Kenya’s plant-based food revival fights rising diet-related diseases
Steve Morara, co-founder of The Vegan Basket restaurant, highlights the benefits of traditional African plant-based diets. These meals, packed with fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, are known to reduce inflammation and lower the risk of lifestyle diseases. Morara’s restaurant promotes dishes rooted in these principles.
Gladicy Mumbi, a vegan advocate, urges young people to reconsider their views on plant-based eating. She stresses that traditional African meals—often dismissed as food for the poor—are actually nutrient-dense and health-promoting. Mumbi wants to break the stigma around vegan diets.
Virginia Ruguru of Thrive Africa Organisation adds that adopting plant-based diets could ease the financial strain caused by NCDs. She points out that these diets improve weight control, digestion, and blood sugar levels while boosting immunity. The long-term economic benefits, she argues, would be substantial.
Research supports these claims, showing that plant-based diets provide essential vitamins, antioxidants, and fibre. These nutrients help regulate blood pressure, reduce obesity risks, and support healthy skin. Meanwhile, unhealthy eating habits—especially those high in processed and animal-based foods—continue to drive up NCD rates.
The push for plant-based diets in Kenya comes as NCDs place growing pressure on healthcare systems. Advocates believe traditional African meals could offer a practical solution, improving public health and cutting medical costs. The shift, they say, would also reconnect people with nutritious, culturally rooted foods.
