This document discusses the role of religion and faith in food choices. It provides an overview of the major religions in Australia and their dietary restrictions and practices related to food, including Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Catholicism and Indigenous Australian faith. For each religion, it outlines which foods are prohibited or encouraged and any fasting practices. The conclusion emphasizes the importance for health professionals to respect all faiths and understand how food plays a role in religious traditions and cultural experiences.

1. Role of Religion and
Faith in Food Choices
XNB151 Food and Nutrition

2. Roles of food in religion
Food
Communication with God
Demonstration of faithDiscipline through fasting

3. Religion in Australia
Affiliation 2006 (‘000) 2006%
Anglican 3 718.3 18.7%
Baptist 316.7 1.6
Catholic 5 126.9 25.8
Chruches of Christ 54.8 0.3
Jehovah’s Witnesses 80.9 0.4
Latter Day Saints 53.1 0.3
Lutheran 251.1 1.3
Eastern Orthodox 544.3 2.7
Pentecostal 219.6 1.1
Presbyterian & Reformed
Churches
596.7 3.0
Salvation Army 64.2 0.3
Seventh Day Adventist 55.3 0.3
Uniting Church 1 135.4 5.7
Other Christian 468.9 2.4
Christian Total 12 685.9 63.9
Australian Bureau of Statistics

4. Religion in Australia
Affiliation 2006 (‘000) 2006%
Buddhism 418.8 2.1
Hinduism 148.1 0.7
Islam 340.4 1.7
Judaism 88.8 0.4
Other non-Christian 109 0.5
No religion 3706.5 18.7
Not stated/Inadequately
described
2357.8 11.9
Australian Bureau of Statistics

5. Religions which require particular food rules
include:
• Islam;
• Hinduism;
• Judaism;
• Buddhism (strict);
• Seventh-day Adventist Church;

6. Catholicism
– Fasting before communion (uncommon)
– Fasting and abstain from favourite foods during lent
– No meat (excluding seafood) on Ash Wednesday & Good Friday
– Some may abstain from meat every Friday in lent or
throughout the year

7. Other Christian
• Most have few
restrictions
• Seventh Day Adventists
– ban tobacco & alcohol
– Tea & coffee discouraged
– Modified vegetarian diet
• Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints
– Alcohol, tea, coffee,
tobacco, cola avoided
– Encouraged to eat meat
sparingly

8. Buddhism
• Dietary prohibitions &
fasting vary
• Many are vegetarians as
eating meat causes
suffering to animals
• No alcohol
• Fasting practices varies
across different
branches

9. Islam
• Restrictions laid out in the Quran
• Prohibits
– Pork
– Blood
– Animals slaughtered in the name of anyone
but Allah.
– Carcasses of dead animals
– An animal that has been strangled, beaten (to
death), killed by a fall, gored (to death),
savaged by a beast of prey
– Food over which Allah's name is not
pronounced
– Alcohol and other intoxicants
• Fasting during Ramadan
– Exempt if sick or nursing mother
Iznik 16th – Benaki Islamic
Museum Greece

10. Hinduism
• Strict Hindus eat no
meat, fish, alcohol or
eggs
• Most Hindus do not eat
any red meat, may eat
fish, chicken, eggs and
alcohol
• Fasting & feasting –
Individual and at
Festivals
BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham

11. Judaism
• Kashrut – set of biblical dietary laws.
– Kosher foods meet these standards
• Certain Foods are Forbidden
– Pork, blood & non kosher meat
– Seafood without fins & scales
• Certain foods must be separated
– E.g. Meat & milk
• Kosher wine
Illuminated Manuscript, Jewish Museum London

12. Indigenous Australian Faith
• Complex oral tradition
and spiritual values
based upon reverence
for the land and a Belief
in the Dreamtime
• Different groups had
different belief
structuresBush Tucker
Dreaming
June Sultan
Napanga
www.aboriginalartstore.com.au

13. Conclusions
• As health professionals respect for all faiths (including no
beliefs) is an essential part of ethical practice
• Understanding of the role of food in religion is a part of
understanding the human experience of food throughout
history
• A characteristic of most faiths is gratitude and respect for food
and many have organisations involved in working to resolve
national or world hunger
• Personal beliefs & values can impact food choices outside of
religion, e.g. Choosing to be vegetarian or vegan, eating
locally