In Black culture, the kitchen has always been more than just a place to prepare food. It is a sacred space—where stories are passed down, traditions are honored, and families gather to nourish both body and soul. But beyond its cultural significance, our kitchens hold something even more powerful: the key to our health. Every ingredient we choose and every meal we prepare has the ability to either sustain our well-being or contribute to the chronic illnesses that disproportionately impact our community.
Culinary Medicine: A Return to Food as Medicine
Culinary medicine—the practice of using food intentionally for healing and disease prevention—is not a passing trend but a return to wisdom that has long been woven into African and African American traditions. Before pharmaceuticals and modern medicine, our ancestors relied on the land, using herbs, roots, and nutrient-dense foods to treat ailments, strengthen immunity, and maintain balance in the body. Food was not only sustenance; it was medicine, crafted with intention and respect for its healing properties.
Yet today, the rise of chronic illnesses like high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease has led many to reconsider the connection between food and health. As Black Americans continue to experience higher rates of diet-related diseases than any other racial group, more people are turning to culinary medicine as a powerful form of preventative care. Unlike prescription drugs, which often manage symptoms without addressing root causes, food has the power to prevent, manage, and even reverse many of these conditions when used strategically.
Breaking the Myth of Genetics: Food as the True Determinant of Health
For too long, we have been told that our high rates of chronic illness are due to genetics. However, we must break away from this false science—our health disparities are primarily influenced by our food environment, access to fresh produce, and dietary habits, not our DNA.
Systemic issues such as food deserts—areas with little to no access to healthy, affordable food—have left many Black communities reliant on fast food and processed meals, which are high in sodium, trans fats, and artificial additives. A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that frequent consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with a higher risk of heart disease, obesity, and early death.
While policy changes are necessary to address these disparities, we also have the power to take control of what we can: our relationship with food. What we put on our plates every day is a choice, and that choice determines whether we feed disease or fuel longevity.
Why More People Are Turning to Culinary Medicine
The modern healthcare system is designed to manage chronic illnesses rather than prevent them, often intervening only after conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease have already taken hold. Yet, mounting research makes it clear that diet and lifestyle are the actual root causes of many of these illnesses—and the most effective solutions lie not in prescriptions but in preventative nutrition.
A study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that poor diet has now surpassed smoking as the leading cause of premature death in the U.S. Similarly, The New England Journal of Medicine reports that 70-80% of chronic diseases could be prevented through lifestyle changes, particularly diet. Additional research in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition highlights that cooking at home and prioritizing whole foods significantly reduces the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Beyond the health risks, the financial burden of chronic illness is staggering. Americans now spend over $400 billion per year on prescription medications, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Treatments for diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease alone cost individuals thousands of dollars annually, with some medications priced at hundreds of dollars per month. Many of these drugs also come with harmful side effects, leading to a cycle where one medication is prescribed to counteract the effects of another.
Instead of accepting a lifetime of costly prescriptions, more people are recognizing that the most powerful and side-effect-free medicine starts on our plates. By investing in whole, nutrient-dense foods, we not only improve our health but also reduce our reliance on medications—saving money, preventing disease, and reclaiming control over our well-being.
Reclaiming Our Kitchen as a Medicine Cabinet
Now is the time to shift our mindset and reclaim our kitchen as our first line of defense against illness. Culinary medicine isn’t about restriction—it’s about modification and elevation. It’s about using food not just to satisfy hunger but to nourish and heal our bodies actively. The more we align our meals with our health goals, the more we take control of our well-being, breaking generational cycles of diet-related disease.
By blending ancestral food wisdom with modern nutritional science, we have the power to transform our health from the inside out. The future of Black health is on our plates—it’s time to cook with intention, eat with purpose, and heal with every bite.
