Other Ethnic Influences. Cajun and Creole cook-
ing originated from the French and Spanish but were
transformed by the influence of African cooks. Afri-
can chefs brought with them specific skills in using
various spices, and introduced okra and native Amer-
ican foodstuffs, such as crawfish, shrimp, oysters,
crabs, and pecans, into both Cajun and Creole cuisine.
Originally, Cajun meals were bland, and nearly all
foods were boiled. Rice was used in Cajun dishes to
stretch out meals to feed large families. Today, Cajun
cooking tends to be spicier and more robust than Cre-
ole. Some popular Cajun dishes include pork-based
sausages, jambalayas, gumbos, and coush-coush (a
creamed corn dish). The symbol of Cajun cooking is,
perhaps, the crawfish, but until the 1960s crawfish
were used mainly as bait.
More recently, the immigration of people from the
Caribbean and South America has influenced African-
American cuisine in the south. New spices, ingre-
dients, combinations, and cooking methods have pro-
duced popular dishes such as Jamaican jerk chicken,
fried plantains, and bean dishes such as Puerto Rican
habichuelasand Brazilianfeijoada.
Holidays and Traditions. African-American meals
are deeply rooted in traditions, holidays, and celebra-
tions. For American slaves, after long hours working
in the fields the evening meal was a time for families
to gather, reflect, tell stories, and visit with loved ones
and friends. Today, the Sunday meal after church
continues to serve as a prime gathering time for friends
and family.
Kwanzaa, which means ‘‘first fruits of the har-
vest,’’ is a holiday observed by more than 18 million
people worldwide. Kwanzaa is an African-American
celebration that focuses on the traditional African
values of family, community responsibility, com-
merce, and self-improvement. The Kwanzaa Feast,
or Karamu, is traditionally held on December 31.
This symbolizes the celebration that brings the com-
munity together to exchange and to give thanks for
their accomplishments during the year. A typical
menu includes a black-eyed pea dish, greens, sweet
potato pudding, cornbread, fruit cobbler or compote
dessert, and many other special family dishes.
Folk beliefs and remedies. Folk beliefs and rem-
edies have also been passed down through genera-
tions, and they can still be observed today. The
majority of African-American beliefs surrounding
food concern the medicinal uses of various foods.
For example, yellow root tea is believed to cure illness
and lower blood sugar. The bitter yellow root contains
the antihistamine berberine and may cause mild low
blood pressure. One of the most popular folk beliefs is
that excess blood will travel to the head when one eats
large amounts of pork, thereby causinghypertension.
However, it is not the fresh pork that should be
blamed for this rise in blood pressure, but the salt-
cured pork products that are commonly eaten. Today,
folk beliefs and remedies are most often held in high
regard and practiced by the elder and more traditional
members of the population.Risks
Effects of Socioeconomic Status: Poverty
and Health
Many of the foods commonly eaten by African
Americans, such as greens, yellow vegetables, legumes,
beans, and rice, are rich in nutrients. Because of cook-
ing methods and the consumption of meats and baked
goods, however, the diet is also typically high in fat
and low in fiber,calcium, and potassium. In 1989, 9.3
million of the black population (30.1%) had incomes
below the poverty level. Individuals who are econom-
ically disadvantaged may have no choice but to eat
what is available at the lowest cost. In comparison to
other races, African Americans experience high rates
ofobesity, hypertension, type II diabetes, and heart
disease, which are all associated with an unhealthful
diet.
Obesity and hypertension are major causes of
heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and certain
cancers. African Americans experience disproportion-
ately high rates of obesity and hypertension, com-
pared to whites.
High blood pressureand obesity have known links
to poor diet and a lack of physical activity. In the
United States, the prevalence of high blood pressure
in African Americans is among the highest in the
world. The alarming rates of increase of obesity and
high blood pressure, along with the deaths from
diabetes-related complications, heart disease, and kid-
ney failure, have spurred government agencies to take
a harder look at these problems. As a result, many
U.S. agencies have created national initiatives to
improve the diet quality and the overall health of
African Americans.Looking Forward to a Healthier Tomorrow
African-American food and its dietary evolve-
ment since the beginning of American slavery provide
a complicated, yet extremely descriptive, picture of the
effects of politics, society, and the economy on culture.
The deep-rooted dietary habits and economic issues
that continue to affect African Americans presentAfrican-American diet