Diets Are a Lot Like Religion

We contemplated whether this post should go on the “Flavors” section or the “Take Care” section of our site where it ultimately ended up. It came down to the fact that for better or worse dieting is most often about appearance first, health second, and food last of all. The witty and informative piece from our friends at NY Mag’s Science of Us that inspired it is based on a premise that at first may seem a bit forced but quickly makes perfect sense: Diets Are a Lot Like Religion.

“A version of an old joke goes like this: How do you know if someone is Paleo? Don’t worry, they’ll tell you. Not to pick on Paleo eaters; you can easily swap in just about any other diet and the joke works just the same. The enthusiasm some people have for the way they eat can sometimes seem a lot like religious fervor, complete with heartfelt conversion stories and earnest attempts at proselytizing. And that’s no coincidence, argues Alan Levinovitz, a professor of religion at James Madison University and the author of the new book The Gluten Lie: And Other Myths About What You Eat — understanding the way people think about faith goes a long way toward understanding the way people think about food.” 

Curiosity piqued? Hungry for more? (Sorry, we couldn’t help ourselves)…read the rest here.