Improve your health by eating adventurously

In the UK, we are fortunate enough to live in one of the world’s most multicultural societies. Welcoming different cultures into our lives and our plates may also be an excellent way of reducing your health and risk of breast cancer. 

Plant-based chef and educator Sareta Puri, sat down with Breast Cancer UK to provide some food for thought about how we can all add a bit of culture into our pots and reduce our risk of breast cancer at the same time. 

“The vegan diet has exploded in popularity in the last five to ten years. But this is only true in the context of Western society.  

“Plant-based diets have existed for centuries in cultures around the world, including India, where my father was from. I think that anyone who wants to improve their diet should definitely look to these cultures and communities for inspiration.  

“Due to our climate, there are limitations to the kind of variety and nutrition that we can get from British produce alone. Traditional Indian cuisine (not to be confused with the unhealthy takeaways on the high street) is rich in so many herbs, grains, and vegetables that aren’t a staple in British food. These include turmeric, coriander, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, and garlic. The same goes for Ethiopian, Caribbean cuisine, and many others. 

“Adding these ingredients in healthy quantities has been proven to reduce our risk of various diseases, including cancer. Most of these ingredients are easy to find and you can pick them up at a supermarket or local grocer. 

“I’m of mixed descent, with my father hailing from India and my mother of Scottish ancestry. When I was young, I ate a mix of freezer food and Indian cuisine. Although I wasn’t particularly bothered by the latter.  

“Fast forward to my 20s and 30s, and all I want to eat is South Asian food! This inclination to explore cultural dishes came about after my father’s passing. It has since evolved into me fully adopting a plant-based diet. Through my educational work, I try to help children to understand the health benefits of eating food from different cultures. Food is like the first step in. It’s a really easy way of bringing people together. Food is a great signifier of why we’re essentially all the same. Whether you like to have your potatoes grilled, mashed, or boiled, we all need to eat.  

The earlier we can introduce children to cooking and trying new cuisine, the better! This will help to equip them with the life skills they need to eat healthilyfully when they get older and build good eating habits. 

“During my time at community kitchen Made In Hackney, I introduced children to different foods and taught them a bit about the history. Some of them would say things like, ‘I don’t like food from this place or that place,’ and then I tell them that some of the foods that they already eat aren’t originally from the UK.  

“There’s also another myth that food from other countries is always spicy, which can put some people off trying it. This simply isn’t true. There are spicy Indian dishes, but there are also milder dishes too. Regardless of your preference, you can find a dish that’s bursting with flavour and very good for you. 

“Food is about joy and bringing people together. Be adventurous and step outside of your comfort zone. It might just be the best and healthiest thing you’ve ever done for yourself.” 

If you’re interested in learning some delicious, healthy recipes and more about the whole-plant food-based diet, follow more of Sareta’s work on her website and Instagram page.  

Start your journey today by trying our prevention quiz. We’ve also got a handy resource full of information about the benefits of a healthy diet in reducing your risk of breast cancer.