Tag: Food and identity

While the precise origin of the maxim 'you are what you eat' is debated, its earliest versions trace back to French gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin in 1826. The question of who said we become what we eat has a winding history rooted in philosophy, culture, and, eventually, the modern nutrition movement.

According to the Food Culture Alliance, what we call “food culture” deeply influences our eating habits and can affect physical and mental health. Understanding why it is important to eat foods from different cultures goes beyond taste—it’s a pathway to better nutrition, broadened perspectives, and deeper social connections.

According to a study published on ResearchGate, cultural factors significantly affect food preferences and choices across different ethnic populations. Understanding how do culture and ethnicity play a role in dietary intake reveals a complex interplay between tradition, identity, and nutrition, influencing every aspect of what we eat, from ingredients to preparation methods and mealtime rituals.

According to a 2025 ranking by TasteAtlas, Greek cuisine was voted the best globally, but this does not crown one single dish as supreme. The question, 'what is the best food in the world only one?' is a fascinating but impossible puzzle to solve, rooted in human biology and cultural identity.