Soul Food is perceived as very fattening and unhealthy. When Soul Food is made it is made with unhealthy ingredients which are high in fat and sodium that can lead to high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, and strokes. Most African Americans believe that if the food is considered “healthy” it is distasteful. Showing that the common African American diet can be healthy and delicious with the same great taste will produce a new cooking style of food that will encourage African Americans to alter their diets to take better care of themselves. It will also teach the history as to why they eat the way they do through the diets of the slaves, or foods of the black South since emancipation. The basic diet of an American American is high in undesired …show more content…
I have friends and family who suffer from diabetes and heart disease, and it's hard seeing them not care about their diets. I know they want to eat right, but it’s hard to transition from something you and your ancestors ate your entire life to something completely different. African Americans rather have seasoned food with bold flavors, but unfortunately those “bold flavors” are mostly in the foods that are not good for us. African Americans stereotyped healthy options as mostly salads, food with very low sodium and no …show more content…
I researched that sunflower oil is the best alternative to canola oil because it is high in omega-6 fatty acids and high in monosaturated fats. Omega-6 fatty acids can lower the risk of heart disease and reduces high blood pressure, while monosaturated fats lower the risk of heart disease as well. Instead of flour, I used cornmeal because it won't absorb the oil as much and it’ll make it less greasy. Corn meal is gluten free and whole grain as well which helps lower the risk of heart disease, T2 diabetes, and obesity. The result I wanted is to have the chicken be flavorful and the skin crunchy, but not
Soul Food is the type of food when consumed it does not feed you physically, but also spiritually. These dish creations are not derived from grandma’s cookbook, but from the slaves who lived on plantations. Meals consist of more than just the stereotypical fried chicken, watermelon, and kool-aid. Other dishes may include collard greens, cornbread, blackeye peas, rice and gravy, and pot roast. Since these dishes require significant amount of time to cook, they are usually only prepared for special occasions and after church on Sundays. As an out-of-state college student, I do miss soul food cuisine, but when I return home for breaks I always ask my grandma to cook one good meal before I
Food became comfort during slavery and because they could control cooking, it was one of their few real pleasures and a way to feel free. The history of “soul food” is seen in the traditions that were passed down from generation to generation.
Individuals of higher income levels often have private insurance that allows them to see a physician on a regular basis. These individuals are able to prevent many diseases before they exacerbate. They often eat low fat diets or plant based diets. They are educated on their nutritional health and often make better choices when choosing the different types foods to eat. Due to their income, they can afford to eat healthy food and make healthy food choices. Even though these individuals may be predisposed to certain diseases, their diets prevent them from becoming prevalent in their lives. Due to the individual’s socioeconomic status they make enough money that they don’t stress about the necessities in life. These individuals live in areas such as Roswell, Johns Creek. Alpharetta, Buckhead, Kennesaw, and Stockbridge. Individuals of a poor economic status have limited access to healthcare. These individuals often have Medicaid, Medicare, or no health insurance at all. They often eat diets that are high in fat. Individuals of poor economic status aren’t often educated about eating healthy. They often eat unhealthy because it is too expensive to eat healthy. These individuals often receive government subsidiaries such as WIC and SNAP benefits for themselves and their children. There aren’t many healthy food stores if any at all in these neighborhoods. Stores such as Whole Foods, Sprout, and Trader Joe’s aren’t located in poverty stricken communities because the individuals can’t afford the prices. It is a disadvantage that the grocery chains in the neighborhood don’t offer the resident a healthier option. Individuals of poor economic status often fight chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and often cancer. They often live sedentary lifestyles that contribute to these diseases. They eat diets that are high in red meats one that contributes to
A proponderance of statistics derived from scholarly sources corroborates the notion that minorities who have a low socioeconomic position or have an significantly low income suffers many atrocious health disparities this includes obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases thus projecting a direct correlation between the two variables. In addition, minorities, specifically African-Americans that live in low income neighborhoods have less access to fresh, healthy and organic foods. In particular, supermarkets are sparse in their area and sometimes is not within walking distance or within the vicinity of their homes. On the flipside, these neighborhoods have the highest levels of fast-food restaurants and convenient stores. These barriers
When flipping through the thousands of documentaries on the many streaming services there are three main criteria come to mind; one looks for the entertainment factor, credentials of the information the and lasting affect it leaves on the viewer. The documentary Soul Food Junkies directed and produced by the filmmaker Byron Hunt defiantly has an interesting take on these main criteria. The documentary holds ones attention with comedy and relatability with a family aspect, though interesting there’s plenty of experts and hard facts even though personal option is projected from the producer. The documentary does leave he viewer with questions about their own habits and that of the ones around them. Soul Food Junkies hits and misses the criteria
For centuries, the United States has been seen as a food and food-product paradise; with a constant bombardment of daily specials, “two-for-one” deals, and never ending combo options oozing from every corner of the food-scape. For many Americans, over indulgence is a frequent occurrence-studies show more than 50% of adults say they eat out at least once a week (“58% Eat at A Restaurant”, 2013). Even in this scene of gluttony, the poverty stricken and systematically oppressed find themselves in food deserts across The States; that’s more than 45 million Americans without access to healthy, reasonably priced foodstuffs. Of this group of 45 million, the African American community holds the seat for the highest poverty rate among various racial and ethnic groups at an astounding 26.2% in 2014 (DeNavas-Walt, 2015).
There is a lack of knowledge of maintaining a healthy diet. For example, African Americans were knowledgeable about the harmful effects of smoking and drinking but their knowledge on dieting fluctuates. Some of the barriers were knowing the recommendations and serving sizes of salt, fats, fruits and vegetables. And incorporating a diet that included a high cost of fruits and
Poverty has a direct influence on the type of food that is consumed due to the rising cost of healthier foods, as well as the fact that less healthy, higher calorie foods are typically more affordable (The State of Obesity, 2014). To get a clearer look at the income level of African American families, statistics show that nearly 40% of African American children under 18 live under the poverty line, as well as more than 12% of African American families living with an income that is less than 50% of the federal poverty line (The State of Obesity, 2014). The other predominant issue that aids in obesity in the African American population is the lack of available resources in the form of food options and education. Even with their income status excluded from the equation, African American neighborhoods contain the least amount of supermarkets compared to other neighborhoods (The State of Obesity, 2014). The lack of supermarkets near them makes it difficult to find access to fresher, healthier foods to eat in order to foster a healthier
Fried chicken, mash potatoes and collard greens mixed with fatback meat was my family’s favorite Sunday meal. Soul food, as it has been called, is valued by many African American families. Given the worldwide obesity epidemic that appears to be affecting most ethnic groups, there is an appreciation that the causes of obesity among African American families and others must lie in the fundamental aspects of the food supply (Capers, C et al. 2011). In my opinion, African Americans in the United Sates are more likely to be obese because there is a large number of low-income families’ and many are uninsured. According to the Office of Minority Health, African American women have the highest rates of being obese compared to other groups in
Traditionally, the African American diet consisted of leafy green vegetables, fish, poultry, and beans. However, the cooking methods, such as deep frying, the heavy use of gravy, pork fat, and butter add a large amount fat and cholesterol to an otherwise heart-healthy diet. “Soul food” with its fried chicken, fried pork chops, and corn bread have become the traditional comfort food, and there is a large significant placed in the African-American culture on community and family gatherings centered around food. Historically, African-Americans lived a highly active lifestyle that compensated for a higher than average fat content in their diet. As modern trends swing toward a more sedentary lifestyle, the direct result is heart disease rising to be the leading cause of death among African-Americans (Cowling, 2006, p8).
Many low income communities, dense of minorities and people of color, struggle to find fresh healthy produce readily available to them. These communities lack access to farmers’ markets, full service grocery stores, and other vendors of fresh healthy produce. Instead they are impacted with an abundance of cheap, high-fat, high-processed fast food restaurants. Without access to fresh healthy foods, a full nutritious diet is hard to achieve. The discrepancies within the food system are leading to harmful impacts on individuals’ health. These discrepancies have led to significantly higher rates of diabetes and complications amongst racial and ethnic minorities. Along with an increase surge of diabetics within marginalized groups, these groups are also faced with more diabetic related complications. For example, “African Americans have 2-4 times the rate of renal disease, blindness, amputations, and amputation-related mortality of non-Hispanic whites. Similarly, Latinos have higher rates of renal disease and retinopathy” (NCBI). The systematic oppression of marginalized groups within the food system has detrimental effects on the health of ethnic and racial minorities.
Food from Africa to America” Opie discusses the term “Soul Food”, where it comes from, what it
It is also clear that there is evidence that shows a great need in improving people of low-socioeconomic status health because the government has been making efforts. However, what have not been addressed are the barriers that people in low-income communities still face even with government resources. Furthermore, it is also clear that the government saw the importance of making sure that low income families had access to health care when they created Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act. While access to health care is also a very important piece to a healthy lifestyle, it also becomes counterproductive when people still continue to have a poor diet and end up having to seek medical help at some point. Giving people the chance to have a better nutrition would also help decrease the number of doctor visits for those who do seek medical attention, and for those who don’t seek medical attention it would at least keep them
“As a Nation, we have a responsibility to ensure our children have every chance to fulfill their potential, and that starts by providing them with the opportunities to make healthy choices,” the President said. And he continued, “This month, we build on our progress and raise awareness of the benefits of healthy eating and active living so our children can lead prosperous and productive lives.” But wait is not soul food one of the main reasons that rates of obesity and chronic disease related deaths are extremely high in the black community?
The term “Soul food” is a term used for a meal that is traditionally prepared, cooked and eaten by African-Americans in the southern part of the U.S. It comprises of various types of ingredients and dishes which originated during the era of African-American slavery. The black slaves were given leftover food by their masters.