Thefoodsselectedforconsumptionbyvariousethnicgroupsandtheiroutlookonfoodandeatingmannersarecloselyrelatedtoreligion.ItiswellknownthatMoslemsnevereatpork,andfollowersofIslamcannoteatotheranimalsaswellunlesstheanimalsareslaughteredbyaMoslem.TheninthmonthoftheIslamiccalendarisamonthoffasting,duringwhichMoslemsmaynoteatordrinkthewholedaylighthours.ForHindus,thecowissacredandtheeatingofbeefisforbidden.ManyHindusgofurtherandarevegetariansforreligiousreasons.

　　InChina,theinfluenceofTaoismhasledtothedeeply-rootedbeliefinfoodasawaytolonglife.Foodisthusdeemedtobemedicinal,andallfoodsareclassifiedaccordingtotheirmedicinalproperties.InJapan,becauseoftheinfluenceoftheBuddhistproscriptiononkilling,meatwasnotcommonlyeatenuntilthelateofthe19thcentury.

　　ComparedtoChinesefood,Westernfoodisablandmixtureofmeatandstarch.ThereisasayinginChinathatgoeslikethis:"PeopleinGuangdongarebraveenoughtoeatanythingwithfourlegsexcepttablesandanythingthatfliesexceptairplanes."Inotherwords,theyeatwildanimalsmanyofwhicharetabooforpeoplelivinginotherareas.AnAfricansaid,“IstillrememberthathowscaredIwasoforderingdog,ratorsomeotherunimaginabledelicacywhenIfirstcametoShenzhentwomonthsagofromSouthAfrica.”