Healthy Eating

by: Diane White

Along with the traditional Turkey and stuffing, families will enjoy generous helpings of corn bread, greens flavored with ham hocks or neck bones, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, black-eyed peas, yams and pig feet. And let’s not forget the green beans and rice, oxtails, mashed potatoes with gravy, chitterlings and, to top it off, sweet potato pie followed by a tall glass of sweet iced tea.

This isn’t your average Thanksgiving fare; this is soul food—prepared by the loving hands of matriarchs to nourish, celebrate and indulge.

A Damaging Diet

It’s true that some soul food is rich in nutrients (e.g. leafy vegetables, beans and yams). However, others are low in fiber, and fat and sodium figure prominently throughout because of the way much of this food is prepared. The constant consumption of some of these foods can lead to various health problems such as heart disease, hypertension and obesity.

As a result of unhealthy eating (along with other risk factors), African Americans are experiencing a growing incidence of diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), approximately 2.8 million or 13 percent of all African Americans have diabetes and yet, one-third of them are unaware that they have the disease. In addition, the ADA also indicates that African Americans are two times more likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites.

All told, approximately 90 to 95 percent of Americans with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Type 2 diabetes has officially reached epidemic proportions, due largely to a similar rise in obesity, sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy eating. In fact, among Americans age 18 and over, 64.1 percent of black men and 64.5 percent of black women versus 62.4 percent of white men and 43.0 percent of white women are considered overweight.

Diabetes, which has no cure, is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, is the fifth deadliest disease in the United States. Common symptoms may include increased thirst, frequent urination, extreme fatigue, repeated or slow-healing infections, blurred vision, tingling or loss of feeling in the hands or feet. The risk factors of Type 2 diabetes are age (Type 2 diabetes is common among people over 40), obesity, lack of physical activity, high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol, family history of diabetes and ethnicity.

Culture versus Health

With more African Americans getting diabetes than ever, does this mean they should give up the foods they love in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle? Roniece Weaver, R.D. and executive director/co-founder of Hebni Nutrition Consultants, Inc., and Fabiola Demps Gaines, R.D. and co-founder of Hebni Nutrition Consultants, Inc., say no. They believe that African Americans, or anyone who enjoys soul food, can maintain their health while eating these foods.

Weaver and Gaines are the authors of The New Soul Food Cookbook for People with Diabetes, which features more than 150 low-fat recipes as well as advice on how to reduce fat, calories andsodium—which aids in diabetes control and weight loss and improves health. Said Weaver, “The large [publishing] houses didn’t have any books with a strong diabetes message aimed at African Americans.” And so, she and Gaines set about to fill that hole.

The book features main dishes, appetizers, snacks, vegetables, soups, salads and desserts. Some of the recipes include Shrimp Jambalaya, Barbecue Pulled Pork, Fried Okra, Corn Muffins, Apple Crisp, and Hoppin’ John. When asked what readers can expect from these recipes, Weaver answered, “The recipes are easy to prepare, familiar [to African Americans], cost-effective and focus on portion control.”

With more than 67,000 copies of the book sold, the response from the African-American community has been positive. “They never had a book they can identify with,” said Weaver. “The response has been overwhelming, and people have been very pleased.”

It’s not just diabetics who can learn from and enjoy the recipes and advice of the authors. “We promote the book to people without diabetes also,” said Weaver. “It [has] a heart-healthy approach everyone can benefit from.”

The New Soul Food Cookbook for People with Diabetes can be purchased by clicking on the book to the right, as well as various Black-owned bookstores.

Roniece`s Jerk Pork Tenderloin

2 lbs lean boneless pork tenderloin
1/2 cup lite soy sauce
2 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
2 Tbsp wet jerk marinade

1. Place the soy sauce, thyme, oregano, and jerk marinade in a plastic locking bag and mix well. Put the pork in the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for several hours.
2. Remove the pork from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill outside until the pork is well done. To achieve the best results, place the meat away from the hot coals and allow the heat to smoke the pork tenderloin. You may also broil the pork. Slice in 1/2 inch slices or thin slices when done.

Calories: 138
Calories from fat: 37
Total fat: 4 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 65 mg
Sodium: 225 mg
Carbohydrate: 1 g
Dietary fiber: 0 g
Sugars: 1 g
Protein: 24 g

Diane White is a graduate student in the M.S. publishing degree program at Pace University.