the overall infrastructure of the country and advance traditional farming procedures, the Ethiopian government lifted the embargo and implemented a pilot program to export teff. The first shipments of Ethiopian teff are projected to begin in January 2016.

In order to safeguard the grain for locals, the pilot will start with 48 commercial farmers commissioned to grow the crop while adhering to strict international standards. Once harvested and milled, the entire product from these farms is projected to represent less than 1 percent of the country’s overall teff production.

The remaining teff will continue to be made available to Ethiopians. Outside of commissioned farms, the ban on teff exportation will continue. As the pilot proceeds and overall teff production improves, the country plans to gradually increase the allotment for exports.

Sosaties

Cordialis Msora-Kasago — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 04:41:55 +0000

Sosaties

This popular South African kebab is commonly served at braais, or barbecues. Meat seasoned in a spicy apricot-curry marinade is skewered with apricots and onions before being cooked on a hot grill. Although traditionally made with lamb, sosaties are equally delicious with other protein sources, such as chicken, beef and tofu.

See more “Feast on Fruit” recipes!

Developed by Cordialis Msora-Kagano, MA, RDN

Ingredients

3 tablespoons apricot preserves
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 teaspoon ginger, crushed
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 crushed bay leaves
8 ounces dried apricots
1 pound leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large red onions, cut into 1-inch cubes
Wooden or metal skewers

Directions

Combine apricot preserves, white wine vinegar, garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric and bay leaves in a bowl and mix. Add the lamb and marinate for at least 24 hours.
Soak dried apricots in water until soft and plump. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 to 30 minutes prior to using. Drain and discard the water used for soaking. If using metal skewers, spray lightly with cooking spray.
Thread the lamb on skewers, alternating with apricots and onions. Use four cubes of meat per metal skewer; use two cubes of meat per wooden skewer.
Cook over hot coals or high heat (425°F to 450°F) until cooked through. Serve hot. Serves 4.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 metal skewer or 2 wooden skewers

Calories: 317; Total fat: 6g; Saturated fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 66mg; Sodium: 61mg; Carbohydrates: 46g; Fiber: 6g; Sugars: 35g; Protein: 24g; Potassium: 1,044mg; Phosphorus: 224mg

Doro Wot

Cordialis Msora-Kasago — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 23:43:56 +0000

Popular in the East African country of Ethiopia, doro wot is a dish with a wonderful blend of peppers and aromatic spices. Although ground spices can be used, the whole spices present a much more robust flavor.

Don’t let the long ingredient list and preparation time deter you; this dish is well worth the effort. Traditionally served with other wot and a vegetable salad on injera — a fermented teff bread — doro wot is just as delicious over naan or chapatti bread, tortillas or rice.

Ingredients
Berebere Spice Mixture
6 green cardamom pods
1 teaspoon cumin seed
¾ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
¾ teaspoon peppercorns
4 cloves
3 teaspoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon all spice

Wot
1 chicken (5 pounds), cut into pieces (legs, thighs, breasts, etc.)
Juice of 2 limes
2 pounds red onion
3 tablespoons unsalted butter or Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced butter)
1 tablespoon ginger, crushed
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
½ cup red wine
4 medium eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
Water as needed

Directions

Remove seeds from cardamom pods and either discard or save the pods. Combine cardamom seeds with cumin, fenugreek, peppercorns, coriander seeds and red pepper flakes. Heat in a dry skillet over low to medium heat until lightly toasted. Allow to cool.
Add cloves and grind in spice or coffee bean grinder. Combine with remaining spices and mix well.
Remove skin from chicken and marinate in lime juice. Set aside for later use.
Place onions in food processor and pulverize to a thick liquid. Simmer onions in dutch oven, stirring frequently. When all the liquid from the pulverized onions has evaporated add the butter, cover and allow to simmer for 2 minutes.
Add the ginger and garlic and allow to simmer for another 2 minutes.
Add 5 tablespoons of the berebere, stir well and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Add a small amount of water if needed.
Add the cut chicken and wine and bring to a slow simmer. Cover and continue simmering for 45 minutes. The chicken should release enough fluid to cook itself but water can be added if necessary.
Cut 4-6 slits in the boiled eggs, place in the cooked wot and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 6 ounces
Serves 12

Calories: 327; Total fat: 14g; Saturated fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 175 mg; Sodium: 252; Carbohydrates: 10g; Fiber: 2g; Sugars: 3g; Protein: 38g; Potassium: 517mg; Phosphorus: 331mg

Fast Food in Africa: An African Dietitian’s Perspective

Cordialis Msora-Kasago — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 18:13:15 +0000

When I heard about multinational fast food companies expanding throughout Africa, I was ready to protest. Much like the rest of the world, obesity is on the rise in Africa and, as a registered dietitian who has seen the negative contributions of fast food on the health of the American people, I shuddered at the thought of similar health effects creeping across the continent. Unfortunately for me, I was a lonely picketer. When a hamburger chain opened its doors in southern Africa, the decision makers showed their enthusiasm by standing for hours in a line that extended for blocks.

Why is fast food becoming popular in Africa?
Due to rapid urbanization, Africa has been termed “the next frontier.” Beyond the sheer intrigue and curiosity of western food, those that waited in line were reflective of a new workforce rising and the consequent increase in disposable income. As I scanned through social media images of the new restaurant, I noticed large numbers of women. Two decades ago, many of them would have been stay-at-home mothers. However, urbanization has encouraged them to give up traditional care-giving roles for improved income opportunities. Their employment translates into decreased meal preparation time and, if no help is available, fast food becomes the best option for quick, cheap, convenient meals. In some instances, this ability to regularly purchase fast food is a status envied by neighbors — an inequitable trade-off for time spent away from family.

So what’s a continent to do?
I would be amiss if I did not recognize some of the economic opportunities the fast food industry brings. Although low, it provides wages for unskilled laborers who would otherwise be unemployed. For nations dependent on tourism, it indirectly promotes a surge due to recognizable brands readily available to serve tourists. Finally, for local governments, it is a source of tax revenue.

The benefits of these gains can only be substantiated with time. As a dietitian I am a proponent of prevention; If given the opportunity to sit with executives from the fast food industry and the politicians that develop business regulations, I would encourage them to translate lessons learned from the western experience into positive menu development and health promotion initiatives for Africa.

I would urge them to:
1. Offer good tasting, healthier alternatives at a reasonable cost.
2. Incentivize smaller portions through reduced pricing.
3. Avoid promotion of super-sized meals.
4. Feature both healthy alternatives and smaller serving sizes prominently on the menu.
5. Empower customers to make healthier choices by making nutrition information readily available and accessible. Translate this information into relatable concepts and educate people on the consequences of dietary excesses.
6. Procure a percentage of food commodities from local small scale farmers.
7. Promote health and recreation by sponsoring non-promotional preventive health screenings and sporting events.
8. Limit the distribution of fast food restaurants in any square-mile radius, especially in the low-income, high-density areas.
9. Avoid targeted advertising directed toward children.

At the end of the day, personal responsibility has to play a role. If the education is given and healthy alternatives are offered at a reasonable price, the ultimate responsibility has to be with each individual. I find myself torn. Fast food is a by-product of much-needed industrialization, and yet its impact may contribute to a reversal of the very gains we are trying to achieve. If Africa follows along the path of the west, her workforce and future generations will be burdened with obesity related chronic diseases. With the distressed, poorly funded health care systems currently in place, how will the continent cope?