Food Choices | Food & Nutrition for Year 6 PDF Download

Understanding Food Choices

People choose foods based on various factors, including religious beliefs, cultural influences, ethical considerations, and medical needs.

Religious Reasons for Making Food Choices

Buddhism

• Most Buddhists follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.
• Alcohol is generally avoided.
• Monks and nuns may fast after midday.
• During Wesak, a key festival, only vegetarian food is consumed, and alcohol is avoided.

Christianity

• Many Christians observe Lent, abstaining from certain foods for 40 days and nights.
• Some Catholics fast on Fridays and before Lent.
• Christian festivals include:
  • Christmas, celebrating Jesus' birth, with traditional foods like roast turkey and mince pies.
  • Easter, marking Jesus’ resurrection, featuring foods like hot cross buns and simnel cake.

Hinduism

• Cows are sacred, so beef and beef products are prohibited, though milk is permitted as it involves no harm to animals.
• Emphasis on ahimsa (non-violence) leads many Hindus to adopt vegetarianism.
• Alcohol is often avoided.
• Hindu festivals include:
  • Diwali, the festival of lights, celebrated with sweets.
  • Navratri, involving a 24-hour fast.

Islam

• Pork and its byproducts are forbidden.
• Meat must be halal, prepared through specific slaughter methods.
• Alcohol is prohibited.
• Seafood is restricted, but fish with fins are allowed.
• Muslims celebrate Eid, marking the end of Ramadan, a month-long fast where no food or drink is consumed during daylight hours.

Judaism

• Jewish dietary laws prohibit shellfish and pork.
• Dairy and meat cannot be consumed together.
• Food must be kosher, with meat from animals slaughtered in a specific way and from species with split hooves that chew cud (e.g., cows, deer).
• Fish must have fins to be kosher.
• Jewish festivals with specific foods include:
  • Passover, featuring unleavened bread and a special meal.
  • Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year), with meals including apples dipped in honey.
  • Yom Kippur, a 24-hour fast preceded by a meal and followed by prayers.
  • Hanukkah, the festival of lights, with various traditional foods.

Rastafarianism

• Rastafarians follow an I-tal diet, focusing on natural, unprocessed foods.
• Chemically modified foods or those with artificial additives are avoided.
• The diet emphasizes fruits and vegetables, avoids salt, pork, and fish longer than 12 inches.
• Many Rastafarians are vegetarian or vegan.
• Alcohol, milk, and coffee are avoided, with herbal teas preferred.
• The birthday of Haile Selassie, a divine figure, is celebrated with community feasts.

Sikhism

• Kosher or halal meats are forbidden due to inhumane slaughter methods.
• Alcohol, tobacco, and intoxicants are avoided.
• Many Sikhs are vegetarian.
• The birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Sikhism’s founder, is celebrated with Karah Parshad, a sacred pudding.

Cultural Reasons for Making Food Choices

Culture includes beliefs, customs, practices, behaviors, and artifacts that shape societal identity, directly influencing food preferences and choices.

Ethical and Moral Reasons for Making Food Choices

Individuals’ ethical and moral views influence food choices, leading to avoidance of:

• Foods produced through inhumane practices that harm animal welfare.
• Products where producers are unfairly compensated; fairtrade products ensure ethical treatment of workers.
• Foods with high carbon footprints due to long-distance imports; choosing local produce reduces this impact.
• Products grown with harmful chemicals like pesticides or fertilizers; organic foods avoid these.
• Genetically modified (GM) foods, due to potential long-term health or environmental concerns.

Medical Reasons for Making Food Choices

Intolerances

• Gluten: Found in wheat, rye, and barley. Non-coeliac gluten sensitivity causes symptoms like bloating, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headaches, fatigue, and joint pain. Gluten-free alternatives allow recipe modifications.
• Lactose: A sugar in milk and dairy. Lactose intolerance leads to bloating, gas, and diarrhea. Affected individuals should avoid dairy or opt for lactose-free alternatives.

Allergies

People with food allergies need to steer clear of foods that cause allergic reactions. Common allergens include:

• Nuts (e.g., peanuts, tree nuts)
• Eggs
• Milk
• Wheat
• Fish
• Shellfish (e.g., prawns, crab)

Consuming an allergen can trigger reactions such as:

• Skin rashes or hives
• Itching in the mouth, eyes, or skin
• Swelling of the lips, face, or eyes
• Trouble breathing

In severe cases, anaphylactic shock may occur, involving:

• Swelling in the mouth or throat
• Partial or complete airway blockage
• Difficulty speaking

If anaphylactic shock happens, an EpiPen should be used immediately to lower the risk of death.