Nutrition in a Culturally Safe Context: South Asians and Chai

If you are into health and fitness you may have come across the term “skinny-fat” or “thin-fat.” These terms refer to a unique body composition in which individuals have less muscle tone and relatively more body fat (especially in the abdominal and trunk area) despite having a normal body mass index (BMI). Although it is a broad generalization, people of south asian descent are more likely to have a “skinny-fat” body composition. A variety of factors such as adaptations to storing more fat due to a high prevalence of famines during time of colonization in south asia, along with cultural and dietary factors all contribute to this unique body habitus. And despite having a “normal” BMI, an individual who has a “skinny-fat” body composition is at a higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Understanding this context, helps us better grasp why certain populations, such as south asians, are at higher risk of developing heart disease and stroke. 

We might all be aware that a healthy diet is a key to preventing and slowing the progression of heart disease and stroke; however, diet becomes especially important when discussing populations that are predisposed to certain food groups due to societal, economic, religious, and historic factors. Conversations around a change in nutrition have to be made in a culturally safe context to ensure that people have the means and ability to be able to incorporate changes to their diet in a meaningful manner. Here I present how a south asian cultural staple can be altered ever so slightly to help kickstart the journey to a healthy diet in a way that allows people to stay connected with their favorite foods and their culture!

Change your CHAI…… 3 easy ways to make your chai healthier!

Chai, cha, or chai tea is a rich milky sweet tea that is enjoyed by many people across the world. In many south asian households, chai is a morning, afternoon, midday, and many times a bedtime staple. Seeing its very frequent consumption, changing your chai to make it healthier can be a great step forward in improving nutrition and lifestyle. Below are three simple things you can do to make your chai healthier:

1. Lower fat milk

Full fat milk is what gives chai its creamy flavor. Unfortunately, a cup of full fat milk can have up to 6 grams of saturated fats. Using 2% fat milk instead can help to cut the amount of saturated fats in your chai by 50%, while still allowing it to taste relatively creamy and familiar.  

2. Go “sugar free” 

Speaking from personal experience, completely cutting out sugar from chai can be very difficult to do. A more sustainable way to reduce the amount of sugar in your chai is to use a “sugar free” aspartame based alternative! Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that is commonly used in diet sodas. Studies have shown that using artificial sweeteners generally carry little risk for adults and are a great way to reduce the amount of simple sugars in your diet!   

3. Fresh ginger

Grate or slice fresh ginger into your chai while you are boiling it. This will allow you to reap the benefits of ginger’s antioxidant properties and also give your chai a kick!