The African continent brings an incredible heritage of delicious and nutritious food to the world, and African Heritage & Health Week focuses on sharing their cuisine with the world. As they’ve spread throughout the world their tradition of incredibly flavorful food has spread with them, fusing with the local cuisine to create something familiar yet powerfully new.
This celebration was created to help bring awareness to the world of the traditions and flavors of African heritage cuisine by Oldways. This non-profit works to educate people on nutrition and food throughout the world, and during this holiday they try to encourage participants to have at least one meal that was inspired by the African-American Ancestors.
Throughout the Caribbean, the American South, South America, and all the other regions of their world their influence has touched their cuisine has left an indelible mark. African Heritage & Health Week brings these delicious traditions to the world.
History of African Heritage and Health Week
Established as part of Black History Month by Oldways, they’ve been excited to see the growth of African heritage foods, including yucca root, millet, peanut stews, and leafy greens just to name a few. The importance of this holiday goes beyond presenting the history of a people’s food, it also has been helping to combat the rise of various food-related illnesses that appear as traditional cuisine is left behind.
Diabetes, obesity, and heart disease have all been rising significantly throughout the African American community as their traditional foods have been left behind. African Heritage & Health Week seeks to reintroduce these foods to those who have abandoned them and through doing so share pride in their heritage and support for their health.
How to Celebrate African Heritage & Health Week
Individuals and organizations throughout the world organize events centered on this holiday, with families gathering to eat traditional foods and banquets being held to introduce the community to more African Heritage cooking. Everyone can enjoy the flavors of African traditional food and should take an opportunity to have at least one meal featuring it during African Heritage & Health Week. Oldways hosts classes to help you explore this cuisine called “A Taste of African Heritage” of ATOAH.
You never know what kind of delicious food you may discover when exploring this amazing and ancient cuisine.
—
Photo Credit: Dmitriy NDM / Shutterstock.com