Christianity and Lent Catholics generally don't eat meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, or any Friday during Lent, but they do eat fish. Some Christians give up something they enjoy, like chocolate, potato chips or coffee for the 40 days.
The religious order of the Carmelite friars banned chocolate as an immoral luxury that was incompatible with a life of holy poverty. On the other hand, a letter sent in 1683 reveals that Franciscan friars drank chocolate even on fast days! The argument got so hot that in 1666 Pope Alexander VII had to step in.
The only dietary restrictions specified for Christians in the New Testament are to "abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meat of strangled animals" (Acts 15:29), teachings that the early Church Fathers, such as Clement of Alexandria and Origen, preached for believers to follow.
Fortunately, consuming chocolate was deemed to not be a mortal sin nor break the ecclesiastical fast. Today when one thinks of fasting, one does not consider that chocolate was ever part of the discussion. Although chocolate and the Catholic Church used to be in conflict, they are now in a harmonious relationship.
Chocolate was not deemed sinful in Mesoamerica, it was in a pre-Lent, Catholic context.
Because chocolate is a plant-derived food item or ingredient, it is generally considered halal.
Contrary to popular belief, Catholics can consume chocolate normally. However, Catholics do not eat chocolate during the month of lent. Chocolate is among the foods that Catholics avoid during the month of Lent in order to unite themselves more closely to Jesus in the desert.
A recent study found that 28 brands of dark chocolate contained high concentrations of cadmium and lead — heavy metals that can cause brain and nervous system damage and cancer if consumed in high levels.
Within Christianity in Western Europe, the egg has maintained its original meaning of rebirth in the form of resurrection. But it has also gained the extra symbolism of the stone rolled from Christ's sepulchre.
But, the Conference of Catholic Bishops says moral theologians teach that Catholics should abstain from any animal-derived product. However, foods such as gelatin, butter, cheese and eggs, which do not have any meat taste, are an exception.
Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession. Do not eat any detestable thing. the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep.
Also, on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all Fridays during Lent, adult Catholics over the age of 14 abstain from eating meat. During these days, it is not acceptable to eat lamb, chicken, beef, pork, ham, deer and most other meats. However, eggs, milk, fish, grains, and fruits and vegetables are all allowed.
The Chocolate Industry in China
Chinese people are not used to eating chocolate and desserts, as Chinese culture was never about the sweets. Chinese food usually consists of 5 tastes; salty, spicy, sweet, sour and bitter.
Also, chocolate is high in sugar and saturated fat. It is a high-energy (high calorie) food, and too much can result in excess weight, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Founding Cadbury
As Quakers are historically and typically pacifist, a military career was also out of the question. So, like many other Quakers of the time, he turned his energies toward business. After being apprenticed to a tea dealer in Leeds in 1818, he opened a grocer's shop at 93 Bull Street, Birmingham in 1824.
Women prefer to eat chocolate more than men. While preference among women stands at 91%, for men it is 87%.
Even though there are certainly countries across the globe that consume more total chocolate than Switzerland, Switzerland consumes the most chocolate per person.
In 1735 Linnaeus designated this tree Theobroma cacao, a scientific name that handily links two ancient cultures a world apart. Theobroma, the genus name, is from the Greek and translates to “food of the gods,” a designation that chocolate-lovers would agree is befitting.
White chocolate is the worst – it has more calories than milk chocolate and more sugar than dark. Read more: Why does chocolate make us happy?
In one case that lasted eight years, Lindt and Austrian rival Hauswirth fought over their chocolate bunnies (and whether chocolate bunnies could even be trademarked). The court ruled in favor of Lindt and ordered the latter to stop making its product.
Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa, 48% lead, 116% cadmium. Scharffen Berger Extra Dark Chocolate 82% Cocoa, 49% lead, 136% cadmium.
Some even went so far to call this exotic beverage “Satan's drink.” Inevitably, coffee made its way to the Vatican, where it was introduced to Pope Clement VIII. While many of his advisors clamored for the Pope to ban the controversial drink, he refused to do so before trying it himself.
Fasting before communion rules out all beverages besides water. When fasting at other times (e.g. Fridays in Lent) the Church does not explicitly forbid any kind of beverage so coffee or soda would be permissible. Obviously meal replacement drinks would fall under food rather than beverages.
On Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all Fridays of Lent: Everyone of age 14 and up must abstain from consuming meat. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday: Everyone of age 18 to 59 must fast, unless exempt due to usually a medical reason.