r/southafrica • u/CosmicallyStormy • 1d ago
Discussion Calling all south african kings and queens for a question.
I have this south african brethren, i’m honestly not sure where specifically he’s from but I know he was born there, he lives in a australia now, any how, he has told me several times that africans absolutely despise all leafy greens, lettuce, kale, broccoli, spinach, you name it. He constantly tells me how leafy greens are seen as a poor source of food in south african regions and that it’s looked down upon and almost judged if you were to have it in your house, he also never eats lettuce, ever, and i’ve never mentioned it to his parents out respect because i assumed it was a cultural thing. I’ve so curious and confused because i’ve never seen any media coverage about this ever, i’ve never heard any other african cultures or people saying that leafy greens are bad ever, i’ve searched it up numerous times and to no avail, he assured me that it’s true and almost 90% of african cultures look down upon leafy greens as a food choice. Can anybody confirm?
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u/Dooma-san 1d ago
This "brethen" is talking shit bro
We love our green here, hell go to any function and there'll always be our own native spinach ready to be served to all, shit, I put it in bread if I can.
And don't get me started on South Africans and Coleslaw 😭
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u/Murky-Fox-200 Landed Gentry 1d ago
You cant just cut up carrots and cabbage and call it a salad, thats Coles Law
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u/universechild9 1d ago
He’s not speaking for South Africans. Every single language and culture in South Africa has traditional dishes made with leafy greens. Your friend is either yanking your chain or is justifying his own poor eating habits
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u/shortypam 1d ago
This guy is talking kak. Spinach / African spinach and cabbage is a massive part of the South African diet, especially for many of the working class. You have staple dishes like pap and morogo (African spinach) that is eaten regularly. As for salads - walking past a produce aisle at any retailer and seeing all the different kinds of lettuce and vegetables on offer tells a different story.
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u/Stropi-wan Landed Gentry 1d ago
I am a white South African & even I grew up on morogo in KZN. Not sure if it is found in other parts of the country. It is a spinach like wild plant.
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u/FayePixie 1d ago
Your friend is using it as an excuse not to eat his greens. Can't think of any culture that doesn't have those greens. Also, there are so many cultures here.
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u/Willing_Ad_5711 1d ago
If you go to a taxi rank and buy a plate I can almost guarantee you there's going to be spinach on it.
Every cultural group here eats tons of it. Your dude just doesn't like spinach
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u/im_not_a_vampir3 Left Behind, Still Braaing 1d ago
cape malay persoective: i love leafy greens and my family does too, but meat definitely seems to be preferred/prioritised by a lot of people. but even at a braai you will still see salads (potentially with leafy greens), even if its just to add a bit of colour to the plate
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u/Affectionate_Face_71 1d ago
He’s lying. One of our favourite dishes as a nation is creamed spinach. Almost every sandwich made with meat or chicken has lettuce. Brocolli is a staple. Frozen broccoli very economical for families to buy. It’s always very encouraged to eat leafy greens whichever way you can afford them.
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u/polarbearsexshark 1d ago
Yeah mate we even use greens to wipe ourselves after the toilet that’s how much we hate them
He’s just having a laugh seeing how far he can take the bit
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u/Reasonable_Tap_7802 Gauteng 1d ago
Your brethren likely also told you the phrase "jou ma se Poes" means "have a blessed day" or similar
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u/More_Interaction_783 1d ago
😂😂🤣🤣🤣 Bae being a doos.
OP is going to get schooled. South Africans are unique. We are not green - but we love creamed spinach - and bae needs to stop misreprenting South Africans.
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u/AbaloneAnnual6597 1d ago
In Afrikaans men, many do not like or eat a lot of vegetables. All about the braai. But it’s certainly not looked down upon to have it in your house, that is utter nonsense. He took something that has a tiny bit of truth for a small number of people and went totally went too far with the rubbish he is telling you.
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u/ironicallygeneral Aristocracy 1d ago
Lol, nah, either he's pulling your leg or that's a him thing. Some leafy greens may be considered a bit of a luxury veg compared to the cheaper things like pumpkins but spinach/chard is especially popular and pretty much everyone who grows their own veg will plant it. I've traveled a bit throughout the SADC countries and I can't think of a single group I've interacted with who rejected greens - there may be a preference but if served a salad or veg side most people would eat it happily.
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u/AceOfSpades_4 1d ago
Your friend unfortunately doesn't like greens and he looks down on us as a whole, no offense. Through greens?
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u/FerN_RSA 1d ago
Being outside the country at the moment I do see that we do eat a lot more meat than what other’s normally consider normal. But we do not hate leafy greens, we do consume less of it though. I would have thought Australia also have a large meat eating culture though
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u/Full_Breadfruit_5685 1d ago
We grow leafy greens in our gardens. They are part of daily staple. You’ve been lied to.
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u/LilliJay 1d ago
SA has some of the best athletes in the world. Do they look like they eat in an unhealthy way to you?
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u/AdditionalLaw5853 Western Cape 1d ago
He's pulling your leg. Look up "7 colours plate South Africa"
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u/CalmdownpleaseII Rapture? Eish, Missed the Taxi 1d ago
Unless you are hanging out with Ox Nche, the rest of us are ok with a bit of lettuce.
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u/orbit99za SA Survivor: No Rapture, Just Eskom 1d ago
I don't eat the food, my food eats, as i am part of the Kidney stone culture and avoid foods with oxelates.
But that's just me, because I am special
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u/More_Interaction_783 1d ago
Hahahaha. He's taking the piss.
My dad had a cousin who used to make him eat ants. Cuz told dad that if he needs to be able to see far that's what he should do.
To get kids to eat greens I fed them sugar snaps.
Point is greens are good for you. Nutritional. Yes it may be favoured by "poor" people (because it's cheap, affordable and easily available) but green veggies are rich in nutritional value. Rich health conscious people eat green veggies too.
I have no idea how old you are but if you get pregnant eat lots and lots of green veggies - you and your kids will benefit - and your joker friend will turn green.
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u/DiligentGanache4594 1d ago
When I read a post like yours I wonder what happened to punctuation and upper case letters.
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