Walking through the dining halls, it's common to see students carrying plates loaded with beef fajitas or grilled turkey steaks. But take a look at a vegetarian's tray, and you're sure to find something quite different.
Though many different forms of vegetarianism exist, a limited number of staple foods constitute the diet, such as fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat dairy and egg products as well, while vegans abstain from eating any form of animal product.
Though it may sound like a health freak's regiment, vegetarian diets are not always ideal. "Just because you follow a vegetarian diet doesn't necessarily mean it's healthy. Vegetarian diets tend to be more healthful if they're well planned," Dining Services dietician Julie Lampie explained.
According to Lampie, some of the associated benefits of vegetarianism include lower blood-cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, lower risks of developing cancer and cardiovascular disease, and difficulty in gaining excess weight.
However, vegetarian diets tend to lack certain nutrients. Many vegetarians are deficient in vitamin B12, which is usually provided by animal products. To stay healthy, vegetarians must obtain vitamin B12 from other sources, such as soymilk or fortified cereals. Since vegans don't eat any dairy foods, they are further challenged to find acceptable sources of calcium, iron, and riboflavin in foods.
The potential hassles that come with vegetarianism are justified by vegetarians' largely varying motives for choosing their lifestyle. Some have certain ethical beliefs or religious reasons, while others might simply want to try out something new.
Sophomore Keren Prize said that she was a vegetarian for eight years because she was influenced by her mother's vegetarianism. But then one day, she felt like eating chicken nuggets again. Sophomore Sarah Chase adds that she, too, was a vegetarian until she grew tired of it and decided to eat chicken again.
A visit to the Environmental Consciousness Outreach (ECO) club left the impression that there were more serious reasons behind members' choices to stay away from meat. Sophomore Roger Winn has been a vegetarian for five years and a vegan for one. "I find the abuse of animals to be morally unsound, and I feel like the best way to combat it is to not use any animal products," he said.
Sophomore Rebecca Batchelder said, "The meat industry in this country is really awful... the way they treat the animals. They need to cut down rain forests to make space to raise the animals."
Some students want their dietary habits to be environmentally sound. "The key for me is to live a life that does as little harm and damage to the environment and to other human beings... as possible. I've found that a good way to be the least destructive is to not support the meat, dairy, or poultry industries," sophomore Adam Carlis said.
Other members of the club have somewhat different beliefs that control their diets. Junior Doug Hansen claims that the mass production industry uses large quantities of wheat and grains to fatten their livestock, neglecting humans in need of food. "It's disgusting, anyway. I look at my arm and I say, 'that's what I'm eating,'" he said.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, freshman Bethany Arrand said that she eats meat because she loves animals. She objects to processed meat because she doesn't know where it comes from, but at home her family raises chickens, turkeys, and ducks to eat. "I think it's a compliment to the animals. I want to incorporate it into myself - eating meat is a spiritual thing for me," she said.
Certain religions place restrictions on food as well. Freshman Muzammil Mustafa explains that in the Islamic culture, Muslims can only eat kosher food. "I don't get much [kosher] meat here, so I follow an almost vegetarian diet," he said.
Surveys taken by Tufts students report that approximately 17 percent of the student body follows a vegetarian or semi-vegetarian diet. It is only an estimate because the semi-vegetarians eat poultry. An estimated three percent of the student body is vegan.
"It's very challenging because there are vegans who just don't eat animal foods, but then there are vegans who also don't eat sugar or honey," Lampie said. Vegans might choose not to eat sugar because the process that whitens sugar uses animal bones and they will not eat honey because bees produce it.
Overall, vegetarians seem content with the quantity of food they can eat at the dining halls. "I think it's a good place to be a vegetarian because there are a lot of vegetarian options," Chase said.
On Oct. 17, Dining Services will hold a vegetarian fair in Dewick between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., serving vegetarian food that is not currently on the menu. Lampie encourages vegetarians to sample the food and provide feedback as to what else should be on the menu.
