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DIET THERAPY
General Diets
Diets Modified in Consistency
Other Dietary Modification/Special Diets
Culture Sensitive Diets
FOOD AND CULTURE
Cultural Competence: The ability to understand,
appreciate, and interact with persons from cultures
and/or belief systems other than ones own, based on
various factors

Mixtures of meat and milk, and the commandment to

slaughter mammals and birds according to a process
known as shechito.
There are also laws regarding agricultural produce
that might impact on the suitability of food for
consumption
KASHRUT are the prohibitions on the consumptions of unclean
animals (such as pork, shellfish ( both Mollusca and
Crustacea).
General Rules:

CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF FOOD HABITS:

1. Strength of personal culture
2. Food in a culture
3. Traditional cultural food patterns
4. Religious dietary laws

1. Strength of personal culture

A gradual process of conscious & unconscious

learning, cultural values, attitudes, habits, &
practices become a deep part of individual lives.

2. FOOD IN A CULTURE

* Cultural background largely determines what is eaten, as

well as when & how it is eaten, but many variations exits.

* All types of customs, whether rational or irrational, beneficial

or injurious, are found in every part of the world.

3. Traditional cultural food patterns

*Different cultural food patterns are part of a family &
community life.
*Individual tastes & geographic patterns may vary somewhat,
but food patterns are connected with culture & have a strong
influence on how people eat.

4. Religious dietary laws

*Dietary practices within Christianity (Catholic, Protestant, &

Eastern Orthodox churches), Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, &
Islam vary according to their INDEPENDENT UNDERSTANDING
& interpretation of what constitutes a healthy & proper diet.

VARIOUS FOOD RESTRICTIONS:

A. JEWISH (Adherent To Judaism)

BASIC FOOD PATTERN -> all Jewish festivals are religious in
nature & have historical significance but the observance of
Jewish food laws differ among the 3 basic groups within
Judaism

Orthodox
Conservative
Reform

The basic body of dietary laws is called the RULES OF

KASHRUTH OR kashrus.
Is the body of Jewish law dealing with what foods we can and
cannot eat and how those foods must be prepared and eaten.
Kashrut comes from the Hebrew- Kaf-Shin-Reish, meaning
FIT, PROPER OR CORRECT.

It is the same root as the more commonly known

word KOSHER

These laws originally had SPECIAL RITUAL SIGNIFICANCE.

Current Jewish dietary laws apply the significance to laws
governing the SLAUGHTER, PREPARATION, & SERVING OF
MEAT; the combining of MEAT & MILK; & THE USE OF FISH &
EGGS

Certain animals may not be eaten at all. This

restriction includes the flesh, organs, eggs and
milk of the forbidden animals.
Of the animals that may be eaten, the birds and
mammals must be killed in accordance with
Jewish law.
All blood must be drained from meat and poultry
or broiled out of it before it is eaten.
Certain parts of permitted animals may not be
eaten
Fruits and vegetables are permitted, but must be
inspected for bugs (which cannot be eaten)
Meat (the flesh of birds and mammals) cannot
be eaten with dairy. Fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables
and grains can be eaten with either meat or
dairy. (According to some views, fish may not be
eaten with meat).
Utensils (including pots and pans and other
cooking surfaces) that have come into contact
with meat may not be used with dairy, and vice
versa. Utensils that have come into contact with
non-kosher food may not be used with kosher
food. This applies only where the contact
occurred while the food was hot.
Grape products made by non-Jews may not be
eaten.
There are a few other rules that are not
universal.

FISH: only fish with fins & scales are allowed.

These may be eaten with either meat or dairy
meals. Shellfish & crustaceans are avoided
EGGS: no egg with a blood spot may be eaten.
Eggs may be used with either meat or dairy
meals

INFLUENCE OF FESTIVALS: many traditional Jewish foods

relate to festivals of the Jewish calendar that commemorate
significant events in Jewish history. Often, special Sabbath
foods are used
COMMON FAST DAYS: Passover & Yom Kippur
B. MUSLIM (Adherent to Islam):
Permitted Foods:

Milk products
Fruits and Vegetables
Meats
Alcohol

Influence of festivals:

RAMADAN: the ninth month of the Islamic calendar,

and the month in which the Quran was revealed.
Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the
five pillars of Islam