Today, in America, the term Òsoul foodÓ simply means African-American cuisine. To fully understand the concept of Òsoul food,Ó you must learn the traditional foods of Africa. Many common American foods are indigenous to Africa. Grains, legumeÕs, yams, sorghum, watermelon, pumpkin, okra, and leafy greens could be found as early as 4000 BC on the African continent. Eggplant, cucumber, onion and garlic are believed to be African in origin, while only a small number of fruits are grown on the continent: wild lemons, oranges, dates and figs.