Diet & Nutrition

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Religion is an inextricable part of Ethiopian society and often dictates nutritional habits. For example, those who are Ethiopian Orthodox do not eat meat, eggs or diary products (any animal product with the exception of fish) on Wednesdays and Fridays. There are also a number of religious “fasts” which Ethiopian orthodox observe; the longest of which is the Easter fast or “Kudade Tsom” which lasts about 55 days.Ethiopian diet as whole is based on different types of berbere sauce with various meats, vegetarian (made with yellow peas, lentil, cabbage, green beans, etc.) sauces are all eaten with injera—a pancake like “bread” made of teff grain. “Teff has a very high calcium content, and contains high levels of phosphorous, iron, copper, aluminum, barium, and thiamine (Mengesha 1965). The principal use of teff grain for human food is the Ethiopian bread (injera). Injera is a major food staple, and provides approximately two-thirds of the diet in Ethiopia.” (Stewart and Getachew 1962). “While the reported high iron content of teff seed as been refuted, the lack of anemia in Ethiopia, is considered to be due to the available iron from injera. (Mamo and Parsons 1987)Muslims in Ethiopia observe Ramadan and as a whole, Muslims share the same diet as other Ethiopians.