What Peru Knows About Food That We've Forgotten - May 2026

Six months ago, I traveled to Peru and visited Machu Picchu, where I also scattered some of my mother’s ashes. It was a meaningful trip filled with beauty, reflection, and perspective. And while the landscape was unforgettable, one of the things that stayed with me most was something quieter: the relationship people seemed to have with food.

In Peru, I learned about Pachamama - Mother Earth, a belief rooted in gratitude, reciprocity, and honoring what the earth provides. You could feel that connection not just in the landscape, but in the meals.

Each day, we ate food grown from the land: potatoes in countless varieties, quinoa, corn, beans, vegetables, soups, herbs, fruit, and fresh, colorful meals that felt deeply nourishing. Much of what we ate was naturally plant-based and satisfying.

And yet no one seemed preoccupied.

No one was talking about whether carbohydrates were making them gain weight.

No one was counting grams of protein at breakfast.

No one was debating whether seed oils were toxic, whether fruit had too much sugar, or whether dessert needed to be “earned.”

There was no visible fear. No bargaining. No obsession.

There was simply food.

Food as nourishment.
Food as pleasure.
Food as culture.
Food as connection

And yes, we had dessert at lunch and dinner.

A small sweet ending, enjoyed without guilt.

It wasn’t a “cheat.” It wasn’t something to compensate for later. It was just part of the meal.

There was laughter at the table.

Time to sit.

Beautiful presentation.

Conversation.

Gratitude.

Meals felt human.

It made me reflect on how many people I see in the United States who are suffering around food.

Here, eating has become mentally exhausting for so many.

We negotiate with ourselves all day long:

• Should I eat this now or save calories for later?

• Was that too many carbs?

• Did I get enough protein? What protein is best?

• I’ll be “good” tomorrow.

• I need to make up for that meal.

• I know what to do, so why can’t I just do it?

We have more nutrition information than ever before, yet so many people feel less peaceful than ever.

We know the macros, but don’t understand the meal.

We know the rules, but not how to trust ourselves.

We know what foods to fear, but not how to enjoy food without anxiety.

And despite all of this “wellness,” disordered eating patterns are everywhere, chronic dieting, guilt, bingeing, food fixation, body distrust, all-or-nothing thinking, and the constant feeling of failing at eating.

What if health was never meant to feel this hard?

What if some of the healthiest eaters in the world are not the people obsessing over food, but the people living with it more naturally?

What Peru highlighted for me is something I try to help clients understand every day:

Nutrition is not only about nutrients.

It is also about:

• consistency

• adequacy

• pleasure

• flexibility

• tradition

• community

• trust

Yes, nutrition science matters. I deeply believe in evidence-based care.

But science without humanity can become another set of rules.

Food was never meant to be reduced to numbers, fear, and perfectionism.

It was meant to nourish us physically, emotionally, socially, and culturally.

No country eats perfectly. No culture has all the answers. But sometimes stepping outside our own food environment helps us see how unnecessarily complicated we’ve made something basic and beautiful.

There is another way to eat.

A way that includes vegetables and dessert.
A way that values nourishment and enjoyment.
A way that supports health without obsession.
A way that feels calm.

And in my experience, that peaceful middle ground is where we find true, sustainable health.

Kind regards,