Brain-Healthy Eating With Filipino Foods
This guide helps you choose Filipino foods that work with the Mediterranean Diet for brain health.
Equivalent foods for each component of the Mediterranean Diet
Fiber (whole grains, roots/tubers)
- Whole grains
- Adlay (Job’s tears)
- Brown rice
- Corn
- Whole-wheat flour
- Roots/tubers
- Potato
- Sweet potato
- Taro
- Ube
- Yam
Healthy Fats
- Canola oil
- Cashew
- Chia seed
- Dried Fish:
- Bangus (Milk Fish)
- Tamban (Sardines)
- Tulingan (Mackarel Tuna)
- Fresh and salt-water fish
- Olive oil
- Peanut
- Sesame seed
- Walnut
Lean protein
- Animal proteins
- Chicken
- Duck
- Egg
- Goat
- Pork tenderloin
- Shellfish:
- Oyster
- Mussels
- Shrimp
- Fish:
- Bangus
- Fish boiled in soup
- Raw fish
- Roast fish
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Plant-based proteins
- Dried legumes:
- Black bean
- Dried bean
- Mung bean
- Red/mung bean paste
- Soybean flour
- Tofu
- Tofu products
- Dried legumes:
- Salted products (limit)
- Boiled fish paste
- Dried fish
Fresh Produce
- Colorful vegetables
- Bittermelon
- Broccoli
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Chayote
- Eggplant
- Kalabasa (Kabocha squash)
- Mung bean sprout
- Mushroom
- Okra
- Pea with pod
- Sitaw (string bean)
- Soybean sprout
- Tomato
- Fruits
- Apple
- Banana/plantain
- Guava
- Jackfruit
- Mango
- Orange
- Papaya
- Leafy Greens
- Bittermelon leaves
- Bok Choy
- Fresh or Dried Seaweed
- Marrunggay (moringa)
- Pechay (Cabbage)
- Spinach
- Taro leaves
Probiotics
- Atchara (Pickle)
- Commonly consumed by adults
- Burong hipon / balao balao (fermented shrimp rice mixture)
- Burong isda (fermented rice fish mixture)
Seasonings
- Flavor builders
- Bay leaf
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Lemon
- Onion
- Pepper
- Tamarind
- Vinegar
- Salted condiments (limit)
- Bagoong (fish paste)
- Patis (fish sauce)
- Shrimp paste
- Soy sauce
- Try substituting these condiments with low sodium versions, e.g. low sodium soy sauce, liquid aminos, coconut aminos.
Drinks
Make low or no sugar versions of these drinks. Consume in moderation.
- Avocado
- Buko (young coconut)
- Calamansi
- Coconut
- Ginger
- Mango
- Marrunggay
- Melon
- Tamarind
- Unsweetened tea
- Water
Foods to Enjoy Occasionally / Celebration Foods
These foods are part of Filipino heritage and family traditions. They are celebratory foods that should be limited. Enjoy in moderation, balancing with fruits, vegetables, and fish most days.
- Adobo
- Apritada
- Barbequed meats
- Beer-gin
- Desserts
- Kakanins
- Puto
- Leche flan
- Bibingka
- Turón
- Fruit salad
- Assorted fruits
- Ube
- Halo-halo
- Shakes
- Dinuguan
- Fried or inihaw fish
- Fried organ meats
- Giniling
- Kilawin
- Lechón
- Lumpia
- Pansit
- Pinakbet
- Pinapaitan
Acknowledgements & References
Heidi Wulzen, MPH, RDN, LD, Heritage Health, Brain Health & Risk Reduction Action Team Member
Bourne, N.A., Gill, G.K., Cooley, K. (2014). Cultural Adaptations Addressing Diversity and Health Access in the Mediterranean Diet: A Realist Synthesis. Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors Journal, 31(1), 37–46. https://doi.org/10.54434/candj.146
Healthy Brain Nutrition
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