1. DIET–it’s not just about “junk food” and “sweet stuff”. It is difficult for many Black and Latino citizens to obtain in their communities the high-quality fresh produce necessary to balance diets high in meats, fats and starches. This also applies to many poor whites–including the “working poor”–who live in rural areas or small towns. It is EXPENSIVE to eat healthy and much cheaper to eat “fillers” and “stretchers”–foods high in carbohydrates. And we ALL know how AGRIBUSINESS works in this country to turn food growing into “food production”, in every sense of the word!

2. FOOD PREPARATION TECHNIQUES–comfort food is found in all cultures; HOW that food is prepared is often dictated
by culture–and CASH! The basic Southern diet (from the so-called “Stroke-Belt” of America)does contain healthy
foods, but the PREPARATION of these foods–high concentrations of salt, sugar and/or animal fats–turns healthy food into “Artery-Clogging Cholesterol Pellets”.
But if Abuela fried with lard and Big Daddy fried with
lard, you’ll probably do the same, instead of using more expensive olive oil/canola oil or baking/broiling foods.