Healthy Food Bank and Food Pantry Guidelines
Cultural Considerations

There are various health challenges that individuals face among the different ethnicities in the world, such as high rates of chronic disease, pollution-related issues, and inadequate health care access in certain regions. A healthy diet plays a crucial role in addressing health disparities by promoting overall well-being and reducing the risk of diet-related diseases. By consuming a balanced and nutritious diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, individuals and families can improve their immune systems, maintain healthy weight, regulate blood sugar levels, and lower the risk of chronic conditions. A healthy diet can also contribute to better mental health, enhanced cognitive function, and increased energy levels, thereby improving the quality of life of all.

ASIA

(including but not limited to Chinese, Japanese, Korean)

Chinese

Cultural Foods: Chinese broccoli, bok choy, choy sum, long beans, eggplant, radish, corn, potato, sweet potato, medium-grain rice, noodles, tofu, pork, chicken

Japanese

Cultural Foods: Ginger, garlic, green onion, broccoli, spinach, squash, sweet potato, soybean, short-grain rice, noodle, seaweed, potato, corn starch, fish, tofu

Korean

Cultural Foods: Kimchi (cabbage, radish, etc.), cucumber, spinach, mushrooms, eggplant, peppers, soybean, short-grain rice, noodle, pork, chicken, fish

MELANESIA

(including but not limited to  Papua New Guinea, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, and New Caledonia)

Cultural Foods: Sweet potato, taro, yam, bananas, chicken, fish.

MICRONESIA

(including but not limited to Marshallese, Chuukese, Chamorro, Palau, Carolinian, Pohnpeian, Kosraean, Yapese, Nauruan, Kiribati)

Cultural Foods: Taro, breadfruit, yam, sweet potato, banana, coconut, rice, fish, coconut, crab, pork, chicken, clams

NORTH AMERICAN/EUROPEAN

(including but not limited to Italian, German, English, French, Irish, Mexican, African)

Cultural Foods: Potato, corn, bread starches, rice, wheat, beef, chicken, pork

POLYNESIA

(including but not limited to Native Hawaiian, Samoan, Tongan, Tahitian, Maori, Cook Islands)

Cultural Foods: Breadfruit, taro (root and leaves), sweet potato, banana, rice, egg, pork, fish, chicken

SOUTH AMERICA/LATIN

(including but not limited to  Spanish, Caribbean, Portuguese, Indigenous Latin)

Cultural Foods: Corn, squash, pepper, tomato, plantain, potato, rice, beans, beef, pork, chicken, lamb

SOUTH EAST ASIA

(including but not limited to Indonesia, Laos, Philippines and Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, West Malaysia)

Filipino

Cultural Foods: Bean sprouts, sweet potato, taro, coconut, eggplant, rice, chicken, pork, shrimp, fish

Vietnamese

Cultural Foods: Soybean, sweet potato, corn, cabbage, spinach, bitter melon

Dietary Changes Suggestions

Click the tabs below to view suggestions to reduce or reduce risk of certain health issues.

Diets to Reduce Hypertension, Obesity, Cardiovascular Disease:

  • Composite diets11
  • Polyunsaturated fats as opposed to trans fats and saturated fats11
    • Substituting palm or coconut oil with olive, canola, or other vegetable oils to lower intake of saturated fats8
    • Substituting coconut milk with low-fat coconut milk to lower intake of saturated fats8
  • Increased dietary potassium11
    • Soybeans, potatoes, poultry, fish, yogurt, nuts, milk12
  • Increased fruit and vegetable intake12
  • Substituting white wheat flour and white rice with whole wheat flour and brown rice12
  • Avoiding deep-fried foods or deep frying as a way of cooking to avoid the intake of high levels of sodium/fat8

Diets to Reduce Cerebrovascular Disease (Stroke, etc.) and Hypertension13:

  • Reduced salt intake
  • Increased intake of foods containing carotenoids (CARS)
    • Spinach, kale, corn, bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes
  • Reduced cholesterol intake14
    • Fruits and vegetables
      • Eggplant, okra
    • Oatmeal, oat bran, barley
    • Beans
    • Avocado
    • Almonds, peanuts
    • Olive oil
    • Fatty fish (including tuna and salmon)
  • Increased intake of whole grains

Diets to Reduce Risk of Diabetes:

  • Increased intake of fiber-rich foods
    • Fruits: tomatoes, peppers
    • Nonstarchy Vegetables: leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower
    • Legumes: beans, chickpeas, lentils
    • Whole grains
  • Increased intake of healthy fats

Diets to Reduce Risk of Cancer15:

  • Reduce intake of red and processed meats
  • Reduce intake of sugar-sweetened beverages
  • Reduce intake of highly processed foods

Healthy Recipes

Healthy Hawaiian Recipes, Courtesy of Healthy Living Hawaii, DOH

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad:
Replace mayo with greek yogurt
Use whole wheat macaroni or chickpea macaroni pasta

New Recipies for Ancient Crops

Healthier Kalua Pork and Cabbage

Harvest for Schools – African Heritage

Filipino Food Made Healthy (diabetes)

Filipino Stir Fry (diabetes)

Chinese Cauliflower Chicken Fried Rice

Spaghetti squash lo mein

Traditional Chuukese Tuna dish

Works Cited

  1. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/white-health.htm
  2. https://nam.edu/challenges-and-promise-of-health-equity-for-native-hawaiians/
  3. https://dnhh.hawaii.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/NPHI_HlthAssessmentPriorities_Rpt2020.pdf
  4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8493186/#:~:text=An%20estimated%2081%25%20of%20deaths,fruits%20and%20vegetables%20%5B28%5D.
  5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4815710/#bib24
  6. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/new-study-reveals-previously-invisible-health-issues-among-asians-u-n1141676
  7. https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=3&lvlid=63
  8. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/culture-diet-economic-factors-and-more-affect-cvd-risk-among-asian-americans
  9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4411112/
  10. https://med.stanford.edu/care/research/country-specific-data-briefs/_jcr_content/main/panel_builder/panel_0/download_1191717062/file.res/JapanDataBrief.pdf
  11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14972059/
  12. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Potassium-HealthProfessional/
  13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3369476/
  14. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/11-foods-that-lower-cholesterol
  15. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/diet-physical-activity/acs-guidelines-nutrition-physical-activity-cancer-prevention/guidelines.html
  16. https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/hispanic-health/index.html