Comparing Religions ( what you should eat). Research Paper

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Comparing Religion Dietary needs
Since time immemorial, different religions around the world have dietary practices and food traditions as outlined in the doctrines of their faith. Nonetheless, many of these religions believe that a healthy diet plays an essential role in the growth, development, and health of their adherents. As a result, many religions have developed guidelines on what to eat in order to demonstrate faith. For instance, while some religions forbid their followers from consuming certain drinks and foods, others restrict some foods during certain periods. In Christianity, for example, early biblical writings, particularly in the book of Deuteronomy, Numbers, and Leviticus, outlines dietary laws and regulations to be followed by the Jews and Christians (Stuckrath, np). Up to date, some of these nutritional customs are still practiced among these groups.
The current religious affiliations across the world include but not limited to Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Jewish, Judaism, Rastafarians, and Hindu. According to Wallis (55), in 2015, Christianity was by far the most prominent religious group with over 2.3 billion followers. Muslims ranked second with over 1.4 billion adherents, Hindus, was third with over 1.1 billion and Buddhist, fourth with approximately 500 million followers. Understanding the nutritional and dietary practices of any religion requires an emphasis on these laws and restrictions surrounding the denomination. Most of the rules and regulations on dietary practices were formed to enhance health and safety foods or drinks.
In the past, there were inadequate mechanisms of preserving food as witnessed today. As a result, religious leaders developed laws and regulations to govern food and drink consumption (Stuckrath, np). Up to date, some of the rules that dictated what can be consumed are observed by many religions. Also, lack of food preservation methods led to the development of certain rituals like draining of blood from slaughtered animals. In a similar way, restrictions were imposed on foods that spoil quickly, such as milk, eggs, as well as meat, for safety reasons. Moreover, attention was drawn into eating habits such as consumption of stimulants, overindulging, and vegetarian diets. Further, fasting was adopted in many religions as a way of cleansing the body (Patience, np).
Many religions around the world still practice fasting up to date. Restricting food and drinks has been described by many faiths as a call for holiness (Stuckrath, np). In this respect, fasting is regarded as a mechanism that allows people to connect and improve their body, to earn acceptance from God, as well as a way of appreciating the sorrows of the less privileged. Other religions consider it as a way of acquiring discipline required to resist temptation and cleansing evil from the body. As a result, different faiths have guidelines on the time when their followers should restrict themselves from foods and drinks (Patience, np). For instance, while modern Jews fast from sunrise to sunset, Catholics restrict themselves for specified hours, and Muslims observe fasting on Mondays, Thursdays, and in the month of Ramadan.
While there are no religions that hold precisely the same beliefs on health, diet, and spiritual wellness, there is similarity in these practices. For instance, Buddhism religion does restrict any food or food preparation but has doctrines that are followed in many aspects of daily life, including food consumption. Typically, Buddhists follow the guidelines of "do no harm". As a result, Buddhists abstain from evils thoughts or activities such as killing, because it leads to misery and bad karma (Valentina, et al., 80). Consequently, they restrict themselves from eating meat or fruits from trees. Therefore, they have adopted vegetarian dietary practices. In reality, most Buddhists are Lacto-vegetarians and only consume dairy and animal products.
However, Theravada, a group of Buddhism, allows the consumption of fish, chicken, and pork as long as the animals were not slaughtered for eating, but consumption is the only way to utilize the animal after death. Buddhism only recognizes birth, enlightenment, and death of Buddha as the only days when they can rest from work, fast, or feast. However, Buddhist monks fast on certain days of the moon and routinely avoid eating solid foods past the noon hours. Buddhists also refrain from alcohol as they believe that liquor clouds minds leading to poor decisions. They believe that their bodies are not accustomed to drinking, and in case...