By Ibrahim Z. Konaté from the United States and France.
Featured photo by Africa Studio/"Shutterstock.com
Disclaimer: Nothing said in this article is medical advice. Seek professional advice from your care team before making any changes to your nutrition plan.
Food was my gateway back into my culture.
As a first-generation American, the narrative about my identity has usually been out of my control, and like so many others in my situation, I decided to focus my young adulthood on unpacking this conflict and reconnecting to my roots.
Growing up between France and Virginia, I knew Mali only through stories, pictures, and most importantly, food. When I left home for graduate school, I made sure to ask my mom to teach me all of the family recipes.
The comfort provided by these meals was essential in my life, especially leading up to my diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease while in isolation from my support system in 2020.
The initial relief I felt from receiving my diagnosis after years of experiencing symptoms was immediately followed by shock at the absence of global cuisine in IBD medical and advocacy materials. I started worrying - could it be that my culture and my identity as an IBD patient were incompatible?
There seemed to be no room for me in the IBD community because fundamental components of myself were either excluded from the conversation or labeled as dangerous. This feeling was amplified through many virtual cooking events that I attended and with most IBD-specific recipes that I found online.
It seemed as though a lot of IBD advocacy spaces were focusing on a specific lived experience and I wanted to make sure that everyone had space to center themselves within their own disease journey.
In recent years, the incidence of Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis has been increasing across all demographics in the United States, with a markedly high increase for BIPOC patients. With the increasing diversity in the IBD community, it is imperative that we continue to build a space where everyone can be accepted, no matter who they are.
As a newly diagnosed Crohn’s Disease patient, I was able to meet with a nutritionist at my local IBD Center. I came out of this appointment with a lot of information about the Mediterranean and low FODMAP diets, and a list of recipes that were all inspired by western European cuisine. I decided to take the advice of my nutritionist to incorporate this Mediterranean diet into my life, but first, I wanted to break it down into its components and see if I could build up a regimen that looked more like myself.
Separating this culinary concept from its name and origin allowed me to deconstruct and generalize it into high fruit, vegetable, fish, olive oil, and whole-grain intake. Once I had these parts, I found myself able to create the dishes that my mom had taught me before I left home. There were of course minor substitutions, but the essence of the recipes and the culture that they represent were still present.
I started challenging myself to see if I could make my new dietary accommodations fit into my culture and hoped that this revolution in myself would allow others to steer their experiences in managing their condition.
This February, for Black History Month, I walked around my home of Harlem in New York City to explore food from across the African Diaspora that may fit into the deconstructed diet guidelines provided to me by my nutritionist.
Here are three dishes from local restaurants that align with the guidance from my care team or can be slightly altered to avoid trigger foods.
Gumbo - American South - Miss Mamie’s Spoonbread Too
Gumbo is a thick okra-based stew that is native to the American South. It is the official plate of the state of Louisiana and has Creole and Cajun varieties. Creole gumbo tends to have seafood, dark roux, and filé powder from the sassafras plant. Cajun gumbo typically incorporates chicken, but variations will be found for both of these recipes in different households. There is often the presence of onions, bell peppers, and celery in this stew, but any of these can be omitted or substituted if they risk triggering a flare-up.
Mafé - West Africa - Teranga
Mafé is a sauce made with peanut butter and tomato sauce. It is usually served over rice or couscous with meat. At Teranga, they prepared it with chicken but this can be served with a vegetarian or vegan substitute.
Jollof rice is also native to West Africa (my mom says that it's absolutely native to Senegal but every country seems to have its own variation and claim to the recipe!). It gets its bright red appearance from tomato paste and spices. I grew up eating jollof rice almost exclusively with fish, but it pairs well with other meats and vegan options as well. The trademark flavor can still be obtained by excluding any spices or peppers that may aggravate a flare-up.
Plantains - Africa, Caribbean, Latin America - Homemade, bought from a local market
Plantains are a fruit related to the banana that exists all over the African Diaspora. It is an incredibly versatile dish that can be a snack or an entire meal. I grew up eating them fried in oil but there are other recipes that prepare them by roasting or even with an air fryer.
This experience has taught me the importance of representation. That being a person with IBD and honoring my origins are two experiences that can coexist. In fact, prioritizing my customs allowed me to have better control over my relationship with my diagnosis.
I encourage you all to think about what traditions make you who you are today. If you do not see yourself celebrated in the diversity that is our IBD community, center yourself and find others who will support you and cheer alongside you as you make this a space where we can all be our authentic selves together.
This article is sponsored by IBD Strong. IBD Strong is a volunteer grassroots organization that provides a community of hope, connection, inspiration and empowerment to children, teens and families living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. They believe that every individual diagnosed with IBD deserves hope and opportunities to thrive. IBD Strong’s mission is to inspire and empower individuals living with IBD to not let the disease define them.