Some people choose and avoid foods based on their belief system. Formal beliefs include religions; informal philosophies include vegetarianism and other moral reasons for choices.
Vegetarianism has been around for thousands of years; Buddha and Pythagoras were avoiding meat 2 1/2 thousands years ago. It’s a philosophy that comes in and out of popularity. Nowadays around 18 million Americans, 6% of the population, describe themselves as vegetarian, although quite a few of them eat meats occasionally, only less often than other people. Under a stricter definition of vegetarianism, avoiding meat, poultry, and fish, the number is more like 5 million, under 2%.
Many, but not all, vegetarians make this choice for ethical reasons. Some may be vegetarian because of their religion, and others for health. Ethical vegetarians might be horrified at the idea of eating animals, or disgusted at the living conditions they’re raised in.
A number of religions have food restrictions. Some examples: Kosher laws are probably the most complicated of these. Muslim Halal laws are a lot simpler. Buddhism and Hinduism both avoid unnecessary violence and advise against eating meat. Many observant Christians give up certain desired foods for Lent; some go on a semi-fast. Seventh Day Adventism also calls for vegetarianism. Strict Mormons aren’t supposed to consume caffeine or alcohol. Millions of Americans follow some type of religious food restriction.
Another reason for choosing foods based on philosophy is environmental. Some examples: If you believe that foods should be grown in their natural environment and not in greenhouses at unusual times of the year, you may want to eat seasonally. If you think that excessive use of man-made fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics are unnatural and should be avoided, you may want to eat organic food. If you’re concerned about the overfishing of the world’s oceans and dying species of fish and shellfish, you may want to minimize your seafood intake.
Sometimes people take a moral stance about a country or company or group of individuals, and one way they “punish” them is to avoid their foods, which may be an important part of their economy. In the 1980s some people avoided fruits from South Africa to punish the apartheid regime. There are people who will avoid certain food manufacturers because of their policy of selling powdered milk to poor nursing mothers in the third world.
Do you have any philosophical food decisions? What do you believe you should or shouldn’t eat?
Print This Post