Contemporary African food habits and their nutritional and health implications

Food is fundamental to human survival, in more than just one way. First, food is basic for averting hunger and maintaining health for every human being. Secondly, food satisfies our palate and makes us happy and emotionally and socially content. Third, food constitutes a form of cultural expression. The food we eat should be safe, palatable, affordable, and of the quality that can maintain mental, emotional, physiologic and physical health. Even with globalization that has seen food movements to and from different parts of the world, for most populations in Africa, food is still very locale-specific, especially in the rural farming areas where it is produced. Many locally produced foods have both nutritional and intrinsic value. The types of foods produced in Western Africa are very different from those produced in Eastern Africa. The staple foods, vegetables and the drinks that go with these foods are different. The way food is prepared is also very different in the two parts of Africa. Cultural specificity appears to be more pronounced in Western Africa, involving more secondary processing in the home and more spicing. Data linking food to health, as something that is understood by traditional communities is not easily available. This paper will collate information that discusses people's perceptions in both Western and Eastern Africa, and try to draw comparisons between the two. The paper presents a community picture of food, nutrition and health.