Ital
Also spelled: i-tal, ithal
Meaning
Natural, pure and unprocessed — used above all for the Rastafari way of eating: food prepared without salt, chemicals or preservatives, and typically vegetarian or vegan. By extension it describes any way of living that is clean and close to nature.
Examples
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“Mi cook a ital stew wid coconut milk.”
I cooked an ital stew with coconut milk.
Ital stew is the best known dish of the tradition.
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“Him nuh eat meat, him strictly ital.”
He doesn't eat meat, he is strictly ital.
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“Keep it ital an natural.”
Keep it pure and natural.
Used broadly, beyond food.
Origin
Formed from English "vital" with the first syllable replaced by "I" — a hallmark of Rastafari Iyaric speech, in which "I" is substituted into words to affirm the self and the divine within.
How it's used
Central to Rastafari livity (way of life). Strict adherents avoid salt entirely; others use it more loosely to mean natural or organic. Treat the word with respect — it is a spiritual term, not merely a food label.