Last time, I shared with you the first two questions and answers from the notes I gave to the journalist from the JC, who only shared one small soundbite.
Now, it’s time for the next two questions and I think it was worth the wait. Because, finally, I’m saying something a bit different, and something that I think could be very important for other minority communities as well. Why? Because I’m heartily sick of our cultural food being labelled as ‘unhealthy’ by people who barely comprehend our cultural diets. Food from any culture is capable of being nutritious, and, as those of us with a strong culinary culture know, food is not only about health, and certainly not only about physical health.
I’m giving a slightly alternative message, and some practical, no-nonsense help, which I think is what most people want.
Let me know what you think.
What advice would you offer to people keeping kosher, in order to eat as healthily as possible?
I would urge us to go back to our culinary roots with pride. From the dawn of our history we have made the most of simple, local ingredients to create many delicious cuisines. In the Torah, Esau sells his birthright for what is thought to be a dish of red lentils. My aunt once devised a dish called ‘Esau’s Temptation’, because it was a lentil dish she thought was good enough to be worthy of selling a birthright!
Pulses like beans and lentils are extremely nutritious, being a source of protein, fibre and minerals and can be prepared in many different ways, using herbs, spices and vegetables to make them interesting. There are many pre-cooked pulses that are every bit as nutritious as cooking from scratch, and save time and energy. If you are using canned varieties such as kidney beans or canellini beans, look out for varieties with no added salt or sugar.
In the desert, the Israelites complain about no longer being able to eat onions and garlic. Luckily, these fantastic prebiotic foods are readily available to us. They encourage healthy intestinal bacteria, and they can be incorporated into a great many dishes.
All fresh vegetables and fruit are Kosher, and there is still a huge and delicious variety to choose from. It’s easy to substitute grated courgette, carrot and onion for some of the potato in a kugel to provide a wider range of nutrients, or to serve a lovely, chilled dish of berries for dessert. If you prefer a more substantial dessert, it’s possible to make many delicious puddings sweetened with only fresh fruit and a small amount of dried dates. Make use of herbs, spices and lemon to add flavour to savoury dishes while reducing salt.
Become a label detective; check out the salt and sugar content of the food you are buying and consider an alternative if there is more than you desire. Sometimes, when I’m tempted by a highly refined product a close look at the label changes my mind! Avoid trans fats as much as possible, as these have been shown to contribute to poorer heart health. Trans fats may be labelled as partially hydrogenated fats or oils. They are likely to be found in deep fried foods, biscuits, pies, cakes, spreads and margarine.
If you don’t know what an ingredient is, look it up before you buy. Ingredients are not always labelled in the way you might expect, and sometimes you may want to investigate further. There are over 50 names for sugar, and its many varieties can be lurking in all kinds of unlikely places, including pasta sauces and pre-packaged deli items. If there are additives or other ingredients you prefer not to have in your food, have a ‘reject list’ on your phone and don’t buy foods which contain these items.
If there are ready-made foods you particularly like, consider whether you can make something similar at home in a simple way. For example, if your children like breaded chicken goujons or fish fingers, you can make your own crumb at home using ground almonds, and a few spices. Dip your chicken or fish in beaten egg, coat in your crumb and bake in the oven. You can make the crumb in bulk and store it in a jar for when you need it.
If you have the time and interest, it is well worth exploring the many books and websites about Kosher food from all over the world, and trying out recipes based around poultry, fish, whole grains, pulses and seasonal vegetables and fruits. Look out for recipes created with the busy home cook in mind (the Internet is particularly useful for this); very few of us have the same amount of time available for cooking as our grandparents did.
The Kosher food our grandparents ate was economical, nutritious and wholesome. When people label a traditional Jewish diet as ‘unhealthy’ and when we substitute the meals that were common a generation ago with highly refined, nutritionally poor convenience foods, we are doing our heritage a disservice. When we take steps to take care of our culinary traditions and our bodies at the same time, everybody benefits.
What advice would you give to people wanting to eat more healthily in the cost-of-living crisis?
This may surprise you, but not all convenience food is created equal.
Making judicious use of convenience foods which are not highly refined or packed with non-nutritious ingredients can be useful from both an economic and a nutritional perspective. For example, cans of tomatoes, pre-cooked pulses (without salt or sugar) and frozen vegetables and fruit are all nutritious, relatively cheap options, and very quick for busy people to use. Frozen vegetables such as peas can often be more nutritious than fresh ones, because they are frozen immediately after harvesting, and therefore retain more of the vitamins and minerals which can be lost when fresh vegetables sit on the supermarket shelves.
I love to buy my fresh produce in street markets, where the fruit, vegetables and herbs are fresh, and the prices are relatively low. Find out what is in season and buy accordingly, as seasonal foods are usually available at better prices than out-of-season produce.
Use economical whole grains such as oats or barley to add bulk to meals and reduce the amount of costly ingredients like meat. Buying ingredients in bulk can often save money. If you don’t have a large family or the ability to store bulk ingredients, consider sharing the ingredients and the cost with a friend.
Use quick methods of cooking such as steaming, grilling or stir-frying, particularly for vegetables. This not only saves time, but retains nutrients and saves on energy bills.
Substituting soft drinks with water not only saves money, but provides hydration without sugar or sweeteners.
Even if you don’t have an outside space, you can grow salad leaves herbs such as mint, cress, coriander and oregano on a windowsill (ask a friend with a garden to give you cuttings). Add these to your meals or make lovely herbal teas. They will also make your kitchen smell divine at no extra cost.
In the Jewish calendar it’s holiday season, and it’s harvest season in other cultures too. What a glorious opportunity to enjoy a range of seasonal vegetables and fruit and to acknowledge our privilege in having them available to us. And what of the honey cake? Let’s enjoy that too. It’s only once a year.
Tradition and heritage are important. If we allow them to die out in the name of misplaced health concerns, traditional cultures will lose something of themselves. Let us not become a world of bland monoculture, but instead let’s celebrate our glorious diversity. That’s as healthy a thing to do as eating a vegetable. We are fortunate if we live in a society that allows us to do both. Here’s to a world where this can be true for everyone.
Happy Holidays!
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