Traditional food habits of different communities in Thrissur district
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Date
2001
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Department of Home Science, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara
Abstract
A study on the traditional food habits of different communities in
Thrissur District was carried among 180 families selected equally from the six
communities viz. Ezhava, Christian, Nair, Namboothiri, Tamil Brahmin and
Muslim to assess their socio-economic status, dietary pattern, traditional food
habits, position of traditional foods in their dietary pattern, traditional food
practices followed by older generation and KAP on traditional foods among
younger generation.
The result of the study indicated that majority of the families of
different communities except Ezhava were of nuclear type with an average family
size of3.9 for Tamil Brahmin and 5.2 for Christians.
Majority of the respondents were educated and 20-40 per cent of them
were working either in private or in government sectors. Monthly income of
majority of families in Ezhava, Muslim, Christian and Nair conununities ranged
from Rs. 2000-6000, while among Namboothiri and Tamil Brahmins the income
varied from Rs.6000 to 10000 per month.
Most of the families in different communities except Tamil Brahmins
owed land. Major expenditure of the families of all communities was for food.
Except Tamil Brahmin and Namboothiri communities all the families of
the other four communities were non-vegetarians. Three-meal-a-day pattern was
observed in five communities while Tamil Brahmins had four major meals in a
day. Equality in food distribution was seen among majority of families in different
communities.
All families irrespective of the communities included cereals, other
vegetables, milk and milk products, fats and oils, sugar and spices and condiments
in their daily diet. Purchase of prepared foods from outside was found to be
common among Muslim and Christian families. Special foods were included in the
diet of pregnant women in majority of the families.
Families of different communities still prepared and consumed
traditional foods in their daily diet especially for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Most
of the families in six communities gave preference to include their respective
traditional food items in their diet.
Only very few families III different communities prepared traditional
foods during certain specific months for the improvement of health and purchased
instant food mixes and ready made traditional foods available in the market.
Most of the families in all the communities prepared and consumed
traditional medicinal preparations after delivery. Most of the families in different
communities except Tamil Brahmin families made certain modification while
preparing traditional food and few Christian and Muslim families gave prepared
food to the religious places.
The families who possessed traditional kitchen equipments and utensils
used very rarely for household purposes.
All respondents in Muslim communities, and majority of respondents in
Christian and Tamil Brahmin communities still observed some vrathas or fasts
during religious occasions and majority of the families belonging to Tamil
Brahmian community observed certain rituals also.
KAP on traditional food habits among the younger generation indicated
that there is a tendency to develop traditional food practices for those who have
attitude towards traditional foods. Though the respondents were aware about the
various traditional food practices and preparations of their respective communities,
the younger generation of the different communities did not follow such practices.
Description
PG
Keywords
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Citation
171827