Sikhs are forbidden from consuming alcohol or tobacco. There is no prohibition on tea and coffee.
Some Sikhs are vegetarian. The religion allows individual choice about meat consumption. However, it is forbidden to eat meat from animals slaughtered according to religious guidelines, and therefore Sikhs do not eat halal or kosher meat. Sikhs do not consume alcohol.
Sikhs are thus not allowed to eat any food prepared through a ritualistic process. Sikhs are not meant to eat Kosher (Jewish food prepared by a special ritual/process), or Halaal (Muslim meat prepared with a special ritual). Sikhs are also not supposed to drink alcohol or consume any other intoxicants.
Chabeel-The drink of kindness by the Sikh community.
The food and drink
The religious and spiritual Sikhs are strictly lacto-vegetarians. The milk and milk products, vegetables, and beans are extensively used. Wheat is a staple food. Rice is also a part of the diet.
Sikh's refrain from eating any meat products including eggs and fish. Here is a list of ingredients that could be non-vegetarian, therefore non-offerable to Guru Ji (in a Gurdwara) or the Sangat. In general, devotees only offer lacto-vegetarian items (no meat, fish, or eggs).
"Amritdhari" Sikhs (i.e. those that follow the Sikh Rehat Maryada - the Official Sikh Code of Conduct) can eat meat (provided it is not Kutha meat). "Amritdharis" that belong to some Sikh sects (e.g. Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Damdami Taksal, Namdhari) are vehemently against the consumption of meat and eggs.
Hinduism flows from the Veda and Vedanta philosophy. Hindus are allowed to use a condom for contraceptive purposes as well as for protection against transmission of HIV/AIDS. Also Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism have made theirs this principle.
Roti or Phulka are among traditional Sikh foods. These are flatbreads made with wholemeal flour.
Sikhs who are not vegetarian may choose to abstain from eating pork or beef. However, all Sikhs are prohibited from eating any meat that has been ritually slaughtered including halal or kosher meats4.
The Sikh religion forbids cutting or shaving any bodily hair. Orthodox Sikhs always carry a dagger with them, lest someone try to force them to do something against their religion.
This includes regular maintenance of hair which includes but is not limited to combing at least twice daily, washing regularly and not allowing for public touching.
The Three Golden Rules which Sikhs follow are to remember God constantly, to earn an honest livelihood, and to share their earnings with everyone through charity. Sikhs show commitment to their faith by adopting a way of life which requires them to wear the Five K's.
Drinking alcohol is often associated with the Punjabi culture, but is prohibited in Sikhism. Baptised Sikhs are forbidden from drinking but some non-baptised Sikhs do consume alcohol. Whilst the vast majority of those who do drink have no problem, a small number of Punjabi Sikh women are affected.
“Religious symbols and Gurbani verses ought to be respected, not flaunted in such disrespectful manner. We appeal to the masses to refrain from engraving the Sikh religious symbols on their body,” said SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami.
In Sikhism, Karah Parshad (Punjabi: ਕੜਾਹ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦ (Gurmukhi)), alternatively known as Deg or Degh (literally meaning "cooking pot"), is a type of whole wheat flour halva made with equal portions of whole-wheat flour, clarified butter, and sugar and double quantity of water.
Many Sikhs are also vegetarians. Many Sikhs will not eat Halal or Kosher meat as they believe they are not killed humanly. Devout Sikhs do not drink alcohol.
Yes, a Sikh can marry a non-Sikh, but it depends on whether the non-Sikh is willing to believe in Guru Sahib. Sikhs believe that when people marry, their souls become one. Guru then blesses the union after the couple submits to him in reverence. If the non-Sikh can't submit to Guru, their souls can't unite.
There is no concept or Maryada (code) of divorce in the Sikh religion. Civil divorce is considered a very grave matter. When the marriage takes place the husband and wife agree in the presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji to stay with each other and love and honor each other for life.
Sikhism and birth control
Sikhs have no objection to birth control. Whether or not Sikhs use contraception, and the form of contraception used, is a matter for the couple concerned.
Tobacco use is strictly prohibited in Sikhism and is considered a taboo in this religion, which leads users to deny and conceal their tobacco use status; in such cases, any intervention for cessation should harp on the tenets of Sikhism to reinforce an effort.
Most importantly, Sikhism does not even bar menstruating women from entering gurdwaras.
Many Indian sweets are made of milk, sugar, gram flour and ghee. Some of the popular ones are- RASGULLA, GULAB JAMAN, BARFI, LADDOO, JALLEBI, HALWA, GAJERELLA, DOODH BARE, etc.
Generally Sikhs do not eat beef because Sikhism originated in Punjab and most Sikhs came from agrarian background so they valued cows and buffaloes. Most Sikh converts came from Hindu families so they had no tradition of eating beef. Cow slaughter was banned in Sikh empire of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Langar is the free meal service provided in Sikh Gurudwaras to all visitors. The philosophy behind langar is that everyone without any distinction of cast, creed religion will be able to partake this food and that is the reason the food served here is usually vegetarian and without onion and garlic.