Food is something that is a common factor among all cultures. It is something that brings people together. No matter what the background of a person is, they usually enjoy a nice meal. May it be Christmas, Easter, Diwali or Eid, most festivals in the world revolve around food.
In fact, there are so many different types of food and cuisines around the world that it might be difficult to choose what type of food you might like to eat. The cuisine on offer can tell you a great deal about a country.
Everyone on the planet has a different taste, so whether you’re trying to decide where to take a vacation or what to order at a restaurant, there are lots of options out there.
This blog will look at the different types of food around the world and their importance to a culture.
1. What is a Cuisine?
People tend to make a huge distinction between “cuisines” and “food”. If a country has a cuisine, it means that it has a distinctive style of cooking that is characteristic of its people. Cuisines are mostly influenced by the people and their history, religion, and location.
Cuisine is the way of preparing food, and cuisine is the specific set of cooking traditions and skills used in a certain country or region. The variety of cuisine and cooking styles is huge. Cuisine in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe varies widely.
In the Americas, there are cuisines from countries like Mexico and Brazil which are influenced by native people and foods of the area.
In Asia, there are a number of cuisines including Indian, Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese.
In Europe, there is a rich variety of cuisines from different European countries. Some of the cuisines in Europe include Italian, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
2. What Are Some Different Types of Food and Cuisines
The type of food and cuisine that is served in a particular region of the world depends upon the climate of the region, the availability of food items, the culture, and more. It would be very difficult to highlight the most well known cuisines of the world. However, there are some of the most well known cuisines from around the world:
Italian cuisine – Italian cuisine is popular in the West and its popularity is well deserved. The various popular Italian dishes include spaghetti, lasagna, pizza and calzone.
Indian cuisine – The Indian cuisine is very popular in South East Asia and the West. Its popularity is well deserved. Widely known Indian dishes include curries, tandoori chicken, samosas and naan.
Thai cuisine – Thai cuisine is very popular in South East Asia and the West. Its popularity is well deserved. Widely known Thai dishes include Pad Thai, Tom kha gai and Tom yam goong.
3. What food should be eat?
According to the World Health Organization’s report, ” Diet, Nutrition, and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases “, the optimum diet should consist of variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain products and legumes, fish, foods rich in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, and low-fat dairy products.
4. Common Ingredients used in cooking around the World.
Every country and region might have a staple diet comprised of a grain or vegetable. For example, Rice is most common food across the world originating in Asia. Similarly, there are other food types that are consumed across the world but have originated in one region. See the list below:
- Wheat (Middle East)
- Maize (Central and South America)
- Beans (Mexico, Middle East)
- Taro (Polynesia)
- Yam (Africa)
- Potato (Europe)
- Cabbage (Europe)
- Apple (Europe)
- Avacado (Central and South America)
- Carrots (Europe)
- Garlic (Asia)
- Ginger (Asia)
- Melon (Africa)
- Onion (Europe)
- Peanut (Africa)
- Saffron (Asia)
- Soybean (Asia)
- Squash (America)
- Tomato (Europe)
- Yam (Polynesia).
5. What spices are used commonly in most food around the world?
The most common spices currently found in nature are: pepper, salt, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, turmeric, and black pepper. In addition, there are plants that are occasionally harvested for spices, also known as aromatic spices: Anise, Ashanti, Basil, Bay leaves, Caraway, Cardamon, Carrot seed, Chamomile, Chervil, Cinnamon, Dill, Fennel, Fenugreek, Garlic, Ginger, Horseradish, Lavender, Lemon balm, Mace, Marjoram, Mastic, Mint, Mustard, Mustard seed, Nutmeg, Oregano, Paprika, Parsley, Pepper, Poppy seeds, Rosemary, Sage, Saffron, Spearmint, Tarragon, Thyme, Wormwood.
Remember, the best way to learn cuisines and food is by immersing in that culture.
Conclusion: Food is universal and is also a great way to break language barriers
