Today, we don’t have to rush home to get a meal. We can stop by McDonalds or Wendy’s or KFC or Popeyes or any of the many, many fast food restaurants on the streets of Chicago. Today, we have real choices, but they’re not really healthy choices.
Back in the day, a real meal consisted of chicken, fish or red meat, a starch, such as potatoes, rice or macaroni, and of course a vegetable. People used to actually sit at a table with family to eat. Nowadays, people might grab fast food, or Chinese food, or a Pizza and it’s not unusual to see one or two family members eating in front of the TV, another might be in their home office, or in the kitchen.
What we gain in convenience of eating fast foods, we lose in terms of nutrition. Fast foods are high in calories and low in nutrients. Most fast foods are loaded with carbohydrates, with little to no fiber. According to “The Effects of Fast Food on the Body,” by Ann Pietranoelo, fast foods negatively affect every part of the body.
“When your digestive system breaks down fast foods, the carbs are released as glucose (sugar) into your bloodstream. As a result, your blood sugar increases.” She explains that over time your body won’t be able to continuously handle the insulin spikes caused by the increases in blood sugar, and you’ll end up with type 2 diabetes and weight gain. Both type one and type two diabetes are extremely prevalent in the Black community.
Most fast foods also contain an abundance of sodium, Interestingly, Black people worldwide have blood pressure rates similar to those of white people; yet in the United States, the difference is dramatic. Forty one percent of Black people in America have high blood pressure, compared to 27 percent of white people. Some scientists attribute this difference to the unique experience of Black people during the Middle Passage when Africans were deprived of salt, thus producing a gene that produces salt in our systems and that has been handed down to the descendants of the victims of the Middle Passage.
Thus, a teaspoon of salt for a white person could be equivalent to a quarter cup of salt for a Black person.
What you eat also affects how you think. One study suggested that college students who ate higher amounts of fast food often had lower short-term memory scores.
And don’t forget the elephant in the room that no one is talking about our anatomies have actually changed. Booties are actually bigger.
Size eight is the new size twelve. I actually saw a seven-year-old with the shape of a grown woman, big butt, little waist, I was staring so hard people might have taken me for a pedophile.
The good news is, we now have healthy choices. Many of those choices are right here, on the South Side of Chicago. You can explore the many options at BlackChicagoEats.com.
Restaurants such as Soul Veg, on 75th and Indiana, provide tasty alternatives for health conscious individuals on the go. Majani Vegan Soul Food Cuisine also makes healthy food fun and delicious. They have become known throughout the community for their famous barbecue cauliflower.
There are also farmer’s markets throughout the city, for instance the 61st Street Farmer’s Market, located at 6100 South Blackstone, will be open every Saturday from 9 am until 2 pm, until October 28. Most of the farmer’s markets listed by the City of Chicago (chicagocity.gov) will be in operation until October 28, with a few continuing to serve the public until mid November.
Some people are opting to grow their own fruits and vegetables. It’s fun and really not as time consuming as you would think. Plus, you don’t have to worry about pesticides or the vegetables or fruit’s long journey from California or other produce growing centers to your local grocery store when you can get them fresh from your own garden.
Last but not least, there is nothing like home-cooked to provide the nutrients you need to maintain your health. Plus, not only do you get a chance to hone and show off your culinary skills, but also, cooking at home gives you a chance to have a real, sit-down meal with family and loved ones, away from the cellphones, computers and TVs. Your reward will be a longer, healthier life.
Things are a lot more convenient these days, and there’s nothing wrong with living the good life. But the best life is the healthy life and that starts with healthy eating.
