As the conversation about food heats up in America, Culina Health co-founder Vanessa Lysette wants to lower the temperature.
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When Vanessa Lysette speaks to members of Congress, the registered dietitian seeks to lower the temperature on divisive food rhetoric and address a health crisis that no one can dispute.
Lysette has emerged as a prominent figure in American medicine as Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seeks to revolutionize eating habits. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of black adults in America struggle with cardiovascular disease. Black Lisette is focused on improving these statistics by providing accessible nutritional options to a wider range of people.
Lysette, 47, shares health tips as a wellness contributor on NBC’s “Today” show and visits Capitol Hill as co-founder of Krina Health. Her company, named one of Time magazine’s 2026 Most Influential Companies, was founded to expand access to healthcare, partnering patients and healthcare providers to provide remote meal support.
Lysette’s relaxed style has been a key factor in her rise in America’s food fight. In a January “Today” segment hosted by Jenna Bush Hager and comedian Matt Rogers, she promoted animal protein over plant protein. “I’m not mad if you want to get it from plants, but if you get it from animals you tend to feel full for longer,” she told organizers.
Last July, she threw shade at those who claim fruit has too much sugar. Lysette jokingly told the “Today” host, “Please be quiet.” Citing a lack of health literacy across the country, Lysette told USA TODAY that the politicization of food is “disturbing.”
“Can we please stop being so divisive about something so important, because so many people don’t know,” Lysette said. “This country is already divided. People are literally dying and chronic disease is on the rise.” She added, “What do we all do collectively? We all eat.”
“I believe in science”
After searching for a nutritionist in 2004, Lysette decided to continue working in the medical field. She trained as a dietitian and then worked as a dietitian at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, New York City for five years. In February 2020, just before the pandemic, the mother of two launched Culina Health, a virtual health service, with co-founder Tamar Samuels. In July of the same year, the company confirmed its first patient.
“I believe in science. I want to do science, I want to understand science,” Lysette said. “And I want to share that with others.” In May 2023, Lysette was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her treatment included 14 rounds of chemotherapy and 20 rounds of radiation therapy.
This discovery deepened her mission to expand access to care. That same year, Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement gained popularity as his successors received political funds for their presidential campaigns.
Kennedy was named President Donald Trump’s health secretary after he withdrew his bid.
Marion Nestle, a professor emeritus of nutrition at New York University and an expert on U.S. food policy, said the current political environment has led the Trump administration to impose stricter conditions on the multibillion-dollar Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding.
Nestlé said the government is doing everything it can to exclude people from receiving SNAP assistance, saying, “Most SNAP participants are white, but white people think of SNAP as being for poor black people and have little sympathy for poverty.”
Food Insecurity Affects Americans of All Backgrounds
Despite the headlines and social media naysayers, Lysette stresses that health requires a targeted strategy.
Culina Health works with more than 90 healthcare providers and more than 10,000 patients, but keeping people informed is an ongoing effort. According to the National Library of Medicine, 9 out of 10 adults struggle with health literacy.
Lysette used her father, Michel Arteaga, as an example to illustrate the gap in national health literacy.
“My father is the smartest person I know. He is a mechanical engineer and a chemical engineer and speaks seven languages,” says Lysette, who says her father doesn’t fully understand nutrition.
She said her father thinks he’ll lose weight by eating salads without dressing or drinking more pressed fruit juice, but doesn’t understand the nutritional benefits behind his choices. She explains that while this is how most people approach their health, every patient needs a personalized action plan to produce positive results.
“That’s why I believe we have to really focus on food, because it’s not just attacking poor brown people who live in rural areas,” Lysette said. “That’s what it’s all about, and everyone in between.”
Simple shifts like buying frozen fruits and vegetables at the 100-yen store can help people stay healthy. Lysette recommends that patients cut down on alcoholic drinks. Still, she emphasizes that Americans need better access to quality food and nutritionists who can “help people get through their struggles.”
“I know I’m healthy because I can read research results, understand things, and have a real conversation with my doctor,” Lysette said. “I don’t think many people get that chance.”
