<\/p>\n
Deborah Ayorinde is a passionate proponent of knowing what ingredients go into her meals and always chooses fun over punishing workouts. Fortunately, the Fightland<\/em> star\u2019s love of traditional Nigerian cooking means that she\u2019s looking as sensational as ever, and it\u2019s all thanks to choosing \u201cself-care\u201d over fad diets.<\/p>\n Ayorinde was born in London, where she acted in her first play as a child and fell in love with the spotlight, but while a move to the San Francisco Bay area with her family at the tender age of eight years old would make for a life changing event, Ayorinde continued to pursue her dream of becoming a performer by throwing herself into talent shows, cheer, and dance competitions in order to hone her craft. \u201cOld enough to feel the change, but young enough to adapt,\u201d explains the artist, who is of Yoruba Nigerian descent.<\/p>\n These days, her impressive on-screen credits include roles in popular series like Luke Cage,<\/em> True Detective,<\/em> The Riches,<\/em> and Them,<\/em> but Fightland<\/em> has allowed for a rare working trip back to her old stomping grounds in London. In the show, produced by Curtis \u201c50 Cent\u201d Jackson and now streaming via Starz, Ayorinde plays \u201cJoy Marshall,\u201d a complex character that finds herself torn between her crime boss husband, Kingsley Marshall (played by Nicholas Pinnock), and her former lover, \u201cDuke\u201d Kilroy (played by Howard Charles<\/a>),who is a disgraced boxer wanting nothing more than to avenge his brothers\u2019 death and\u00a0 topple the evil regime.<\/p>\n While Ayorinde is not required to get physical for Fightland,<\/em> the beautiful actor and singer is still very much into maintaining her health. To stick to a sustainable plan, she has one non-negotiable, and that means fitness should be fun. \u201cI\u2019ve really figured out what works for me,\u201d she tells M&F Hers. \u201cI don\u2019t like it when fitness feels like punishment because, actually, it should feel like self-care. I\u2019ll do dance fitness classes, I take long, long walks. I love going to the gym, but like I said, anything that I do, I try to make sure it feels like self-care. Even the food that I eat. I want healthy food, that tastes good.\u201d<\/p>\n When discussing food, Deborah Ayorinde is clearly in her happy place and with good reason, because the actor loves to cook delicious Nigerian food. \u201cIn our dishes, we don\u2019t use a lot of dairy,\u201d she explains. \u201cWe\u2019re more tomato based, and peppers. A lot of our food can easily me made vegan.\u201d<\/p>\n Traditional Nigerian diets<\/a> recipes were designed as dairy-free because of low access to cattle in many areas. Instead, chefs turn to oils or broths in order to add depth. In terms of carbohydrates, rice is the most frequently consumed source among Nigerian families. The most popular meats are beef, followed by fish and chicken, while onions, peppers, tomatoes, and okra top the list as some of the most favored vegetable options. The use of eggplant and spinach is also widespread, so eating freshly prepared meals that have modest fat, high fiber, and don\u2019t rely on ultra processed ingredients, can absolutely contribute to a healthy diet. And, if you\u2019re wondering if noshing on Nigerian food means torching yourself with spicy stuff, that\u2019s a choice that can easily be adapted.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve definitely been scarred by some cooking,\u201d jokes Ayorinde. \u201cBut it can also be made quite mild.\u201d Still, this actor likes to bring the heat. \u201cBut you need a \u2018kick\u2019 in there, or it\u2019s not going to taste the same.\u201d<\/p>\n If spice just isn\u2019t your thing, Nigerian food still has a lot to offer for those who get excited about the cooking process. \u201cIt\u2019s all about the preparation,\u201d enthuses Ayorinde, who is looking as stunning as ever in Fightland.<\/em> \u201cIt can be made unhealthy, but it can also be made healthy depending on the oils you use, the seasonings you use, using fresh ingredients instead of preserved ingredients, so it\u2019s really all about the preparation.\u201d<\/p>\n While the entertainment industry often places pressure on performers to fit a certain mold, Ayorinde deals with external voices by returning to her ethos of self-care. \u201cThat can be a bit of a pressure and a blessing at the same time,\u201d explains the actor of the camera\u2019s glare. \u201cIt\u2019s a pressure to feel like you have to stay a certain size. When you kind of let that go, and focus more on just taking care of yourself, and letting that be the focus, it just feels better\u2026 I\u2019m no fitness guru, but if I would advise anyone,\u00a0 I would say, find the thing that works for you, that you love to do.\u201d<\/p>\n We\u2019ll eat to that!<\/p>\n Fightland<\/em> is now streaming via Starz in the United States and Canada, with an August 27 release slated for the United Kingdom on Sky Atlantic.<\/p>\n To follow Deborah Ayorinde on Instagram, click here.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nKey Health Benefits of Deborah Ayorinde\u2019s Traditional Nigerian Diet<\/h2>\n
Deborah Ayorinde Likes to Being the Heat to Her Nigerian Cooking<\/h2>\n