Amish Diet Research Paper

The aspect of nutrition within the Amish culture is not vastly different from that of an average American. There are no foods that the Amish cut out of their diet due to religious purposes. The major difference between the diets of the Amish versus an average American diet is that the Amish grow everything and raise everything they put into their bodies. In the newer orders of the Amish, the New Order and the Beachy order, eating foods bought outside the farm is allowed. In fact, it is common for the families to hire a non-Amish driver to drive them into town to do the shopping. However, the Amish focus a lot of their diet on home grown vegetables from their family farms. Based on the community concept so important to the Amish, these family farms supply the community’s food, including the community freezer for meats. Slaughtering, smoking, and curing of their own meats are also common among the Amish. The Amish include frozen fruits, vegetables, and preserves in their diets. Alcohol is rarely …show more content…
The primary concept of this Anabaptist Mennonite group is based upon maintaining the community separate from the outside world. They value humility, calmness, and self-control; condemning pride and arrogance. Their religious services are conducted in the home without musical instruments. Their religious beliefs impact their health and well-being because they believe illness means being unable to function. The Amish look to God as their ultimate authority in every aspect of life, including healthcare. Their strict and word-for-word understanding of the Bible forbids them from using preventative and curative medical services such as birth control and immunizations. The Amish believe it to be their responsibility through the generations of women in communities, to pass along the lessons and values of good health (Wenger & Wenger,