Sacred foods and dietary laws of religions

Christianity
            According to the bible: “God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that has the breath of life; I have given every green plant for food’” (The Holy Bible Genesis 1.29). Thus, most Christians are omnivores, eating both plants and animals, without many dietary laws that forbid them from certain types of food. Christianity has two main branches, Catholic and Orthodox, and the respective churches follow their own restrictions when it comes to dietary practices. For example, some Christians don’t drink alcohol, while other churches such as the Seventh Day Adventists forbid eating pork and dairy products (“Food Culture and Religion.” Better Health Channel).
All Christians however, participate in the Holy Eucharist or communion. Bread and wine are seen as sacred food and drinks as they represent the body and blood of Christ Jesus. Bread is seen as a symbol for life, as Jesus himself had said, “I am the bread of life” (The Holy Bible John 6 35). Wine represents the blood that had to be shed by Christ as atonement for the sins of his followers. These symbols can be seen in Christ’s last supper with his disciples, where he “took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And like wise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (The Holy Bible Luke 44, 19-20).
Islam
Food that Muslims are allowed to eat is termed halal while forbidden food is called haram. Haram food includes the meat of any carnivorous animals and anything that comes from the pig. Fruits, fish, grains and vegetables are all halal. Meat can be made halal if it undergoes a certain ritual wherein the animal is killed in a certain way so as to remove all the blood. Muslims do not eat pork because it is considered unclean, in the same way, blood is also considered unclean which is why it must be drained. Allah’s name is repeated as a sign of respect and to show that that the food is being taken with permission. The butchering of the animal is done quickly with a sharp knife, so the animal suffers as little pain as possible. Animals that are not killed in this manner are considered haram. The products that come from the animal are also haram, this includes the animal’s fat, which may be used in cooking other food, and the milk which is used for dairy products. Although there are clear distinctions between food that is permitted and disallowed, there isn’t really any particular food that is considered sacred in this religion. (Penney Islam 40-41). Alcohol is also forbidden in the Islam religion. Some Muslims even go the extent of avoidin...