A return to Africa’s traditional plant-based diet may hold the key to fighting chronic inflammation and lifestyle diseases, according to a new study that reveals powerful changes within just two weeks.
Researchers from Radboud University Medical Centre (Netherlands) and KCMC University (Tanzania) studied 77 healthy Tanzanian men to explore how diet shapes the immune system.
Their findings? A simple shift away from processed foods towards indigenous African meals significantly reduced inflammation markers and boosted immune function.
Participants from rural areas, who typically ate local dishes like ugali (maize porridge), taro, mchicha (a green vegetable), and fermented foods, were placed on a typical Western diet of white bread, fries, sausages, and sugary biscuits for two weeks.
Meanwhile, urban dwellers accustomed to fast food adopted the traditional African diet during the same period. A third group consumed “mbege,” a fermented banana drink, while a control group maintained their usual diet.
By the end of the study, those on the Western-style diet showed increased inflammatory proteins and weakened immune responses.
In contrast, those who embraced traditional foods displayed a measurable drop in inflammation, effects that remained even four weeks later.
Lead researcher Dr. Quirijn de Mast stressed the growing health threat in Sub-Saharan Africa: “Non-communicable diseases like heart disease and cancer are rising sharply, and diet is one of the strongest factors driving immune changes.”
According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease is already responsible for 37% of NCD-related deaths in Africa, and cancer rates are expected to surge.
Dr. de Mast emphasized the need for localized dietary guidelines: “One-size-fits-all global recommendations don’t always work. We need to develop region-specific solutions that build on traditional knowledge.”
Supporting this, Kenyan nutrition expert Prof. Silvenus Konyole highlighted the value of antioxidant-rich African foods: “They help neutralize oxidative stress, reducing the triggers of inflammation.”
As interest grows in nutrition-based health solutions, the researchers hope this study sparks further investigation into the protective power of indigenous diets starting right at home.
