How to Make Classic Soul Food Healthier (Without Losing Flavor)

Collard greens so delicious they “make you want to slap your grandma.” Mac and cheese so rich and incredible that you just know your mama “put her foot in it.” Auntie’s sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows. All the salt and pork added to season everything just right, like folks used to do back in the day—before low-sodium, no-fat, and low-sugar were more than just ideas. Black-eyed peas? Add some fat to them. Pinto beans? Add some fat to those, too. Lima beans? You guessed it: add some fat. And don’t forget the sweet tea to wash it all down. Fried chicken or fried fish, along with baked ham, are usually included in the spread. Buttermilk biscuits made from scratch are smothered in butter and honey, and hush puppies and cornbread are readily available with the expectation that you’ll indulge in all three starches (without worrying about the carbs) rather than just choosing one. And it wouldn’t be a meal without a multitude of desserts—sweet potato pie, apple pie, pecan pie, peach cobbler, and pound cake, please. It’s like a litany of treats that will be completely devoured by the end of the gathering. If there are any leftovers, folks will make you a plate to take home. These are the traditional standards that define a typical meal we share at special gatherings. When we sit down at the table to break bread with family and friends, we expect to enjoy comforting food in good company, without worrying about whether our meals are healthy. The classic dishes we refer to as soul food are rich in traditional flavors, but could all that flavor be too much of a good thing? While soul food can be comforting, if consumed regularly, it might negatively impact your health. Soul food is often perceived as less healthy than other food options, which are typically considered more expensive. While soul food can be flavorful and comforting, it is generally high in sodium, fat, and sugar, which can lead to negative health outcomes. Contrary to popular belief, soul food is not necessarily cheaper than more nutritious meals. The core ingredients of soul food are budget-friendly and won’t strain your finances. Importantly, soul food carries cultural significance, stemming from ingredients that were affordable and accessible to enslaved people. By making a few modifications to traditional recipes, it is possible to prepare soul food in a way that is more nutritious and lower in excess sugar, fat, and sodium. In moderation and on special occasions, you can enjoy a healthier version of this beloved cuisine while still savoring its rich heritage. Let’s examine the ingredients we have, identify what makes traditional soul food unhealthy, and explore healthier substitutions for the less nutritious preparations and ingredients. By transforming soul food into more health-conscious options, you and your loved ones will keep coming back for more! RELATED: Soul Food Remix: Five Soul Food Recipes Without The Bad Stuff

The core: nutritious and cheap 

• Leafy greens such as cabbage, collard greens, mustard greens, and turnip greens are rich in fiber, folate, and vitamins A, C, and K.
• Legumes: Black eyed peas that grace the table of many soul food feasts are a great fiber and protein source. 
• Root vegetables like sweet potatoes and yams are full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. 
• Lean protein meat was more of a way to enhance flavoring in small amounts and not featured as a main dish. Lean poultry and fish can do the same and provide flavor with healthier results.

With such a healthy core to soul food, you may be wondering: what’s the problem? The problem isn’t in the basics above that make up the core ingredients of soul food, but in the traditional preparation of those core ingredients.

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What makes soul food as-is unhealthy

Consider the unhealthy ingredient additions and health-harming cooking methods in soul food’s traditional preparations. 

• Excessive fat. Claiming the core as healthy does not mean that you can overlook the use of excessive fat in the nutrient-rich ingredient base of soul food. The excessive fat includes lard, butter, and ham hocks as seasoning. 
• High sodium. Salty, processed meats like bacon and salt pork, with other high-sodium commercial seasoning blends that are often used in soul food, are a contributing factor in negative outcomes to our health, such as high blood pressure.
• Frying. “If it can be eaten, then it can be fried” could be the soul food motto. Think about how common fried chicken, okra, and fish are in a soul food meal. It might elevate the taste, but it also increases the amount of fat and calories contained in the transformed core, which becomes detrimental to a traditional feast.
• Added sugars. Candied yams, desserts, and other sweets are often referred to as “sugar.” When sugar in any of its many forms is added as an ingredient to any of the soul food treats, from pies to rutabagas, it can do serious damage.
• Refined grains. These can be found in classic favorites such as cornbread and macaroni and cheese. These common soul food staples usually use less nutritious refined grains.

RELATED: Soul Food and Sugar: 6 Delicious Substitutes for Black Diabetics

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How to make it better for better health

That was the bad news. Now for the hope: 

• Swap unhealthy fats by using olive or canola oil. Substitute liquid smoke and smoked paprika to flavor food instead of relying on fatty meats for flavor. 
• Reduce sodium by using natural herbs, spices, onion, and garlic instead of added salt or commercial seasoning blends that are high in sodium. If your veggies come from a can, then rinse them right before use. 
• Cook using healthier methods like baking, grilling, roasting, or air frying. Try preparing your greens in a slow cooker with vegetable broth and a little oil to replace meat as a flavor distributor. 
• Increase plant-based foods by filling half your plate with non-starchy vegetables like collard greens, okra, or cabbage, and including legumes like black eyed peas as the main protein source. Meat does not have to be the star of the suppertime show to make it a meal.
• Use whole grains when you can and substitute whole wheat flour and whole grain cornmeal instead of refined items. Choose brown rice in place of white rice. 
• Watch portion sizes and, in general, eat in moderation, avoiding calorie-rich dishes as a daily delight. Save these treats for special occasions.

Save money and improve your nutrition by using these modifications, swaps, substitutions, and adjusted cooking styles. You can return to the healthy core of soul food, and not only will it be good for your soul, but it will also be good for your body. Try out these tips for intentional cooking and ingredient changes on yourself, then by the holidays, you’ll have your family and friends eating healthier without noticing any change in flavor. Your soul food ingredient swaps will be healthy, but also tasty and worthy of any special occasion or feast.