Nutrition expert says traditional foods align with nutritional principles

Jakarta (ANTARA) — Dr. Luigi Gratton, Vice President of Health and Wellness at Herbalife, has said that traditional foods from various countries share the same principles as the nutrition patterns followed by elite athletes, namely prioritising nutritional balance, whole food ingredients, and meeting the body’s needs for energy and recovery.

“After decades working in sports nutrition, I have actually learned that the food our grandmothers once cooked is far closer to the nutritional principles of elite athletes than we might imagine,” Gratton said in a statement received in Jakarta on Monday.

According to him, many traditional dishes across the world have long applied the concept of the Performance Plate, a menu-planning framework used by professional athletes to support performance through a balance of carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats, and an intake of vegetables and fruit.

In Central America and Mexico, the combination of rice, beans and eggs in dishes such as huevos rancheros is considered capable of providing protein and carbohydrates suitable for consumption both before and after training.

Meanwhile in South America, dishes such as feijoada and ceviche are said to meet protein and carbohydrate needs for recovery, while the traditional drink yerba mate contains caffeine that athletes often use to support performance.

Gratton also noted that the Mediterranean diet, rich in seafood, whole grains, olive oil and vegetables, has long served as a reference in various nutrition studies because it supports both health and the body’s recovery process.

In the Middle East, foods such as hummus, falafel, tabbouleh and dates provide plant-based protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and natural carbohydrates that can be used as a source of energy before exercise.

Gratton said the principles of sports nutrition do not require anyone to abandon traditional foods that have become part of their culture.

“What matters most is understanding that a balance of macronutrients, consumption of whole foods, colourful vegetables and fruit, adequate hydration, and eating patterns adjusted to activity levels are universal principles,” he said.

He added that people can apply these principles in daily life, whether for exercise or maintaining fitness, by making use of traditional foods available in their own surroundings.