Bread may be served in different forms at any meal of the day, eaten as a snack and is even used as an ingredient in other culinary preparations. As a basic food worldwide, bread has come to take on significance beyond mere nutrition, evolving into a fixture in religious rituals, secular cultural life and language..
What can bread symbolize?
Bread is also a gift from God: when Moses fed his people in the desert with food which fell from heaven, and during the last supper, when bread became the body of Christ. When Jesus multiplied the bread to feed the crowd, bread became a sign of sharing. It also symbolised the Word of God which nourished the crowds..
What cultures eat bread?
According to World of Statistics, the 10 countries that are at the top of bread consumption per capita per year are Turkey (199.6 kg), Serbia (135 kg), Bulgaria (131.1 kg), Ukraine (88 kg ), Cyprus (74 kg), Argentina (72 kg), Portugal (70 kg), Poland (70 kg), Denmark (70 kg) and Greece (70 kg)..
What cultures love bread?
Bread is the staple food of the Middle East, Central Asia, North Africa, Europe, and in European-derived cultures such as those in the Americas, Australia, and Southern Africa. This is in contrast to parts of South and East Asia, where rice or noodles are the staple..
What does bread symbolize in their culture?
A simple and modest food, bread was a dietary staple, known for a long time in the Middle East. Bread has accompanied mankind since the dawn of time; it is a symbol of life at all latitudes, in all centuries, and in all languages. In Hebrew, 'to eat his bread' meant 'to partake of a meal'..
What does the bread symbolize?
Bread is also a gift from God: when Moses fed his people in the desert with food which fell from heaven, and during the last supper, when bread became the body of Christ. When Jesus multiplied the bread to feed the crowd, bread became a sign of sharing. It also symbolised the Word of God which nourished the crowds..
What is the importance of bread?
Bread, especially wholemeal, is an important source of dietary fibre which helps to keep our digestive system healthy, helps control blood sugar and cholesterol levels and makes us feel fuller for longer..
Bread was so important to Egyptians a long, long time ago that it was used a currency, or money Kansas wheat farmers provided enough wheat to make bread in 1997 to give everyone on earth six loaves of bread – that's 36.5 billion loaves of bread Bread is a universal sign of peace in many cultures.
Bread, especially wholemeal, is an important source of dietary fibre which helps to keep our digestive system healthy, helps control blood sugar and cholesterol levels and makes us feel fuller for longer.
Different cultures have different breads like ciabatta, roti, challah, baguette, tortillas, naan, injera, pita, steamed buns, and buttermilk biscuits — just to name a few Enjoying foods from other cultures is a delicious way to help your child learn about different people and cultures.
Bread has been part of human history for centuries. It plays an integral role in our daily life and is a symbol of culture, history, hunger, wealth, war, and peace. It is indispensable and has been key in human survival. Bread created the structure of modern day society and gave order to our way of living.
Across the world
Sangak, barbari, taftoon, and lavash are the most popular breads in Iran. Iranian breads are prepared in different composition, shape, size
Religious significance
Bread has symbolic roles in the Abrahamic religions of Judaism and Christianity
Anti-bread movements
Some have rejected bread entirely or rejected types of bread that they consider unhealthy
In medicine
The ancient Egyptians used moldy bread to treat infections that arose from dirt in burn wounds. In the early 20th century
See also
• Baking § Cultural and religious significance• History of bread• Spanish bread
What is the history of bread?
The history of bread dates back over 30,000 years, evolving from simple flatbreads to a diverse array of bread types and flavors found in cuisines around the world today
Why is bread important in Mesopotamia?
Dr Kaori O’Connor (UCL Anthropology) explains that throughout history, bread has been a symbol of civilisation and divine favour, and describes its significance in Mesopotamia
Listen: BBC World Service’s ‘Business Daily’ (from 1 min 12 secs)
Why is bread important?
Bread has been part of human history for centuries
It plays an integral role in our daily life and is a symbol of culture, history, hunger, wealth, war, and peace
It is indispensable and has been key in human survival
Bread created the structure of modern day society and gave order to our way of living
Bread has been part of human history for centuries. It plays an integral role in our daily life and is a symbol of culture, history, hunger, wealth, war, and peace. It is indispensable and has been key in human survival. Bread created the structure of modern day society and gave order to our way of living.Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made foods, having been of significance since the dawn of agriculture, and plays an essential role in both religious rituals and secular culture.It's hard to overstate its historical and cultural importance. For most of human history, it was synonymous with life. Bread represented home, nourishment, and safety, and the specific type of bread you grew up with was emblematic of where you came from.
Cultural significance of bread
Painting by Salvador Dalí
Basket of Bread (1945) or Basket of Bread-Rather Death Than Shame is a painting by Spanish Surrealist Salvador Dalí. The painting depicts a heel of a loaf bread in a basket, sitting near the edge of a table. Dalí's use of bread in his paintings is said to contain messages about the political context at the time of the painting, his progression as an artist, and his societal beliefs.
Bread was central to the formation of early human societies
Summary of the development of the popular staple food
Bread was central to the formation of early human societies. From the Fertile Crescent, where wheat was domesticated, cultivation spread north and west, to Europe and North Africa, and east towards East Asia. This in turn led to the formation of towns, as opposed to the nomadic lifestyle and gave rise to more and more sophisticated forms of societal organization. Similar developments occurred in the Americas with maize and in Asia with rice.
UNESCO established its Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage with the aim of ensuring better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of their significance. Elements inscribed in the lists are deemed as significant bastions of humanity's intangible heritage, the highest honour for intangible heritage in the world stage.
Type of sourdough bread from New Zealand
Parāoa rēwena is a type of sourdough bread from New Zealand. The bread is leavened with a fermented potato starter that is commonly known as a bug. It originated amongst the Māori people and is closely associated with Māori cuisine. The bread is also known as Rēwena bread or Māori bread.
Unleavened bread is any of a wide variety of breads
Wide variety of breads which are not prepared with raising agents such as yeast
Unleavened bread is any of a wide variety of breads which are prepared without using rising agents such as yeast. Unleavened breads are generally flat breads; however, not all flat breads are unleavened. Unleavened breads, such as the tortilla and roti, are staple foods in Central America and South Asia, respectively. Unleavened sacramental bread plays a major part in Christian liturgy and Eucharistic theology.
