Thought to have originated from a supreme being, the Hindu culture is suffused in rituals around cultivating and reaping food. Customs around preparation and consuming food are detailed throughout the religious practices of the people. Most Hindu are strict vegetarians, avoiding all foods that include meat, fish, eggs and dairy products, however there are certain regions that have begun to consume nonvegetarian foods. Holding to the belief that cows are sacred and pigs are unclean these are key cultural decisions of this ethnic group. Traditional foods may vary based on geographic region but have similarities including rice, wheat, millet, barley, maize and ragi. Proteins are often consumed in the form of legumes cooked with potent spices such a garlic, ginger, turmeric, tamarind and cumin. Preferred vegetables include onions, tomatoes, potatoes, green leaves, okra, green beans and root …show more content…
Women traditionally prepare the food but do not eat in the same room as the men. Hindu beliefs center on an Ayurvedic approach that promotes health rather than treating illness (WebMD, 2015). A healthy state is achieved when the mind, body and spirit are in harmony. A balance of hot and cold foods are required to maintain harmony. Diet habits such as eating spicy or salty foods, eating too soon after a previous meal or consuming excessive sweets are thought to disrupt harmony and lead to illness. Primarily an agricultural country the Hindu people are not able to meet their nutritional needs leading to malnutrition and a variety of nutritional deficiencies. The strict vegan diet can result in nutritional concerns including, protein and niacin deficiencies. A more severe neurotoxic disorder known as lathyrism is seen in adults whose diet is high in khesari or lentil seeds. Additional health concerns related to diet customs include goiters, osteomalacia, and stomach cancer. Despite the numbers of Hindu emigrating to the U.S. there is little sign of