Veggies, Vegan, Gluten-Free, oh my!

By J.A. Dandridge


Fort Collins, Colo. — A playful and bright Kate Harris goes through the Colorado State University dining hall line, on a ritual “make your own pizza” Thursdays. She chooses her bread crust, cheeses and toppings. Little do most people know, this pizza has to be further prepared with separate gloves, pans and utensils from the general population. This special treatment is not because Harris is the chef’s favorite student . Once the pizza is finished baking, a teasing and disapproving employee makes fun of Harris’ pizza making skills. She responds saying, “its gluten- free, it’s not supposed to look good!”

Strictly eating tofurkey, raw ingredients or gluten- free products may sound foreign to the typical American ear. The American diet is run by processed food, the bird, pig and cow, and less than 5 percent of the population is considered Vegetarian, which means not eating meat products or eggs. Less than that percentage, are Vegans who do not eat any animal produced foods. A growing percentage is considered gluten-free, which means not eating foods with, a protein found in wheat, bread and most processed foods. Having restricted diets such as these usually require high priced organic foods, discrete restaurant searching, and healthier choices than most.

The reason people choose these lifestyles vary and are sometimes not even a choice for them.

There are entire countries devoted to vegetarianism, where it is simply a societal norm, like in India, which contains the largest amount of vegetarians in the world. The people usually sustain on lacto Vegetarianism, which includes dairy products. The Indian diet is based on the Hindi religion and sometimes social class.

Sophia Yelenick, a CSU freshman, became vegetarian in the sixth grade because she looked up to her older sister. She also says “I do it, because I’m not a huge fan of meat.” Because of protein deficiencies in high school, Yelenick converted to pescatarianism, meaning she eats fish and eggs too.

Some people feel compelled to think and live environmentally friendly like Rosemary Hamington of Western Washington University.

“I would call it more of a belief system for ethical reasons, than a diet,” says Hamington when she speaks about veganism. “All animals and environment are connected,” In other words, “recycling equals caring for animals, which equal caring for the environment.”

Disease may even cause, a person to become gluten- free like Harris who says, “It’s not even a choice, I have Celiac Disease.”

If she eats processed or baked foods that usually contain gluten, it causes regurgitation from her body. Even the slightest hint of gluten from other pizzas or touching food can cause the ill-fated reaction.

The complexities people go through because of these lifestyles are numerous. When it comes to economic factors, Hamington says it is expensive to eat organic foods but,
“You get what you pay for. It is the same as if you wanted to spend the greater amount for most things like a car or a house, you get better quality.”

Although most restaurants and stores rarely have the options that these diets require, times are changing and more resources are becoming available.

Yelenick says it helps when vegetarianism is like a fad, because people are at least more aware of providing those options, like on the CSU campus.

Both Hammington and Harris say they shop at Whole Foods Market, where they know they are welcomed. There is a full gluten- free isle today and fresh organic produce, among other foods allowing them to find a healthy selection.

There are an increasing number of restaurants that even cater to unconventional diets, like Beau Jo’s Pizza who serves gluten- free products. Harris also points out that Noodles and Company also has Gluten free options that she enjoys. Watercourse restaurant of Denver seems to be a favorite for Yelenick. Slowly, but surely progress is happening for people who could not eat out before.

Most eaters don’t know or care to be creative when they are not forced to go out of their comfort zone. People with unique diets learn to be creative and a little resourceful, like Harris who found that one of the only deserts she can eat is uniquely her own. She builds a rice cake covered in peanut butter, caramel and chocolate chips after eating her pizza.