Dietary restrictions and life choices often steer eaters to specific food lifestyles.
The norm in America is to consume meat on a daily basis. According to the Earth Policy Institute, Americans eat 171 pounds of meat a year. But the mainstream diet does not envelop all American eaters. A few common diets include paleo, gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian.
Those who eat a paleo diet eat products only available in the Paleolithic era. This choice is about going back to basics and focusing on the original products of the earth.
The gluten-free choice is for those who are gluten intolerant. The gluten-free lifestyle involves those who stray from eating any product with the protein gluten. Specific grains such as wheat, barley and rye contain gluten.
The vegan diet can be chosen for both health reasons and also consciousness. Vegans do not consume any animals or products from animals.
Another common lifestyle is vegetarianism. Vegetarians simply bypass eating meat. A branch of vegetarianism, often called pescatarians, still choose to eat fish and other sea creatures.
Personally, I only eat meat a few times a week. For health and personal reasons, I choose to consume less meat. There are so many questionable livestock breeding habits, including the livestocks’ food rations and living conditions. I do not support the inhumane animal treatments and try to know the source of the product before consumption. Some animals have never even seen the light of day during their lifetime.
After watching the documentary, Food Inc., I had an adverse reaction to meat. Food Inc. delves into how American corporations handle and raise animals before they land on consumers’ plates. I felt that my passion for food betrayed me. In fact, I was wary of any food for days after watching the film. Knowing foods’ origin in the long run promotes an intimate connection with the body’s fuel.
As a result, eating in public spheres or cooking by others can be difficult. For the most part, commercial restaurants ignore alternative eating lifestyles. Their food is often of questionable quality and origin.
A few months ago I was eating at a Friday’s, and there were two non-meat options: a side salad and French onion soup. This dismissive behavior alienates and ignores the needs of other diners.
As the food scene exploded into popularity, knowledge about food also accelerated. That knowledge allowed Americans to become more familiar about the origins of food and other dietary options. However, mainstream acceptance still needs to catch up. More options should be readily available in grocery stores and restaurants with consciously-raised food products.
Cassie Fait is a senior studying journalism and women’s, gender and sexuality studies. Email her at cf301411@ohio.edu or find her on Twitter at @foodiefait and Instagram at @cassiefait.
