Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 4, 1 ʻApelila 1988 — He Mau Ninau Ola [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

He Mau Ninau Ola

-r. Some Health Questions - • by Kekuni Blaisdell, M.D.

Ho'oke 'Ai: the Moloka'i Diet

Ninau: E Kauka, please send me a copy of the Moloka'i Diet whieh 1 read about in the daily newspapers. ls this diet guaranteed to prevent a heart attack? Pane: Table 1 lists the composition and main food items of the pre-western Hawaiian

maka āinana (eommoner) diet used in Ho'okē 'Ai, the 1987 Moloka'i Diet Study. This information is made available through the coordinator of the study, Helen Kanawaliwali 0'Connor of Ho'olehua. In the table, the diet features are compared with those of harmful, currently popular American-island diet on the far right, and in the middle eolumn, a prudent, wholesome adaptation of the traditional Hawaiian diet recommended for use today.

As stated m He Mau Ninau Ola of February, 1986, ka mea'ai (diet) of nā maka'āinana i ka wā kahiko (in pre-western times) was, in most respects, superior to the typical mea'ai of our modern, urban, haole-dominated society in Hawai'i nei. lt was superior because it was relatively low in saturated fat, cholesterol, kōpa'a (sugar); high in complex carbohydrates (starch) and fiber; yet ample in vitamins and minerals.

The maka'āinana diet of old was mainly i'a (fish) and other sea foods, such as 'opihi, pāpa'i (crab), ula (lobster) and wana (sea urchin); kalo (taro), 'uala (sweet potato), uhi (yam), 'ulu (breadfruit), leafy vegetables, like lū'au (taro leaf) and hō'i'o (fern), limu (algae relish); some fruit, like mai'a (banana), 'ohi'a'ai (mountain apple) and niu (eoeonut); and occasional moa (ehieken). Pua'a (pig) and llio (dog) were consumed only on special feast occasions by nā maka'āinana. There was no pipi (beef), hipa (mutton or lamb), kāmano (salmon),

halakahiki (pineapple), mikana (papaya), guava, mango, pastry, iee cream, butter, cheese, mayonaise, ketchup, shoyu, candy, french fries, soft drinks, beer or other aleoholie beverages. Pa'akai (salt) was used mainly for preserved i'a for adults, while kamali'i (children) were given only fresh i'a without pa'akai, according to Claire Hughes, a Hawaiian nutritionist in the Department of Health.

By contrast, the usual American-island fare of today has at least four times as mueh total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, greater than five times the amount of kōpa'a, and excessive sodium. These nutrients are the major culprits in obesity, atherosclerosis (such as in heart attack and stroke), adult mimiko (diabetes), and kokopi'i (hypertension) so prevalent in modem Westernized societies such as ours.

No ka mea (because) the pre-Western Hawaiian diet has limited variety and some of its food items may be pipi'i (expensive) or difficult to procure from the supermarket, the prudent diet in the middle eolumn incorporates inexpensive and readily available grocery products that also suit modern sophisticated tastes. Please note that the proportions of the main nutrient groups are identical in these two diets, with 80 percent carbohydrate, 12 percent protein and 10 percent fat.

T otal absolute calories are not shown in Table 1 because the appropriate number of calories per day varies for eaeh person depending on: (1) individual needs to lose or gain flesh to move toward his or her "ideal weight;" (2) the degree of physical activity; (3) whether the person is a kamaiki (infant), keiki (child), 'Opio (youth), makua (adult) or makule (elder); or (4) if there are special needs or restrictions, such as when hāpai (pregnant) or ma'i (ill). Nolaila, the amounts of the listed foods eaten will determine the caloric intake. A professional nutritionist should be engaged to provide this individualized counsel.

Points to remember about the relationship of the amount of the major classes of food to calories are shown in Table £. Pēlā, a given amount of fat provides more than twice the number of calories than the same amount of carbohydrate or protein. Further, if the number of calories in a given amount of mea'ai consumed is not expēnded by the person in physical activity, t|ie calories from the mea'ai eaten will be stored in the body as fat. These are the reasons why fat is so fattening.

I kēia mahina a'e (next month), we will consider the experimental background for Ho'okē 'Ai, the results of the study, followup by the participants, and the implications for us ka po'e Hawai'i who are at high risk for heart attack, stroke, mimikō, kokopi'i and ma'i'a'ai (cancer). 'Oiai, e ho'omau e ha'awi mai nei ihe mau ninau ola, ke 'olu'olu.

Table 1. Comparison of PreWestern Hawaiian, Prudent Adapted, and Typical American-Island Diets 1 — Maka'ainana Prudent Adapted j American-Island Calories 100% 100% 100% Carbohydrate 78% 78% 45% Starch Kalo, 'uala, uhi, 'ulu Taro, rice, potato Rice, potato, noodle Lu'au, h5'i'o, mai'a Vegetable, grain Grain, bean, fruit Fruit, bean Vegetable Fiber 50 grams 50 grams 10 grams Sugar _ (2%) (4%) (15%) : K6, 'uala, '5helo Sugarcane, 'uala Sugar, candy, pastry Mango, grape, guava Softdrink, icecream Protein j 12% 12% 15% I a, 1 ' a viscera Fish Beef, pork, lamb, fish Pupu, papa'i, ula, moa Chicken Chicken, bean, egg Fat 10% 10% 40% I'a, human milk Fish Beef, pork, lamb, sausage Moa, niu Chicken Butter, cow's milk, nut Coconut Cheese, egg, icecream Shortening, pastry Cholesterol i 200 mg 200 mg 1,000 mg Mi neral s Calcium Iwi i'a, pupu, papa'i Skimmed cow's milk, fish Cow's milk, leaf, cereal Iron Kalo corm, lu'au Kalo, fish, leaf Meat, fish, leaf Sodium Pa'akai Salt Salt, processed food Vitamins A I'a viscera, pupu, lau Fish oil, carrot, yam Carrot, cabbage, leaf B-complex Kalo, 'uala, 'ulu Cereal, legume Pork, cereal, legume, egg C Lau, kalo, 'uala, mai'a Orange, papaya, tomato Orange, papaya, tomato 'Ohi'a'ai, 'ohelo Melon, leaf Melon, leaf D I'a viscera, i'a Fish oil Fish, egg, liver, butter Malamalama o ka la Sunlight Sunlight K Lau Leaf Leaf Table 2. Relationship of Food Class Amount to Calories Class of Food Weight Calories Carbohydrate 1 gram 4 Protein 1 gram 4 Fat 1 gram 9 Minerals any weight 0 Vitamins any weight 0