The Myth of Cold or Hot Food and the Nutritional Reality

Abstract

The first part of this work presents Robert Hertz’s theory on the dualism given to all aspects of community life, as well as Lawrence Krader’s theory on secular and popular myths, which proposes that myths are not only classic or religious, foundational or political, instead communities maintain and are committed to common people’s myths. These theoretical perspectives were the basis for the analysis of hot and cold foods in Coatetelco, Morelos. Categories of hot and cold given to food products are the result of a dual, polar thought, which we also regard as popular myths and, therefore, as cultural and symbolic conceptions. Research on the nutritional values of the foods most commonly consumed by families in Coatetelco showed foods regarded as hot had—nutritionally speaking—higher percentages of protein and carbohydrates than those considered cold.