Allow your imagination to wander to your favourite soul food. Chicken and waffles. Barbecued ribs. Macaroni, cheese. Catfish, chicken livers and sweet potato cake.
Soul food is American ethnic cuisine. It was brought to America by the slave trade and passed down through generations. Its roots are in South American food traditions, including Africa, South America and the Caribbean.
Although the term “soul food” may not have been invented until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, some soul food dishes have roots that date back hundreds of years. A traditional soul food menu will have everything you need, including oxtail soup and chitterlings (also known as chitlins), boiled pigs feet and collards, ham hocks and black-eyed beans, cornbread, and cracklin” bread. Enjoy it with sweet tea, and then finish it with a piece of chess pie.
Although this type of food can vary from one region to another, seafood and shrimp are common ingredients in many soul food recipes. Soul foods are often fried or slow-cooked, prepared those ways to help tenderize otherwise difficult-to-work-with ingredients. To enhance flavours, sauces, sides, and main dishes often contain sugar and salt.
Since slavery, African-American families have passed down soul food recipes and traditions through stories, experience, and sometimes recipe cards. However, cooking family recipes and eating delicious soul food does not have to sacrifice your health. What does your health have to do? It has a lot to do with it. Every time you eat deep-fried turkey wings, you increase your chances of developing serious and persistent health problems. Let’s find out the health risks and have a delicious, healthy, soul-food meal.
Are Soul Foods a Health Risk?
Traditional soul food spreads can also be associated with heart disease, type two diabetes, weight loss and other chronic diseases. Soul food does not have to contain lard and other saturated fats.
Soul food is comfort food for many Americans today. It’s the food that we grew up eating in our homes. Many of our favourite comfort foods aren’t good for your health, just like other types. Unfortunately, African-Americans are more susceptible to premature death and unhealthy than Caucasian Americans.
African-Americans are more likely to get diabetes. This chronic condition increases your risk for nerve damage, kidney disease and stroke, as well as your chance of losing your sight or a limb. Type 2 diabetes has been diagnosed in almost 15% (3.7 million) African-Americans, higher than the rate for whites and Hispanics living here. Also, the African-American community has higher rates of hypertension and obesity.
The Oldways African Heritage Diet is a way to approach a traditional soul food meal more healthily while still preserving the authenticity of soul foods. The African Heritage Diet is an approach to eating that focuses on soul foods while still preserving the comfort foods we love. The African Heritage Diet Pyramid was created by health and nutrition experts and culinary historians. This pyramid reflects culinary traditions from the American Deep South, Africa, South America, and the Caribbean — traditions that date back to the time before the African diaspora, the slave trade, and the start of the 15th century.
New Year’s Greens
Did you know? You will be prosperous if you eat black-eyed greens and peas on New Years’. To keep evil spirits away, hang some greens above your entryway.
Healthy Soul Foods and Oldways African Heritage Diet
The African Heritage Diet food Pyramid contains all the food you would expect to find in a food pyramid, including meats, beans and vegetables, as well as fruits. The bottom layer of the food pyramid is reserved for greens, including dark leafy greens such as beet, chard and collard. The African Heritage Diet also includes watercress, spinach, and kale. Every meal includes greens. You’ll find vegetables and fruits, nuts, legumes, beans, peas (or tubers), whole grains, and legumes above greens. These are the foods that heritage-style dishes are based on. This level contains whole foods and grains like eggplant, papaya and peanuts, and yams and millet. As the pyramid tip narrows, fresh herbs, spices, hot sauces, marinades, fish, seafood, eggs, other meats, and dairy become less common. Sweets are only allowed at the top. It is not a plant-based diet. However, the emphasis is placed on healthy preparations for animal products.
Fried chicken is not included in the African Heritage Diet. Healthy eating includes baking chicken but not fried fats. However, you can eat shrimp gumbo with peanuts and okra, as well as one-pot meals and collard greens from your slow cooker.
We have some suggestions for you if you want to make a few new recipes. Many ingredients that are common in soul food recipes are healthy. Peanuts, for example, are a great source of protein and B vitamins. Teff, brown rice, and millet are all good-for-you whole grains. It’s how we treat these foods after eating them that is the problem.
Let’s discuss fats. You don’t have to cook your food in lard or other shortening/saturated fats (such as butter), but you can lighten it up by using a healthier fat like canola, oil, or sesame oil. While kale and collards are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, they can become unhealthful when cooked in fatback. Instead, use vegetable stock or chicken to make your greens smokier. Use a lot of herbs but very little salt. This soul food is all about maintaining the comfort of Sunday dinner and your health.
