Audrey Kenyon / Daily Nexus

The “health and wellness” food space is extremely crowded. There’s an endless number of vegan accounts, Whole30 accounts, general “healthy eating” accounts and more, to the point that it can be overwhelming. Not only is the space crowded, but it’s incredibly white. With that lack of diversity comes a lack of creativity which, in my opinion, is the most enjoyable part of cooking! With that being said, here are some of my favorite Black content creators within the “health and wellness” food space. These creators bring nuance, creativity and fun to a space bogged down by monotony. 

Fit Soul Kitchen

Nancy’s Fit Soul Kitchen, an account and blog run by Nancy Odogwu, is a great follow, especially if you’re plant-based. First of all, Odogwu is a certified nutritional therapist, so you know she actually knows what she’s talking about. In a space where everyone and anyone can post whatever, it’s nice to find a source you can trust. Throughout the recipe posts, there are also informational posts ranging from topics such as gut health to vegan nutrition guides, among many more. 

Beyond her qualifications, her recipes look delicious, easy and most importantly, creative. I find that when I’m trying to eat healthier, I tend to fall into a rut of uncreative, uninspired cooking, which eventually leads to me breaking the trend and ordering Wingstop. Odogwu’s recipes, like her Vegan Lentil and Plantain Pie, Stuffed Plantain Boats or Okra Stir Fried with Bulgur Wheat, will keep you inspired and well-nourished. There are plenty of great recipes here to spice up your healthy diet in creative ways.

Clean Foodie Cravings

Clean Foodie Cravings, run by Charlotte Smythe, is another fun account to follow. Many of her recipes are keto, low-carb or Whole30, so if you’re following one of those diets, this account will be really helpful. She’s also the author of “One-Pot Keto Cooking: 75 Delicious Low-Carb Meals for the Busy Cook,” an awesome cookbook especially for college students like us, who want something easy, delicious and relatively mess-free for dinner. Smythe publishes simple, healthy recipes like her Instant Pot Liberian Inspired Pepper Chicken and Simple Keto Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon Dinner. She’ll introduce you to so many beautiful, simple, feel-good recipes to build up your healthy cooking repertoire. 

My favorite part about following Smythe, though, is her personality. It’s hard to feel connected to a blogger through their Instagram posts; A lot of the time, I feel like I’m scrolling through the page of a nutritionally-responsible robot rather than a real person. Smythe has an awesome personality that seems to come off effortlessly in her posts, whether it be the sounds she uses in her videos or the occasional, funny post where she’s just chatting. She’s such a funny, charismatic person, it’s hard not to get stuck on her page for a while.

Murielle Banackissa

I have to include Murielle Banackissa on this list, if not for her beautiful photography alone. Seriously, go to her page and tell me her pictures aren’t breathtaking. They’re such an inspiration, especially to somebody in the food content creation space like myself. Banackissa, while not overtly a “health food blogger,” publishes many healthy recipes or veganizes dessert foods to make them a little healthier. Listen, I don’t have to justify her place on this page — it’s well deserved on artistry alone and deserves a follow, especially if you’re a creative yourself. 

Banackissa’s “Tip Thursdays” series is another fantastic reason to follow her. “Tip Thursdays” is where she gives advice on food photography, plating and many other aspects of food creativity. I was so, so glad to see she was doing a series like this after scrolling through her page, envious of her talent with photography. Please check out Banackissa’s account, learn a couple of delicious recipes and become a more artistic cook. And if you’re interested in food photography, check out her YouTube channel (just her full name!) for more in-depth, tutorial-based content. 

While these three creators are an awesome starting point, please continue to explore the field! Diversity is the most fundamental tenet in the food industry: diversity in flavors, ingredients, techniques and perspectives. Pop onto the “Following” section of any of their Instagram pages and you’ll find tens, if not hundreds, of new accounts from diverse, talented perspectives waiting to share their delicious food with you. 

A version of this article appeared on page 10 of the February 17, 2022 edition of the Daily Nexus.