The term "pareve" means this non-dairy creamer contains
- you guessed it - no dairy; the 'U' in the circle says it was
certified by the Orthodox Union. (Photo: Wikipedia)
This is the second in a three-part series about kosher foods for non-Jewish consumers:
For a kashrus-observant Jew, kosher means different things than it might to a non-Jew. For non-Jews, the decision to buy kosher is usually motivated by a desire for quality. For Jewish consumers, keeping kosher means something else entirely. Star-K, another prominent kosher-certification organization, describes it this way:
"f you ask the average person what kosher means, the answers you will most likely hear are 'Kosher means a Rabbi blessed the food,' 'Kosher means the food is very clean and sanitary,' and 'Kosher is part of the ancient Jewish health code.' In fact, kosher is none of these. To sum up kosher in one sentence:'Kosher is a comprehensive dietary discipline designed to promote Jewish spirituality.' While almost everyone thinks that kosher has everything to do with the body – hot dogs, pickles, cleanliness, and health codes – in fact, what it is actually all about is the soul."
In other words, buying something labeled “kosher” doesn’t necessarily mean the product is any healthier, more nutritious, or more pure than the same non-kosher item. Nor does it mean the product is necessarily better: anyone who has drunk too much Mogan David or Manischewitz wine can attest to that.
For vegetarians and vegans, kosher certification isn’t necessarily a free-pass, either. Have you ever looked for the word “pareve” on a package and interpreted it to mean the product doesn’t contain dairy or meat products? If so, you’re only half right. Pareve products don’t contain meat or dairy, but according to kashrut, fish and eggs aren’t classified as either meat or dairy. Food can be made with eggs, for example, and still be considered pareve. For many vegetarians, that may not be such an issue; for a vegan, on the other hand, it presents a bit of a problem.
For non-Jews, then, does this mean searching out kosher foods is pointless? Not necessarily. Tomorrow, in the last installment, we’ll look at the ethics of kashrut.
Comments
I think the "myth" about cleaner and healthier comes from the way animals are killed and cleaned as well as the way they live and eat while they're being raised. Kosher chickens are less fatty making them healthier. Shellfish are considered to be scavengers eating everything and anything and therefore less healthy. Some may also consider the Kashering process to be a cleansing process. I'm not sure where it stands with regard to making the meat healthier.
Carolyn, I suspect you're right, although I'd disagree with you about leaner chickens being healthier. On Thursday, I'll be talking about kosher meats and the ethical issues that have arisen over the past year. Check in.
Everything I've read says leaner meats/poultry are better for you so I'm surprised you disagree with this. Can you tell me why?
Carolyn, that's a big topic to respond to. Later this week, I'll post a piece about animal fats/lean meats in response to your question and, hopefully, open the floor for discussion. Thanks for the questions.
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