The Latin American Diet

Here's where you have to be careful to emphasize the "traditional" in a traditional Latin American diet. The American translation of Mexican food is not particularly healthful, but a traditional Latin American eating pattern is lighter on the overstuffed burritos that weigh as much as a small dog. Instead, it emphasizes beans, grains, and tubers (think tortillas, black beans, plantains, rice, cassava), fish and fowl, and plenty of fruits and veggies (don't forget the chilies).