About
Hey! My name is Karin Arias and I’m a Spanish-speaking Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Education & Care Specialist, Trained Chef, determined Dominicana and the proud owner of Sabroso Healthy Vibes.
Having over 10 years of culinary experience, I apply my love and appreciation for food to help others learn how to make delicious and culturally rich meals at home and create balanced lifestyles. I fully believe the foods we cherish within our own heritage can and should be viewed as healthy foods. In so many cases, a lot of our lives are centered around these foods—whether that’d be dinner with family and friends, holidays and celebrations or even our own daily meals. Since food plays such a crucial role in our lives, let’s eliminate the stress that comes with preparing meals, make peace with food and develop an honest approach towards healthy eating.
At a very young age, I loved every element of food—while cooking, eating or learning about what it provides our bodies, I wanted to experience it all. Growing up in a Dominican household I never passed up the opportunity to help my mom and mamá in the kitchen, thriving off the smells of the sofrito sizzling on the hot pan. Learning from family fostered my relationship with food. They allowed me the opportunity to explore foods in a fun and engaging way. This passion for food would lead me to pursue my Associate's of Science degree in Culinary Arts and Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Nutrition from Johnson & Wales University. There I sharpened my skills to make all types of foods not only look good but taste amazing as well.
While I was in school I noticed that my cultural foods were never mentioned when discussing “healthy” food options. This made me question whether or not the foods I grew up eating were, in fact, unhealthy. However, after my own consideration and practice, I canceled these thoughts and discovered that my cultural foods are healthy too. When I returned home, I accepted the challenge of exploring the meals that filled my childhood and integrated them with the techniques I learned in school. To me, healthy foods weren’t exclusively recognized as kale and quinoa—they also included sancocho, pollo guisado, and mangu. I realized that we do not need to abandon the foods we love to live a healthy lifestyle but can instead incorporate these foods into a more sustainable one.
I firmly believe that living a long and healthy life should be a right, not a privilege.
While on this journey, I’ve witnessed plenty of people in our communities suffering from chronic diseases. I have noticed numerous trends with the patients I support, within my family, and even in my own life. At the age of 12, I was diagnosed with prediabetes. I was able to reverse it thanks to my remarkable support system and amazing, Latina endocrinologist. Her empathy and compassion allowed my family and me to make adjustments comfortably and without judgment. She showed me how much more open to change a person can become when met with kindness. Watching her approach impacted me deeply to choose the same manner when supporting my own patients.
Unfortunately, not everyone has access to the same knowledge and support that I received. Covid-19 magnified how certain populations are disproportionately affected by the lack of knowledge and resources, predisposing them to experience negative outcomes. It is for this reason that I am incredibly passionate about educating and empowering others.
My mission is to advocate for those who face disadvantages due to a lack of knowledge, resources, and/or support. I firmly believe that living a long and healthy life should be a right, not a privilege. I am dedicated to keeping communities happy and healthy by providing nutritional information and encouragement while incorporating our most treasured cultural cuisines to transform knowledge into practice in the kitchen and beyond. With patience and perseverance, I believe this balance can be accomplished and we can genuinely enjoy all of the foods we eat, without guilt and instead with joy.