Threads of cultural nutrition: arts and humanities

Abstract

Cultural nutrition encompasses a wide sweep of food-related themes within three major categories: arts and humanities, social sciences, and biological-natural sciences. The paper, first of three, considers the arts and humanities. Topics include food and diet expressed through art, film, music, and dance. The essay then examines food and diet in representative works of literature, both ancient and modern. The place of food and diet within folklore, mythology, and religion is treated, with consideration of symbolic roles played by food throughout the human life cycle, especially with birth and infancy, coming-of-age, marriage, and death. Religion, a major theme in cultural nutrition, is explored and the food-dietary patterns of Jews, Christians, Moslems, Hindus, and Shintos are treated. Ethics and philosophy are examined as both relate to programs of international food relief and vegetarianism. The essay concludes with a review of work by historians, especially themes of famine and approaches taken to refeed populations during combat and hostilities.