Why Diet Culture is Failing Black Women – & What Actually Works

Diet culture has been selling us the same lie for decades: eat less, work out more, and shrink yourself to fit a narrow beauty standard. But for Black women, this approach has been particularly harmful—both physically and mentally. From fad diets that erase cultural foods to weight loss plans that don’t consider how hormones, stress, and body composition affect Black women differently, the mainstream wellness industry continues to fail us. Let’s break down why diet culture is failing Black women and explore real, sustainable strategies for health, weight loss, and body confidence—without sacrificing your curves, your cultural foods, or your sanity. How Mainstream Diet Trends Ignore Cultural Foods One of the biggest problems with mainstream diet culture is how it demonizes the foods we grew up with. “Carbs are bad” – But what about rice and beans, fufu, or cornbread? “No fried food” – But what about catfish, plantains, and akara? “Only eat salads” – But where’s the flavor, spice, and tradition? Western diet trends push bland, restrictive meal plans (like chicken breast, steamed broccoli, and plain quinoa) that erase the richness of African, Caribbean, and Southern cuisine. This makes it hard to stay consistent because it forces us to...