Weathered wicker rocking chairs creak as the forgiving breeze gently caresses Spanish Moss trees. Condensation trickles down mason jars of homemade lemonade, an effort to combat sticky humidity. Fragrant aromas of butter and brown sugar permeate the front porch. A familiar voice bellows through the halls. “Ya’ll come on in here and get this suppa for it gets cold,” It’s time to share sustenance and stories.
Black American cuisine stems from eating patterns of the rural South. With the Great Migration, this cuisine spanned throughout the rest of the United States getting more and more seasoned with each region.
The 1960’s, a time of empowerment and racial revolution, yielded new language—it was now, soul food. You know what they say: “All Southern food isn’t soul food, but all soul food is Southern food”. It isn’t the buttermilk biscuits or smoky collards that characterize soul food, but the traditions of a people that overcame adversity. It’s the nourishment that soothed tribulation and paid homage to ancestors of the Motherland.
Cultural and Food Malpractice
While soul food became revered by many of varying ethnic backgrounds, “well-intentioned” researchers were now citing this cuisine for increased risk of chronic disease. The face of Black folks’ food was now minimized to deep-fried chicken and pickled-pig feet. With no context or compassion, it was encouraged to reduce consumption for optimal health.
In the quest to save a people from their diet, anti-black sentiment and implicit bias manifested. What we didn’t always hear about was that deep in the underbelly of soul food was Southern food and nestled under that was the food of the enslaved. Slave owner’s rationed unsatisfactory scraps, but the people made a way. And this…this undeniable struggle and perseverance bleeds through soul food. To demonize it is to trivialize the fight against systemic racism.
But what about nutrition? Can soul food really be healthy?
“Just add a little pureed carrot to your mac and cheese. No one will ever notice”. “Can’t you just replace the mayo with Greek yogurt in your deviled eggs? I’m sure it tastes the same.” *insert eye roll here*
What they didn’t say is that traditional soul food also meant:
All ethnic cuisines have traditional dishes that are nutrient-dense as well as those that are not. As we dietitians like to preach, “all foods fit” and “all cuisines fit”. Black Americans that lived during the early beginnings of soul food survived a lifestyle of overwhelming physical labor. Dishes that were high in fat and carbohydrate content were imperative for completing a day’s work. Today, that may translate to eating those dishes less frequently to align with a more sedentary lifestyle.
So, explain the statistics. Doesn’t the research say this food leads to poor health outcomes?
Health disparities stem from inequitable access to employment, education, healthcare, food access. Racial battle fatigue and ancestral trauma are terms created to spread awareness of how discrimination can lead to severe psychological distress, high blood pressure, ulcers, and impaired sleep patterns. Currently, 55% of Black American adults are reported to have been diagnosed with high blood pressure. Let’s delve deeper than the diet.
As this year’s Black History month is upon us, we urge you to respect all ethnic cuisines and explore the history that paved the path to create them.
Salmon Patties
Ingredients:
Directions:
Recipe adapted from Deep South Dish
American Heart Month is here, and love is in the air! The American Heart Association lists nutrition as being one of the most important modifiable factors in reducing our risk for heart disease. Roses are red, violets are blue...use these three strategies to nourish the organ that does so much for you!
This golden nectar is the bee's knees! We are celebrating honey’s buzz-illion benefits. Keep reading for four that are positively un-bee-lievable!
