By: Katherine Bravo

Hello, my name is Katherine Bravo, I am a nutritionist and I promote integral nutrition: we are talking about a state of physical, mental and spiritual health.

To talk about health it is important to talk about diet, physical activity, emotions, stress, the circadian cycle, sun exposure, the microbiota ... in short, so many factors that must be taken into account.

Today, it is common to hear “I have insomnia”, or “I have depression”, or “I suffer from anxiety”; But why this? A lot has to do with the food we eat. Today there is a lot of misinformation, many myths regarding nutrition, marketing of new products that promise to make our lives "easier", pre-cooked foods, cold cuts, instant noodles, box cereals, and countless processed foods. These foods that alter our neurotransmitters, and affect our microbiota, causing hormonal alteration and, in turn, altering our emotions and sensations.

The diet should not be monotonous, it does not have to be restrictive, it cannot be radical, but it must be conscious. On this day, I invite you to practice an 80/20 diet, 80% natural foods and 20% processed foods. We have the joy of living in Ecuador, a multidiverse country, rich in crops. We have a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and at a very affordable cost. We must support our farmer by buying his products since this way we support the local economy and take care of our health

Remember! We have 2 homes: one is our body and the other is the Earth.

That is why today I want to talk to you about the properties of our ancestral foods:

Quinoa: it is a food that originated in the surroundings of Lake Titicaca in Peru and Bolivia. According to history, in 1560 it began to be cultivated in Pasto and Quito

This was one of the favorite foods for our ancestors, due to its satiating and energy value. Quinoa is rich in amino acids, as well as being ideal for people who suffer from gluten intolerance. It is an important source of calcium, magnesium, manganese and also provides dietary fiber, B vitamins and vitamin E.

Important fact: we must wash it well before consuming as it has a layer of (saponin) which can cause irritation in the stomach. The Incas used this saponin as a shampoo and laundry detergent.

Chocho: it is an edible legume rich in protein, calcium and phosphorus, native to the Andes. It is estimated that there are around 200 species of Lupinus mutabilis (scientific name for lupine) around the world. But the Ecuadorian andean lupine (chocho) is the one with the highest nutritional value. The pussy contains Gamma Conglutin. Research reveals that this compound helps lower blood sugar levels.

Important fact: the lupines must be drained as they contain alkaloids, chemical compounds that can be toxic, which give it that bitter taste. In ancient times, the lupine was used without draining to eliminate parasites.

These are just two of the many important ancestral foods that we have. Remember that we have a variety of beans, peas, organic wheat and corn, as well as many delicious and nutritious fruits loaded with vitamins and minerals.

Recommendations for making smart purchases:

Go to organic markets and fairs. There you will find quality food, in addition to supporting the local farmer. Buy a variety of fruits and vegetables, grains, and nuts.

Make a weekly shopping list. To do this, plan your menus. This way you will save money and avoid waste.

Store your grains and nuts in order: the oldest ones eat them first and those that you bought more recently put them behind as this will help prevent them from being damaged or crushed.

When you want to buy a product, always check the ingredients. The first 5 will be the ones with the most of the product.

Speaking of smart shopping, AWÁ NUTRITION is an Ecuadorian enterprise that has social responsibility: it incorporates our ancestral foods in its products, as well as fruits from our country, Ecuador. As a clinical nutritionist I recommend it to my patients, vegetarian athletes, children, and in some pathologies it is ideal, as it is a food made from lupine and quinoa as well as some fruits.

References
http://www.fao.org/quinoa-2013/what-is-quinoa/origin-and-history/es/?no_mobile=1
http://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0212-16112019000600017 
https://scielo.conicyt.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0717-75182020000200286