Food is one of the great fosterers of togetherness. It brings a group of people together in an environment where each has an individual seat, but all share one table—a fitting metaphor for a world in which we are all unique yet share a common humanity.
Many contemporary dietary practices are shaped not only by culture but by religious beliefs. Across the world, people choose to eat or avoid certain foods based on the laws of these beliefs, leading to a vast collection of fascinating, culturally and theologically significant foods. Because of this, sharing food with those of cultures and beliefs dissimilar to our own can help us to learn more about others, grow closer to our global community, and become more sensitive to the differences between cultures.
In celebration of this culinary diversity, let’s take a look at seven sacred dietary practices from all over the world.
Christianity.
Laws and customs regarding food vary widely between different Christian denominations, with many groups observing no dietary restrictions at all. In early Christianity, meat and dairy products were avoided during certain times of the year, but today, the most well-known and holiest dietary practice is the consumption of bread and wine—sometimes replaced by grape juice—during Holy Communion in the Protestant tradition or the Eucharist, in the Catholic tradition.
The symbolism of bread and wine began in Christ’s time when these were very common foods. Jesus, during the Last Supper, took the bread and “broke it and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way, after supper, He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’”
So, communion or the Eucharist has been continued in the Christian church in remembrance of Jesus Christ.
Judaism.
In Judaism, foods are divided into two groups—kosher, which is allowed, and treif, which is forbidden.
According to the Tora, only animals that chew and have cloven hooves are permitted to eat, and four animals are expressly forbidden as food—the hare, camel, hyrax, and pig. Also forbidden are insects and reptiles.
In addition to this, even kosher animals must be slaughtered using a specific process for the meat to be considered acceptable for use by the Jewish people. Because the Torah prohibits the consumption of blood, all blood must be removed from the meat through soaking, salting, or broiling before consumption. Because of the difficulty in completely removing blood from it, the liver is not eaten.
Meat and dairy products may not be eaten together and must be kept separate. Interestingly, utensils, plates, bowls, and even sinks and dishwashers can inherit a “meat” or “dairy” status through prolonged contact with either type of food. For example, if a bowl was used to contain milk, and then that bowl was placed in the dishwasher, that dishwasher rack would inherit the “milk” status. It could not, then, be used to clean a dish that had been exposed to meat. The two, and anything that touches them, must always be kept separate under Jewish law. All plant-based foods are kosher except for wine and other grape products produced by non-Jews. As you can see, Jewish dietary laws are somewhat complex—keep this in mind if you find yourself serving a Jewish friend!
Islam.
Similarly, Islam also has lawful and unlawful foods, which are designated, respectively, as halal and haram. The Quran forbids meats from animals that die of natural causes, the blood and meat of pigs, and animals that have been dedicated to idols or any deity other than Allah. All meat must be properly prepared in order for it to be halal. The animal must not suffer and must not see the blade used in the process. It must also be slaughtered while speaking the name of Allah.
All intoxicating drink is prohibited under Islamic dietary law. Despite these regulations, Muslims are permitted to eat any food in times of necessity, such as if they are starving. This is called the “law of necessity.” In this way, drinks like wine and foods such as pork could be eaten in order to survive.
Because of the status of Islam as the second-largest world religion, halal foods make up a surprising 16 percent of worldwide trade. There may even be a halal foods shop in your neighborhood!
Hinduism.
Diet in Hinduism is not as strictly regulated as we’ve seen in the Jewish or Islamic traditions, but there are a number of fascinating practices. No food is forbidden in ancient Hindu texts, but non-violence against all life is recommended. The oldest Hindu text, the Rig Veda, is often interpreted as denouncing the consumption of meat. Because of this, many Hindus prefer a vegetarian or vegan diet and methods of food preparation that are not harmful to animals or the environment.
Those Hindus who do consume meat prefer it slaughtered in the Jhatka method, that is, killed instantly in a single strike rather than being left to suffer. Particularly important to the Hindu tradition is a food called ghee—a type of clarified butter. In Hindu culture, cows are sacred, and butter is the only animal fat that many Hindus will consume. Ghee is used in religious rituals and burned in sacred lamps. In Hindu mythology, Prajápati, Lord of Creatures, created ghee by rubbing his hands together and pouring it into the fire to create his progeny. When the Vedic ritual of pouring ghee into fire is performed, it is a reenactment of creation.
Taoism.
Taoism’s 173 million worshippers is a pantheistic belief system that takes its name from the word “Tao,” which means “the way” in Chinese. Taoism, which is not defined by any specific rituals or social order, aims to guide people in the proper way to live, and one of its components includes practices for achieving longevity.
These practices include a healthy diet, which often takes the form of vegetarianism. Although the religion has no strict dietary laws, Taoists are encouraged to cause no harm to sentient life, including animals. In those rare cases of Taoists who do eat meat, it will not be consumed from sources that do not treat their animals humanely.
Otherwise, Taoism simply encourages its adherents to find what foods are healthiest for them and to pay attention to the changing needs of their bodies. Moderation, nutrition, and balance are the keys to longevity and health. Noodles have particular significance to Taoists—they represent longevity and are often consumed on Chinese New Year’s Eve.
Buddhism.
Buddhists consider all life to be sacred, a belief that often translates into vegetarianism. Most Buddhists adhere to the practice of ahimsa—non-violence against all life. This would include avoiding meat, both because of the violence against the animal at slaughter and because of the oft-inhumane living conditions that livestock endure. Buddhists universally reject organ meat.
In some Buddhist traditions, onions, scallions, garlic, chives and leeks are prohibited foods, as they are said to lead to anger and passion.
Alcohol and other mind-altering substances are also generally avoided because of their propensity to cloud the mind and prevent mindfulness. Buddhism places great emphasis on viewing the world as it really is, on seeing reality clearly, and anything that might impede this goal is undesirable.
Buddhist monks and nuns who follow the Theravadan way are only allowed to eat via alms—leftover foods given to them as donations. They are not permitted to cultivate, cook, or store their food.
Jainism.
Jainism has, perhaps, the strictest dietary practices of all the world’s religions. An ancient Indian religion, its central tenets were non-violence and love toward living things.
Strict Jains practice a vegan diet—they eat nothing that might have been obtained through violence to living things. Jains go out of their way to avoid harm to even the smallest forms of life, such as insects, which they will capture and escort out of their homes if found, rather than killing them. They will take great pains to ensure that no insects or other tiny forms of life are harmed as they prepare their food, and so will avoid pest-killing measures such as pesticides. Jain religious texts caution adherents to avoid eating after sundown—this is because, before the advent of electricity, it was difficult to see what was being eaten, making the probability of accidentally eating an insect greater.
This abstention from violence isn’t limited to animal life. Jains will often avoid eating root vegetables such as potatoes, onions, and tubers since harvesting these vegetables kills the plant. Plant life that flourishes above ground and can re-grow, however, is permitted.
Jains will even go as far as not eating food that has been stored overnight, as the number of microorganisms will be, at that point, higher. The practice of attempting not to harm microorganisms precludes Jains from consuming fermented food and drink as well. If you have a friend or family member who is a Jain, be sure to keep these restrictions in mind!
One table, many seats.
Religious dietary practices are as varied as the cultures they reside within, and studying and knowing these practices helps us to be more global people. Don’t be afraid of dining with that Jewish Muslim or Jain friend—you now have a better idea of what they’ll be serving.
So go and enjoy the diverse offerings of the world’s religions!
