Why Do Black People Wash Their Chicken Before Cooking?
Black America Web Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: towfiqu ahamed / Getty
Black people have been washing chicken, steak, and just about every other kind of meat since forever, and no, not with dish soap (despite that one viral video that haunts us all). It's a sacred kitchen ritual, passed down through generations and across the diaspora. Whether it's lemon, lime, vinegar, or a combo of all three, mixed with a touch of water, that citrusy rinse isn't just about cleanliness, it's about pride, tradition, and making sure your food is really ready before it hits the pan.
In recent years, the internet (and a few food safety experts) have stirred the pot, claiming that washing meat is actually a health hazard and that didn't sit well with millions of Black people worldwide. For example, back in 2018, West Indian Canadian politician Marci Ien boldly stood her ground on CTV's The Social , proudly declaring herself a meat-washer. She revealed that she always uses 'a little bit of lemon' to get her chicken squeaky clean before cooking. Meanwhile, her white co-hosts suggested it was safer to just rip open the chicken pack and toss it straight into the pan — raw juices and all — to avoid spreading bacteria.
Interestingly, Ien's co-hosts weren't just speaking from personal preference. Their take sounded very similar to findings uncovered in a 2019 USDA study. According to the research, washing raw poultry or meat can increase the risk of spreading harmful bacteria around the kitchen, especially when proper handwashing and sink sanitizing aren't happening. Basically, those raw meat juices can splatter everywhere, turning your sink and nearby surfaces into a bacteria playground.
Instead of rinsing, the USDA recommended killing off any illness-causing germs the old-fashioned way, by cooking your meat to a safe internal temperature.
Black folks didn't want to hear that mess. They made their passion for the century-old cooking technique known in the comments section of The Social's post on the debate. Standing in solidarity with Ien, some noted how it was a surefire way of getting rid of slime, blood, or unpleasant residue off the chicken, while others claimed that it was not only a crucial part of the cleaning process, but another way to add flavor and depth to poultry and raw meat.
'Washing or rinsing off bacteria and slime on meat is a must… water with vinegar or a little lime doesn't hurt anyone,' wrote one Black Instagram user.
Another penned, 'I was taught you must wash (with Lemon juice) AND season (with 'fresh' green herbs) your meat properly before cooking! The No Touch Rip-N-Tip bags your co-host was reporting about doesn't make sense to me.'
While a third added, 'It's important to wash meat followed by disinfecting kitchen surfaces. I mean do we question the washing of fruits?'
Black food bloggers Epicurious Expeditions and Being Grace weren't shy about their love for washing meat either. For the former, it was less about following the rules and more about using common sense. She argued that you never know what goes down at the factory, maybe someone dropped that chicken on the floor, maybe it rolled past a rat, or maybe a worker tracked in who-knows-what from outside. So, a good lemon-and-water scrub? That's just basic damage control.
And it's not just about mystery germs. Grace explained that she washes her chicken to get rid of any extra fat or flabby skin she has zero intention of eating. My mom's the same way. She trims that chicken like she's giving it a haircut and swears that it not only makes it healthier, but that it will taste better.
I've never seen anyone in my family get sick from washing chicken with lemon, a touch of vinegar and water. While food safety experts may raise an eyebrow, there's no denying that this tradition is rooted in something deeper than just cleanliness; it's cultural, historical, and personal.
In her 2022 article Why Do Black People Wash Chicken? , writer Brandi Crawford explored the historical roots of this practice, tracing it back to the era of slavery. Enslaved Africans were often given the least desirable cuts of meat, scraps and leftovers deemed unfit by slave owners. These included things like pig intestines (used to make chitterlings or chitlins), oxtail, chicken and turkey necks, hog jowls, and pig feet.
'To be direct, these areas of the animal smell awful. It would make sense why Blacks would want to give all of this food a thorough cleaning,' Crawford theorized.
Despite these limitations, the ancestors found ways to clean, season, and transform these cuts into flavorful, nourishing meals, a legacy of resilience and resourcefulness that continues to influence Black cooking today. So, while the food safety debate rages on, for many, washing meat isn't just about hygiene, it's about honoring tradition, reclaiming a narrative, and adding a touch of ancestral care to every dish. At the end of the day, whether you're Team Wash or Team Sear-It-As-Is, one thing's for sure: this convo is about more than just meat, it's about culture, comfort, and how we all bring flavor to the kitchen in our own way.
SEE ALSO:
Breaking Down The Stereotype: Black People And Smoke Detectors
Black People With Albinism: Challenging Beauty Norms & Stereotypes
SEE ALSO
Why Do Black People Wash Their Chicken Before Cooking? was originally published on newsone.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Black America Web
3 hours ago
- Black America Web
Op-Ed: Care For Constituents Or Chaos? Medicaid Cuts Will Devastate All Of Us
Source: Jemal Countess / Getty In our country, which has so much abundance, poverty shouldn't be a death sentence. However, proposed cuts to Medicaid will cause many individuals, families and communities to suffer for that very reason–poverty. Significant and potentially massive cuts to Medicaid will cause irreparable harm. Shockwaves will reverberate in rural, urban, and suburban communities, and impact individuals, working families, many of our most fragile elderly and our most vulnerable young and disabled. I offer this perspective as a public health practitioner. I have spent my career supporting and advancing health systems in our country, across Louisiana, the Gulf Coast, and in our nation's capital, Washington, D.C., Medicaid supports our workforce and health systems (hospitals and clinics), in addition to individuals, families, and communities Medicaid provides insurance to people with low incomes and people who have disabilities. This includes many individuals who work, but still don't work jobs with health insurance, work part-time, or don't make enough to cover insurance. It is the nation's single largest health insurance program. And it is wildly popular. More than 96% of Americans believe the program is important in their communities and recent national polls from January 2025 found that 80% of Americans have a favorable view of Medicaid. Some may wonder if I am overreacting. I'm not. More than 70 million Americans receive health care coverage under the Medicaid program. In Louisiana, where I live, one-third of our adult population is on Medicaid, and the percentage of coverage is even higher in rural areas. In fact, Medicaid plays a much larger role in covering rural communities in Louisiana and across our country than it does in metro/areas. In other parts of the South, like rural Kentucky, more than 40% of the population is on Medicaid. These individuals, like all of us, want nothing more than to live healthy and thriving lives while making ends meet for their families and making their children's futures more prosperous. The public may envision people on Medicaid as unworthy of receiving assistance. But there is no one profile of a Medicaid recipient. They come from all backgrounds, all races and ethnicities, all ages and all communities. In fact, most low-income Americans, whether rural or urban, Black or White, Republican or Democrat, share an economic fate impacted by hardship, and the solution to their support and prosperity is also shared. For instance, 'The number of people earning less than $25,750 for a family of four is rising in both Republican and Democratic districts, and across racial and geographic lines.' It's also important to understand the range of services people receive from Medicaid. Services include everything from general health services, to behavioral health (mental health and substance use) services, disability services, maternal health supports and more. Impacts across all of these areas could be devastating with federal and state cuts to beneficiaries or benefits. For example, maternal health outcomes, particularly maternal mortality, continue to devastate families and communities across our country. Louisiana had the nation's fourth-highest maternal mortality rate in 2021 at 60.9 deaths per 100,000 births, but I know this is not just a Louisiana problem; it's a national one. The March of Dimes reported that '870 maternal deaths occurred each year…and every year 50,000 women experience a life-threatening complication (sometimes called a near-miss)' or severe maternal health complication. With such high risk, good coverage and high-quality care is more important than ever, and over 42% of all births in our country are covered by Medicaid. Reducing these Medicaid benefits would be disastrous to mothers, babies and families. Chancing the lives of mothers and babies is simply too risky! While I referenced maternal health, Medicaid supports the existence of healthier communities. Beyond the immediacy of illness, sick people can't work, study, or play. They can't contribute to their families, our communities, and the country's economy—from kids, to employers, to the GDP, everyone loses. Our nation's health systems, from rural health centers to large urban hospital systems receive critical funding to cover the millions of peoples seeking care. The healthcare sector, one of the most important sectors of our economy overall, relies heavily on Medicaid reimbursement to sustain jobs and services. Cuts of great magnitude will threaten clinics, hospitals and medical providers. We will see the impacts of this immediately in rural regions with the shuttering of services, significant job losses, and further diminishing already challenged access to care. With health care shortages already existing, our conversations need to be continued around closing the gaps in access, not creating new chasms. Now more than ever, we need our leaders and legislative champions to protect our communities and their health and well-being! Given the adverse impact Medicaid cuts would have on the nation, we need to boldly reject proposals that will weaken the program and impact all of our communities. Given its importance, some may wonder why elected leaders would want to cut the program. Some legislators propose cutting Medicaid as part of a broader plan to give $4.5 trillion in tax cuts. Others want to lower the federal deficit, a $1.1 trillion deficit at the end of February 2025. Policymakers should not attempt to bring down federal spending with ill-conceived strategies that will only add to Americans' suffering. They should instead think strategically about taxation. Legislators can bring a great deal of confidence in their leadership by examining other alternatives to drastic Medicaid cuts, by reminding us that they care for all of their constituents, and that they are creating a vision for a healthier future based on their community's needs—timely doctors' visits, healthy births, high quality mental health care and substance use supports—not disregarding, or even worse targeting the thing that keeps us safe and well. Shelina Davis is the Chief Executive Officer of the Louisiana Public Health Institute. SEE ALSO: 'We All Are Going To Die': Joni Ernst's Chilling Defense Of Medicaid Cuts Sparks Outrage At Iowa Town Hall The Midnight Medicaid Cuts: Why The GOP's Reconciliation Bill Is A Raw Deal For The American People SEE ALSO Op-Ed: Care For Constituents Or Chaos? Medicaid Cuts Will Devastate All Of Us was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Black America Web
3 hours ago
- Black America Web
7 Everyday Uses For Organic Coconut Oil
Source: Jacob Wackerhausen / Getty The beauty trend 'Black Girl Hygiene Routine' is currently occupying my TikTok feed. Rows of body washes, oils, exfoliating gloves, probiotics, tongue scrapers, herbs, and serums—all organized with precision and narrated with pride. And rightfully so. There's something powerful about seeing Black women create a space for themselves that's the gold standard of soft, sacred, luxurious care. But what makes me smile most is the way so many of those routines include the one thing that's been a staple in our community for generations, coconut oil. While the algorithm is just catching on, we been knew. Coconut oil has been in our bathrooms, kitchens, and medicine cabinets long before it was trending. Long before hashtags and Amazon storefronts, our mamas, aunties, and grandmothers were teaching us how to stay clean, moisturized, and ready. One of the first lessons I ever got in holistic hygiene came from my mother, a Southern Black woman with wisdom laced in everything she did. She taught me how to oil pull with coconut oil for fresh breath and gum health—before I ever heard the term 'oral microbiome.' Back then, it wasn't a wellness trend. It was tradition. So let me tell you why coconut oil is not only TikTok-approved, but soul-approved—and why every woman, especially Black women, should always have a few bottles in her life. 1. It's The Original Multi-Tasker—Because Simplicity Is Luxury We live in a time where everybody's trying to sell you something new. But coconut oil is that old-school, ride-or-die kind of product that shows up for you every time. It's moisturizer, deep conditioner, lip balm, shaving oil, cooking base, wood polish, diaper rash treatment—and still has room to surprise you. When life is complicated, this one simple jar feels like peace. And that's a luxury our mamas and grandmamas understood without needing to hashtag it. 2. It Loves On Our Hair—Because Black Hair Deserves Deep, Intentional Nourishment There's nothing like the bond between a Black woman and her hair. And coconut oil has been part of that story for generations. Whether it's massaging it into your scalp with a little peppermint oil, blending it into your shea butter mix, or using it to seal in moisture after a twist-out, coconut oil is the truth. It strengthens, softens, and adds shine without weighing down the hair. And when used with care, it becomes more than a product—it's a ritual. One that reconnects us to our roots—literally and spiritually. 3. It Heals And Protects Our Skin—Because Black Don't Crack…But We Still Moisturize Yes, sis—Black don't crack. But let's be real: it still gets dry, ashy, irritated, and exposed to the same environmental stressors as everyone else. Coconut oil is a blessing for melanin-rich skin. It helps fade scars, soothe eczema, soften stretch marks, and protect that glow we were born with. Use it straight out the shower. Add it to a sugar scrub. Mix it with lavender oil and give yourself a foot rub like the queen you are. Your skin will thank you—and your selfies will show it. 4. It Removes Makeup Gently—Because Softness Is A Form of Strength At the end of the day, when the lashes come off and the beat gets wiped away, you need something that respects your face as much as you do. Coconut oil gently dissolves even waterproof makeup without irritation. No burning, no tugging. Just smooth removal and moisturized skin underneath. It's like the softest goodbye—because even when you're taking it all off, you deserve tenderness. 5. It Supports Feminine Health—Because Every Part of You Deserves Care Our intimate areas need love too, and coconut oil can offer gentle support when used wisely. It can ease vaginal dryness, reduce friction, and soothe irritation. And because it's naturally antimicrobial, it can even help rebalance external areas after shaving or waxing. But here's what my mother taught me: just because it's natural doesn't mean you shouldn't be mindful. Use it clean. Use it pure. And use it with respect for your body. You are sacred, sis. Treat yourself like it. 6. It Cleanses From The Inside Out—Thank You, Mama I know oil pulling has been rediscovered by wellness girlies everywhere now—but let the record show: my mama did it first. She'd grab a spoonful of organic coconut oil, swish it around her mouth while boiling her morning tea, then spit it out like it was part of communion. She swore by it for fresh breath, gum strength, and gut health. And she was right. These days, I do it too—every morning. Not because it's trending, but because it works. It reminds me that Black women have always had sacred knowledge about our bodies. And coconut oil? That's one of the things we've been holding close all along. 7. It's More Than A Product—It's Ancestral Wisdom In A Jar The girls on TikTok are making hygiene glamorous, and I love that for us. But beneath the aesthetics and Amazon links is something deeper: a reclamation. We're not just keeping clean—we're keeping sacred. We're saying, 'My body deserves to be honored, daily.' And coconut oil is part of that daily devotion. Whether it's healing our skin, softening our hair, or being spooned into our mouths like my mama taught me—it's a reminder of who we are. Of how we care for ourselves and for one another. Whether you found out about coconut oil from your mama, your big sister, or your FYP on TikTok, just know this: it belongs in your life. Keep a jar in the bathroom. One in the kitchen. One in your bag just in case the day asks more of you than you planned. Because coconut oil is more than a trend. It's ancestral wisdom in a jar. SEE ALSO 7 Everyday Uses For Organic Coconut Oil was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Race and genetics do not line up well, new study confirms
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The racial and ethnic groups people identify with may not accurately represent their genetic backgrounds or ancestries, a new study of people in the United States suggests. This discrepancy between people's self-reported identities and their genetics is important for scientists to acknowledge as they strive to develop medical treatments tailored to different patients, the researchers behind the study say. "This paper is very important because it clarifies at the highest resolution the relationship between genomic diversity and racial/ethnic categories in the US," said study co-author Eduardo Tarazona-Santos, a professor of human population genetics at the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil. The findings are "critical to develop appropriate precision medicine solutions for all," he told Live Science in an email. Precision medicine tailors treatments to individual patients, taking their genes, environment and lifestyle factors into account. In their study, published Thursday (June 5) in The American Journal of Human Genetics, Tarazona-Santos and his colleagues analyzed the DNA of more than 230,000 people who contributed to the All of Us research database. This trove of data has been compiled through a National Institutes of Health program aimed at advancing precision medicine by recruiting people from diverse and underrepresented populations. Historically, many large-scale genetics studies have predominantly included people of European ancestry, making efforts like the All of Us project crucial for reducing medical inequity. However, the program has faced significant funding cuts in recent months, which has significantly slowed recruitment and progress. Related: What's the difference between race and ethnicity? Using a method called principal component analysis, the team identified genetic similarities and differences among the people included in the database. They also used genetic catalogs that contain DNA samples from all over the world, such as the 1000 Genomes Project, as a way to assess how people's genetic ancestry compared with the racial (white, Black or African American, Asian American) and ethnicity (Hispanic/Latino or not) categories used in the All of Us questionnaire. People who identified as being from the same racial and ethnic groups had a number of genetic differences, the team found. In fact, "most genetic variance is within race and ethnicity groups rather than between groups," the study authors wrote in the report. Rather than sorting people into "distinct clusters" divided by racial and ethnic lines, the analyses found that people within different races and ethnicities show "gradients" of genetic variation. "We found gradients of genetic variation that cut across those categories," the authors wrote. The new study's findings counter a controversial paper published in Nature in 2024 that had also analyzed genomic data provided by All of Us participants. At the time, the paper was criticized by some experts, who argued that the technique used to analyze the race and ethnicity data could be misconstrued to support the incorrect idea that humans can be neatly categorized into distinct races. The new study, which used a different data-crunching technique, found the opposite. The research also found that, even within the same ethnic and racial group, people show genetic variation across different U.S. states. This could reflect the "historical impacts of U.S. colonization, the transatlantic slave trade, and recent migrations," the authors wrote. A key example of this was seen in participants who identified as Hispanic or Latino and lived in states like California, Texas and Arizona, who were found to have a high proportion of Native American ancestry compared with Hispanic and Latino people in other parts of the U.S. This makes sense considering many of these states were historically part of Mexico, which has a large population of people with mixed Indigenous and European ancestries, the researchers argued. By contrast, of people who identified as Hispanic or Latino, those in New York were found to have the highest proportion of African ancestry, which is "consistent with recent migration from the Caribbean to New York." The authors said their findings show that the genetic backgrounds of people in the U.S. are highly complex and that "social constructs of race and ethnicity do not accurately reflect underlying genetic ancestry." In light of this, the researchers have said they "do not recommend using race and ethnicity as proxies for ancestry in genetic studies." RELATED STORIES —'Racism is a global public health crisis': Author Layal Liverpool says racist ideas still pervade medicine, and that hurts all of us —Scientific consensus shows race is a human invention, not biological reality —Racial bias is baked into algorithms doctors use to guide treatment Tesfaye Mersha, a professor of pediatrics and a human genetics researcher at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati, said that he agrees that these self-reported categories should not be used in genetic studies. Instead, the categories should be confined to social studies "where we know they will have a big impact," he told Live Science in an email. That said, Mersha also warned against overinterpreting the study's takeaways about regional and state-level genetic variation. "Some states had very low participant numbers, which may skew regional estimates and limit generalizability," he noted. "Moreover, high population mobility across states blurs geographic boundaries, especially in the absence of multigenerational ancestry data," he said. In short, because people move around a lot, it's difficult to draw conclusions without having a clear sense of how long their families have been based in a given state.
