Mariam Begg's journey in health and nutrition coaching is fuelled by her deep passion for well-being. With a background in modeling spanning two decades, she's well-acquainted with the challenges of maintaining health in a busy urban life. Her expertise lies in holistic health, harmonizing mental, emotional, and physical well-being. She's delved into clean eating, environmental consciousness, and the profound connection between emotions and health.
Today, Mariam shares this knowledge through corporate workshops, radio talks, and outreach programs, advocating for plant-based diets and mindful eating. Her philosophy centres on whole foods and locally sourced ingredients to create delicious, nutritious meals. She also works with a law institute kitchen where she consults on the food served to over 1,000 students. Moreover guides people to unlock the potential of superfoods and the art of mindful eating. In addition, Mariam runs a Mari b Wellness + Kitchen, specializing in wholesome, plant-based desserts and snacks. Beyond nutrition, she's founded The Preloved Co, a non-profit venture focused on sustainable fashion and charitable causes. For Mariam, good health encompasses nutrition, mental and emotional balance, social connections, and spirituality.
Get a glimpse of our chat with Mariam Begg in this sneak peek from our exclusive interview.
How do you define any ingredient as a superfood or healthy food?
We all know that eating healthy can have a major impact on the way you feel. Load up on the fast food and processed junk and you’ll probably start to feel sluggish, tired and weighed down. Cram tons of nutrient-dense fruits and veggies into your diet and you’ll likely find yourself full of energy and feeling good.
Superfoods take it to the next step, helping optimize your body’s ability to function by supplying a megadose of nutrients that are direct from the source. But what are superfoods? Although there are no set criteria as to what defines a superfood, these are foods that are jam-packed with nutrients and can help provide your body with the easy use of important vitamins and minerals you need to thrive and feel great. Include these foods in your day paired with a balanced diet and regular physical activity and you’re bound to feel better than ever. They are all whole foods the way they are grown in nature for the most part. They have not been artificially ‘fortified’ or there haven’t been any “added ‘ vitamins or minerals in them. Our bodies respond best to whole foods as they recognize them, as the foods themselves have the ability to nourish the body and then digest and get eliminated without causing much inflammation or oxidative damage to our bodies.
What are some of your favourite healthy ingredients or superfoods, and how do you want people to incorporate them into recipes to make them more appealing and nutritious?
My list of superfoods is long and exciting. It’s most important though to see that they come from as good or as clean sources as you can. Quality over anything always. In actuality every fruit, vegetable, nut, seeds, green and herb has super qualities, making sure we get a variety of them is amazing for health. I love everything from cinnamon, flax & chia seeds, turmeric, coconut, even seasonal, locally sourced fruit like pomegranate & avocado are fabulous. Sea vegetables like spirulina & chlorella score high as well as goji berries and acai. But my favourite really is raw cacao, especially because we get really good quality cacao beans locally and they are so good for you.
My favourite way to incorporate superfoods is in raw blended smoothies. This way they are not compromised by heat, can be made to taste great and is an easy way to ingest them on a daily basis. Rotating superfoods is actually super good for you as then your body can get a rainbow of nutrition that it can easily use without getting overwhelmed. Another way is to add them to porridges, millet or even things like soups, curries and chappattis.
Make sure you have them in ways you enjoy for it to become a part of your diet easily
What made you create raw cacao chocolates? How did it come to you?
Raw cacao is one of my favourite foods ever. I grew up a sugar and carbohydrate addict and loved chocolate in any form. I gradually realised that the chocolate was not the villain but it was the additives, the refined sugars and carbs that caused the overeating, brain fog as well as health issues.The more I researched cacao I realised it was actually such a powerhouse of nutrition and I slowly started sourcing out single-origin, dark chocolate whenever I travelled. I was then pleasantly surprised to meet conscious farmers and sourced clean raw cacao beans right here around me. That’s when my love affair with this wonderbean bean began and I started using them extensively for my desserts and smoothies.
Ever since I started my plant-based kitchen, I have been trying to get a chocolate out that doesn't need much heating or additives to make it shelf-stable and portable. After much experimentation, we came up with decadent and delicious truffles that taste fabulous while being really good for you.
What is your approach to promoting mindful eating among your audience?
Lifestyle changes require a holistic approach, starting with healthier eating habits that don't involve abrupt food group exclusions. Gradually transition to whole foods to ensure sustainable changes. Implementing eating windows can give your digestive system a break, supporting recovery and energy. Learn about the food's impact on health and the environment, connecting with local producers for mindful consumption. Incorporate relaxation, meditation, and yoga to avoid emotional eating and excessive snacking, encouraging a focus on genuine needs rather than constant consumption due to stress.
What role does raw cacao play in a healthy diet, and how do you incorporate it into meal plans or recipes?
Raw cacao can be a game changer in one’s diet especially if one has a sweet tooth and struggles with cravings. Cacao that hasn’t been alkalised or heated too much has a whole host of benefits apart from tasting really good as well as being filling with its good fats. This ensures one doesn’t end up overeating and yet experiences feeling satisfied.
The health benefits of raw cacao are manyfold. They have up to 40x the antioxidants of berries, more calcium than milk, one of the highest plant foods rich in iron and, magnesium as well as a whole host of other nutrients. The best part is that we can make them yummy and tasty so that the whole family can enjoy them.
Can you explain how to portion control and mindful eating, and how do you help clients develop a healthier relationship with food?
My mantra is never to deprive, but like I mentioned earlier it is to first put whole, filling and easily digestible foods into one diet rather than measure or remove food groups suddenly. Guilt and shame have no place in one’s diet and are very damaging mentally which translates to binging. We must enjoy foods, eat slowly, and understand and appreciate where it comes from and then the body itself calms down and helps us be more mindful automatically. Count your colours and not your calories, eat more vibrant foods and try and put in other mindful and healing practices to help with focus and reduce emotional stress eating.
Fasting and food breaks also work really well. A day of lightly steamed food to gradually move to raw or just fruit and once every couple months try and do a water fast. You will see a great difference in your eating pattern, energy as well as moods instantly. We also don’t need that much food when we have made peace with our lives, we now eat more than any generation before us and yet move a lot less. So our bodies are actually overloaded with counting, depriving, and over-calculating everything.
We have learnt not to rely on the most important thing - ourselves! Our bodies intrinsically know what to do, we must start listening to it.
Can you recommend some key ingredients and foods that are essential for maintaining a healthy diet and supporting overall well-being in a corporate setting?
Whole foods are where it is at for me. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, greens, herbs, beans & legumes and some whole grains are what should make up the largest part of your diet. This is your medicine, this in various combinations helps your body heal and make disease-fighting chemicals that fortify your immunity. Productivity goes up and sick days come down.
Eating foods that are as close to their natural state as possible, whole foods and locally sourced seasonal produce will give you most of the nutrition you need. One can start cooking or prepping them in whichever combination you like but slowly cooking them simpler, leaving them closer to their natural state will help with more nutritional balance.
Making sure you get your fibre is probably the most important thing you can do, so whatever your dietary preference make sure there is enough of that in your meals.
Busy urban lifestyles deter one from eating healthy because of the prep. Don't be afraid to prep and store or freeze things for easier use. This will definitely be better than eating a processed product.
Always remember anything that increases the shelf life of a product decreases yours! Your body has to process all the preservatives, additives and nasties plus the nutrition and vibrancy of the food will be at its lowest. Just eat real food.
What strategies do you employ to promote healthier choices and behaviours in the workplace kitchen or cafeteria?
When I work with a company or institution, I look at incorporating a more colourful range into the meals. I keep the recipes simple and traditional but make sure we slowly start getting better produce that is locally and more responsibly grown to increase nutrition instantly. Food will also be cooked optimally and not overly doused in excess refined fats and spices. Fresh herbs, seeds and toppings are liberally added for more vibrancy, healing and bursts of flavour.
Making sure grains, fats and condiments are as unrefined as possible and substituting a larger variety of grains, green vegetables rotated regularly makes it so much more nutritional sense without losing out on your favourite tastes.
How do you tailor your nutritional recommendations to meet the specific needs and goals of individual clients, considering factors such as their job demands and lifestyle?
I first go through their health histories and identify places of blockages and issues or recurring patterns in their lives. The clients are first put on to some version of my healthy cleanse program that is offered through my retail kitchen as well as a meal plan is set with whatever scenario the client is dealing with.
The approach centres on integrating nutrient-dense superfoods into daily meals, aiming to enhance immunity and facilitate a safe detoxification process. Embracing a more plant-based and seasonal approach ensures that individuals can seamlessly incorporate these changes into their daily routines, including work and exercise commitments.
Once sourcing, prepping and food options are sorted and the diet has settled in we then tackle what’s possible and tangible first and then move on to other areas such as navigating their busy lifestyles and reducing the feeling of being overwhelmed.
I also conduct corporate workshops that emphasize the importance of simple daily practices and the benefits of adopting plant-based diets. My advocacy centers on prioritizing the diversity of colourful foods over calorie counting, with a fundamental belief that our bodies are naturally inclined to feel their best. In addition to personalized counselling sessions on holistic health and wellness, I engage in outreach programs that promote the choice of healthy and clean eating. My recently established commercial kitchen specializes in producing wholefood plant-based desserts and snacks for retail distribution.
How to convert any kitchen to focus on nutrient-dense healthy meals?
So glad you asked this question. Though I look at an entirely holistic approach to changing one’s lifestyle, the kitchen is pretty much where it’s at for us to get a great start. Most people feel they know what’s healthy and what’s good for them and yet feel overwhelmed with the information out there and then just give up. So, starting with something tangible is a great way to go when it comes to a health journey, and it is my favourite place to start. During the Covid lockdowns, I wrote an online program and made a series of small e-books on the different areas in the kitchen to tackle and how. I even did a fun impromptu YouTube series with a nutrition company called Kitchens with a renowned brand that was a fun un-scripted focus on what lurks in people’s fridges!
Converting any kitchen into a haven for nutrient-dense, healthy meals is a process that I've championed through various avenues. Once a client has a decent hold and an understanding of what suits their needs as well as what is possible on a daily basis, the body automatically calms down and results are easier to attain. Managing the whole family’s nutrition and choices also becomes more possible and awareness increases all around.
The importance of choosing wholesome, healthy foods to elevate nutritional quality, moods and even relationships is of utmost importance, and we need to give it a large space in our lives. Learning to be kind to our bodies and rewarding it with wholesome, vibrant nutrition instead of highly processed junk that’s been marketed to us is probably the best thing one can do in one’s life.