Latin Flavors are Heating Up American’s Tastes!

The increasing fusion of cultures in the U.S. is reflected in a number of recent trends particularly the Latinization of the United States. For example, according to an online survey conducted by Kelton Research nearly one in three Americans across the country admit they use or readily would use Spanish or Spanglish words and phrases such as adios and hasta la vista baby to spice up their everyday conversations. And, most of those surveyed prefer female celebrities with a little Latin spice with Jessica Alba leading the pack followed by Latin lovelies Eva Longoria and Jennifer Lopez and Jessica Simpson and Nicole Kidman rounding out the bottom of the list. The poll also found that salsa has replaced ketchup as American’s condiment of choice. And, in the chip toss up between potato chips and tortilla chips the tortillas have it with younger American’s preferring it almost 2-to-1 over their potato counterparts. When it comes to alcoholic beverages, nearly half 47 percent of those surveyed who are 21 and older said they like the idea of beer served in the Mexican style of adding lime or salt. Transculturalism expert, Claude Grunitzky discusses how Latin culture is influencing American life, such as: What and who we watch from television to movies how Latin actors and themes are making their way onto the small and big screen What we listen to how Latin music influences not only what we listen to but how American music artists are embracing the Latin beat. What we eat and drink from salsa to beer how Latin flavors are spicing up our palates How we dress how American’s and American desginers are heating up their style More about Claude Grunitzky: Claude Gruzintzky is chairman and editor-in-chief of Trace Magazine Trace and author of Transculturalism: How the World is Coming Together. Grunitzky is a frequent contributor to some of the world’s leading magazines, newspapers, television networks, radio stations, websites and academic institutions including BBC, MTV, BET, E!, CNN, the New York Times and The Guardian; as well as an advisor to marketers and retailers in the fields of music, fashion, culture, media and art.