• It’s a Cookbook
    It’s a Philosophy
    It’s a Resource
logologologologo
  • FoodTrients 101 –
  • News –
      • Age Gracefully with Grace O
      • Ginger Hultin, Nutrition
      • Mark Rosenberg, MD
      • Robert Tostado, MD
      • Anti-Aging –
      • Beauty –
      • Food –
      • Health –
      • Exercise –
      • Celiac –
      • Life Extension
      • Books We Love –
      • FoodTrients Guides –
      • Newsletter –
      • capsule full of good foodAre Supplements Safe for You?
      • woman doing yogaSecrets of the Lymphatic System
      • woman fanning herselfWomen, Food, and Hormones: A Plan
      • "collagen" written on a chalkboardSave Your Eyes with Collagen
  • Recipes –
    • SEARCH BY:

      • Category:

      • Starters –
      • Soups –
      • Salads –
      • Main Dishes –
      • Sides –
      • Desserts –
      • Drinks –
      • Extras –
      • Spice Mixes –
      • All Recipes –
      • Or Search By:

      • Anti-inflammatory –
      • Antioxidant –
      • Beauty –
      • Detox –
      • Disease Prevention –
      • Gut Health –
      • Immunity Booster –
      • Mind –
      • Strength –
      • buffalo meat slidersBuffalo Sliders with Cranberries
      • exotic fruit and granolaExotic Fruit Salad with Granola
      • Green Tea NoodlesGreen Tea Noodles with Edamame
      • chocolate mousseDark Chocolate Mousse
  • Resources –
  • About –
  • Shop –
  • Media –
  • Home Page
  • News
    • Age Gracefully
    • Anti-Aging
    • Beauty
    • Food
    • Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO
    • Health
    • Newsletter
  • Recipes
    • Starters
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Main Dishes
    • Sides
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Extras
    • Spice Mixes
  • Resources
    • Anti-Aging Resources
    • Health
    • Eating Well
    • Books We Love
  • About
    • About Grace O
    • Experts and Advisors
    • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest
  • Shop
  • Media
    • In the Media
    • Press Releases
    • Videos
            No results See all results
            ✕
                      No results See all results

                      Nicoyan’s Menu Spices Up Their Healthy Lives

                      Published by Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO

                      Woman cutting chili peppers to prepare red pepper soupOver the past year, FoodTrients has been exploring foods and flavors from around the globe. 

                      This week, we take a look at the flavors of Nicoya

                      , Costa Rica as part of our new series on the world of foods, herbs and spices that help create some of the distinctive dishes we have featured, and the age-defying benefits they deliver.
                      Known as a ‘blue zone’ in Costa Rica, Nicoya’s residents often live to 100 without common chronic diseases like cancer and diabetes. While nutrition plays a big part in this, Nicoyans also believe that a positive outlook, getting outside, laughing, and spending time with friends and family are keys to their success.

                      Nicoyans’ diet consists of mostly plant-based foods with the occasional meat and fish dishes. Corn tortillas are a staple in their diet. Prior to making the tortilla, corn is soaked in lime and water which allows niacin, a B vitamin, to release. Niacin has been known to be heart-healthy and boost both brain and skin health. Besides corn tortillas; beans, squashes, and fruits such as banana, papaya, and pejibaye, a fruit from the peach fruit palm tree, are commonly eaten.

                       

                      Crushed chocolate pieces and cocoa on gray backgroundCacao

                      Cacao is the raw, unprocessed seed of the cacao tree that is used to make chocolate. Medicinally cacao may help lower cholesterol, help treat depression, and is rich in antioxidants which can help fight free radicals in the body. Nicoyans use cacao for its rich and bitter chocolate taste that is used in a variety of dishes. Most commonly, it is used in breads, puddings, and made into pinolillo, a common nutrient-dense beverage made from roasted purple corn, cacao, and milk.

                       

                      Red chili peppers shot from above on rustic wooden tableChile Pepper

                      Used medicinally for pain because they contain an oil called capsaicin that helps release endorphins from the brain, chile peppers have many uses in the kitchen as well. In Nicoyan cuisine, chile peppers are a staple that are added to dishes whenever a spicy flavor is needed. They can be added to soups, sauces, and dressings, and pair well with other commonly consumed foods like beans and tortillas.

                       

                      Culantro herbs on a wooden cutting boardCulantro

                      Also known as ‘culantro coyoye’, this herb is a close relative to cilantro and may be used medicinally for its anti-inflammatory properties and pain relief. In the kitchen, culantro is a bitter, stronger version of cilantro and needs to be added while cooking due to its intense flavor. Many people describe it as pungent and possibly an acquired taste if you’re not accustomed to it. It is often used in soups, sauces, and in meat dishes such as olla de carne, a beef stew made with carrots, corn, yams, and squash.

                       

                      References
                      Natural Medicines Database. Cocoa. https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/databases/food,-herbs-supplements/professional.aspx?productid=812. Updated 10/12/20. Accessed 1/28/21.

                      Blue Zones. Nicoya Costa RIca. https://www.bluezones.com/exploration/nicoya-costa-rica/. Accessed 1/28/21.

                      Grande Real Estate. What It’s Like To Eat Like A Nicoyan. https://playagrandecostaricarealestate.com/what-to-incorporate-into-your-diet-to-eat-like-a-100-year-old-nicoyan/#:~:text=The%20Staples%20of%20the%20Blue,5%25%20of%20the%20usual%20diet. Accessed 1/28.21.

                      Spruce Eats. The Difference Between Cocoa and Cacao. https://www.thespruceeats.com/difference-between-cocoa-and-cacao-3376438. Updated 9/23/19. Accessed 1/28/21.

                      Spruce Eats. Cacao Nutritional Benefits. https://www.thespruceeats.com/nutritional-benefits-of-raw-cacao-3376453. Updated 9/27/18. Accessed 1/28/21.

                      Spruce Eats. Hot Chile Pepper. https://www.thespruceeats.com/fresh-hot-chiles-2215963. Updated 9/20/19. Accessed 1/28/21.

                      Spruce Eats. Culantro. https://www.thespruceeats.com/is-culantro-the-same-as-cilantro-1807011. Updated 7/9/20. Accessed 1/28/21.

                       

                      Share
                      Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO
                      Ginger Hultin, MS RDN CSO
                      Ginger Hultin, MS, RD, CSO, LDN, is a health writer and owner of Champagne Nutrition specializing in integrative health and whole food-based nutrition. She serves as Immediate Past President for the Chicago Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Chair-Elect of the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group and is a Media Representative for the Illinois Academy. Read Ginger's blog, Champagne Nutrition, and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Ginger Hultin MS RD CSO LDN gingerhultin@hotmail.com | @GingerHultinRD Chair-Elect, Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group ChampagneNutrition.com

                      Sign Up to get our
                      NEWSLETTER FREE

                      Select list(s) to subscribe to


                      By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: FoodTrients, 14011 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA, 91423, http://www.foodtrients.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

                      Latest Articles

                      • 0
                        Can Supplements Help Certain Health Conditions?
                        July 6, 2022
                      • Pre Order Cookbook0
                        Anti-Aging Dishes from Around the World
                        July 4, 2022
                      • Summertime Chicken
                        Mexican-inspired Summertime Grilled Chicken
                        July 4, 2022
                      • Beautiful Bounty: The Stone Fruits of Summer
                        July 4, 2022
                      • Make An Inexpensive “Anti-Aging Serum” At Home
                        July 4, 2022

                      SEE MORE

                      ABOUT

                      • Grace O
                      • Our Experts
                      • FoodTrients
                      • Board of Advisors
                      • FAQs

                      EXPLORE

                      • Age Gracefully by Grace O
                      • News
                      • Recipes
                      • Our Guides
                      • Resources
                      • Shop
                      • Media

                      CONNECT

                      • Contact Us
                      • Subscribe
                      • Facebook
                      • Pinterest
                      • Instagram
                      • Twitter
                      • YouTube

                      SIGN UP for our NEWSLETTER

                      Nourish your week! Get the latest wellness news and delicious recipes to help you age better.

                      Select list(s) to subscribe to


                      By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: FoodTrients, 14011 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA, 91423, http://www.foodtrients.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

                      FoodTrients Trademark™ and copyright © 2011-2022 Triple G Enterprises. I Terms and Conditions I Privacy

                      This website is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. FoodTrients – A Recipe for Aging Beautifully Grace O, author and creator of FoodTrients® -- a philosophy, a cookbook and a resource -- has a new cookbook dedicated to age-defying and delicious recipes, The Age Beautifully Cookbook: Easy and Exotic Longevity Secrets from Around the World, which provides one hundred-plus recipes that promote health and well-being. The recipes are built on foundations of modern scientific research and ancient knowledge of medicinal herbs and natural ingredients from around the world. Since the publication of her first anti-aging book, The Age GRACEfully Cookbook, Grace O has identified eight categories of FoodTrients benefits (Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Immune Booster, Disease Prevention, Beauty, Strength, Mind, and Weight Loss) that are essential to fighting aging, which show how specific foods, herbs, and spices in the recipes help keep skin looking younger, prevent the diseases of aging, and increase energy and vitality. Grace O combines more exotic ingredients that add age-fighting benefits to familiar recipe favorites.

                                No results See all results