Food Choices in Mexico
Indigenous Mexico history is rooted from as far back as 9000years ago. During this time there were already established agricultural communities like Mayas who were actively involved in domestic maize farming. Though maize was not the only staple food as other native Mexican communities engaged in farming of different staple foods. Among these native foods were maize, beans, squash, amaranth, chia, avocados, tomatoes, tomatillos, cacao, vanilla, agave, turkey, spirulina, sweet potatoes, chilli, rice, mango, pineapple, poultry and eggs. This discussion seeks to analyze Mexican Cuisines and their regional cultural and nutritional significance.
However, this native feeding culture couldn’t remain the only dominant choice of food in Mexico until the 16th Century when Spanish came in and conquered the Aztec Empire and subsequent the Maya. This saw the Europeans introduce other different foods including beef, pork, chicken, goat and sheep meat. Dairy products like milk and cheese were also introduced by the Spanish. Though the Europeans couldn’t succeed in efforts to impose their diet. African and Asian food influences were also introduced to indigenous Mexican Cuisine (Tecante, 2020). Africans and Asians diets were included in the Mexican Cuisine diets during the era of the slave trade.
These historical rich cultural interactions resulted in regions that Mexican Cuisine is a cultural heritage. Such regions like Veracruz, Oaxaca and Yucatan Peninsula where Mexican Cuisine is a popular tradition and an important culture that forms their social structures. Also noteworthy is that indigenous Mexico culture has changed from what is prevalent today. Many factors have faltered the traditional Mexican feeding culture (Pilcher, 2017). For example, before Spain’s invasion, indigenous tribes like Aztec had different religious beliefs that included certain diets.
These cultural dynamics saw Mexican feeding patterns change with the introduction of fast foods thus declining health. Diet is considered a biocultural phenomenon because it satisfies biological needs to survive in different cultures. It also depends on the need for individual consumption. These cultural influences have brought enormous significances due to introduction of wide varieties of foods and diets in many countries. In Mexico today, different regions have different feeding patterns and diets as a symbol of regional identity (Pilcher, 2017).
Significant cultural changes have however affected the nutritional requirement consumptions. Introduction of other varieties of food in Mexico has led to unhealthy and non-proportional nutritional standards. Though over years new skills and techniques have been applied to improve Mexican Cuisine, it has not lost its nutritional components since it is prepared from the ancient &native ingredients. The traditional food for in Mexico constitutes wholesome of nutrition energy to live, accomplish their daily tasks and reproduce (Tecante, 2020). It also keeps them in good health. Research conducted to investigate the nutritional adequacy in Mexico indicates that they are not observing a balanced uptake and are said to consume more energy giving foods than nutritional requirements.
Micronutrient deficiencies in young children, iron deficiency in pregnant women, obesity and diabetes in Mexico have raised worrying health concerns. A recent study shows that 50% of the Mexican population aged over one year are eating added sugar more than the recommended (Ribar, et al., 2020). This study showed that sugar intakes in urban are more than in rural areas. For example in the North region of Mexico, sugar is more consumed than the South region where they have a high social-economic class than in low social-economic areas. Western culture has also influenced traditional Mexican diets because food choices are also influenced by income, education, urbanization among others. A quarter of all Mexicans earn their living from farming thus making agriculture a minor contributor to the GDP. Though the government protects farmers by subsidized farm inputs. Fruits are more produced to self-sufficient quantities in Mexico.
Unique factors have dominated most Mexican regions feeding patterns. Food choices derived from new era cultures like in most important festivals and special events. Street food in Mexico is referred to as food not suitable to cook at home because many homes don’t use ovens to prepared food such as roasted chicken. Thus the choice of roasted chicken is left limited to the pocket friendly. This unique style of consumption of street food satisfies hunger or craving without both social and emotional sense of sharing with the entire family back at home. Some of the staple foods like amongst Mexican families are referred to as food for the poor (Ribar, et al., 2020). Corn, beans and pepper are cheap and easily available thus consumed more by the populations. Corn is found in almost every diet. Mealtime occasions festivals have their respective special food of choices to be consumed then. Other inferences of the type of food taken in Mexico are imported beverages.
In conclusion from varying cultural factors and influences proper guidelines are recommended and are essential not only for growth and development but also for a healthy society. Lifestyle habits like smoking and inappropriate dietary consumptions pose a great danger to a healthy society. Diverse cultures have significantly affected the health and nutrition in society has both positively and negatively. Religious, individual and cultural believes should be followed if progressively applied. Observing proper practice of nutritional requirements and not adhering to retrogressive cultural beliefs breeds a healthy society.
References
Pilcher, J. M. (2017). Planet taco: a global history of Mexican food. Oxford University Press.
Ribar, A. K., Kilanowski, J. F., & Zoucha, R. (2020). The Cultural Perceptions of Healthy Eating in Mexican American Children: A Focused Ethnography. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 1043659620912305.
Tecante, A. (2020). Textural Characteristics of Traditional Mexican Foods. Textural Characteristics of World Foods, 53-68.