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Hummus Elite
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Sunday - Thursday: 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM /
Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM /
Saturday: Closed / 201.569.5600
4
stars - based on 77
reviews
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Is
Kosher Food Better?
In recent years, consumption of kosher food by non-Jews
in the United States has risen. The reason is health
consciousness and a general perception among the American
public that kosher is healthier and is in some way "better"
than non-kosher food. This movement is helped by the
recent trends toward greener, cleaner eating among Americans.
Consumption of organic, whole foods that are preservative
free is also on the rise. However, kosher food is actually
more commonly purchased than food touting an organic
or preservative free label. Moreover, the majority of
the people who are purchasing and consuming kosher foods
are not doing so for religious reasons. According out
one recent study, as many as 80% of those who bought
kosher last year were not practicing Jews.
So, what is it that's drawing people to kosher foods?
Lack of Pests
The consumption of insects is prohibited under Jewish
law. Therefore, in order for a food to be deemed kosher,
it must be completely insect free. This is welcome news
to most consumers who, regardless of religious beliefs
would prefer not to consume bugs. It is important to
note though that some bacteria that may be associated
with insects in or on vegetables could remain after
the bug is removed. So while it is less likely that
a bug will land in one's lettuce if it is kosher, there
could still be issues with the food.
Lack of Bacteria in Meat
There is a general perception that it may be less likely
for E. coli or salmonella to be present in kosher beef
and chicken. However, there is a lack of research around
the subject, and it may not actually have any true ground
in science. Although kosher meat does go through a salting
process, which removes the blood of the animal from
the meat, there is little evidence to support the idea
that E. coli or salmonella could not survive in either.
However there is a bit of good news, here. It is true
that kosher beef is less likely to be plagued by mad
cow disease, which is caused by irregularly shaped proteins.
The animals used for kosher meat are butchered at a
younger age and therefore do not reach the age at which
cows become vulnerable to mad cow disease.
Labeling
Kosher law prohibits the simultaneous consumption of
dairy and meat. Because of this, any dairy or meat product
that is labeled kosher is guaranteed not to contain
the other. For vegetarians who do not want to consume
meat products, or for those with severe dairy allergies,
the strict standards with which kosher foods are labelled
can be of great help.
The term "pareve" on food means that the food
is kosher certified to not contain any dairy or meat.
In fact, pareve foods cannot even be processed in a
facility that also processes meat or dairy products.
For those who need to avoid either for health or dietary
reasons, the pareve label can be of great assistance.
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