Over the past two years, plant-based food consumption has grown by 49% across the EU, reaching a total sales volume of €3.6 billion.
Spiritual Food—Jewish Dietary Laws
2025-05-15
Jews who observe kosher dietary laws, however, must regularly decide what they eat, when they eat, and how they prepare their food; therefore, eating is no longer a completely instinctive activity for observant Jews. Kosher dietary laws force us to pause and reflect on our daily lives and prevent us from letting things slide. To understand what the law wants us to focus on and to comprehend the philosophy of kosher dietary laws, it's necessary to be familiar with the content of the Jewish law itself. Here's a brief overview:
1.Kosher animals must be cud-chewing, cloven-hoofed animals—cattle, sheep, goats, and deer are kosher, while camels and pigs (each kosher in only one aspect) are not. Most common poultryFish, such as chickens, ducks, and geese, are kosher, but birds of prey (e.g., eagles) are not. Only sea creatures with fins and scales are kosher. Thus, most fish are kosher (tuna, salmon, flounder, etc.), but all shellfish are not kosher; dolphins, whales, and squid are also not kosher. Food from any non-kosher animal is also not kosher. Honey from bees is an exception.
2.Animals or birds must be kept according to Jewish law (Shechita) is performed by a surgically sharp knife. This involves severing the animal's trachea and esophagus (the carotid artery and jugular vein are also severed) with a surgically sharp knife. Slaughter must be performed quickly and continuously by a skilled operator. This method of slaughter causes blood pressure in the brain to drop to zero, causing the animal to lose consciousness within seconds and die within minutes.
3.Animals and birds must be free ofwooden foot,have70Various kinds of injury, disease, or abnormality can make an animal unclean.
4.Certain fats are calledmanThe blood must be removed from the meat by soaking, salting, rinsing, or grilling. The tendons and surrounding fat must be trimmed from each leg.
5.It is forbidden to cook, consume, or benefit from a mixture of milk and meat. It is also forbidden to cook or consume a mixture of milk products and poultry.
6.In Israel, tithes must be taken from all crops. If these tithes are not separated from the harvest, the produce cannot be eaten; wheat, barley, or fruit are not actually kosher until the mitzvah of the tithe is fulfilled.
7.Dairy products (including rennet in cheese) must come only from kosher animals.