African Americans

Describe the cuisisne that West African slaves brought to America and one American food recipe that has its origins in Africa. What traditional food might be served on Juneteenth?

Before West Africans were brought to the United States, their food habits had changed during the 15th and 16th centuries with the introduction of New World foods such as cassava, corn, chilies, peanuts, pumpkins, and tomatoes. Slaves that were transported to America brought cuisine based on these new foods as well as native West African foods, such as watermelon, black-eyed peas, okra, sesame, and taro. Adaptations and substitutions were made based on what foods were available in America. Black cooks added their West African preparation methods to British, French, Spanish, and Native American techniques to produce American southern cuisine, emphasizing fried, boiled, and roasted dishes using pork, pork fat, corn, sweet potatoes, and local green leafy vegetables. The cuisines of other African regions have had little impact at this point on the typical American diet, although recent immigrants may continue to prepare and consume traditional fare. Traditional southern food, such as pan of gumbo, a pot of beans, or a side of barbecued ribs, are some of the foods that may be served at Juneteenth celebrations held in many African American communities to commemorate the emancipation of the slaves. Southern black cuisine is particularly well suited to buffet meals and parties and can be stretched to feed many people on festive occasions, or during informal parties to celebrate a birthday, or just the fact that it's Saturday night.

Name the presented symbolic foods used in the Nigerian child-naming ceremonies, and explain what they symbolize

Nigerian child-naming ceremonies are important celebrations wherein a grandmother performs the ritual, offering symbolic foods to the infant: water (purity), oil (power and health), alcohol (wealth and prosperity), honey (happiness), kola nuts (good fortune), and salt (intelligence and wisdom).

For African Americans, how might diet affect the incidence and treatment of hypertension and type 2 diabetes

Overweight is a common problem for African Americans in adulthood. Concurrent with obesity, the incidences of high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes mellitus are disproportionately high among African Americans. Weight gain in African Americans substantially increases risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. While food preferences do not vary greatly between blacks and whites in similar socioeconomic groups living in the same region of the United States, according to the Healthy Eating Index, African Americans have diets high in fat, similar to that of the typical American diet associated with high meat intake. Frying and fast food are also prevalent in African American consumption. A high percentage of calories consumed are from animal proteins and a higher intake of fatty meats such as bacon and sausage, resulting in higher intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol. In addition, many African Americans' diets are low in fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain products, resulting in low intakes of dietary fiber. Low intakes of dairy products and vegetables as well as higher intakes of sodium can also be contributing factors to hypertension. Decreasing sodium, saturated fat and cholesterol, sugar, and non-carbonated fruit drinks intake as well as increasing intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will be helpful in treatment of hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Describe three therapeutic uses of food among African Americans. What is Pica?

Some of the therapeutic uses of food among African Americans are: tea made from the yellowroot shrub (Xanthorhiza simplicissima) is believed to cure stomachache and fever, and is also used to treat diabetes; peppermint candies are believed to be helpful with diabetes; sassafras tea or hot lemon-flavored water with honey is considered to be good for colds; raw onion helps to break a fever; turpentine sweetened with sugar reputedly cures intestinal worms when consumed orally; a mixture of figs and honey will eliminate ringworm; and goat's milk with cabbage juice is used to cure a stomach infection. Pica is the practice of eating nonnutritive substances, such as clay, chalk, and laundry starch. Found to be most often practiced by black women during pregnancy and the postpartum period, this perplexing food habit is practiced not only by African Americans, but also by whites and other ethnic groups. In rural regions the substance ingested is usually clay; however, in urban areas, laundry starch is often the first choice, though instances of women who ate large amounts of milk of magnesia, coffee grounds, plaster, ice, and paraffin have also been reported. Although the true cause for pica is not known, postulated causes include: nutritional need for minerals, hunger or nausea, a desire for special treatment, cultural tradition, limited social support, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), flavor, anxiety relief, texture, and the belief that clay prevents birthmarks or that starch makes the skin of the baby lighter and helps the baby to slip out during delivery.

Compare similarities and differences in West an East African traditional cuisines. What countries have influences East African Cuisine?

The cuisines of East Africa are mainly vegetarian, influenced by Arab, Asian Indian, and British fare. There are commonly breads at every meal, including chapatis, kitumbua, a rice fritter, and mandazi, a slightly sweetened doughnut-like bread. Ugali, a very thick, doughy cornmeal porridge, is the national dish in Kenya and is also found in Tanzania; however, mashed beans, lentils, corn, plantains, and potatoes are also popular. Many dishes are flavored by coconut milk, chile peppers, and curry spice blends. Because of its inland location, Uganda is less influenced by foreign cuisines and peanuts are a staple food, used in everything from stews (such as beef, tomato, and onion stew with peanut butter sauce) to desserts. The core food of Tanzania is plantains, which are used in soups (with or without beef), stews, fritters, custards, and even wine. Coconut milk and curry powder are also frequently used for flavoring. Throughout East Africa dishes are made with taro greens or other leafy vegetables and side dishes are made of local grains and produce, such as eggplant and papaya.Knowledge of West African food habits before the 19th century is incomplete and based mainly on the records of North African, European, and American traders, many of whom considered the local cuisine unhealthy. During the slave era, most West Africans lived in preliterate, horticultural tribal groups with a heavy dependence on locally grown foods, although some items, such as salt and fish (usually salt-cured), could be traded at the daily markets held throughout each region. West African cooking methods in the U.S. were adapted to slave conditions (see answer to #1).