Eating kosher is a Jewish religious requirement and it states the types and kinds of foods and dishes that can be eaten and how they should be cooked and stored. Kosher foods are known for having wondrous benefits for one’s health and can even prevent various metabolic diseases such as diabetes or high cholesterol.
In the Jewish food laws, animals are slaughtered in a very humane and kind way so practicing kosher is also a way of showing kindness to animals. Here are a few ways you can improve your health with kosher food.
1. Diligent Monitoring Of Meats & Vegetables
Kosher food is grown, stored, and prepared in very specific circumstances in which cleanliness and hygiene play a huge role. Kosher meat is painstakingly checked for lesions, worms, maggots, toxins, insects, or any other element of poor cleanliness at any stage of food processing.
There is less of a commercial element to the kosher food preparation processes as all the items whether they are meat, dairy or vegetables need to be in excellent condition in order to be consumed. Damaged parts of any food item are not recycled or hidden in a broth in kosher food preparation.
2. No Pork Or Shellfish
Kosher prohibits the consumption of pork and food items either containing or cooked with pork and the same applies to shellfish. Consumption of pork on a regular basis can lead to heart diseases, increased risk of stroke, and high cholesterol so abstaining from pork can be beneficial for one’s health profile.
Shellfish allergic reactions are among the most common allergies in the proportion of people who suffer from certain food intolerances. Therefore, not consuming shellfish can prevent potentially fatal allergic reactions.
3. Less Mixing Of Different Food Items
While eating kosher, meat, dairy, and vegetarian options are typically separated so a variety of stomach problems can be prevented and an overall healthier lifestyle created. Dairy and meat options are not consumed together and mostly tasty vegetarian food items are preferred.
In order to maintain kosher, practicing people may avoid eating unhealthy fast food or junk food at restaurants. High cholesterol and heart problems are effectively avoided as there is little room for eating high-fat foods such as pizza or pasta.
4. Purity & Labelling
All kosher food items are known and trusted for their purity and good quality as that is a prerequisite of an item being classified as kosher. Not only are practicing people prevented from developing metabolic diseases but there are fewer chances of food poisoning or gastrointestinal upset. In Rosh Hashanah Gift baskets for example there will be separate kosher items available such as cheese, fruits, dates, honey, cake, and so forth.
Kosher food items are labeled as such and details regarding the source and preparation of that item are often shared on the packaging. Kosher foods can be purchased even if one is traveling as supermarkets carry them with labels on the package to affirm their status. Equipment that is used for the processing of pork or dairy items will never be used to process the meat items unless ‘kosherization’ has taken place.