Mexico Food and Culture

The Geography

Facts:• Mexico consists of 31 independent states

• Population of 115 million people

• Borders US on the north, Guatemala and Belize on the south, Gulf of Mexico on the east and Pacific Ocean on the west.

• Sierra Madre Mountain range runs throughout length of country.

Who are they?• 30% indigenous• 60% mestizo• 10% european

Climate

Industry• Beverages –• Grupo Modelo • Coca Cola

Industry• Bakery products • Grupo Bimbo largest bakery group in world.

Bimbo is Big Business

Industry cont.

• Automobile manufacturing and parts for:General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, BMW, Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz

• Petroleum (Pemex)• Textiles and clothing• Electronics

Fiesta• Mexico is a mostly Roman Catholic country.

• Religious holidays : Christmas

El Dia del Reyes (3 Kings Day)Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupeand many more

More Fiestas

• El Grito de Septiembre 16 celebrates Mexico’s independence from Spain.

• Cinco de Mayo – Mexican victory over France in the Battle de Puebla

El Dia del Muerto• Day of the Dead• Honors ancestors

Celebrations

Piñata’s

Piñata origins• Originated in China, and made out of paper• Traveled to Italy, made out of clay• Traveled to Spain, made out of decorated clay

• Indigenous Aztecs had them all along! Clay pots held high on sticks were filled with offerings to the gods. When struck, the offerings fell to the ground at the feet of the gods.

Remake!• Early missionaries took this idea and constructed

the pinata as we know it.• 7 points represent 7 deadly sins• The treats inside represent• Earthly pleasures and wealth.

Traditional Foods Beans

Corn Chiles

Rice

• Rice was brought to Mexico by the Spanish in 1520. While not an indigenous food, it is eaten with most

meals.

Corn at every meal• Atole – a hot beverage made from corn flour

• Tortillas – made from masa harina

• Pozole – we know this as hominy

• Corn is soaked in lye for 24 hours. The skins are removed and then the corn is either cooked or ground.

Beans Beans BeansMany varieties of beans are grown and eaten.

When beans are eaten in combination with corn, they form a complete protein.

This combination allows people to consume nutritionally complete meals without eating very expensive meat.

Health and Nutrition Issues

Food Insecurity

Defined as “the lack of consistent access to adequate food which is limited by money and other

resources at times during the year”

10 percent suffer from inadequate food access, 25 and 35 percent of the populations of nine states. 10 percent of the populations of seven

Mexican states suffer from Serious Food Insecurity.

Obesity

• One in four children is overweight or obese, and that number increases to one in three for teenagers. Nationally, over 65 percent of the adult population is overweight or obese, with the problem being more prevalent in urban populations.

Malnutrition

• Insufficient energy intake

• Insufficient intake of nutrients including vitamins and minerals

• Has improved in recent years but is still a

problem in poorer southern states

INSP• Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica

• Comparable to the US Department of Health and Human Services

Come! • http://www.insp.mx/images/stories/INSP/Docs/cts/

cts_may%26jun.pdf

References:• http://www.insp.mx/cuidando-tu-salud.html?start=5

• http://www.insp.mx/images/stories/INSP/Docs/cts/cts_may%26jun.pdf• http://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/mexico/industry-sector-industries.html•  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Mexico•  • http://www.insp.mx/cuidando-tu-salud.html?start=10•  • http://www.insp.mx/images/stories/INSP/Docs/cts/cts_may%26jun.pdf•  • http://www.indexmundi.com/mexico/demographics_profile.html•  • http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Demographics_of_Mexico.html•  • http://demographicsofmexico.blogspot.com/•  • http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodmexican.html•  • http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/mexico-country-profile.html•  • http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/26/mexican-holiday-food-prepare-for-the-new-year_n_2365377.html•  • http://journals.lww.com/nutritiontodayonline/Fulltext/2010/11001/The_Mexican_Experience__From_Public_Health_Concern.6.aspx•  • http://www.chow.com/food-news/55433/know-your-legumes•  • http://www.scielo.org.mx/pdf/spm/v51s4/a20v51s4.pdf• Mexico Food Security and Nutrition in Mexico - GAIN Home

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