Cultural Perspectives



Cultural Perspectives

Concepts and Discussion of Culture and Food Habits

       

WHAT DO AMERICANS EAT?

America is a changing demographic—and has always been so

 Defining “American food” and resolving "Who is an American?": no simple answer

Each American ethnic, religious, or regional group has its own culturally based food habits

WHAT IS FOOD?

Food: any substance that provides the nutrients necessary to maintain life and growth when ingested

The Omnivores Paradox

Self-Identity and Self-Expression

Symbolic Use of Food

Cultural Identity

Food

We raise crops and livestock leading to consistent supply of similar foods

We use these foods in cooking and other culturally specific ways

Examples: rules on utensils, manners, sharing of food

 Food habits = food culture = food ways: the multiplicity of ways in which humans use food. Range from the biological to the psychological

The Omnivores Paradox

We are a flexible but cautious species. Attraction to new but preference for familiar

The ability to use a wide range of edible foods over all of the climates of the world puts humans at an advantage

Conserve safe food choices within a culture through ritual and repletion

Avoid poisoning ourselves on new, toxic foods through a general caution

Self-Identity and Self-Expression

Consumption of food means a personal incorporation(personal reflection of who we are

We learn food preferences from trusted or valued others (elders, valued social groups)

These meanings are culturally dependant

Symbolic Use of Food

Meanings from relationship, association or convention—not nutrient content

Example: associations with bread: staff of life, breaking bread with friends, white bread as upper class status, whole wheat as valuing health

Cultural Identity

Collective identity with food habits associated with religious beliefs or ethnic behaviors such as ----

Religious affiliation, exclusion from group, affiliation with special worth: comfort foods & culturally specific preferences, Food Etiquette, Commensalism

WHAT IS CULTURE?

It can be defined as the values, beliefs, attitudes, and practices accepted by members of a group or community

Culture:

Is learned not inherited

Changes over time

Is passed from one generation to another (Enculturation)

Is reinforced by isolation

Ethnicity: the term for cultural membership, a social identity

Shared behaviors, food habits, dress, language, family structure, often religious affiliation

Common history or location

Intra-ethnic variations

Acculturation Process

Acculturation is process by which an ethnic group moves into another new majority society and begins to adopt the new society’s cultural values and habits

Biculturation: A new culture seen as a complement to the original culture of origin

Assimilation:

people from one cultural group shed their ethnic identity and fully merge into the majority culture

Ethnocentric

person uses his or her own values to evaluate the behavior of others while regarding own culture as superior to others

Acculturation of Food Habits

Food habits are one of the last traditions to change during the process of acculturation

Adopting new foods or dropping traditional fools affected by available ingredients, cost, convenience, desirability

Foods most closely associated with ethnic identity are the last to change

CULTURAL FOOD HABITS

By looking at how different cultural groups categorize foods, we can perceive what is valued

How to study or determine meaning of foods

Meal Patterns and Meal Cycles Influenced by Culture

Developmental Perspective of Food Culture

How to study or determine meaning of foods

Cultural "superfoods,“

Models: Core and Complementary Foods, Flavor Principles, Meal Patterns & Meal Cycles, Developmental perspective of food culture

Core & Complementary Foods Model

Flavor Principles

Palatability

Pleasurable endorphins

Disguise unpleasant tastes

Preservation

Cultural identity: flavor principles or seasoning combinations (complementary foods)

Meal Patterns and Meal Cycles Influenced by Culture

Analysis of daily, weekly, yearly use of food

All cultures dine on at least one meal a day

Patterns within the culture define "meal" versus "snack"

Cultural practices influence

Feasting or fasting as eating cycle components

Developmental Perspective of Food Culture

Social dynamics

Globalization leads to food consumerization

Modernization and technological advances

Urbanization of the populations

Migration of populations

INDIVIDUAL FOOD HABITS

Personal preferences

Food Availability

Edible or Inedible?

Consumer Food Choice Model

Consumer Food Choice Model

Many interrelated factors

Food selection primarily determined by taste

Also cost, local food environment, convenience, self-expression, advertising, physical and spiritual well-being, life stage, gender, state of health, variety

Consumer Food Choice Model

Study of Cultural Applications of Food

Cultural competence affects all aspects of data collection, interviewing, and expectations.

THE AMERICAN PARADOX

 New cultural metaphor for America: "Melting pot"("Tossed Salad": separate components each still present but in a delicious, complementary blend

A.      New cultural metaphor for America: "Melting pot"("Tossed Salad": separate components each still present but in a delicious, complementary blend

1.      Settled by immigrants, therefore a propensity towards variety and trying new cuisines

2.      Yet also a drive towards conservation and consistency of food traditions

3.      Ethnic foods adapted to mean of American varied tastes—less spice, less seasoning, more protein to the ratios of starch and vegetables

4.      American cooking an adaptive process

A.      The research's cultural competence affects all aspects of data collection, interviewing, and expectations.

1.      Problems in understanding terminology, unconscious or conscious stereotypes

2.      Evaluating the nutritional impact of a person's food choices

3.      Diet modifications should be approached as a partnership in determining choices because food reflects value systems

1.      Many interrelated factors influence an individual making a food selection at a given time

2.      Food selection primarily determined by taste:

a.       Smell, texture, sweet, sour, salt and bitterness. Sugar and fats preferred

b.       Combining core and peripheral foods, flavor principles, meal elements

c.       What is expected is preferred

3.      Cost often the second most important influence

4.      Local food environment which also affects cost and availability

5.      Convenience—how much time for food preparation and eating

6.      Self-expression

1.      Advertising

2.      Physical and spiritual well-being

3.      Life stage: teen years, elderly, growth, maturity

a.       Developmental issues and perception of appropriate life "role"

4.      Gender

5.      State of health—from physical ability to eat certain foods to choosing certain foods based on perceived medicinal values

6.      Well being and spirituality

7.      Variety: the omnivores paradox comes in to play—humans are motivated to try new foods

A.      Personal preferences are influenced by a variety of influences

B.      Food Availability

1.      What foods are regionally available depend on a network of national and international issues:

a.       political, economic, and social factors

b.       food production, storage and distribution systems

c.       commodity markets

d.       international trade

C.      Edible or Inedible?

1.      One of the earliest ways to describe diet—determined by cultural understanding of what can and can/should not be eaten

2.      Categorized into levels:

a.       Inedible

b.       Edible by animals but not by me

c.       Edible by humans, but not by my kind

d.       Edible by humans, but not by me

e.       Edible by me

1.      Social dynamics are paralleled by trends in food, eating, and nutrition

2.      Globalization leads to food consumerization—we buy processed food rather than produce for ourselves what we eat

3.      Modernization and technological advances lead to food commoditization

4.      Urbanization of the populations leads to disconnecting what food is produced locally from what is eaten in that region

Migration of populations leads to the flux of food habits seen in acculturation

1.      Cultural practices influence:

a.       Which foods are eaten when

b.       Who prepares the meal and who serves it

c.       What is eaten from the hand

d.       What eating utensils are used

What is an appropriate portion size

1.      Feasting or fasting as eating cycle components

a.       Why is the feast being held? Religious or secular occasions

b.       Fasting as partial or total abstention from food

Another model identifies some foods as "core foods": staples eaten on a daily basis. Secondary foods are widely eaten but not daily. Peripheral foods are eaten only now and then.

A.      By looking at how different cultural groups categorize foods, we can perceive what is valued

1.      Example: the American food guide pyramid may demonstrate our culture's valuing science and nutritional content

Food choices are not necessary made by nutritional values

1)     Not usual for first generation

(2)     But later generations assimilate

a.       Fluid continuum, dynamic between traditional practices and behaviors

b.       Adopt some values while maintaining old ties of friendship and family

c.       To measure acculturation, observe language adoption, social networks, information sources

Biculturation: new culture seen as a complement

Enculturation: the process by which culturally specific language and socialization uses are passed from generation to generation

When a group is isolated by geography or other factors cultural behavior patterns are reinforced

Example: not eating pork as part of religious affiliation with the group in Muslim or Jewish faith

2.      Exclusion from group: cultural slurs often are the name of food identified with a group

3.      Affiliation special worth of foods of affiliations built up from childhood associations

a.       Comfort foods because of psychological need for food familiarity

b.       Culturally specific preferences build up between 3-6 years of age

1.      Food Etiquette: appropriate use of food

a.       Defined by our cultural affiliation

b.       Manners at home versus those used in public or in a business situation

2.      Commensalism (who can dine together) regulated with cultures

a.       Relates to status issues and establishing class relationships

b.       Example: men eating separate from women, servants from employers, castes in India

 

Different from the physical incorporation of proteins into muscles, the sympathetic incorporation of food qualities to personal qualities

b.       We assign characteristics to people who eat in certain ways

c.       Foods rated as being "good" or "bad" contain a moral implication

a.       Dining out is a good demonstration of how food may reflect belongingness, status, and self-realization

b.       Example: Japanese restaurants provide a venue for the host to entertain in a personal manner; trendiest restaurant can convey high status; the ethnic restaurant conveys authenticity

a.       1 out of 4 Americans is of non-European origin

b.       1 in 10 is foreign born

c.       Largest non-European groups are:

(1)     In US: Latinos, then African Americans

(2)     In Canada: Native Americans, then Chinese and Asian Americans

d.       Asians are one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in US

(1)     1980(2000 increased by 200%

(2)     Middle Easterners are included under Asian for immigration purposes

a.       Interaction between new immigrants and overlying American culture

b.       Each changes the other

Core & Complementary Foods Model

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Consumer Food Choice Model

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Peripheral Foods

Secondary

Foods

Complementary

Foods

CORE

FOODS

Health

Phys/Metab.

Variety

Well-Being

Self Expression

Taste

Convenience

Cost

Food Choices

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