USA Today, 10/27/97: Alternative Eating Plans

[Guest guest]

Alternative eating plans

 

The raw-food diet is only one of several alternatives taking hold in

the USA. But the differences can be confusing. Barbara Haspel, co-

author of the healthy eating newsletter Dreaded Broccoli,

distinguishes the

diets:

 

Ovo-lacto vegetarian. " The standard-issue vegetarian, " she says.

They eat no meat, and usually no fish, but they do eat animal

products like eggs, cheese and other dairy foods. " In other words, "

Haspel says, " if something had to die to produce it, they don't eat

it. But they do eat things that are produced by living animals. "

 

Vegans. They consume no foods produced by any animals, Haspel

says. That means no meat, no dairy, no eggs, not even honey. " Some

undertake the vegan diet for health reasons, some for moral reasons

because they don't believe in having slave animals. "

 

Fruitarians. An offshoot of the raw-food diet, and even more of a

niche, Haspel says. Like rawists, fruitarians eat only fruits and

vegetables that are botanically considered fruits, such as green

peppers and tomatoes. " Fruitarians believe you should only eat

plants that spread their seeds through being consumed. " For example,

digging up a root vegetable violates the plant's integrity. " To eat

an apple, however, scattering the seeds far from the tree, is to

make a contribution to the plant's ecology. "

 

Macrobiotics. It's a Zen thing, Haspel says. " And it's based on the

need to keep the principles of yin and yang, the ancient Chinese

theory of contrary forces, in balance in our bodies. " The guidelines

to the macrobiotic diet are pretty flexible, she says, but generally

consist of 50% brown rice, " the food that perfectly balances yin and

yang, " 20% beans and 30% leafy green vegetables, including some

seaweed.

 

By Cathy Hainer, USA TODAY