On my 3-week trip to the Yucatán, I was able to get to know the country and its people and fully immerse myself in the culture and life of Mexico. We usually associate Mexican food with delicious tacos, burritos, fajitas, a wide variety of colorful vegetables and fruit, corn, beans, rice, meat, chilies and hellishly hot sauces. Sounds healthy and balanced at first, doesn't it? Nevertheless, Mexican society is facing an increasingly serious health problem: today, almost one in three Mexicans is overweight and the trend is rising. What are the causes of this problem? In this blog post, you can find out everything you need to know about nutrition, lifestyle and health on the Mexican peninsula of Yucatán.
The Mayas were hunters and gatherers. Their staple foods included cereals, maize, pumpkin, chili and peppers. As a valuable supplement, they consumed seafood and fresh fish as well as occasional meat from monkeys, birds, deer, turkey and larger rodents. The most common crops grown by the Mayans were chili peppers, avocados, tomatoes, guavas, pineapple, papaya, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and black and red beans. From these foods they invented many products, such as corn tortillas, guacamole made from the avocado harvest or chocolate made from roasted cocoa seeds, which are regularly consumed today. The Mayans ate a very healthy, balanced and mainly vegetarian diet based on what nature offered them.
Corn, the world's most cultivated grain, is not only an integral part of Mexican cuisine, but also offers healthy and valuable ingredients. The Mayan people already recognized this, which is why it was a central part of their diet. Corn had a strong religious symbolic value for the Mayans. According to the story of creation, the first Mayan man was made from maize.
The grain is packed with vitamins and minerals. It contains provitamin A, vitamin B (especially niacin = B3), C and E as well as iron, potassium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, zinc and essential amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. In order for the human body to absorb and utilize these valuable ingredients, the grain must first be broken down. The process is called nixtamalization. The corn is harvested, dried, boiled in lime water and left to stand so that it can swell. By destroying the physical structure, the corn's ingredients can be extracted.
Due to its valuable ingredients and high nutritional value, the grain can certainly be described as healthy. Corn is a good source of vegetable protein, is naturally gluten-free and contains a high proportion of fiber, which is essential for our health. Dietary fibers are indigestible food components that swell up in the intestines and stimulate digestion. Corn is versatile in the kitchen and can be used to conjure up wonderful dishes that are healthy and wholesome.
What would Mexican cuisine be without its spiciness? It wouldn't be authentically Mexican, because Mexicans like it spicy. Even fruit, vegetables, sweets and drinks are spiced up with chili. In a nutshell - the food must have fire!
These little pungent spices such as chilies, jalapeños, habaneros and the like are not only hot, but also have health-promoting properties. Capsaicin, a substance that gives chilies their heat, triggers a pain stimulus in the brain, which releases endorphins that can trigger an increased feeling of happiness. Hence the saying "Chili makes you happy and satisfied". At the same time, capsaicin causes hot flushes and sweating. This physical reaction can be utilized in warm countries such as Mexico, as it lowers the body temperature and allows the body to cool down. The antibacterial effect is another positive effect in terms of food preservation, as capsaicin inhibits the development of microorganisms. It also stimulates gastric motor activity, which leads to increased secretion of gastric juices and thus has a positive effect on digestion. High-fat foods can be digested better due to the increased gastric juice production.
People with a sensitive stomach should eat spicy food with caution. Spicy food can cause stomach pain and diarrhea, especially if you are not used to spicy food. Another symptom is heartburn, which can occur due to the increased production of gastric juice. It is therefore important to avoid spicy and hot foods in the case of reflux disease and esophageal cancer.
Finally, it should be mentioned that only fresh hot sauces and natural products can have a positive effect on health. Ready-made hot sauces are not one of them, as they contain additives and artificial flavorings and therefore have nothing in common with a healthy product.
The Mayan influence is still clearly noticeable in the local cuisine of the Yucatán. Many traditionally produced and authentic dishes are freshly prepared on simple food trucks by the roadside and offered at very reasonable prices. Specialties such as sopa de lima, poc chuc, tacos in all variations, queso relleno, ceviche or marquesitas (crêpes filled with cheese) are served.
Nevertheless, traditional Mexican food culture is becoming less and less important. Instead, international food companies such as McDonald's, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Starbucks are spreading. Supermarkets are dominated by meter-long shelves stocked with all kinds of packets of potato chips, ready meals, sweets and soft drinks in 2.5 liter bottles. Although the products are labeled with many warnings such as "exceso caloriàs" or "exceso grasas saturadas", they are bought in large packs and consumed for breakfast. This unbalanced and unhealthy diet also leads to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, among other things, which also entail health risks. This excessive consumption of highly processed foods is hard to comprehend when you consider how rich the country is in fresh fruit and vegetables such as mangoes, pineapples, papayas, coconuts, bananas, oranges and avocados. Nature actually creates the best conditions for a healthy and balanced diet. Nevertheless, locals prefer products from Western brands such as Coca Cola, Starbucks and McDonald's, because those who can afford them are considered hip and symbolize prosperity, modernity and progress.
My trip through the Yucatàn was very inspiring and educational for me. I was able to get to know their culture, lifestyle and diet better, meet interesting people and taste many delicious Mexican specialties. My absolute favorite among the specialties were tacos, which consist of small corn patties with a hearty topping and are ideal for people with gluten sensitivity.
At a street food market in Tulum, I discovered a very small, inconspicuous taco food truck that prepared vegan yaca tacos, i.e. made from jackfruit. My curiosity naturally got the better of me straight away, which is why I was determined to try this special creation. This incredibly tender, slightly spicy filling with homemade salsa as a topping literally catapulted me into taco heaven. For me, they were the world's best tacos, so juicy and delicious that I ate them three times 😊
Since I really missed the delicious vegan yaca tacos, I created my own version at home using pulled jackfruit, fresh herbs, vegetables and a homemade tahini-yogurt dressing as a topping.
Let's go to taco paradise! I'd like to share my gluten-free, vegan version with you - you can find the recipe right here.
Have fun trying it out and en Guetä or better, buen provecho! 😊
Food without chili is like love without kisses!
