Good to Eat: Riddles of Food and CultureWhy are human food habits so diverse? Why do Americans recoil at the thought of dog meat? Jews and Moslems, pork? Hindus, beef? Why do Asians abhor milk? In Good to Eat, best-selling author Marvin Harris leads readers on an informative detective adventure to solve the worlds major food puzzles. He explains the diversity of the worlds gastronomic customs, demonstrating that what appear at first glance to be irrational food tastes turn out really to have been shaped by practical, economic, or political necessity. In addition, his smart and spirited treatment sheds wisdom on such topics as why there has been an explosion in fast food, why history indicates that its bad to eat people but good to kill them, and why children universally reject spinach. Good to Eat is more than an intellectual adventure in food for thought. It is a highly readable, scientifically accurate, and fascinating work that demystifies the causes of myriad human cultural differences. |
From inside the book
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... animal products in the diet. A classic study of this relationship showed that in over fifty countries higher-income groups derive far more of their fats, proteins, and calories from animal sources than do lower-income groups ...
... animal flesh by using meat to reinforce the social ties that bind campmates and kinfolk together. Far more often than plant foods, animal products must be shared reciprocally ... sources of animal flesh, eggs, or milk, lack MEAT HUNGER 27.
Riddles of Food and Culture Marvin Harris. sess significant domesticated sources of animal flesh, eggs, or milk, lack of success in the hunt may lead to quarrels, a split in the community, and the outbreak of warfare between neighboring ...
... animal foods contain all ten of the essential amino acids. But the problem is that the ratios in which they occur ... sources of protein? Not at all. Both quantitatively and qualitatively animal foods remain a better source of proteins ...
... animal foods, especially eggs, fish, and liver, are the best sources. Animal foods even contain enough vitamin C to satisfy daily recommended allowances. By eating copious amounts of animal flesh and bone marrow, the Eskimo maintained ...
Contents
13 | |
19 | |
47 | |
The Abominable Pig
| 67 |
Hippophagy
| 88 |
Holy Beef USA
| 109 |
Lactophiles and Lactophobes Milk Lovers and Milk Haters
| 130 |
Small Things
| 154 |
Dogs Cats Dingoes and Other Pets
| 175 |
People Eating
| 199 |
Better to Eat
| 235 |
References | 249 |
Bibliography | 258 |
Index | 275 |