Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
Overview
 Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and
home to Islam's two holiest cities in Makka and
Medina.
 Saudi Arabia occupies four-fifths of the Arabian
Peninsula.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
Geographic location
 It is bordered to the northwest by Jordan, to the
north by Iraq and Kuwait, to the west by the
Red sea and to the east Qatar, the United Arab
Emirates and Oman, and to the south by
Yemen.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
Overview of environment
 Saudi Arabia’s agricultural development over the
last three decades has been amazing.
 Large areas of desert have been turned into
agricultural fields – a major achievement in a
country that receives an average of about four
inches of rain a year, one of the lowest rates in
the world.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
 Today, Saudi Arabia exports wheat, dates,
dairy products, eggs, fish, poultry, fruits,
vegetables and flowers to markets around the
world.
 Dates, once a staple of the Saudi diet, are now
mainly grown for global humanitarian aid.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
Population
 It has an estimated population of 27.6 million,
including about 5.5 million resident foreigners.
 0-14 years: 38% (male 5,458,023/female
5,245,911)
 15-64 years: 59.5% (male 9,470,353/female
7,284,696)
 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 356,910/female
330,764) (2008 est.)
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
 Majority of Saudis
Traveling - Bedouin (Arab).
Most of Saudi are Arabian and some of them
colony came from Asia, Pakistan, Bangladesh,
Indonesians.
 Minorities in Saudis
Pilgrimage.
Around 100,000 westerns who generally live in
private companies campus.
Labors (mostly from Asia and Africa).
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
Main factors influence
food habits
 Inherited cultural values from the nomadic
Bedouin who prized honor, valor, loyalty, and
hospitality.
 The old Arabian control of the spice routes.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
 The food restrictions given from Islam.
 Availability of ingredients (reflection of
regional environments) that limit and lead to
specific choices.
 Today the main affected factor is
modernization and all its related dynamics.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
Other possible factors
 Personal experience with other culture
(traveling or originality)
 Accept and may consume different cultural
food
 Personal education also ease the person on
accepting different flavors.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
Therapeutic use why we belief in
these certain way
 The majority of Saudi are social type, living in
groups.
 Always trust and follow a leader
(grandparents, sheik, leader).
 Saudi in general trust science and fate in the
same time and when one part weight more, the
total habit is affected.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
Common disease and nutrition problem
Why these are more common?
 Overweight and
Obesity
 Diabetes
 Cardiovascular
disease
 Cancers
 Low level of physical
activity
 High consumption of
fat and calories
 Genetics
 Pollutions – infected
environment
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
Food items and dishes
why we eat these specific food??
 Saudi cuisine is rich in taste and appearance,
Saudi Arabia is a country of many cultures.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
Common Foods (from other countries)
“Kabli” rice from Kabul.
“Bukhary” rice, and “Manto” from Turkistan.
“Biryani” and “Sambousa” from India and Pakistan.
“Tabouleh”, “Fatoush” and “Kibbih” from Lebanon and
Syria.
“Mulokhiya”, “Mah’shi” and “Kufta” from Egypt.
“Shawerma” and “Shishberek” from Turkey.
“Mutabbag” and “Lahouh” from Yemen.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
 Thousands of interaction years with many
culture have influence Saudi cuisine. It create
wonderful marriage of flavor suggestive of
many nations but with individual Saudi taste.
 The effect of pilgrims.
 The history of Islam that start in Arabian holy
land and form special relation with other
countries.
 Location of Saudi between different countries.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
Meal Pattern
 In traditional Saudi setting, several plates are
placed on “sufra”, a circular mat used as a
tablecloth or a rectangular plastic cover placed on
the floor.
 Limit use of tools
 Why?
Originality habit
Large number of family members (men and women
separated)
Eating are strongly social activities.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
Getting modernized
 International restaurants.
Accept other culture taste
 Limit the cultural food and limit home prepared
meals.
Long work hours
↑ Women work
 Late lunch – longer work hours.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
Differences in each region within
Saudi Arabia
 The southern region special tools are used
(stoneware) to get slow and even cooking, also
good for keeping food hot on long trips. “Shafot” is
a popular dish made with “lahuh” and laban zabadi.
 The eastern region well-known for it’s very special
seafood dishes and their own spices. The Alahasaa
area have their own recipes, “Mashkhul” is a
popular Arabian Gulf rice dish made with meat,
chicken, or fish.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
 Riyad area boast “margoug” (pastry in vegetable
and meat sauce), “mathloutha” and “mufattah”
(whole lamb, roasted).
 The Western region of course is well-known for
the biggest variety of dishes in all Saudi Arabia
countries plus its unique flavor and taste that
people generate throughout the years. Some of the
Hijazi dishes are “Aish Abo-laham”, Maa’sub”
and Saleag”.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
 A dining experience begin with traditional
coffee or/and fruit juice.
Foremost of the requirements of hospitality in Arabia is
the preparation and serving of “Qahwah Arabiyah”,
Arab coffee, unsweetened but flavored with cardamom.
Fresh juice such as mango, or orange
Mix of apple juice and sparkling water garnish with
fresh mint and fruit pieces known as Saudi Champagne
is popular drink.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
 Rice is a dietary stable. A famous Kabsa rice with
lamb whole or large chunk.
 Rice is served plain, with vegetables, spice and
even with rose water.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
 Lamb, goat, and camel are traditionally cooked
either on rice or stuffed with wheat, rice,
herbs, nuts, and/or spices.
 “Kibba”, “sambousak”, and “stuffed grape”
leaves can be side dishes.
 In coastal area fresh seafood is a favorite.
Fried whole fish, “sayadia” (rice cooked with
fried rice and spices) served with “tahina”
(sesames seeds paste).
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
 “Jarish” is a popular dish and it is nourishing
blend of cracked whole wheat.
 No matter whether a meal is meat, fish, or
vegetables, bread, is always an addition.
 Meal traditionally end with a serving with
fresh fruit. Delicious “kenafa”, “beklawa”,
“gatayif” are common pastry base flavored
with sugar, honey and nuts.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
Nutrition intake
 Saudi’s diet rich of grains which is a good
source of energy. With its essential coating of
bran, fibers, vitamins and minerals, it is
excellent health – building food.
 High consumption of meat (red meat) and rice.
 Consumption of fruit and vegetable are vary
depends on several factors.
Dr. Dina Qahwaji
What do you think the future
habits of Saudi???
Dr. Dina Qahwaji