Notions of Nutrition and the Properties of Food in the Middle Ages

In western societies, notions about the properties of food and drink are deeply connected to beliefs and values about what we need and what we want, about control and self-control, about abstinence and pleasure, and about health and disease. Over the centuries, certain foods have been used for medicinal purposes, whil e others can cause illness or even death.¹ In this descriptive essay, I will examine some theoretical notions about nutrition, the properties of food and its safety, and the interconnectedness of diet, health and illness, over-consumption, and deprivation. Religious belief is an important factor in any consideration of the