KOSHER FOODS
The Kosher Food System includes
requirements that are necessary to
guarantee that the foods are suitable for
consumption according to the Judaic laws.
The Kosher Dietary system is the only
COMPLETE nutritional system in the world,
able to provide consistently all the nutrients
necessary for a healthy life. The Kosher
system recognizes that nutrition has a
spiritual dimension. Intuitively we all look
for comfort foods to make us feel better.
The Kosher Food System has been proven
effective for more than three thousand
years. The benefits of a kosher diet are
available to all.
The Kosher label that some foods carry
indicates that only kosher ingredients have
been used for a food production and
preparation, and a reputable Kosher
certification organization verifies that.
Below you will find a very simplified
description of the Kosher dietary rules.
Please be aware that some important
information may be missing. Contact a local
Rabbi to obtain better information. Also
see the online resources listed below.
Definitions
The following definitions are important for
understanding the Kosher Food System
•
Kosher [‘kouʃə(r)]: Fit or proper for use.
•
Pareve [ʹpa:rəvi]: Neutral foods. Parave
foods are neither meat nor dairy.
Parave foods include all fish, eggs,
fruits, vegetables, and grains. All
parave foods are kosher.
Acceptable Kosher
Foods
1.
All fresh fruits and vegetables are
kosher.
2.
All unprocessed grains and cereals
are kosher.
3.
All cow’s milk and its dairy products
are kosher. For dairy processed
products, check the ingredients to
ensure they are kosher as well.
4.
Eggs from kosher fowl are kosher.
However, an egg that contains a speck
of blood should not be consumed.
5.
All fish that have fins and scales are
kosher.
6.
The meat of cattle (beef and veal),
sheep (lamb and mutton), venison
(deer), and goat are kosher. The meat
from animals with cloven hoof and
from the ones that chew its cud is
considered kosher. For the origin of
this rule, see Leviticus 11:3 and
Deuteronomy 14:4.
7.
Most of the domestic fowl are kosher.
That includes domesticated species of
chickens, Cornish hens, ducks, geese,
and turkeys.
Banned Foods by
the Kosher Food
System
1.
Shell fish.
2.
Eggs containing blood specks.
3.
Meat of swine and rabbits.
4.
Predatory and scavenger fowls.
5.
Insects of any type.
Rules for Kosher
Eating
1.
Neutral or pareve foods (fish, eggs,
fruits, vegetables, and grains) can be
eaten at any meal.
2.
Meat and dairy products shall not be
eating together at the same meal.
Meat and dairy shall not be cooked
together or served as a separate dish
at one meal. Breads, cakes, cookies, or
desserts suitable for meat meals shall
not contain dairy products or milk
derivatives.
3.
Dairy products shall not be eaten
immediately after eating meat. The
waiting time before eating dairy varies
in different regions of the world. The
waiting time ranges from 30 minutes
to six hours.
4.
Meat may be eaten right after eating
dairy products, except hard cheeses.
5.
Each kosher foods have a
corresponding before and after eating
blessings. Those blessings are
indicated on the cards. If you are not a
follower of the Jewish faith, you may
skip those blessings.
Rules for Kosher
Fruits and
Vegetables for
foods included in
NutriCards
For information about the specific practices
regarding a food, consult the Chicago
Rabbinical Council reference included
below.
1.
Vegetables that require a general
inspection to rule out obvious
infestations: Cabbage, celery, chard,
corn on the cob, cucumber, date,
mushroom, rice, seeds, sprouts, and
strawberry.
2.
Vegetables that must be washed very
well and inspected to rule out
infestations: Blueberry, cabbage,
celery, chard, grape, lettuce,
mushroom, and strawberry.
3.
Vegetables that must be eaten with
caution washed and obtained from
reputable Kosher food sources;
otherwise, avoid them because the
serious risk of insect and vermin
contamination: Artichoke, asparagus,
blackberry, broccoli, Brussel’s sprouts,
cauliflower, kale, lettuce, parsley,
salad greens, and spinach.
4.
Vegetables that must have the tops
cut off and the gently rub while rinsing
under a strong stream of water:
Asparagus and strawberries.
Food Blessings
Many cultures and faiths around the world
bless their foods as a way to thank God, the
provider, and the whole chain of life,
including the hands who prepare their food,
for making possible those foods available
for eating. Those blessings also set the
mood for the body to accept and process
those foods in a similar way a song with a
strong emotional content can trigger
memories and physiological reactions in
our bodies.
The Judaic faith blesses their foods before
and after eating them. Jewish say those
blessings in Hebrew or a transliteration of
them - transliteration is expressing words of
a language by means of the characters of
another alphabet-. Those blessings are
food specific. By doing this, each body is
receiving an information package that
transcends their bodies until reaching their
souls. In this way, Jewish obtain maximum
benefits from the foods they eat.
There are six before meals blessings:
Hamotzi, Mezonot, Ha-aitz, Ha-adamah, and
Shehakol. Their transliterations are included
in NutriCards. The after meals blessings’
content is longer than what it could be fit in
a game card and change periodically within
a Jewish calendar year. Consult a Rabbi for
the text of the following blessings: Birkat
Hamazon, Al Hamichya, Al Ha-aytz, and
Borei Negashot.
Theology of the
Kosher Foods
For information about the religious aspect
of the Kosher foods, contact your local
Rabbi even if you are not a follower of the
Jewish faith.
Additional Resources
Kosher – Chicago Rabbinical Council
(https://goo.gl/6kYsj)
Kosher: An Overview – OK Kosher
Certification
(http://www.ok.org/consumers/kosher-
an-overview)
Guide to Food Blessings – OU Kosher
(https://oukosher.org/guide-to-blessings)
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