Healthy Eating: Naija Style

I'll take it that nobody wants an instagram page. o well...

I have been meaning to write a post about eating clean as a Nigerian. When I first started eating clean, I would look up what "fitness folks" ate and try to copy it. However, very soon it got boring because of my conc naija self. I love Nigerian food. Once you get the very basics of it, then its not so hard.

First you need to pay attention to the macro-nutrients of your food: Protein, Carbs and Healthy fats. Proteins are easy: eggs, fish, meat, chicken, shrimps, beans, etc.

Carbs: there are the good carbs and bad carbs. You dont want the simple/processed carbs (except fruits) and you want the brown over white.

Healthy Fats: nuts, Avocados, unsaturated oils:  olive oil, coconut oil (and I even heard palm oil!)


Everybody says naija foods are unhealthy, but a little healthy substitution here and there can show you that a lot of naija foods can be healthy!

that is the fried rice that wont let my diet be great!

Peppersoup: filled with lots and lots of protein and spices! can be eaten with boiled plantains

Shrimp Spinach soup with unripe plantains: Shrimps contain a whole lot of proteins (1 piece of boiled jumbo shrimp = 14 calories, 2.7g of protein), lots of vegetables, and if you cook with olive oil , thats good fat.

Yam Poridge can also be healthy if you add fish, shrimps (protein) and use healthy oils.

1. sweet potatoes/broccoli/chicken boobs

2. brown rice (with fish sauce)/broccoli/chicken boobs

3. 2 eggs sunny side up/chicken sausage/turkey links

the meals pictured above all have less than 300 calories and at least 30g of protein each!

great for snacking!

1. almonds/banana

2. greek yoghurt/strawberries

3. hummus/carrots