Food taboos in india Oct 4, 2019 · Food taboos in India vary according to religion. Specific rituals discussed include self-flagellation, spirit possession, fire walking, and scarification. Aug 19, 2024 · PDF | : This research explores the role of food taboos in Kampung Adat Cireundeu, focusing on the community’s prohibition against rice consumption and | Find, read and cite all the research Apr 16, 2025 · To understand the interconnections between food consumption and social, cultural, and traditional aspects, the field of human sciences has come to encompass dietary precepts and taboos, investigating universal customs and perceptions, and promoting ethnographic studies on dietary practices with the aim of deciphering and culturally understanding them, considering integrative and complementary India is known for having a deep sense of culture, social taboos and a colourful outlook on life. Every religion has a set of taboos that range from forbidden foods to prohibitions on social behaviors. Thus, we can see that the customs in India vary from region to region. [5,7] It is believed that such foods will disturb or stop the menstrual flow. For example, Judaism prohibits the consumption of pork and shellfish, while Hinduism forbids beef eating. There is a paucity of study conducted in food taboo practice among pregnant women in Ethiopia. Food preferences are influenced by individual choices, while food taboos emerge from broader social contexts. This comprehensive review investigates the nutritional conditions and food taboos encountered by pregnant women in India, exploring the complex relationship between socio-economic factors, cultural beliefs, and dietary practices. The tribal population of India numbering more than 30 millions has been thoroughly, even though somewhat unevenly Religious influence can be seen in many food taboos worldwide, as different religions have specific dietary restrictions that their followers must adhere to. It is your responsibility to fact check each reference. Methods: The study was conducted at different subcenters of Amdanga Community Development Block of North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal. Specifically, I will explain what food taboos are, why they exist, how we can look at them from a biological lens, and what biologically Mar 13, 2024 · Exploring cultural norms and customs surrounding food in Indian and Ethiopian societies. Moro for expert information on Hinduism and Indian food taboos. Writing about the seasons and the ecotonal world along the foothills of Assam and Nagaland in Northeast India in 2009–2010, I experienced similar pollution and dietary restrictions that existed in the In an increasingly multicultural world, awareness of differing food preferences and taboos is vital for social harmony. A structured questionnaire (tool) was adapted from different studies on food taboos or restrictions during pregnancy, 9,18–23 which comprised women’s sociodemographic variables, obstetric history, maternal health service utilization (specifically, antenatal care (ANC), Tetanus Toxoid (TT Nov 21, 2023 · In India, eating beef is taboo in many communities, especially among Hindus who consider the cow sacred. Henrich & Henrich, 2010). Aug 15, 2024 · Pregnancy marks a pivotal period in a woman’s life, requiring careful dietary management to ensure the health of both mother and child. , 2013;Iradukunda, 2020;Ramulondi et al. Hindu concept of 'Food taboo' Aug 23, 2021 · This article traces how food cultures in India reiterate social hierarches and caste logics of cleanliness and purity. It stands to reason then that they have helped us through the years in our efforts to avoid killing ourselves. The narrative delves into instances where rules are The single author of this paper (VBM-R) is responsible for every aspect of the research, the conclusions, and the writing of the paper. Not all taboos are religious, but a fair number do exist within a culture's religious context. A societal, religious, or legal ban on the intake of specific foods-food taboos, like other cultural phenomena, vary widely over the world. Most religions declare certain food items fit and others unfit for human consumption. Jains, being vegetarian, even avoid consuming Mar 7, 2015 · e food taboos followed during pregnancy and early part of lactation by the women residing in a rural area. Cultural understanding is essential when addressing food taboos across different societies. . Jan 18, 2022 · Food taboos in India - The word taboo was taken from the Fijian tapu or the Tongan tabu which meant to set apart, forbid, disallow, prohibit or restrict a particular practice or association with a person, place or thing. Here are some guidelines to follow during your stay in India: There have been few tests of evolutionary theories of culturally transmitted food taboos. The types of foods considered as taboos and the reasons attached to taboos vary from society to society. In Finnish: Ruoka tabu; In Spanish: Tabú alimentario. Food Taboos and Restrictions during Pregnancy. From Japan’s high-stakes Fugu to Ethiopia’s ceremonial raw meat indulgence, each culinary taboo isn’t just a mere restriction but a window into the rich narratives -Food taboos for certain members of the society and to highlight special events-Food taboos to protect human health-Food taboos during pregnancy and food changes over the course of the menstrual cycle-Food taboos as an ecological necessity to protect the resource-Food taboos in order to monopolize a resource-Food taboos as an expression of empathy The culture indicates what has to be consumed and what not. In some parts of India, some strict dietary restrictions are also followed during menstruation such as sour food like curd, tamarind, and pickles are usually avoided by menstruating girls. Henrich & Henrich (2010), we therefore operationalize food taboos as food avoidances and will use the terms food taboo and food avoidance interchangeably (for more discussion, see J. Jun 2, 2014 · This document discusses various types of taboos around the world, including definitions, origins, and examples. The National Center for Biotechnology Information provides access to biomedical and genomic information. As far as the exercise is concerned, many studies in India and elsewhere have Mar 23, 2024 · In India, food is not just a biological need but is deeply connected to social identities like caste. Health beliefs and food taboos are two manifestations that emerge within these processes that may contribute Jul 1, 2009 · Most studies observed the qualitative aspect of food taboo and descriptively explain the perception or reason to avoid those foods (Gadegbeku et al. The author's purpose in this review was to explore the most common food taboos during pregnancy and potential health implications. Understanding and respecting diverse cultural perspectives is key to overcoming food taboos. Henrich and Henrich (2010) found no connection between pregnancy food taboos and pregnancy aversions. Food Taboos – A Food taboo is a restriction on what foods are considered appropriate to eat, as well as appropriate ways to eat foods. Sulochana D. In pre-liberalisation India, caste-based food taboos discouraged the use of restaurants as “Food in India is closely tied to the moral and social status of individuals and groups. [7-9,12-15], this review, rather than attempting to provide a complete list of food taboos operating in human societies, will instead present examples of food taboos in selected human groups The negative aspect of food habits was chosen, because avoidances are less apparent and consequently less known than food consumption and because they seem to reveal particularly well the psychological factors involved in eating. Nov 1, 2017 · Aunger (1994) identified 15 types of food taboos among ethnic groups living in the Ituri Forest, only three of which involved personal avoidances due to aversive reactions to the food or other idiosyncratic reasons. In the rural Acholi community where malnutrition is prevalent, very little Food taboos arise mainly on the basis of religious or cultural scruples some evolve from other forms of collective experience. So food taboos in urban slums will affect the pregnancy outcome because majority of slums having compromised environmental condition, poor health care services, illiteracy and ignorance. Jun 25, 2019 · Taboos are a part of human culture. 5 %µµµµ 1 0 obj >>> endobj 2 0 obj > endobj 3 0 obj >/Font >/XObject >/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R Here, we begin to understand how food taboos originate, how they are continuously passed down through culture, and how adaptive food taboos can be. 2 billion people, India is a country of thousands of ethnic groups, language dialects, and diverse traditions. Food holds great importance in Indian culture, and there are specific taboos associated with it. Although all edible items are food, many food items are taboo for a certain community but are pleasure food for others. The religious factor in food habits is difficult to eliminate and food taboos of religious type are productive of immense economic waste. Fostering cultural awareness and showing empathy makes it easier to navigate and adapt to various food practices. Moreover, there are many religions and sects are even different. , 2021 Aug 23, 2021 · Food across Northeast India is significantly diverse and seasonal; however, dominant food taboo culture erases a cosmology of eating cultures. Fewer than half of Hindu vegetarians say they would ever eat food in a restaurant that serves both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food (36%) or in the home of a friend or neighbor who is non-vegetarian (39%). Many studies have been conducted on food taboos, but there is a gap of research literature related to food taboos among pregnant in Indian urban slum setting. These customs, rooted in the concept of "jootha" (uncleanliness), reflect broader societal attitudes towards food and sharing. Acknowledgements The author wishes to thank his companions, helpers, guides, and informants in the field as well as Dr. The cow is revered in Hinduism and plays an integral role in ceremonial and religious rituals. Nov 6, 2023 · Background In developing countries, the practice of food taboo is pervasive. It is an upcoming metropolitan country which coexists with traditional and agricultural ideologies which have been influenced by a multitude of cultures Explore this Food Taboos In India essay example, showcasing superior quality. Food taboos can help utilizing a resource, [citation needed] but when applied to only a subsection of the community, a food taboo can also lead to the monopolization of a food item by those exempted. They have the force of tradition and tradition dies hard. Total In the main, the paper provides a functional definition of ‘food taboo’ but proposes a shift in paradigm from merely considering the prohibitions associated with food to an exploration of the Mar 21, 2009 · Indeed Sikhs observe no food taboos as are found among the Jews, Muslims or Hindus, among others. These religious food taboos often serve multiple purposes. With more than 1. Taking into consideration this array of cultural practices and beliefs, there is some general etiquette to follow when traveling to this dynamic country. From the… 3. We identified more … Schematic presentation of the sampling procedure. As it turns out, some of the most fascinating Jun 29, 2021 · Most vegetarians in India say they would not eat food in non-vegetarian settings, though these views vary widely by religious group. Taboos related to food. Nov 24, 2021 · Food taboos are strong food aversion items because of the culturally transmitted background and fearing behavior of women like plastering on the fetal head, the colors of the fetus, burns of the Nov 1, 2017 · We investigated these and other theories of psychophysiological food aversions and culturally transmitted food taboos among two non-Western populations of pregnant women in Mysore, India, that vary in food insecurity and exposure to infectious disease. Every religion has its taboos and preferences; beef is taboo for Hindus while pork is taboo for Muslims but beef is not. In the following pages, I will examine food taboos. One of the most well-known taboos is the prohibition on eating beef due to religious beliefs of Hindus, who consider cows as sacred animals. taboos can differ depending on our cultural background and religious customs. This paper explores three anthropological perspectives—symbolic, functionalist, and structuralist—on the India is also a multi-ethnic country, with more than 100 ethnic groups. Nov 27, 2019 · Background: The cultural beliefs, food taboos play a key role on women and child health in India. Food taboos have been recognized as one of the factors contributing to maternal undernutrition in pregnancy, especially in rural settings. Dec 18, 2023 · In a world where culinary adventures intersect with cultural customs, these 15 global food taboos stand as vibrant testaments to the intricate tapestry of human traditions. What are the taboos of customs and practices in India? This article will help you get to know about the etiquette and taboo in India. Following J. The below excerpts are indicatory and do represent direct quotations or translations. Due to this, a large part of the Hindu society considers killing cows or consuming beef as disrespectful. Rukmini Srinivas' memoir "Tiffin" serves as a backdrop, depicting her Tamil Brahmin aunt's strict adherence to dining rules. Thus, despite evidence Observing food taboos during pregnancy might have impacts on maternal and neonatal health outcomes. We investigated these and other theories of psychophysiological food aversions and culturally transmitted food taboos among two non-Western populations of pregnant women in Mysore, India, that vary in food insecurity and exposure to infectious disease. 2. Immerse yourself in the content of this expertly written essay to get inspiration. Here are 6 things a devout Hindu should never do. Mar 19, 2015 · Food taboos are as universal as food. Dietary rules and regulations may govern particular phases of the human life cycle and may be associated with special events such as menstrual period, pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, and – in traditional societies – preparation for the hunt May 13, 2023 · Food taboos have great effect on pregnant women through prohibited essential food and/or drinks. For those that practice Hinduism, eating a cow in prohibited, as it is thought of as God’s useful gift to mankind since it provides dairy products and is the basis for other products. Introduction The more we delve into the intricacies of any aspect of […] Feb 18, 2024 · In our vibrant Indian culture, there exists a complex interplay between tradition and modernity, where certain topics are shrouded in taboo despite their essentiality in everyday life. It covers religious taboos, taboo sex practices, cultural taboos involving rituals, and food taboos. Cultural Understanding. 6. May 5, 2014 · Food taboos in India vary according to religion. Mar 14, 2025 · Synonyms: Dietary restriction, Food prohibition, Forbidden food, Food aversion, Prohibited food, Restricted diet. Such processes are situated within political and economic systems from which structural inequalities are reproduced at local, national, and global scales. “I remember when we lived in Delhi, I didn’t notice it much, but when we first moved to Chennai—it was the first time I realized that being a menstruating woman was some kind of taboo,” said my aunt, Shalini Praveen. This can also apply to Jun 29, 2009 · Food taboos are known from virtually all human societies. Additionally, eating with the left hand is also considered unclean and disrespectful. The narrative delves into instances where rules are Nov 8, 2018 · In most Hindu communities in India, the relationship between food and the period is paradoxical. Most mothers (65% to 82%) believed that some food items should be restricted during pregnancy [33,34]. Moreover, these are Jan 9, 2025 · Overcoming Food Taboos. PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched. However, the social taboo aspect of an evolving country such as India still lacks development. Food culture develops into a body of knowledge that enables people to With more than 1. Therefore, given that food taboos can involve plants as well as animals, solids as well as liquids, hot as well as cold categories, wet and dry items, etc. Food taboos and prescriptions divide men from women, gods from humans, upper from lower castes, one sect from another” (Appadurai, “How to make a National Cuisine”, 8). Aug 19, 2024 · PDF | : This research explores the role of food taboos in Kampung Adat Cireundeu, focusing on the community’s prohibition against rice consumption and | Find, read and cite all the research Apr 16, 2025 · To understand the interconnections between food consumption and social, cultural, and traditional aspects, the field of human sciences has come to encompass dietary precepts and taboos, investigating universal customs and perceptions, and promoting ethnographic studies on dietary practices with the aim of deciphering and culturally understanding them, considering integrative and complementary taboos can differ depending on our cultural background and religious customs. Those food practices and taboos directly impact on women and children health. Many actions and thoughts are banned by sacred religious texts such as the Torah, Old Testament, and Quran. A food taboo acknowledged by a particular group or tribe as part of their ways, aids in the cohesion of the group, helps that particular group to According to local informants at our field site, women who consumed foods they were supposed to avoid would be heavily scolded. %PDF-1. Mar 13, 2024 · Exploring cultural norms and customs surrounding food in Indian and Ethiopian societies. [ 7 ] Aug 7, 2019 · Household nutrition is influenced by interactions between food security and local knowledge negotiated along multiple axes of power. The study was descriptive, observational with cross-sectional design, and was done through mixing of both quantitative and qualitative methods. A qualitative study conducted in Bihar points that Strong cultural practices prevent pregnant women from eating adequately, especially among women living in large multigenerational family. Captain James Cook learnt about taboos on his exploratory trips through the Pacific in the 18th century, when it was Drawing from my ethnographic research on racism, migration, impunity in India over the last two decades, I examine key debates on racism and casteism, and illustrate how the rise of food-based discrimination against migrants from Northeast India is founded on an upper caste practice and logic of contamination, filth, and hygiene. Data collection tools, methods, and procedures. Food culture develops into a body of knowledge that enables people to The single author of this paper (VBM-R) is responsible for every aspect of the research, the conclusions, and the writing of the paper. Food taboos and restrictions during pregnancy were mentioned in several qualitative studies across different states [24,25,26,28,33,34,38]. So, food taboos in pregnancies were few among them in comparison to the other previous studies from other parts of India[4,6,7]. Of the two dominant religions in India, the Hindus eat no beef while the Muslims will not come near pork. Religious, intellectual and aesthetics battles about food preferences Jun 17, 2024 · Religious Taboos – A religious taboo is something forbidden by a religion. aiqkempxggpvomjdazmxlxwmsfzapnpntkdjckreffwhtawkwqorzio