“Gluten-free,” “vegan,” organic.” Who hasn’t walked through CharMar, and wondered about all of the unfamiliar labels and alternative food choices? For many of us who don’t abide by these restricted diets, these terms can be total buzzwords. We feel like we know what they mean, but do we really? For me, I walk into CharMar and go straight for the Cheetos. It’s easy enough to grab a bag of familiar, and tasty, processed food, head for the check out line, and lick the Cheeto dust off your fingers ten minutes later. But, if you turn the bag over, you’ll notice words even more unfamiliar than “kosher” or “lactose free.”
“Thiamin mononitrate,” “maltodextrin,” and “ferrous sulfate” are just a few of the words found in the ingredients list on a bag of crunchy Cheetos. The point is, it’s easy to be negligent about what you’re putting into your body. Chemicals and additives may make your snack delightfully cheesy, but they certainly don’t give your body the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and energized. Not only is it valuable to be conscious about the particular foods you consume, but it is also worthwhile to explore some of the alternative dietary lifestyles, to see if any meet your needs or goals. Four Hopkins ladies shared a little about their personal dietary lifestyles to give some insight into the difficulties and benefits that come from being mindful about what you’re eating.
VEGANISM
No, you don’t have to be a hippie to go vegan. You do, however, have to be literate. Veganism is, for many, an incredibly rewarding dietary choice, but there are a lot of restrictions. So, expect to spend some time reading food labels. Vegans don’t consume any animal products or bi-products. This includes all meat, dairy, seafood, eggs and even goods like leather and fur.
People choose veganism for a variety of reasons. For some people, it is a moral choice based on a concern for animal welfare, and others find that there are health benefits and they feel more energized. Junior Chloe Halivand is a practicing vegan because she does not like “the smell, taste, or texture of meat.” Her main concern in choosing what to eat are “I never ever eat anything that I do not know what it is, how it was prepared, or what is in it; and/or does not taste good to me.” This is an impressive level of consumption awareness, but Chloe doesn’t look at it as hard work or inconvenient. “At this point, it is not about rejecting the foods I “shouldn’t” eat, but only eating the substances that best provide me with what I need to eat in order to be both happy and healthy.”
Chloe’s words of wisdom to aspiring vegans: “It’s not for everyone, but try it for a week. Go for it gradually, and don’t ever think of it as a “diet” or a set of things that you “can’t” eat. Instead, it should be about being nutrition-conscientiousness and an adherence to the things that you need to eat.”
GLUTEN-FREE
Gluten is found in foods which contain wheat, barley, and rye. This encompasses common breads, cereals, crackers, pastries, etc. Basically, anything made with flour is a no-go. As you can imagine, avoiding all of these foods is no small task, but that is the challenge for anyone who’s dietary requirements necessitate them to eat gluten-free. Typically, gluten-free is a dietary choice undertaken by people with celiac disease or a wheat allergy. As of recent, however, more and more people unaffected by celiac are choosing to cut out gluten too. Right now there is no experimental evidence to support general health benefits of gluten-free living. That being said, many claim to feel more energized and overall healthier after reducing their gluten intake.
Senior Kate Hein explained that she has difficulty digesting gluten and had to make the transition to eating gluten-free during her senior year of high school. “Gluten is in almost everything, but as time has gone on, I’ve found it easier to accommodate my needs.” Kate also explained that, while there are now a lot of gluten-free alternatives for common foods, these alternatives tend to be more expensive than their counterparts. Bottom line, Kate would not recommend eating gluten-free if it’s not a dietary necessity.
Kate’s advice to anyone considering the gluten-free life: “Unless you have celiac disease or gluten-intolerance there are no health benefits to eating gluten-free. Gluten-free alternatives like corn pasta or bread made out of rice flour actually have more calories. I would not recommend it.”
KOSHER
Anyone’s who’s seen The Big Bang Theory has heard the word “kosher.” Howard Wolowitz’s friends give him a hard time for not keeping kosher every time he orders a cheeseburger or sesame chicken. What most people don’t know however is why people choose to do it, and how keeping kosher works. Adhering to a kosher diet is complicated, and there are many subtleties regarding what participants can and can not eat. Essentially, keeping kosher means only eating certain types of meat, which must be slaughtered and prepared in a particular way. Traditionally, keeping kosher means following Jewish dietary laws, which have been observed as a part of Judaism for over 3,000 years.
Sophomore Gaby Mizrahi explained her experience with keeping kosher, saying “I’ve been keeping kosher my entire life so it comes pretty naturally to me, but at the same time it was a conscious choice when I came to college to keep eating kosher.” Keeping kosher isn’t always easy, as there are many specific requirements in food preparation, so Gaby often has to stay completely vegetarian when going out to eat. At Hopkins, however, Gaby has found dining facilities incredibly accommodating to her lifestyle. “JHU is really accommodating actually because there’s a kosher section in the main dining hall makes it really easy to keep kosher without feeling isolated from the rest of my friends.”
Gaby’s insight for anyone wondering why she passes up on fried chicken: “It’s important to me to maintain a Jewish lifestyle and for me the everyday activity of keeping kosher is a constant reminder of that.”
NO RED MEAT
I know, I know, you love cheeseburgers, bacon, and ribs. But did you know that eating red meat is linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, obesity and even certain types of cancer? While it also contains iron, vitamins, and antioxidants, many people are now choosing to eliminate all forms of red meat from their diet to avoid these notable health risks. This is what sophomore Alycia Skarzinski did in the winter of 2013. In November of 2013, Alycia’s stepmom was diagnosed with breast cancer. While we can happily say that she is now in remission, she and Alycia still choose to stick to the Pink Ribbon Diet, in which the goal is to cut out foods associated with an increased risk of cancer, such as red meats. For Alycia, this means avoiding red meat, cured meats like ham and salami, margarine, vegetable oils, most mayonnaise, and any food that utilizes “partially hydrogenated” fats (trans fats). She admits that it’s difficult to stay vigilant about ingredients and labels, but guarantees that it’s worth it. “I’ve found it very easy to give up those risky foods in exchange for more healthy options.”
Alycia’s recommendation to literally everyone: “I would recommend that everyone eat like this. I think a lot of people are short-sighted when it comes to how their everyday choices can affect their health. After a few weeks of eating like this, I feel a lot more energetic, and I also find it much easier to maintain a healthy weight.”
It’s hard to remember, sometimes, that food is about more than just taste and convenience. What we choose to eat is the fuel our body uses to get us through the day, keep us energized, and even fight off diseases. There are plenty of alternative dietary choices out there, each with their own unique benefits and trade-offs. It may be easier to choose the tasty and familiar options at the grocery store, but these four ladies prove that it is possible to stay mindful of what you’re putting into your body while still enjoying what you eat. So next time you’re at CharMar, put down that bag of Cheetos and really think about what you take off of the shelves.
Images courtesy of:
1) http://firstwefeast.com/eat/men-prefer-date-vegetarians-according-online…
2) http://www.childcare-guide.com/tag/healthy-food
3) http://bodhifitnesscenter.com/healthy-eating-movement-hit-inflection-point/