The article analyses the traditional dietary knowledge expressed in the following categories: "hot/cold"; "strong/ weak" and "reimoso" (watery) which define food quality and properties and its effects on the body. The discussion originates from Brazilian anthropological and qualitative studies published from 1975 to 2005. Old studies are more abundant than current ones and, in spite of this limitation, the article contributes to discuss conceptual approaches utilized by authors and demonstrates that traditional dietary knowledge survives with the scientific knowledge on nutrition. Therefore, it is important not to reject them in nutritional interventions.
feeding; folk diet; food´s properties; food quality