CULTURAL FOODS

Preserving and honoring cultural foods benefits all of us, whether we are introduced to a new favorite food or enjoy familiar traditional foods. Access to culturally appropriate foods is also an important element in food security. “Current trends in immigrant food insecurity and health disparities… are expected to only be further exacerbated by accelerating climate change and increasing economic instability and social inequalities… With global environmental, economic, and social issues that will continue to impact the global food system… it is important to develop local alternatives to food production that are environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable… failure to adapt could have dramatic consequences not just for immigrant populations’ health but also their identities and ability to effectively establish community and belonging because of poorer access to culturally acceptable foods” (Anderson).

Michael Pollan, journalist and author, stated, “The more we honor cultural differences in eating, the healthier we will be” (Baer-Sinnot). “Food pyramids are an extremely useful tool for visualizing total diet at a glance. Foods depicted at the base of each Heritage Pyramid are the foods to base meals on. Interestingly enough, healthy foods are prominent in heritage diets.

These cultural models for healthy eating are both similar and different. The pattern is similar – many plant foods (vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, beans, healthy oils, herbs and spices), with lesser amounts of seafood, fish, dairy products, poultry, red meat and sweets. What’s different are the actual fruits, vegetables, grains, oils and herbs and spices used to create healthy, delicious meals reflecting each of the cultures.

You need only to think of rice and beans to understand the similarities and differences. Rice and beans is a global dish that differs from country to country and region to region. These dishes are also similar because they are made from ingredients that are affordable, and they originate from the local land.

Examples of rice and bean dishes include:

  • Dal and basmati rice in India.
  • Jollof rice with black-eyed peas in West Africa.
  • Coconut rice and peas in Jamaica.
  • Rice with azuki beans in Japan.
  • Rice with black beans and corn in Mexico.
  • Hoppin’ John in South Carolina’s Low Country” (Baer-Sinnot).

References

Anderson, L. (June 4, 2020). Cultural Food Habits as a Social Factor of Health Among Immigrants in New Haven, Connecticut: A Focused Ethnographic Study. UCONN Library. https://opencommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1067&context=usp_projects
Baer-Sinnot. (November 3, 2020). Food is a Window to Cultural Diversity. U.S. News & World Report. https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/articles/food-is-a-window-to-cultural-diversity