Folk beliefs of food avoidance and prescription among menstruating and pregnant Karbi women of Kamrup district, Assam

Abstract

Background: This paper discusses the social dimension of gastronomy, such as folk beliefs regarding avoidance and prescriptions during the stages of menstruation and pregnancy. Cooking and eating are imbued with special meanings, but how they are related to an individual’s multiple identities, such as menstruating and pregnant women, and how these idioms and ideologies affect food choice negotiated through folk beliefs are discussed. Do food prescriptions contribute to nutrition? Looking for these answers, the present study was undertaken in two blocks densely populated by Karbi tribe in Kamrup district of Assam, India. The objective of the study was to understand the values of folk beliefs scientifically. Methods: The data was collected by conducting focus group discussion among adolescent girls and pregnant women. Results: It can be concluded that the foods which are included during menstruation and pregnancy were nutrient rich and foods avoided during that period was somewhat scientific.