Under the direction of Plenty nutrition educator and food specialist, Louise Hagler, the Huichol Nutrition Improvement Program seeks to raise the level of awareness among Huichol families about the importance of good nutrition to their health and welfare and improve the availability of high nutrient, low cost foods among economically disadvantaged families in the Huichol communities of Jalisco State, Mexico.

The program concept began developing in response to a request by Susana Valadez, the Huichol Center’s Founder and Executive Director. Representing members of the Huichol communities, she asked if Plenty would assist the Huichol Center to implement a program they viewed as essential - to help alleviate malnutrition in the population, by improving the nutritional quality of the Huichol diet.

Most Huichol families do not grow or have access to all of the foods they need to provide adequate nutrition for their children. Many families are not aware of the foods and nutrients their children need each day to achieve full growth and development potential, and protection from disease. Under-nutrition, including a lack of protein, folic acid and beta-carotene, is a severe problem among the Huichols and Mexico’s other indigenous populations. Lowered resistance to infection and stunted mental and physical growth are some of the common results of undernutrition. Although the whole population is at risk, children, women during their childbearing years and the elderly are the most vulnerable.

Plenty works with Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and Traditional Arts , HCCSTA, to help families process and gain access to high quality, low cost fresh foods that including locally grown soybeans, amaranth and traditional corn varieties. For more information on the Huichols visit Beads of Beauty and the Huichol Center site.

The World Food Day event on November 15, 2005 was a resounding success; an excellent public relations and education event. There were several hundred people there covering one end of the plaza. I think our workshop was the most well attended, but then we were giving away food which always attracts a crowd. The menu included Birria de Soya, Nopales y Mole con Tofu, Ceviche de Soya, Scrambled Tofu Mexicana, Barras de Okara (protein bars made with the okara), Chorizo from the okara, Vanilla Soymilk, Strawberry Yogurt Smoothies, Fried Tempeh, and Pinole Bolitas (a dense protein, mildly sweet treat rolled into little balls). Maybe a little over the top, but we wanted to show diversity. We used tortillas or tostados for plates. I talked for three hours straight, except for two breaks where Bertha took over to explain how to make two of the recipes.

I would say all was very well received. A number of people came up and asked where they could buy the milk and the yogurt and the soybeans. They liked that 10 pesos worth of soybeans can make 6 liters of soymilk. A liter of cows milk here costs 9 pesos. They were very curious about the tofu. I think the scramble was the most pleasantly surprising recipe for most of them. It was really fun to watch their responses to new food in a familiar form.

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