IJBPAS, October, 2015, 4(10): 6068-6081 ISSN: 2277–4998 ANTHROPOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE SEASONS ON CONSUMING THE FOODS (CASE STUDY: OLD TEHRAN) MOHAMMAD HOMAYOUN SEPEHR AND *ZAHRA SHARIF Islamic Azad University, Tehran Markaz Unit, Tehran, Iran *Author for Correspondence E-mail: [email protected]; Tel No.: +989127186048 ABSTRACT Nutrition has been among human's initial needs and today, the food in each region is accounted as one of the important element in recognizing the cultural features of various societies. Indeed, seasons have had direct influences on the nutrition of Tehran people in a way, so that the people were using particular drinks and foods of this season in summer and in winter, they were also feeding by the appropriate foods of the season. In spring and fall, they were also consuming the products of these seasons to provide and cook their foods which have had fitness with the climate conditions and also economic conditions of their families. In this regard, the paper is of qualitative type descriptively which is carried out as field study and its aim is to recognize and analyze the role of feed in old Tehran and its relation with the seasons. Keywords: old Tehran, nutrition, seasons, temperament INTRODUCTION Nutrition has been among the human's existing between the feed and the initial needs and today, the food in each geographical environment is of high region is accounted as one of the important importance, because traditionally, a wide elements in recognizing the cultural part of the feed is derived from the features of various societies. Food has ecosystem and the sources the environment found various and numerous dimensions in offers to human in different seasons of the the framework of culture and it is able to be year. The nutrition sources of the studied and investigated in various environment are also varying affected by directions. In this meantime, the relation the seasons and weather conditions. As a 6068 IJBPAS, October, 2015, 4(10) Zahra Sharif et al Research Article result, they cause variety in nutrition liquid consumed in the body for culture of each region. In different regions, maintaining the skeleton, development and according to the weather, the soil, cellular reproduction, adjusting the vital vegetation and the available tools and interactions and generating heat and energy techniques use a form of the feeds and after eating and digesting and being nutrition and accordingly, the nutrition absorbed by the bowels". [1] On this basis, pattern and structure are formed according "nutrition is a set of interactions causing the to the knowledge of their traditional live member and its cells receive the medicine. nutrients and get them to be consumed by The seasons have had direct influences on development and rehabilitation and the nutrition of old Tehran people, so that maintain the members and provide the the people were consuming particular required and sufficient heat and energy to drinks and foods of the season in summer perform the vital actions and other and in winter. In winter, they were also associated activities. In other words, feeding by the appropriate foods of the nutrition consists of the relation between season. In spring and fall, they were also the food and the method of being consumed consuming the products of these seasons to by the body in order to provide the superior provide and cook their foods which have level of health for itself." (Same reference) had fitness with the climate conditions and Cooking: "Cooking" is the technique to also economic conditions of their families. prepare, foster and cook the raw and natural According to cultural variations and the life nutrients in different styles in order to be style of people, it is attempted in the eaten. The art of cooking was also called present paper to investigate on the relation science and industry in the ancient texts. between the feed culture of old Tehran The first part of the word "Ashpazi (Persian people and change in seasons and the translation for "cooking")" is adopted from climatic conditions. the word "as" in Sanskrit language and the DEFINITION OF NUTRITION root of the word "ad" means eating which The feed is placed beside the clothes and has cohesion to the Latin word "edo" and housings as one of the most initial and the words which are common among other fundamental necessities of human life. The Indo-European races like German "essen" human's need to food forms his attempt to and English "to eat" [2]. solve it. The human requires food to grow. The word "potage" which is in "prataraca" "The food is referred to a solid material or a form in Sanskrit language means breakfast 6069 IJBPAS, October, 2015, 4(10) Zahra Sharif et al Research Article and the word "sayamaca" means prepared conditions, traditions, climatic conditions dinner [3]. In Persian culture and literature, and his/her habits. In the ancient medicine, the word "potage" is given as both general the issue of nature and temperament of and special meanings. In general meaning, food has been considered greatly. Any it is referred to any type of food person living in this world has not more "components of pottage in the morning and than three states; he/she has hot temper, in the night… two times a month" [4]. cold temper or moderate temper. This The Persian word "Ash" in the combinatory matter may be experienced and being components of the words "Ashpaz understood by anyone. As any person has (cooker)", "Ashpazkhaneh (kitchen)", his/her own particular temperament, any "Ashpazi (cooking)", "Ashkhaneh (house nutrition has also a particular nature [5]. of cooking)" means Khoresh (feed), i.e. any Each one of these four elements has a type of food and feed. The feed meaning particular nature. For instance, the things in any type of food has had many applications which the fire source is higher, is called hot since ancient times (Bolookbashi, 2013) and dry because the nature of fire is hot and (Same reference) The word "Khoresh finally gets dry. So, anything in which this (feed)" also means particular food which is element is higher has such state. Things cooked using meat with a variety of having more watery source are called cold vegetables, squash, eggplant, cabbage, and wet. Things having more earthen celery and etc. and some fruits like plum, source are called cold and dry. All four apple, tomato, walnut, okra and otherwise. elements contradict to each other, i.e. they And they are called in different names like are incompatible to each other. "hash" or "mince food", "Ghormeh sabzi food", "plum-spinach food", "Fesenjan TEMPERAMENT OF SEASONS food" and etc. The Fesenjan and mince Temperament of spring: the temperament food which their cooking and eating have of this season is moderate. Temperament of been common in the winter and summer spring is moderate in terms of the intensity were also called "wedding food on the of wetness and dryness and for this reason table". it is in moderation in terms of heat and Recognizing self-nature and consuming cold. appropriate foods Spring season Every person's nature and temperament Spring has hot and wet temperament. This depends on the nutrition type, weather season promises renewed life. In this 6070 IJBPAS, October, 2015, 4(10) Zahra Sharif et al Research Article season, the rate of mucus production or sour drinks, vegetables and new fruits becomes less in the body because of like watermelon, cucumber, succor, warming of the weather. Also in this season cotoneaster, limeade, barberry syrup and of year, some soft comestibles should be other useful comestibles available in each consumed which are digested early and geographical region. It is better not to causes fining of blood and producing new consume very fatty, long-digestive and blood in the body in order to prevent the remained foods and instead consume light diseases and chronic disorders, some foods which are digested easily. comestibles such as: vegetables and new Temperament of fall and particular foods of this season and soft The fall season is moderate in terms of meats which have easy digestion like fishes coldness and hotness, but non-moderate in and birds. terms of wetness and dryness. Temperament of summer: the temperament Temperament of fall is cold and dry. of this season is both hot and dry. The (Spiritual, psychological and depression reasons for dryness of summer are: illnesses rise). 1- Intensification of heat which Fall season: fall season has cold and dry annihilates the humidity (wetness). temperament. In this season, the air 2- Air expansion which meantime, the temperature reduces and the air becomes components of air essence are taken cold and the level of air dryness increases apart. too. In this season, soda overcomes other 3- Lack of rain and dew in summer. phlegm and the level of blood heat and Summer season overcoming bile reduces and the level of Summer has hot and dry temperament. In soda increases. It is why most of people this season, the air wetness becomes less have disturbed and bad dreams in their and the air dryness increases. Therefore, sleeps or they are affected by intellectual somewhat the rate of blood mucus reduces and neural problems. The foods which are and the rate of body bile increases. In this consumed must be sweet and fast-burning. season, hot diseases like: bile overcome, Eating fall fruits and citrus is also very food poisoning, diarrhea, acnes and dark well, because it causes fining the blood and smears of skin increase. In order to prevent producing new and healthy blood in the or rectify problems mentioned above, some body.