Our foods are healthy. I’ve seen first hand in my field, counseling services disregarding cultural preferences, insinuating cultural specific foods can’t be healthy food options. It’s completely not true. When my aunt makes her greens and sweet potatoes, or when my best friends mom makes cabbage, or when my dad makes anything, I need a plate immediately. I grew up in a home with a non traditional chef, my dad. He taught me EVERYTHING I know.
Our black matriarchs and patriarchs are passionate about cooking and passing down traditions. It’s important to honor those traditions and removing the negative stigma to black foods. Now I don’t mean to say that the manner of preparing foods isn’t a major factor. But in advocating for lifestyle changes, attaching a negative stigma to our foods isn’t necessary. Kale isn’t healthier than collard greens. They’re both dark leafy greens high in vitamin K, A, and fiber.
In preparing collard greens reducing the amount of sodium is important. Limiting the ingredients high in sodium like salt jowl/salt and substituting with leaner meats like (loin, leg, round) and using onion powder, garlic powder, and herbs (basil, thyme, rosemary) are better options.
Sweet potatoes are high in potassium, fiber, and vitamin A. Beneficial for vision and BMs.
Chicken (dark and white meat) are high protein and lower in sodium than fatty meats like pork, deli meats, and turkey dark meat.
Creating colorful plates increases nutrient value as well. So that Sunday dinner could be an opportunity to create an extremely vibrant, healthy, and culturally sensitive plate.
Need to lower your blood pressure? Highly colored vegetables like broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and greens are great. Try to avoid salt especially after preparation. Whole grains, fruits, non fat or low fat milk, and unsaturated fats (canola, soybean oil, olive, sunflower oil) are some other recommendations.
Our foods are INDEED healthy!!! CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH and feel good about the food on yo plate!
-Tasha's Taste of Travel RD