How Persian Foods Helped to Reshape My Relationship With Sugar
After a health scare forced me to change my diet
Growing up in a country that loves sweet and savory dishes, my meals were often infused with strong flavor owing the tastiness to sugar. From sweet soy sauce glazed chicken to sweet chili gravy as a side, most meals have a touch of sweetness in them.
When you are used to sweet foods, you become accustomed to them. Just like everyone else in my family, I had a major sweet tooth.
Completely oblivious to the potential health implications of what comes after.
A wake-up call
When I was diagnosed with an auto-immune skin disease called Psoriasis, followed by early signs of arthritis — in my early 30s, it was like a slap to reality — A harsh reminder that I needed to take care of my lifestyle and diet.
The findings from multiple doctor’s appointments, articles, and books I have immersed myself in pointed to my eating habits. I was in denial at first until I noticed that my flare-ups get more frequent and severe whenever I overindulged in sugary and other highly processed foods.
Since then, I have been battling myself to reduce sugar and other highly processed goods used in my homecooked meals. It was shocking to find how much sugar is hidden in my everyday meals, including commercial dairy, refined flour, and condiments.
Not to mention the harmful trans fats, artificial flavoring, coloring, preservatives, added sugar, and all those hard-to-spell ingredients.
Knowing how much my food relied on those common ingredients, I knew I had to expand my palate to other foods.
The early transition in reducing sugar — Introduction to Persian cuisine
During my early marriage to my husband, who is from the Middle East, I was introduced to Persian cuisine. I learned that many foods he grew up with were influenced by the Mediterranean way of eating.
For example, dolma — rice, herbs, and onion wrapped in grape leaves (as shown in the photo below), grilled fish with mixed herbs rice, stuffed fish, legume-based soup, yogurt sauce, herbs rice, and many more.
It may have been the cross-cultural influence between Greece and Persia, resulting from the wars and perhaps the trading history with other Mediterranean countries alongside The Silk Road.
Besides incorporating plant-based foods like legumes, nuts, and Mediterranean herbs, Persian foods are high in acidity. They are deliciously pungent, and almost no sugar is present in the main foods.
At first it was tough to adjust my taste buds to a new taste. I felt like something was missing in some foods, and my palate craved it so much.
I found myself snacking particularly on sweets after a meal. It was sugar that was lacking in my food.
Little did I know that these foods were just the first step in reshaping my relationship with sugar. Thanks to my mother-in-law for introducing and cooking delicious Persian foods whenever I visit the country, I have grown to like them.
A new perspective in redefining my taste buds
Returning to my country after a few months, I overindulged all the foods I had missed. But this time, I had a new perspective on the flavors.
I realized just how sweet the foods I typically ate were.
I can’t deny the deliciousness of the Malaysian, Indonesian, and Thai foods that shaped my childhood. But now, their sweetness feels overpowering, leaving me feeling off, knowing the effect sugar has on my health.
The photo below is a feast I had when I returned home. The chicken skewer, peanut sauce, rice cake, and beef curry all contain sugar.
When they said you only appreciate something when it’s no longer there, I felt the same way about the foods I ate in Iran. So, I started making more Mediterranean-influenced Persian foods in my kitchen with the help of Maman (my husband’s mother) over the phone.
It took me years to train my palate to genuinely enjoy foods without sugar. Along the way, I have found pleasure in serving different parts of my palate, like sour and bitter.
There’s not a day I can skip a black coffee without sugar. The absence of sourness from lemon zest in my food is just as noticeable as the absence of sweetness once was.
Expanding my palate to Persian cuisine not only helped reshape my relationship with sugar but also taught me to appreciate the cross-cultural influences on my health.
If you’re struggling with sugar, don’t be afraid to explore different cuisines outside your comfort zone and stick with them for a while. You might be surprised how your tastebuds adapt to new flavors you never knew you would like.
This story was brought to you by Rooted, a publication dedicated to deep dives through food and drink culture. They are for entertainment and informational purposes only and should not be considered as nutritional or health advice.
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