Armenian Food Culture

Classic aspects of Armenian food culture, developed for millennia, still remain today. Based on studies of written and verbal sources, as well as field investigation, we have obtained a substantial amount of substantiated information, allowing us to confidently design and illustrate the Armenian food pyramid. The Armenian food pyramid does not take into account the quantity and percentage of calories within the diet ratio, but rather the frequency of and proportion of the food servings, which we believe to be the most useful information. The purpose of drawing this pyramid is to demonstrate what is applied as a food and in what frequency, which helps us to better understand the connection between what we eat and who we are.

For a basic understanding of the Armenian diet, we consider the diet is primarily subdivided into two main types: plant-based and mammalian. Plant-based items are either collected from the wild or farm grown, while mammalian-based foods are obtained via hunting and cattle breeding.

The availability of food types is an important consideration for food system classification, as climatic conditions such as seasonal changes has an effect on the prevalence of certain foods. Knowing this fact, there are various classifications of foods, such as: valley, hilly and mountainous.

By identifying and classifying the types of food consumed by populations, we are able to develop what is known as a food pyramid. We do not concentrate on the content of the foodstuff basic caloric and it’s used, but our attention is given to the vitality of food, created during its gathering and preparation which, of course, is directly connected to one’s behavior and emotion.

The food supplies not only substances necessary for normal physiological functioning, but also provides us with energy. “Live fully through food in which life exists” is a proverb which is believed to be valid not only philosophically, but also from a scientific point of view (A.Mehrabian, “Influence of food on consciousness, behavior and character of the person” personal archive notebook #3, page 56). Today we know exactly how many calories, vitamins, fibers, fats, carbohydrates, etc. is necessary for a normally functioning body, but we must also understand these are not the only indicators which contribute to health. It is a proven fact – even if a person “perfectly” adheres properly to all the aforementioned dietetic items, it does not guarantee an organism to normally function and/or be healthy. Nowadays, most scientific research fails to consider life as FORCE that, when combined with certain kinds of a matter, may create LIFE. Unfortunately, the primary focus has been only on seeing life as the matter, rather than a spiritual force.

For classification of Armenian food diet system, we consider the basic types of a foodstuff that can be subdivided into two main types: vegetative and mammal. At the base of vegetarian foodstuff, we have wild collection and agriculture and as a base mammal food, we have hunting and cattle breeding. As reception of food important for food system classification, as climatic conditions important for seasonal prevalence for food consumption. In this connection, there is a definition of food application, such as: valley, hilly and mountainous. By classification of the food supply system, we consider the basic types of an applied foodstuff at allocation of model or a food pyramid. We do not concentrate on the content of the foodstuff basic caloric and it’s used, but our attention addresses on something another, that have been accepted as conditionally minor factors which have been allocated from the general complex of a food pyramid. It’s a Vitality of food that made nutrition’s of food during its reception and preparation in connection with behavioral aspect of its application. The food supplies not only substances necessary for normal physiological functioning, but also feeds with energy. “Livefull only the food in which the life existed” proverb may be prove not only philosophically, but also from the scientific point of view (A.Megrabian, «Influence of food on consciousness, behavior and character of the person» personal archive notebook #3, page 56). Today we precisely know about how many calories, vitamins, fibers, fats, carbohydrates, etc. is necessary for the normal functioning of the body, but it is necessary to consider, that we forget that very powerful arguments contradicting to the food content acknowledgement. It has confirmed that if the person in the diet used all necessary elements for its body, it doesn’t mean that its organism functions normally or he is healthy. That has a point that during scientific researches we have ceased to consider a life as FORCE that combined with certain kinds of a matter may provide the LIFE. Unfortunately, in the center of our attention we had only the form of that exists as a product-matter. Characteristic lines of Armenian food culture that have developed for millennia remain up to nowadays. Based on study of written and verbal sources as well as field investigation, we have found expedient to design and illustrate character of Armenian food culture trough Armenian food pyramid. As a basis for Armenians food pyramid, we do not take quantity and percentage of calories of an applied foodstuff in the diet ratio, and take the frequency of using and proportion of the food serving, considering most useful food as desirable. The purpose of drawing this pyramid has evident to demonstrate what is applied as a food and in what frequency definitively, which meanwhile will make possible to understand the dialogue in between what we eat and who we are.