Characteristics of different ethnic and traditional bread from the perspective of Islamic traditional medicine

• Published in: Journal of Ethnic Foods Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Emami, Seyed Ahmad, Sobhani, Zahra
• Format: Journal Article Book Review
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam BioMed Central 2020; BMC; 한국식품연구원
• Subjects: Bakeries; Baking; Barley; Bread; Cultural heritage; Diet; Dietary behavior; Disease; Ethnic groups; Flour; Gastrointestinal; Islam; Milk; Minority & ethnic groups; Muslims; Nutrition; Recipes; Seeds; Side effects; Temperament; Traditional bread; Traditional medicine; Wheat; Yeast; 식품과학; Iran; Caspian Sea
• ISSN: 2352-6181; 2352-6181; 2352-619X
• DOI: 10.1186/s42779-020-00051-7

Abstract Background Bread is one of the staple foods throughout the world due to its great nutritional attributes. There are numerous types of bread in different countries that some of them are specific to a particular region or ethnic group. Bread is one of the main sources of the daily dietary pattern of Iranian society and Muslims and it satisfies a large part of daily energy needs. Therefore, it has long been considered by Islamic traditional practitioners. In Islamic traditional medicine (ITM), the first step in treatment is the modification of the diet based on a person’s temperament and humors. For this reason, special attention has been paid to bread as a staple food. Scope and approach This review described the ethnic bread of Iran and the views of some prominent ITM scientists such as Ibn Beytâr, Ibn Sinâ, Râzi, and Aqili on bread. They described the characteristics of the different types of bread based on the flour used, the amount of bran, and the method of baking with details. Furthermore, they prescribe a specific bread according to the nutritional value of each bread, the speed of digestion, and the temperament of the individual. Key findings and conclusions Following the recommendations of traditional medicine can improve the bakery industry as well as reduce the side effects of some bread and their related diseases.