How-to Eat Kosher and Maintain a Healthy Diet By David Braun
What is Kosher? Foods that are permitted to be eaten under Jewish dietary law (Kashrut) Includes restrictions pertaining to: types of animals that can be eaten the process by which they are slaughtered the separation of meat and milk
Kosher Dietary Laws Beef Poultry Fish Meat/ Dairy Fruits & Vegetables Kosher Ritually slaughtered beef, sheep, goats and deer with no flaws or diseases Chicken, turkey, quail, geese Salmon, tuna, carp, herring, cod Beef/poultry must be eaten separately from dairy (6-hour wait period) Fruits and vegetables are all Kosher as long as they are clean Forbidden Pork, camel, rabbit, rodents, reptiles, and any animal that died of natural causes Eagle, hawk, vulture Crab, lobster, octopus, clam, swordfish, sturgeon, shrimp Meat with dairy (e.g., cheeseburger, burger with milkshake, chicken cordon bleu, wiener schnitzel, etc.) None
Duke Dining Options Henry's Place - located at the Freeman Center for Jewish Life serves delicious home-cooked kosher meals. Dinner is all you can eat at a cost of $15.55 per meal. Hours of Operation: Mon - Thurs 5:00-8:00 pm Shabbat dinner is also served at Freeman Center on Friday nights. Kosher meat can be purchased at Trader Joe s in Chapel Hill.
Q & A with Kosher Duke Student: Do you find it difficult keeping Kosher at Duke? Yes. I do find it difficult. I basically eat like a pescatarian --- fruits, vegetables, tofu, and fish-- I eat a lot of carbohydrates because it s hard to eat enough protein on campus that isn t meat. The diet honestly provides pretty short-lived satiation so I try to eat a bunch of smaller meals throughout the day to keep my energy up. What do you do to maintain a healthy diet despite limited Kosher options here at Duke? I eat a lot of tofu for protein. There's also the option of buying raw chicken and turkey at Whole Foods, but that is twice as expensive and requires a lot more time and effort to prepare. What advice would you give to a new student looking to keep Kosher at Duke? Take more advantage of the Freeman Center! They have Kosher dinner every night and the food is probably some of the best on campus. Get your friends interested in coming with you, the atmosphere is great! The only downside is that its not in a central place on west campus.. you have to travel to central campus to get there.
Keys to a Healthy Kosher Diet Mix and match grains, beans, fruits and vegetables with either meat OR dairy foods for a balanced meal Take advantage of the pareve group, which offers the widest variety of food and is permitted at any time under the kosher laws. Limit European Jewish cuisine (heavy in fats and oils). Focus on fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and fish. Snack on fruits and nuts. They are the healthiest and easiest snacks to prepare; they contain many antioxidants, vitamins, and dietary fiber. Drink a protein supplement or eat eggs if you have difficulty finding kosher meat. Substitute tofu or fish when kosher meat is unavailable. Buy kosher meat to cook at home and store leftovers in fridge. Of course, EXERCISE!!
Eating Healthy on Passover No leavened bread, wheat, corn, rice Spread matzah with mashed avocado or fruitonly jam. Snack on fresh and dried fruits, vegetables, nuts and low-fat yogurt and cheese. Whole Foods designates a section of its cold food bar to Kosher for Passover cuisine.
Sources 1. Geier, L. Keeping Kosher in College. Jewish-Retailer.com. http://www.jewish-retailer.com/index.php? option=com_content&view=article&id=42:newsflash-4&catid=3:n ewsflash 2. Kaufman, M. Adapting Therapeutic Diets to Jewish Food Customs. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. November 1957: 676-681. 3. Kwiatoski, D. Keeping Kosher/Keeping Healthy. May 30, 2008. http://www.suite101.com/content/keeping-kosher-keeping-healthya55448 4. Jewish Life at Duke. http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/jewishlife