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Classes of Nigerian Diets

The Nigerian Diet appears to be an adjunct to the "French Paradox": a culture consumes a diet comparatively high in saturated fat and exercises relatively little, yet has none of the heart disease issues prevalent among Americans. On closer inspection, the Nigerian Diet is much like the Atkins Diet. insofar it is low in simple carbohydrates, but high in fiber (a complex carbohydrate) and protein. That is the basis for its effective weight loss.

  1. Protein

    • Lean protein is recommended in any healthful diet, and is evident in the Nigerian diet. Fish and chicken, two of the lower-fat animal protein alternatives, are eaten in abundance. This means that the Nigerian diet is free of the more fat-laden animal protein sources that are typical of the American diet. Adopting the practice of Nigerians with regard to protein would benefit all Americans.

    Complex Carbs

    • Complex carbohydrates were even endorsed by the late Dr. Robert Atkins. He believed people would confuse simple and complex carbs. Without the bakery industry so prevalent in America, the Nigerian diet is made up of legumes, starches and carbs that all lead to a lack of blood sugar spikes, and therefore a lack in the storage of excess blood glucose stored as fat.

    Fibrous Foods

    • The vegetables and starches in the Nigerian diet also boast a large amount of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber in American diets is distinctly less than optimal, and as much as 50 percent below the fiber consumption of Americans before the advent of the agriculture business. Consequently, the Nigerian diet is more akin to the Mediterranenan Diet in its amounts of fiber and vegetables. This is another factor that could improve American nutrition.

    Fats

    • The Nigerian diet mainly uses mono and polyunsaturated fats in cooking. These fats are the so-called "good" fats, like the fat in avocado, that are not as harmful to health as saturated and trans fats. It is a lack of the riches found in American diet choices that lead to a regular consumption of beneficial fats in the Nigerian diet. Emulating this practice can provide improvements to the present American diet.

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