Healthcare starts in the kitchen. Chef Alexis Aquino educated attendees at the Black Health Matters Harlem Health Summit about the importance of connecting the food they’re eating to their well-being. His workshop provided tangible examples of how to effectively use food as medicine, helping to prevent chronic diseases.
Also known as Chef Lex, Aquino is the executive director of the Brownsville Community Culinary Center.
Chef Lex Talks Being a Culinary Instructor in Harlem
He has deep connections to the Harlem community. He shared what he learned observing as a community member educating congregants of a church on Saint Nicholas and as a culinary instructor at Harlem Children’s Zone. Chef Lex worked to educate the children in the Harlem community on how to eat healthier as a part of that role. He presented them with information on how to make better choices that would support their health.
“What I discovered in my time while I was here in Harlem working with such a special group is that food is a relationship that we have with ourselves,” said Aquino. “Every single day we have a conversation with ourselves through a plate, where we make a choice and typically, it’s a choice that we enjoy.”
How the Foods We Choose to Eat Reflect Our Lives and Cultures.
He emphasized the many parts of life that are reflected in the food we choose to eat. Our celebrations, our sadness, our sacrifices, our core values, according to Aquino, can all eventually be found at the bottom of our bellies. He described the way food intersects with our personal and collective histories. Food choices can reflect where you are from and who you are tied to. “We make a statement to ourselves of love, of care, of cultural connection, of communal connection, and so, no matter what systematic experiences that we’re having, we can always empower ourselves through the conversation of food,” he continued.
Some of the nutrition issues faced by Black communities are systemic, but others are modifiable with changed behavior. “Proper nutrition offers one of the most effective and least costly ways to decrease the burden of many diseases and their associated risk factors,” according to the Journal of Nutrition.
Risk factors can start earlier for some than others. The Journal of the American College of Nutrition reports that “Childhood overweight and obesity can be prevented through improved diet quality, thus warranting intervention programs aimed at increasing access to healthy foods and improving food choice.”
These interventions are beneficial for young Black people who are at a higher risk for. Sometimes they require support to shift their habits or go out of their comfort zones.
Aquino shared some unique experiences he had observing young people in the Harlem area who required intervention to make improved dietary choices. “I had the pleasure of bringing that conversation to some young folks in Harlem that needed empowerment,” he said. “They needed self-esteem to go beyond just what they were experiencing in their schools, experiencing in the streets, even experiencing amongst their friends.”
Chef Lex Talks About His Program in Brownsville
He has gone on to work in the community of Brownsville, Brooklyn.
At the Brownsville Community Culinary Center, he “provides free, world-class culinary vocational training to Brownsville residents.” “We are a workforce program primarily,” he said. “We pay our students to be a part of the training.”
“There’s no financial barriers for them as they’re going after a career path,” he added. His work contributes to the economic and physical well-being of the community.
Students Learn How to Use Nutrition as Preventive Medicine
The training provided to students in the program centers not only on flavor but also on function. Participants learn how to use nutrition as preventive medicine. They bring that to their professional work in the culinary field and into their homes. They learn to make balanced plates that provide fulfillment without being too saturated with fat, sugar, or carbohydrates.
Their efforts are sorely needed in an area plagued by illnesses associated with poor nutrition.
Brownsville Has a High Rate of Diabetes
“Brownsville is home to some of the most challenging demographics of folks, and of all of the five boroughs, we have the highest rate of diabetes,” he said. The New York Department of Health reports that “The rate of avoidable adult diabetes hospitalizations in Brownsville is the highest in the city, more than twice the Brooklyn and citywide rates” and “40% of Brownsville adults consume one or more sugary beverages per day, the second-highest rate in the city.”
Diabetes management efforts require the development of a balanced diet that can be maintained by the person managing the illness. He demonstrated how easy it is to create a recipe suitable for people with diabetes.
He prepared a light melon salad that gave zest without syrup and a flavorful pumpkin pesto salad that didn’t pack on the carbs.
The Importance of Incorporating Cultural Awareness into Healthy Meals
Aquino offered attendees examples of dishes they could recreate at home to mind their health without abandoning their taste buds. Cultural awareness can improve dietary outcomes. The dishes were developed in his Brownsville space to translate cultural ingredients into healthy meals for those affected by health issues.
“We are constantly testing recipes to make sure they are culturally relevant,” he said. He explained that you don’t have to douse something with sugar or salt to enjoy it. “The flavor equation is taste plus texture plus memory,” he said.
Aquino smiled as his helpers walked through the aisles, handing over plates to attendees who shared how much they enjoyed the snack. He shared how much the moment meant to him.
“I like to think. That, at the core of it, being healthy should equal being happy. Because what’s the point of taking care of yourself if you’re not able to enjoy yourself?”
Resources
Journal of Nutrition
Journal of the American College of Nutrition
New York Department of Health: Brownsville
American Journal of Medicine
Clinical Liver Disease
