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Month: November 2024
Our reading for this class, “Fat Wars”, chapter nine of Shilpa Ravella’s book, A Silent Fire: The Story of Inflammation, Diet, and Disease (2022) repeatedly used normative words to describe foods and their chemical contents. I find the most illustrative example to be on page 162 when Ravella (2022) describes the fats found in Crisco as “insidious”.
Photo courtesy of pikpng.com
This book was published in 2022, so it is not old by any means. It exists in the modern context of how we discuss food; the discussion has not largely changed since then and should be held to the same standards that we hold ourselves to now. It is my personal opinion that we as an American society have moved past this sort of conversation and the language it uses. I thought we had started talking about how we can use this knowledge about types of foods and the compounds within them to make healthier choices while still enjoying the food we eat and participating in our native foodways. The idea that one foodway is morally superior to another is a dangerous rhetoric that I strongly object to.
In the same vein, Ravella (2022) poses the populations in the Seven Countries Study that have lower rates of heart disease as sort of protagonists in the ‘fat wars’ she describes. In doing this, she is perpetuating the stereotype that American consumers are unintelligent (the ‘Dumb American’) and are unable to make healthy choices for themselves (Ravella, 2022). When field experts like Ravella stop treating the American public with indignity, we may learn and grow together as a nation but until then we will continue to operate under the strain of health moralism.
Further, Ravella holds an MD and is a gastroenterologist. She interacts with patients who are experiencing symptoms and who come to her vulnerably. As a chronically ill person, I find it worrisome that she speaks this way about the relationship between our bodies and food. It places an element of blame on her patients and on chronically ill people for their suffering which is told to us constantly writ large and that I maintain does not belong in healthcare.
I would like to contrast all of this with Professor Christine O’Neill’s presentation which covered many of the same concepts. She focused on putting words we all know from daily life into an understandable scientific context. She brought terminology from the lab back into the kitchen by using these terms to break down ingredients commonly used in American cooking such as butter. Prof. O’Neill did all this while maintaining a friendly professionalism that encouraged curiosity and student interaction. She was able to demonstrate that it is not only possible but beneficial to approach this topic with an attitude of good faith and I applaud Prof. O’Neill for her ability to do so.
Works Cited:
Ravella, S. (2022). A Silent Fire. W.W. Norton & Company.
Many cultures have their own food that walked alongside them through history, and later evolved, just as Kimchi was made for only Koreans and now is eaten by people globally. As food advanced throughout the years it has been built into society, and dishes became intertwined into one’s culture. Popular dishes such as kimchi can be individualized to different families liking as well as their own recipe. There are about 200 variations of kimchi. Different and famous variations of kimchi in Korea include:
- baechu kimchi made from napa cabbage
(https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/baechu-kimchi-11281091)
2. kkakdugi kimchi made from Korean radish
(https://www.koreanbapsang.com/kkakdugi-cubed-radish-kimchi/)
3. chonggak kimchi made from ponytail Radish
(https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/chonggak-kimchi)
4. dongchimi kimchi, a type of watery (mul) kimchi usually consumed as soup in winter.
(https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/dongchimi)
Baechu kimchi is the most consumed kimchi in Korea (Surya & Nugroho, 2023). Despite its popularity, other people may eat other kimchi. Some like to let their kimchi ferment for a few days to a week, two weeks, or even for months. It does not entirely matter how long it sits since kimchi is made using live culture called lactic acid bacteria (LAB) which produce organic acids that help with the unique flavor of kimchi. Not only does kimchi have a unique flavor it also is great for the stomach and has many benefits for nutrients and antioxidants. (Surya & Nugroho, 2023). When looking to buy kimchi it is recommended to look for it in the refrigerated area since this indicates live cultures present in the ferment (J.Halpin, personal communication, November 6, 2024).
Throughout history, Koreans discovered that salted and seasoned vegetables, beans, seafood, and other foods remained edible, and also developed a specific taste after being left in earthenware jars for a certain period. Common seasonings used for making kimchi are garlic, ginger, radish, carrot, green onion, fermented seafood (jeotgal) and red chili powder (gochugaru). The tradition of making kimchi with family has been formed through a long history and includes common attitudes, beliefs, and practices unique to the community.
In a way this tradition reminds me of the way my family makes Tamales, a Mexican dish that takes a whole day to make and cook. Although Tamales are not fermented, the process requires a lot of work, time, and patience. They are made from corn that’s filled with any type of meat commonly used is pork, beef, and chicken, and also contain spices as well, such as cumin seeds, chili powder, jalapeño, and salt. They are wrapped in banana, and or plantain leaf and left on the stove for 1-3 hours to steam. This process of making tamales compares with the way kimchi is made and processed because of the time, and high effort put into making the dish.
As we discussed in class, Kimchi is a traditional dish that has been passed down by many generations, is part of one’s identity, and culture and will be done in many ways. It will always be a comfort food for those who are connected to kimchi dish.
Works Cited:
Surya, R., & Nugroho, D. (2023). Kimchi throughout millennia: A narrative review on the early and modern history of Kimchi. Journal of Ethnic Foods, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s42779-023-00171-w
The food we eat every day is not just food for ourselves but also for trillions of microorganisms that live inside of us. These microorganisms live primarily within the gut and can weigh up to six pounds. For a part of the body that large, it has gone mostly unseen and unnoticed. However, the new field of study of the microbiome shows links that impact everything from the immune system to Parkinson’s and infections.
The microorganisms that live inside our microbiome differ between each and every one of us and is influenced by something as simple as a vaginal birth or C-section birth. The earliest part of the baby’s life is the most important in the establishment of the microbiome, as the organisms that are transferred to the baby will last the rest of their lives. Mother’s milk compared to formula is also seen as the healthier option for the baby and establishment of a healthy microbiome (M. Rauhut, personal communication, October 31, 2024). The best way to support the health of your gut microbiome is to have what is described as a traditional diet, high in carbohydrates and fiber (M. Rauhut, personal communication, October 31, 2024). This diet lets the microorganisms produce a wide variety of micronutrients that our bodies would be unable to create otherwise. Having a diet high in animal protein and sugars can lead to an increase in unhealthy and unhelpful microorganisms (M. Rauhut, personal communication, October 31, 2024).
“Large Intestine, Illustration – Stock Image – C027/7483.” Science Photo Library. Accessed November 1, 2024. https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/703782/view/large-intestine-illustration.
A critical component of the microbiome and its microorganisms is how they have been proven to affect other parts of the body. New studies have shown that some common infections can be cured by transplanting a healthy microbiome into a sick person’s gut. This is accomplished through a fecal transplant procedure. However, this operation has also been seen to transfer someone’s anxiety or depression to the recipient, proving that mental health is deeply connected to the gut. Many of the neurotransmitters that are used in the brain are created in the gut, and these transmitters can create the feelings of stress and happiness that all experience day to day. The immune system is also connected, as it controls what passes into the body, and when the immune system has been compromised for too long it can lead to inflammation, which in turn can lead to depression and Alzheimer’s (Robertson, 2023).
“What Is the Gut-Brain Connection? – Life First.” What Is The Gut-Brain Connection? – Life First. Accessed November 1, 2024. https://www.lifefirstassessment.com.au/blog/2020/june/what-is-the-gut-brain-connection/
The gut microbiome has proven to be one of the most understudied organs in the human body. New developments are happening all the time. Just a few months ago a new study came out that shows that intermittent fasting can actually help promote a healthy microbiome (M. Rauhut, personal communication, October 31, 2024).
References:
Robertson, Ruairi. “The Gut-Brain Connection: How It Works and the Role of Nutrition.” Healthline, August 20, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gut-brain-connection.
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When I hear the term “soul food”, my mind goes straight back to my trip to New Orleans over the summer. Restaurants advertised these warm, flavorful, American classic foods, and the lines for some places were out the door and down the block. I remember those specific smells and tastes; the fried okra, the fried chicken, the seafood gumbo with so many delicious spices. These are all foods that I associate with the American South, only to find out from today’s guest lecturer that the history of these dishes is much richer than I had ever imagined. Professor Lynn Johnson taught our class about the extensive history of soul food in America and how it grew from unwanted food to comfort food.
“My Aunt Jojo’s Seafood & Vegetable Gumbo”. Photo Courtesy of Lannen Lare.
Little did I know that the origins of foods that I saw as American classics really came from Africa, dating all the way back to the Transatlantic slave trade. Slaves brought their foodways to America along the Middle Passage (Hayford, 2018). They were expected to make food and sustain themselves from the leftovers of white slave owners, and these weren’t nice leftovers like you and I eat after Thanksgiving! The rejected food would be tossed down to them, and they were forced to try and make something palatable and nutritious to eat (L. Johnson, personal communication, October 29, 2024). African Americans had to draw from their experiences in African food markets and settings, bringing their cultural foodways to their new environment and starting a new, unique era of food there (Opie, 2008). Like I said earlier, the soul food that I have eaten is easily accessible to me in my memory. Food, especially soul food, truly has the ability to invoke such vivid, sensory memories, and it has the ability to connect people through this concept. This comes from the influence of African food markets and their exchanges of taste, smell, sight, and more (L. Johnson, personal communication, October 29, 2024). Soul food provides us with more than sustenance: it gives us an experience to share.
https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-middle-passage.htm
https://www.aaihs.org/cfp-revolutionary-soul-food/
One point that stuck out to me especially was how soul food rose from the instinct to survive. Slaves used their knowledge to supplement their diets when slave owners did not give them sufficient food rations, and even post-abolition of slavery, African Americans started food stands, restaurants, and hotels to spread their food culture and make money to live during the Great Migration (Worley, 2019). Soul food was and is much more than a foodway; it’s about ownership and empowerment. African Americans were doing something for themselves and gaining this sense of agency by just taking control and sharing their knowledge and their value with the world. Soul food became something that Americans of any race treasured and desired, and it will continue to live on through experiential wisdom (L. Johnson, personal communication, October 29, 2024). I know that I personally will be seeking out more from my food in the future. It’s not just about the eating, but the community, shared experience, and connection of humankind that soul food fosters in such a unique way. Our bodies need food, so why not feed the soul, and make a little connection go a long way?
https://restaurant-ingthroughhistory.com/2019/03/24/soul-food-restaurants/
https://www.stoptheviolencepgh.com/a-soulful-taste-of-the-burgh/
References
Hayford, V. (2021, June 3). The humble history of soul food • black foodie. BLACK FOODIE. https://www.blackfoodie.co/the-humble-history-of-soul-food/
Opie, F. D. (2008). Hog & Hominy: Soul Food from Africa to America. Columbia University Press.
Worley, S. (2016, June 29). Where soul food really comes from. Epicurious. https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/real-history-of-soul-food-article