Lea en español Immigrants in the United States often share stories about their grandmothers preparing food for the holidays. It could be an abuela in Mexico baking bread for Día de los Muertos, a bubbe making kugel for Hanukkah, a nani in India making sweets for Diwali or a nonna in Italy making Christmas cookies. These foods and many others traditionally reserved for festive events – from high holidays to weddings – can become part of regular diets in immigrant communities in the U.
S. Health researchers and practitioners say that while this is positive for maintaining cultural heritage, it's not so much for staying healthy. The goal is to strike a balance between tradition and health, experts say.
This includes controlling what and how much is consumed and getting back to the heart of celebrations, which should be centered on people, not food. "Festive foods are traditionally consumed during special celebrations and holidays in many cultures. In the context of immigration, festive foods can become part of regular diets rather than being reserved for special occasions," said Dr.
Latha Palaniappan, co-founder of the Stanford Center for Asian Health Research and Education in California. Her research has examined the links between disease and overconsumption of festival foods in the immigrant diet. "The shift from occasional to regular consumption of these rich, often calorie-dense dishes, which are high in carbohydrates, fats and sugars, can contribute to health risks l.