The Evolving Filipino Food Culture

While it was very interesting learning about a lot of the history and policy work that has been done about the nutrient deficiencies in the Philippines, something I didn’t really get a chance to research more was the common diet of the Filipino people.  Their diet should reflect the deficiencies that the poor lack in the rural most parts of the country, so I will be analyzing the types of foods normally eaten in the area and how it came to be.

                I learned that Filipino culture revolves a lot around meal times and eating.  Therefore, even in the poorest parts of the country-like the ones I will be working in-they are able to purchase foods, although they usually aren’t the healthiest options.  Some staples in these household diets are cheap, processed foods from the grocery store, like chips and instant noodle packets.¹ Other popular foods that are purchased in excess are biscuits, sweets, and sugary treats.  Instead of these nutrient deprived foods, traditional Filipino meals consist of rice, greens and vegetables, and some sort of meat option, like fish.  However, meat is a pretty expensive commodity in the grocery stores, so those living in poverty don’t have the opportunity to purchase them.  These processed foods that have become increasingly popular in the past decade have greatly contributed to the diabetes epidemic that is taking over their country.  In the past 15 years, the occurrence of diabetes in the population has risen over ninety two percent!¹   While diabetes doesn’t seem to be extremely scary in the states, because the Philippines is still a developing country, diabetes there is extremely life threatening, especially in the most rural areas.

                In one recent study, it describes how the Filipino diet overall is evolving, from less beef, fruits and vegetables, to much more rice. ² Looking at food on a global scale, rice is easily the most affordable and accessible food to consume, and it is even easier to cook and eat.  Therefore, this food is in a majority of developing countries diets, and usually makes up about half of their daily energy intake. This causes many nutrient problems, as rice provides virtually no necessary nutrients, but because it is so starchy if fills up the people’s stomachs, so they aren’t hungry.  However the irony is that even though they don’t “feel hungry,” their cells are starving for nutrients.  

                During my practice, I will be helping to bring the developing Filipino community come back to their food roots, and explaining to them why certain foods are healthier than others, and how it will affect their lives in the long run.  Specifically, I will be focusing on the grocery store vs. garden debates and their nutrient differences, as well as how not all foods are created equal in regards to importance.

1.       http://voices.yahoo.com/poor-people-unhealthy-food-poor-filipinos-eat-105097.html

2.       http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/109993/filipinos-eating-more-rice-due-to-poverty%E2%80%93survey