ANCESTORS' DIET KEY TO IMPROVED AFRICAN-AMERICAN HEALTH
Cuisine Entrepreneur Says 150-Year-Old Diet Reveal Today's Health Answers

(June 22, 2004 - Fairfield, Connecticut) - Alex Haley's Roots gave the world enlightened exposure to black history, but this great epic didn't reveal perhaps the slaves most valuable contribution - their diet! That's why the Juneteenth holiday (June 19, 2004) has been designated as the day to launch a year long national effort to educate Americans about the importance of a healthy diet. June 19, 1865 was the day that the last American Slaves received news of their freedom.

Most Americans are perhaps unaware that the slaves were possibly the healthiest Americans that ever lived! They ate primarily a garden-grown diet of fresh vegetables; root crops like potatoes and turnips, and occasionally fish. With the exception of some limited root and bark teas, water was their sole beverage. Given this, the slaves approach to eating and consumption warrants immediate consideration particularly given the current declining health status of today's black community.

According to The National Institute of Health (NIH), the rate of diabetes among black Americans is increasing at an alarmingly higher rate than white Americans. Deaths from heart disease are two-thirds higher for African-American women and one-third higher for African-American men when compared to their white counterparts. And with 65% of all American adults either being overweight or obese, excessive body weight is a critical health issue for many African-American families.

Today's typical African-American diet contains plenty of fatty, high caloric, and sugary foods - far different than the slaves' diet of less than 150 years ago. "The way many African-Americans look now bears little to no resemblance to their slave ancestors," says Wiley Mullins, founder of Uncle Wiley's Specialty Foods, Inc. and author of the soon to be released book The Unopened Gift about the nutritional legacy of slavery. According to Mullins, "slaves were lean, agile, and their bodies were for-the- most-part void of chronic illness and pain. Adapting our diet to a diet similar to that of our slave ancestors is certainly more healthful. It would improve the quality of our lives and could possibly save or extend our lives."
For years, Mullins wondered how the slaves were able to endure the scorching heat of his native south especially during the "dog days" of summer when daily temperatures typically exceed 95 degrees and the humidity often approaches 100%. His curiosity led him to what he terms "The Unopened Gift" because up to this point in history no one had shared slave survival techniques that were responsible for their enduring health, continued stamina, and longevity. Slaves, who had to be physically strong to do back breaking work, ate a mostly vegetarian diet. Growing their own food in gardens next to their cabins, they cultivated a wealth of healthy foods from vegetables to rice to beans to greens.

The warm southern climate provided an extended growing season, and they used the plentiful garden's bounty to create nourishing stews and one-pot meals. "The secret to good health is in the garden," explains Mullins. "It's no accident that the world's first family, Adam and Eve were placed there - everything they needed was there."

Tomatoes, the base of many slave recipes were used frequently. Today, scientist taut lycopene, an antioxidant found in red fruits and vegetables as an effective defense against the onset of certain cancers, especially prostate cancer. Yet, contemporary African-American men are 35% more likely than white men to develop prostate cancer, and two to three times more likely to die from it. Unfortunately, America's black male population has the highest incidence of prostate cancer in the world.

Mullins points to other healthy staples in the slave diet like leafy greens and sweet potatoes. Nutrients found naturally in sweet potatoes work in the body to allow easy iron absorption from other foods that otherwise would be lost. Sweet potatoes are loaded with potassium, which has proven effective in controlling blood pressure. According to the American Heart Association more than 50% of black adults in the United States are hypertensive.

Mullins has two goals that he hopes to achieve: (1) Educate America to the powerhouses of health located in their grocer's produce department. The key is to eat a colorful assortment (5-7 daily) of deep colored fruits and vegetables. Deeper colored produce has higher nutrition content. (2) Get black America healthy - reverse those horrific health statistics. His book, The Unopened Gift is targeted for release in the Fall 2004. For more information, visit the company's website at www.unclewileys.com Uncle Wiley's Specialty Foods, Inc. is located in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Slave Recipes

After working long days in the fields, a simple yet hearty soup like Okra Soup was often prepared by slave women for supper.

OKRA SOUP
4 cups Cold Water
4 cups Okra, finely cut
4 cups Tomato Pulp
Wiley's Greens Seasoning

Add Wiley's Greens Seasoning to water and allow to come to a boil. Add Okra and Tomato mixture. Simmer on medium for 1 hour or until thick. Serve in bowl over rice or corn.

Slave Recipes

"Pot Likker" and Corn Meal Balls were often served on Sunday's after church. This was considered a real treat for the slaves. A dish like this took longer to prepare and was reserved for Sunday dinner when slaves had more time to prepare a special meal.

"Pot Likker"

In a large pot or Dutch oven, bring to boil 2 quarts of cold water. Add 1 1oz. package of Wiley's Greens Seasoning to the water. Wash tender turnip greens in several waters to clean well. Place greens in seasoned water and let boil 1 hour. When greens are tender pour off ¾ of seasoned water into separate bowl. This seasoned water is "Pot Likker." Set greens aside.

Corn Meal Balls for "Pot Likker"
1 cup Plain Corn Meal
½ teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Butter
Cold Water

Add salt to corn meal and stir in melted butter. Slowly add water to shaped dough into small biscuit-sized balls. Drop balls into reserved "Pot Likker." "Pot Likker" should be boiling. Cook in covered dish for twenty minutes. Serve with Turnip Greens.

Slave Recipes

Apple Pot Pie was one of the slaves' favorite desserts. Desserts were a common feature on Sunday's during the summer months when fruits were plentiful. The pleasing aroma of cooked apples often-filled slave cabins and campsites in the late summer and early fall when apples were in abundance.

Apple Pot Pie
6 Baking Apples - peeled, cored and cut into small pieces
4 cups Flour
10 Tablespoons of Butter
2 packages Wiley's Apple Pie Spice
1 cup Sugar
Cold Water

In large bowl, make dough of flower, 7 TB of butter, salt and enough water to form dough. Roll thin on floured cutting board and cut into two-inch squares. Place apples in separate bowl and sprinkle with Wiley's Apple Pie Spice and sugar on each apple layer. In a large pot or Dutch oven alternate layers of dough squares and sprinkled apples. Bottom layer in pot should be apples followed by dough squares on top. The top layer should be dough squares. Place remaining butter (3 TB) dotted on dough layer on top. Fill pot (dutch oven) half filled with water. Cover and cook on medium until apples are done.

Slave Recipes

The recipe for Plantation Gumbo was different just about every time depending on the season and the availability of certain types of vegetables. The following recipe reflects how the dish was prepared in late summer.

Plantation Gumbo
2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
1 Onion diced
2 Cups of Tomatoes, unpeeled and cubed
2 Cups Okra finely cut
2 Red Potatoes (peeled and cubed)
1 Carrot (peeled and sliced)
1 Quart hot water
1 Cup diced Celery
Wiley's Beans & Peas Seasoning

In small saucepan, fry onions in the melted butter until browned. In large pot or Dutch oven add water and Wiley's Seasonings. Bring to a boil; add browned onion mixture and vegetables to water. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until thick.