The Impacts of Religious Beliefs on Food and Dietary Cultures

WK7 Research Paper
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Abstract
The paper reviews the impacts of religious beliefs on food and dietary cultures. The paper introduces the concept of religion as a fundamental aspect of shaping food cultures around the world. The research focuses on Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. In modern society, food has an essential role in shaping our cultures. Different religious cultures around the world associate themselves with a variety of foods and ingredients. Most religions choose their food based on their perception of purity and health. Islamic thought on food is derived from the Quran, which categorizes foods into Haram, forbidden for Islamic believers, and Halal, which are acceptable cuisines. Judaism uses guidelines on their diet from the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy to define Kashrut laws on food. These laws suggest that food must be religiously pure and suitable. According to Hinduism, living things have a soul, and hence it is inappropriate to kill living creatures for food. Hinduism shares the idea of reincarnation, and therefore most of them are vegetarians. On the other hand, Christianity has limited food restrictions; however, the Christian bible dictates the animals that can be killed for food. Furthermore, most Christians make choices on the consumption of certain foods while considering their moral standards. Scholars in the field of religion have made efforts to identify ways that influence the food consumed by that particular religion. The research employs secondary sources such as scholarly books and articles to summarize information on different religions and their dietary cultures. Various regions around the world exhibit distinct food patterns, and the research establishes evidence of the relationship between dominant religions in these areas and their dietary cultures. This paper aims to establish the relationship between different foods and faiths around the world.
Keywords: religion, culture, food
Impact of Religion on Food
Food is a significant aspect of religious and spiritual practices for various faiths worldwide. The role of food varies among different cultures, individuals, and communities. Furthermore, food is viewed as a cultural element that human beings use in expressing the basic perception of reality. Religion is a significant cultural aspect that defines the diverse practices among various communities around the world. Food’s significance to different beliefs worldwide provides evidence on how food ideas have been incorporated in religion to develop dietary cultures. Various societies around the world have distinct dietary patterns, ingredients, and food preferences. As much as cultural activities’ history plays a primary role in defining the diversities in food preferences, religion is also essential. Lévi-Strauss (1970) establishes that some myths and prohibitions dictate the consumption of both cooked and raw foods. Furthermore, the connection between religion and food helps in shaping the ritual experience for the devotees. This connection exists because the religious experience through food establishes a significant physical experience. Moreover, the relationship between religion and food is often quite ...