Category: Cultural anthropology

While India has a significant non-vegetarian population, a 2021 Pew Research Center study showed that Jains are nearly all vegetarians, and vegetarianism is more prevalent in certain Hindu regions. This highlights that understanding what is the culture where you can't eat meat requires exploring a spectrum of global traditions.

The Hadza people of Tanzania, one of the world's last remaining hunter-gatherer societies, consume wild fruits like baobab and berries as a regular part of their diet, alongside meat and honey. This confirms that fruit is indeed a component of traditional African diets.

From Japanese sashimi to Ethiopian kitfo, raw meat dishes are celebrated across numerous cultures worldwide. This widespread appreciation for uncooked protein stands in stark contrast to modern food safety warnings, prompting a deeper look into the biological, historical, and cultural factors at play.

According to anthropologists, nearly every culture and religion in the world has some form of food taboo, influencing dietary practices from everyday meals to special rituals. These examples of food taboos highlight the profound connection between a group's beliefs, history, and their eating habits, often going far beyond simple preference.