Overview

Adel den Hartog shows how complex the food choices of humans have been for millenia. Those who wonder why we eat what we eat, will find out practicalities, such as availability of products, transportation and costs, but also physiological, cultural, geological, and psychological factors matter. Den Hartog points out the importance of access to food for individuals and groups, and the influence of their socio-economical position. Can someone be convinced to eat something that they perceive as inedible? This book gives many examples of our limited flexibility, whether caused by an intolerance for genetical reasons, or because we simply did not know the food and want to keep it that way. Food habits are slow to respond to interventions, but these days, a meatless meal is no longer a sign of poverty. The book will attract the culturally interested reader. It can be used as a handbook for those who want to understand the background of our eating habits. The knowledge in this book can be used for a large range of interventions when it comes to food and life style.

Full Product Details

Author:   Adel P. den Hartog
Publisher:   Brill
Imprint:   Brill
Dimensions:   Width: 17.00cm , Height: 0.70cm , Length: 24.50cm
Weight:   0.001kg
ISBN:  

9789004694316

ISBN 10:   9004694315
Pages:   122
Publication Date:   01 August 2024
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
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Table of Contents

Accountability Word in advance Introduction 1 Why do we eat what we eat?  Unknown and unloved  Humans as carnivores  Humans as man-eaters  Inedible becomes edible  What determines food choices? 2 Food diffusion—the long road from unknown to known  An old and new phenomenon  The spread of sugar and spices  New thirst quenchers—coffee and tea  The battle for the thirsty throat  The potato: from botanical curiosity to staple food  The integration of the tomato  Decline in fruit and vegetable consumption 3 Food taboos, food laws and rules  Food taboos  The changing power of alcohol prohibition  Fasting  Culturally defined rules about nutrition  Permanent food bans 4 The meaning of meat  Pork: beloved or banned  The sacred cow  A horse is a noble animal  Vegetarianism and veganism 5 Rats, dogs and insects—delicious or disgusting?  Rats and rodents  Dog as a delicacy?!  Insects as food 6 Milk, the Dutch white engine  Drinking milk: a special custom  The history of dairy consumption  Milk in different cultures  Explanations for the absence of milk in the diet  The modern era Afterword: Is a change as good as a feast? About Adel den Hartog Literature consulted

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Author Information

Adel P. den Hartog Ph.D. (1986), was appointed to the Department of Human Nutrition at Wageningen University of Agriculture. As a social geographer, he added new aspects to Wageningen food research and education. His historical work was presented at conferences and in volumes of the International Commission for Research into European Food History (ICREFH). He died on 26 September 2012 in Bennekom. He was 75 years old.

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