Healthy Soul Food – The Best Time to Learn is Now
Healthy soul food has come of age. With more African Americans suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and other diet related illnesses, a healthier alternative is a must. The traditional southern meals filled with high fat content, calories and salt is quickly going the way of the dinosaur. More consumers are starting to seek out and demand healthier alternatives to the traditional southern cuisine, many southerners have grown to love.
Many soul food recipe websites have adjusted to this growing demand be nixing the recipes that contain high amounts of fat. For example, ham hocks, fat- back, bacon and other animal fats. Instead, to flavor vegetables such as collard greens, black-eyed peas and pinto beans, we use smoked turkey. Many recipe sites also use turkey ham, turkey bacon or turkey sausage to add robust flavor to side dishes. These flavor enhancers add the smoky southern flavor we all love without adding the fat and calories that hate us.
Another healthy change many southern recipes have now is suggesting healthier cooking methods and techniques. You’ll notice more suggestions to pan fry, bake and roast as opposed to deep-frying in oil. The trend is toward lighter cooking. For example, lighter oils, less oils and quicker cooking methods is continue to prevail over cooking with the heavy animal fats of the past.
Traditional seasonings such as salt is slowly giving way to more natural herbs and spices, such as garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric and other healthier alternatives. Plant and herb based seasonings have less health negatives for soul food consumers.
Here’s the main reason this is the best time to learn about healthy soul food. There’s never been more information on the affects of soul food and how to overcome it. This is not your great-grandmother’s cooking methods. You’re fortunate enough to live in the information age.
The internet, 24 hr news and ebooks. In addition, people are researching and improving the positive and negative affects of soul food on people who consumer it. Why? To discover more ways to enjoy it, without the health problems associated it.
Health professionals , food manufacturing companies, and some of the world’s top chef work around the clock to find ways to keep the original southern taste and leave the health negatives out. This research is starting to show in the rising popularity of healthy soul food.
By taking the time to learn the newer and healthier ways to prepare and cook soul food, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy it for years to come, without concern about the negative health effects of the past.
