African Americans make up at least 14% of the American population. This percentage has had a significant influence on American cuisine as a whole. Of course if you have ever eaten some traditional soul food it is easy to understand why the taste has lingered so long. The black experience through history has been indelibly expressed in food. These experiences included Slavery and the civil rights era. This is particularly where the word “ soul “ comes from or at least one of the explanations.
Another explanation is that “soul” refers to the soul of Africa. Some other thoughts meaning food Soul food is thought to mean the African American food has its origins from Africa but also the West Indies as this h was a slave trade route. Because people from the West Indies had dark skin they were treated the same as slaves from Africa. Many ingredients such as yams, plantains, coconuts and white rice were popular ingredients in African cuisine. Okra which is used in May Creole dishes is said to have some healing properties. Other foods such as watermelon, eggplant and black-eyed peas are still very much a part of African American cuisine.
At least 28 percent of African Americans have an unhealthy diet compared to 16 percent of the white population and 14 percent of other ethnic groups. This is especially true for poor children from the ages 2 to 10. This may be primary due to excessive frying of foods, the high cost of vegetables, whole grains and fruits. Tomatoes sold by the pound costs as much as poultry. l societies processing of foods has also changed drastically.
More chemicals, by-products, sodium and high fructose have found its way into almost all processed foods. There is more and more fast food available at a low cost, compared to the foods at the grocery stores. Many Africans spread their recipes across the United States, including South Carolina where southern food was introduced. Barbeque or “Barbacoao” as it was called. This original recipe consisted of Roast Pig, pepper and vinegar. But due to the limited livestock available.
