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Nutrition: Food & Culture

I have been delayed in sharing this post since January. There isn’t any particular reason except that I have been quite busy.

As a Black female nutritionist, I pride myself on being mindful when working with clients—not only to understand their nutritional needs from a scientific standpoint but also from a cultural standpoint. If I am completely honest, I believe being a part of a group labeled as a minority has afforded me a natural inclination toward cultural awareness. When studying nutrition at the graduate level, there was a lot of emphasis placed on science-based and evidence-based information for meal planning, improved patient care, and the field of nutrition as a whole. I am not saying that I disagree with the need for evidence-based practices; I support them even more considering the rate at which the nutrition field is growing and expanding. However, what I did struggle to agree with was what seemed to be a limited demographic in much of the research used to base the standards and metrics for nutrition, nutrition therapy, and nutritional guidelines.

When having discussions about eating, food, and providing nutrition support, how could one focus only on research and exclude culture? People all over the world eat food. We eat the same foods, but the name of a food varies, and the preparation varies from culture to culture. It has been that way for centuries. For example, eggplant is called la berenjena in Spanish, biadhinjan in Arabic, nnuadewa in Twi, or garden egg across the continent of Africa. To advise a client to cook eggplant by grilling, roasting, or pan-searing with one specific oil—primarily without considering if there are other ways their culture prepares eggplant that are equally or more healthy—is neglectful, in my opinion. Some nutrition professionals are not confronted with cultural awareness until after they have a client from a different culture, and even then, they stick to the script. I often feel that the commonly promoted nutritious meals are generic, bland, and exclusive. The same select foods are narrowed down and promoted in constant rotation. There is only so much chicken breast or salmon with grilled veggies in olive oil one can eat.

Culture is largely responsible for the who, what, when, where, why, and how as it pertains to food.

• Who will eat certain foods can be culturally influenced.
• What someone eats and at what time they choose to eat can be culturally influenced.
• When someone chooses to eat a certain food can be culturally influenced.
• Where someone chooses to eat and where they choose to prepare their food can be culturally influenced. Cooking outside is a big deal in some cultures.
• Why someone chooses to eat can be culturally influenced; they may be fasting.
• How someone prepares the food they choose to eat can be culturally influenced. The use of certain spices for specific dishes is an example.

My approach has always been to be mindful, inclusive, and respectful of the impact culture has on what a person chooses to eat and how they choose to prepare it. I try not to assume that there is only one healthy way to prepare foods or that one cultural cuisine is superior to another. I did not have to learn or be advised to be culturally competent. Though this came naturally to me, I am appreciative that more efforts are being made to expand cultural awareness in nutrition. To be honest, my insight into the need for reverence for cultural backgrounds stems from my experience as a Black American and the belittling of the food (soul food) I grew up on. The further I went in my graduate program and the more I learned about nutritional value, the more I realized my ancestors got it right. They worked with what they had, which often included scraps and unwanted parts. The balance between proteins, starches, and leafy greens is a staple in soul food. As with any food/cuisine, preparation is the game changer. Over time, preparation for some dishes and portions changed in soul food cuisine, as it does in any cuisine. I make it a point to not shun Black American clients’ soul food roots—not only because it is my own, but because it is relevant. Instead, I suggest alternative preparation strategies.

I made it a priority to acknowledge culture’s influence on a person’s food choices. Having lived abroad and experienced Middle Eastern culture and cuisine, I am aware of the aromatic spices, and I really enjoy them. I’ve also visited countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean and experienced so many nutritious fruits, herbs, spices, and teas. Did you know that cashews come from a fruit? Google it. I learned this while in Ghana. Certain foods only grow in certain regions. This determines how that food is grown and prepared, which is yet another way culture influences food choices. Some food preparation practices are ancient, such as the combination of beans and rice to create a complete protein. Now that I am a nutritionist, it would be irresponsible of me to ignore the vast assortment of nutritious foods, spices, herbs, meals, and preparations and their nutritional benefits.

I spoke at an elementary school’s career day in January, and a student asked if it is wrong to drink milk straight from the cow instead of from the shelf at the store. Someone asked if he drinks milk from a cow, and he replied yes. There was shock, outbursts, and laughter. I knew right away that he was from another country. I explained that it is not wrong; it is simply different. How milk is served and stored varies from place to place and culture to culture. One culture may live in a rural area, while another may live in a metropolitan area. I asked where he was from, and he said Mexico. I told him that I have been to Mexico, and I really enjoyed it. Immediately, the student smiled and asked me what I liked. When his time was up, the teacher thanked me and said she had learned something. Suddenly, other children wanted me to answer questions about food I had tried from their home countries, including Venezuela, Brazil, Nigeria, Costa Rica, Mexico, and China. They were so happy that I knew about their country and its food. It gave them confidence to speak up. That experience showed me two things: that I love to eat (LOL), but more importantly, it showed me that I am right about remembering cultural relevance, influence, and impact when having discussions about eating and food. We must recognize differences and speak to them with kindness and respect.

One of my favorite types of food is Ethiopian cuisine. Injera alone is a nutritional powerhouse. The complete Ethiopian meals I have had were extremely healthy and nutritious. I mention that to point out how telling everyone to eat the same old chicken breast, steamed broccoli, and brown rice is not only inconsiderate but also a disservice. Look into other cultural cuisines and explore the immensely diverse healthy food/meal options out there.

Being mindful of cultural influences when discussing eating and food choices is important because:

• It reminds us to respect our differences.
• It encourages exploration and promotes nutrient diversity.
• It allows us to acknowledge that nutrition isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Nutrition will look differently for everyone, and it can still be healthy. Do we not harp on individualized nutrition care? Culture should be included, and not just genotype and metrics. Cultural awareness is respect. You cannot talk about food without reverence for culture. For those of us in America, be mindful of the client, coworker, peer, and neighbor before you. We can speak to healthy eating as it pertains to American cuisine without speaking down on other cultural cuisines or ignoring them altogether. There is a whole world of food out there.