Anthony Kahonge: Chew sugarcane, it's healthy

Anthony Kahonge. Photo: Edward Kiplimo/ Standard

Not your everyday chef, ANTHONY KAHONGE is dispelling myths that healthy eating is boring. JACQUELINE MAHUGU spoke to the award winning blogger.

How are you different from other chefs?

Not only am I passionate about healthy cooking and living, I am also extremely devoted to organic farming, environmental conservation and green products.

What did you study in college?

I studied Finance. It earned me a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

Congratulations for winning a Kenyan Bloggers (BAKE award). How come you’re such a prolific writer?

Thank you. I think it is because I read a lot of books, newspapers, websites, blogs and anything that excites me.

What did you want to be growing up? Is that what you would be if you weren’t a chef?

I always wanted to be a businessman like my father. If I was not a Chef, I would have probably been an organic farmer. Still is business.

What prompted you to go into this full time?

During my final years of university I was selling food in hostels and a business plan competition prompted me to look at it as a full time business. So I decided to train myself to cook even better and use that knowledge in enterprise.

Where do you operate from?

I work from home in Lang’ata, mostly blogging, online consultation and writing cookbooks. You can follow my writings on www.healthylivingkenya.wordpress.com.

Eating healthy can sometimes feel like eating cardboard and water...

It depends on the approach. Most people think eating healthy is simply boiling vegetables without salt. I think healthy food, when cooked right, is delicious and exciting because you don’t have the guilt trip associated with eating junk.

For a man who knows how to cook well, the ladies must really love you,...

(Laughs) I guess.

Is there a significant other?

No. I think I am a workaholic and I have been working on that (smiles).

Between you and your (future) wife, who would do the cooking in your house?

I would not even let her boil the water for ugali. Just joking! I would love a wife who can at least cook a simple meal, once or twice a week.

Does the woman in your life have to be a healthy eater?

Yes, but not like me of course. I would not like to feel like I am forcing anyone to eat salad nor would I like someone to eat healthy just because of me. I think one should eat healthily because they know the benefits. That is attractive to me.

At what point did you start exclusively eating healthy?

My tipping point was seven years ago when I was sick with a serious cold that I was just in bed all day. My mum boiled some garlic and ginger slowly and added honey plus fresh lemon juice.

The next day, I felt so good I could not believe that my body was all lethargic just the previous day. From that day I started reading and learning more about healthy living and it is still a journey that I am on today but I know so much more.

Do you ever eat junk?

Yes, very small quantities in moderation. For example I like fries, just had them yesterday. I also like a little bit of ice cream and samosas. I make sure to eat them during the day so they do not affect my sleep. I also drink a lot of water when consuming junk, it helps a lot.

What about normal people food such as white ugali, white rice, white chapati, food cooked in white fat...

I avoid that like the plague but if I am at a social gathering like a wedding, I actually enjoy these foods because I seldom eat them.

What common mistake do people make with regard to healthy eating?

They follow fad diets and look for shortcuts instead of thinking long term and changing their behaviour.

What are the unhealthiest eating habits of Kenyans?

Soda. I see people buying soda in the morning, especially when hungover which is number two. Many people drink too much. I also notice that many people do not eat dark leafy green vegetables daily. Some even never eat them at all.

What are some easy healthy eating tips and habits I can start implementing immediately?

Drink spring water or boiled/filtered water. It is even better if you can get rain water. Drink bone and veggies soup/broth, the oldest comfort food that is so healthy and delicious. Eat fresh sugarcane. It is fresh juice so it is very healthy.

I eat this stuff everyday and I have never felt this good in my life. Laugh. Laughter is the best medicine so indulge yourself in comedy and company of fun people.