Health Investment Through Religion and Food: Discovering the Depth of 'Eating' After Learning About Nepalese Food Culture

"What we eat is not determined solely by personal preference."

I had the opportunity to rethink this seemingly obvious fact, which I usually don't pay much attention to.

The other day, I was taught about the food culture of Nepal.

When living in Japan, we first think about taste preferences and allergies when talking about food, such as "What do you like?" or "What do you dislike?"

However, when we look at the world, there are religions, cultures, and habits passed down through families.

I felt that in order to share the same table, it is necessary to know not only about nutrition but also about what that person values.

What you 'eat or don't eat' changes depending on religion

Religion and food are very deeply connected.

For example, in Hinduism, there is a belief that cows are sacred beings. On the other hand, in Islam, there are various rules and ways of thinking about food, such as avoiding pork and alcohol.

However,

"Because of this religion, they absolutely do not eat this"

cannot be simply assumed.

It also differs depending on the country, region, sect, family, and the person's own way of thinking.

I think this is both the difficulty and the fascination of food.

"Because they are Nepalese, they are like this," "Because they are a foreigner, they are like this"
is not the way to look at it,

but rather,

"What do you value?"

is to look at the person themselves.

I thought this was a very important attitude for those who provide meals.

What I felt after learning about Nepalese food culture

When I heard the word Nepal, I only vaguely imagined dishes like curry.

What left an impression on me after hearing about it this time is that meals are not just 'nutritional intake,' but are strongly connected to religion, family, and daily life.

In Nepal, 'Dal Bhat,' which combines lentil soup, rice, and vegetable side dishes, is well known.

Beans, vegetables, and rice.

As a registered dietitian, I find this to be a very interesting combination.

Getting protein and dietary fiber from beans, vitamins and minerals from vegetables, and energy from rice.

Of course, the nutritional value changes depending on the content and amount of the food, but I think that 'meals that have been eaten for a long time' are packed with the wisdom needed to live in that land.

Japan also has a food culture consisting of rice, miso soup, fish, tofu, and simmered vegetable dishes.

Even though the countries are different, food cultures have been created to protect the health of families using ingredients available in that land.

Thinking about it that way, food culture itself might be a 'health investment' that has been built up over a long period of time.

'Cannot eat' has a reason

Working as a registered dietitian in a hospital, I sometimes hear the words 'I cannot eat.'

I have no appetite.

It is hard to swallow.

I have an allergy.

I have restrictions due to illness.

I do not like it.

And, I do not eat it for religious reasons.

The reasons are truly diverse.

That is why I believe we should not simply judge 'not eating' as being a 'picky eater'.

In particular, opportunities to eat with people who have roots in foreign countries, or to provide meals at local events or children's cafeterias, are bound to increase.

At such times,

instead of saying, 'I went to the trouble of making this, so please eat it,'

not that,

I want to be the kind of person who asks,

'Is there anything you cannot eat?'

I want to be that kind of person.

It is just a single phrase, but I believe there are people who can sit at the table with peace of mind just because of that.

Nutrition

When I share information about health, it inevitably leads to many discussions about

'It is good to eat this' or 'You should refrain from eating this.'

Of course, nutritional knowledge is important.

However, a meal is not made up of nutrients alone.

It includes memories, religion, culture, family, and the person's own values.

Even if a meal is nutritionally balanced, if it is a dish that the person cannot eat with peace of mind, is it truly a 'good meal' for them?

I thought about such things while learning about Nepalese food culture this time.

When you hear 'health investment,' you might imagine buying supplements, choosing organic foods, or starting to exercise.

However, I believe that

'learning about food cultures different from one's own'

is also a wonderful investment in health.

By knowing, you can respect others.

You can encounter ingredients you didn't know.

Your cooking options increase.

And it also becomes an opportunity to rethink the eating habits you once took for granted.

Knowing the world from the dining table

The time I spent learning about Nepalese food culture was not just a time to learn about foreign cuisine.

'What do people value when they eat?'

It was a time to think about that.

We eat every day.

That is perhaps why a person's life is reflected at the dining table.

Even if religions are different, countries are different, or ages are different,

'It's delicious'

there is a place where we can eat together with peace of mind while saying that.

I love such a dining table.

It is important to think about what to eat for the sake of health.

But sometimes,

'Why does that person eat that?' 'Why do they not eat that?'

Let's try to imagine a little bit further.

To know about food is to know about people.

Learning about the food cultures of the world is also a health investment that enriches your own eating habits.

Moving forward, I want to continue looking not just at nutrition, but also at the culture and the thoughts of the people behind the food.