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How Stress Affects Your Eating Habits

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By: Heidi Wagenbach

“There’s a definite connection between stress and our appetite– but that connection isn’t the same for everyone… Some people overeat when they feel stressed, and other people lose track of their appetite… Those who stop eating are so focused on their stress that they don’t hear their hunger cues… Those who overeat are attempting to distract themselves with food.”

– Susan Albers, psychologist 

Hi, Captain Obvious here: we’ve all been stressed before. Whether that be freaking out over a job interview or going on a date, the way your brain and body reacts affects how you process stress. Even if the stressor is positive, you could feel anxiety, depression, and possibly a ravenous hunger. Or, you may shut down entirely (like I do), not wanting to even think about eating when there is so much to do and so little time to do it in. 

Just these past two months, for example, I moved houses. Combine that with taking the Practical and Pastry Series in the evening, renovating the rental, working 30 hours a week, shopping for groceries and furniture, getting my first COVID vaccination (I could go on)…  I was a roller coaster of emotions, eating hardly anything certain days, then craving copious amounts of sweets another. 

Do I think all of those were correlated? Absolutely.

So why do some people eat more and others not at all?

Cortisol: The Stress Hormone

Stress releases cortisol, which in turn makes you crave sugary, salty, and/or fatty foods because the brain thinks it needs the fuel to combat whatever threat is causing stress. Glucose (the primary source of energy) is then subjected to the bloodstream, which triggers the flight or fight response (the old, subliminal survival mode we never got rid of in our years of evolution as a species). Once the threat is gone, our blood sugar drops, and our body works overtime to replenish the energy quickly. Cravings hit, and when we give into indulging chocolate or cake, our bodies are more likely to store the sugar, form abdominal fat, and gain weight. 

Stress slows your metabolism as well. A study conducted showed that participants who reported a stressor within 24 hours burned about 105 calories less than non-stressed people after eating a high-fat meal. This means that there is the potential of gaining 11 pounds over the course of a year if continuing down this stressful path.  

Unhealthy Habits When Stressed

Emotional eating

(Or craving unhealthy food when you’re experiencing a negative emotion like sadness; eating more than you normally would/continuously snacking)

Eating “accessible” or fast food

Exercising/sleeping less

Skipping meals

stress

Overeating

Many adults who overeat say there are undesirable consequences, such as feeling sluggish, lazy, and bad about their bodies.

Statistics:

  • 38% of adults say they have overeaten/eaten unhealthy foods in the past month because of stress, half of them report engaging in these behaviors weekly or more
  • 33% of adults who report overeating or eating unhealthy foods say it’s to distract them from stress
  • 27% of adults say they eat to manage stress; 34% say this is a habit

Undereating

People who chronically undereat have equally damaging symptoms as well, including hair loss, fatigue, constipation, skin problems, and getting ill more often. This could also lead to infertility and/or malnutrition. 

Statistics:

  • In the past month, 30% of adults report skipping a meal because of stress; 41% of adults report skipping a meal weekly or more
  • 67% who report skipping meals attribute it to a lack of appetite; 26% say it’s because they didn’t have time to eat
  • 22% report becoming irritable

How To Help

While stress is a natural part of life and I don’t think there will ever be a world where everyone is carefree and without worry, there are some steps to take that will help you avoid eating poorly or not at all when you feel overwhelmed. 

  1. Be mindful of what triggers stress eating and be ready to fight the urge
  2. Have healthy snacks/eat healthier comfort foods (i.e. popcorn), which will help regulate blood sugar
  3. Exercise regularly
  4. Reduce anxiety where you can (i.e. at work, have a stress ball in your desk drawer or take a few deep breaths)
  5. Drink enough water
  6. Start a food journal (friendly reminder to not limit yourself entirely from the pleasures of life; most diets cause more stress for people when being so regimented)

Conclusion

For a lot of people, the relationship with food is a struggle; it’s a never-ending battle. To either binge or limit food when you’re not feeling hungry, preoccupied with the stress in your life, is not a solution. You shouldn’t feel guilty about nibbling on a rich dessert once in a while if you take care of your body. But if you find that you’re continuously repeating the same unhealthy habits (eating too much, or not enough) over and over again, then something needs to change. I’m feeling a lot better about where I am as opposed to where I was. Sometimes, realizing what you need to do to help yourself in the long run is tough, intimidating, terrifying even. Ultimately, you have to see the bigger picture and find what makes you happy, and for many, that begins with changing the way you eat. 

Sources:

How Stress Can Make You Eat More — Or Not At All

Stress and Eating: American Psychological Association

How Stress Can Cause Weight Gain: The Role of Cortisol in the Body 

What Are the Signs of Not Eating Enough?

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Competitive Eating: Dangerous and Disgusting

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By: Heidi Wagenbach

“Putting all of the health risks aside, there are certainly some psychological… risks with regards to development of an eating disorder for people who had any sort of genetic predisposition to have one. Somebody eating 70 hot dogs in 10 minutes is self-abuse to some extent.”

-Kim Dennis, board-certified psychiatrist

Part I: Introduction

Mukbangs

I’ve been watching a lot of hilarious mukbang (online videos of people eating a lot of food while addressing the audience; first originated in Japan) edits recently. My YouTube recommendations page then suggested that I check out a documentary about this phenomenon that has blown up in popularity over the past couple years. Why do we find viewing others indulge WAY too much food fascinating, relaxing, an actual hobby? The narrator described that food, like some of our most carnal desires, come from the beginning of humanity. Hunting and/or finding food and propagating with an ideal mate were the top two reasons for existing, for survival. So maybe, like sexual drives, food is appealing in a sense that we want it, and we want it to taste good.

Outlet for Anorexia

Another argument is people with eating disorders find these helpful because they are repulsed from the amount of food/the way it’s consumed. Their ability to eat the rest of the day is hindered. They state: “I’m full” in the comments, just by watching someone stuff their face with burgers and fries. As a person who battled with an eating disorder… I can confidently say that’s true. I found videos about food desirable since I was limiting what I was eating in reality. 

Thus, I was inspired to write this article.

Part II: The Background of Competitive Eating

I can say that I’m not a fan of watching people eat, even if the food looks tasty. The mouth sounds are not… appealing, especially if the microphone is at max sensitivity level and you hear every crunch, every smack, every swallow. To say the very least, competitive eating is something that always sickened me. 

eating

(A before/after comparison of YouTuber Nikocado Avocado after years of mukbanging. As of 2019, he reportedly weighs over 350 pounds and suffers from low libido, erectile dysfunction, and undefined mental issues [evidenced by his more noticeable chaotic behavior in recent videos]. Ironically, he met his former husband through a Facebook group for vegan men). 

A little history about this… (ahem) sport is that they’re popular around the world (but mostly focused in the US). The prizes range up to $10,000 and the food is supplied by sponsors. Participants register via Major League Eating (not gonna lie, I had to control my laughter at that name), which is the main organization that oversees all professional eating competitions. But aggressively eating large amounts of food dates back all the way to the 1400s. In a particular story, a Nordic man enters an eating competition with a god. Fast forward to the 1700s when poet James Taylor wrote of the “Great Eater of Kent,” who binged approximately 60 eggs, lamb, and pies, but the “meal left him hungry for more.”

Part III: Examples

  1. The Vaughan Pizza Fest World Pizza Eating Contest (yes, you read that right) in 2018 awarded $4,000 to the winner, Geoff Esper. He broke a record by eating 19.25 9-inch personal pizzas within 10 minutes. He also won another $4,000 for downing 15.5 pints of vanilla ice cream at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis.
  2. In 2017, Carmen Cincotti ate a little over 20 pounds of poutine (a Canadian dish composed of french fries, cheese curds, and brown gravy) in 10 minutes. She was awarded $6,000.
  3. Molly Schuyler won $1,500 for eating 265 jalapeños in 2018’s WBCA Jalapeño Festival in Texas.
  4. Matt Weis was crowned the “gold skillet winner” at the Keystone Bacon and Bourbon Festival in Colorado in 2018 after eating a full pound of bacon.
  5. Nathan’s Fourth of July Hot Dog-Eating Contest originated in 1916. Competitor Joey Chestnut broke the record of 74 hot dogs, winning a total of 11 times. 

Part IV: How Competitive Eaters “Train”

Liquids to Solids

The “training” for competitive eating is just as bad as the previous part. In order to prepare their body for the amount of food they’re going to consume, eaters drink massive amounts of liquid to begin this brutal process. (For example, chugging two-and-a-half gallons of chocolate milk in 3 minutes). They condition their throats to swallow large amounts without choking. They first start by gulping down entire mouthfuls of water, then move onto softer foods, then to solid, where they ravage large chunks at once. (And your teeth are there because…?). Competitive eater Matt Stonie (famous for his YouTube channel) eats between 10,000 and 22,000 calories a day when preparing himself for competition.

“The Reversal of Fortune”

The gag reflex holds another obstacle for these eaters (but will that stop them? No). If they “suffer urges contrary to swallow”, or in other words, they’re about to puke, they’re disqualified. A couple tricks they use is to not think about the taste of the food or brush their teeth really far back to condition themselves. Their jaws have to be strong, or more specifically, their masseter muscle, which is one of the most powerful in your body. So, they chew five or more pieces of gum at a time. Some eaters’ bites have been measured at 280 pounds by force; for a visual, that’s stronger than a German shepherd. 

Move Over!

In the video The Science Behind Competitive Eating, they show how competitive eaters’ stomachs expand, and push other organs out of the way. Their stomach enlarges 4x larger than a non-competitive eater, or 400% bigger. (It’s advisable to view with an empty stomach yourself). Fun fact: most competitors are hushed when it comes to sharing what the aftermath is like. Only a couple have eluded that bathroom trips the next day aren’t fun. (I wonder why). Surprisingly, most competitive eaters are in shape, because a common theory is that fat hinders the stomach from becoming larger. 

Part V: The Dangers

Now time to address the risk factors (both present and long term) of competitive eating. In 2014, a man began choking while participating in an amateur hot dog-eating contest in South Dakota. Bystanders attempted CPR but no emergency personnel were present and he died. A similar situation occurred in 2016 when a woman who was heavily intoxicated decided it would be a great idea (more sarcasm) to participate in a corn dog eating contest. She choked, and due to the lack of oxygen to the brain, had to be put on life support before she ultimately died.

(It doesn’t get better from here, folks).

The National Geographic Special

Doctors from the University of Pennsylvania did an experiment for the above magazine/television channel. They wanted to determine what happens to competitive eaters’ stomachs when they eat. This experiment compared two men, one an eating champion, and the other a quote-unquote normal eater with a “healthy appetite.” They were asked to consume as many hot dogs as they could in 12 minutes. The competitor’s stomach “appeared as a massively distended, food-filled sac occupying most of the upper abdomen.” It also had “little or no gastric peristalsis” (the squeezing motion that normally helps break down food). Later, the doctors determined that:

“He was able to overcome the satiety reflex (what triggers the neural pathways that tell the body it’s full and triggers vomit), and once he did that, the stomach overcame the peristalsis activity so it was able to accept an unlimited amount of food.”

The Predicted Consequences

Even though there is little to no evidence of what competitive eating does to your body in the long term, doctors speculate that if the stomach stretches enough that it can’t get back to its original size, it could potentially cause “intractable nausea and vomiting, necessitating a partial or total gastrectomy to relieve symptoms and restore their ability to eat.”

Part VI: Final Thoughts

I don’t care if the grand prize is $10,000… I would never do this to my body. Not only do you expose yourself to possible health issues in the future, but you’re practically torturing your body by overeating and bloating. The point of food is to enjoy it, not scarf it down like a wild animal. You constantly hear chefs saying “that’s sexy” towards food, because it is indeed portrayed as a sensual thing. Commercials like this one have precise lighting, camera shots, and relatively attractive actors to mimic the sensation of making and eating something creamy, chocolatey, and delicious. Then, switch over to a clip of a competitive eating show and the difference is frighteningly jolting. One is taking too much time to enjoy a small morsel of sweets, where the other is jamming food down their throat like there’s no tomorrow– and for some eaters… there isn’t going to be. 

Sources:

11 eat competitions that will leave you disgusted – but impressed 

The Untold Truth Of Competitive Eating

Here’s What Competitive Eating Does to Your Body

Inside the rise of Nikocado Avocado, the extreme-eating YouTuber whose meltdowns have disrupted an online community

 

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Why Is Obesity So Prevalent In The United States?

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By: Heidi Wagenbach

“It is a disgrace to grow old through sheer carelessness before seeing what manner of man you may become by developing your bodily strength and beauty to their highest limit.” 

– Socrates

Part I: Introduction

There is an abundance of people in the United States of all colors, shapes, and sizes. While that diversity is amazing and is what shaped this country from the start, condoning fat as “beautiful” and “healthy” is to say the very least inaccurate. I’m all about body positivity, and have been combating that since high school after developing an eating disorder that gave me a health scare. It was then and there that I knew I would never let myself restrict food to the point where I was sick again but also never let myself just binge food I knew was bad for my body. I maintain the view of “everything in moderation” (you bet I’m going to indulge a cookie here and there). I try to live an active lifestyle by exercising every morning and staying busy at work.

Part II: Dollars, Depression, Disease, and Death

Obesity affects a person’s general well-being. Fatness alters your mental health (i.e. developing anxiety and/or depression) and your long term health as well. It’s linked to chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia (high lipid [fat/cholesterol] content in your blood), high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Being overweight accounts for 18% of deaths amongst Americans between ages 40 and 85, according to a 2013 study. (This number is comparable to cigarette smoking, which is the leading preventable cause of death in the US, with 1 out of 5 Americans dying every year). Obese people are 1.5 to 2.5 times more likely to die of heart disease than people with normal BMIs (you can find the link to calculating your own at the end of this article).

Your health is affected, but also the medical cost of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment is estimated to cost billions of dollars overall. 

Part III: Why?

Reasons for this epidemic are varied. Some debate that the increase in caloric intake and reduction of physical activity is to blame. Because 21st century America is becoming more of a service rather than a manufacturing economy, only 20% of jobs require some moderate activity and we burn 120-140 less calories a day than we did 50 years ago. We have cars and buses and walk less, therefore 80% of Americans don’t get enough exercise. Others say that diets are not effective in controlling or reversing weight gain (although $20 billion goes into weight loss programs per year). The rest argue that the bigger portion sizes, alongside added meat/grain/fat consumption is why we’re gaining weight; fast food makes up 11% of the average American diet. 

Part IV: How We Got Here

In the 1960s, our enemy was fat. So, the demand for low fat and fat free products skyrocketed, yet that was too good to be true. Hydrogenated oils and trans fats were added, raising bad cholesterol and leading to weight gain with high sugar content.

Basically… the formula for balancing your weight is factoring in the total number of calories consumed versus the total calories used. Farmers back in the olden days used to eat bacon, eggs, and potatoes every morning, but guess what? They burned all of that off by working in the fields from dawn till dusk.

Obesity

(Caption: Food portions and peoples’ stomachs are both getting bigger). 

Part V: The Younger Generation and Contributing Factors

Children are also suffering from this epidemic; ⅓ of kids in the US are overweight. They are getting less sleep, and watch (on average) 4 hours of TV per day (with video games and technology becoming so accessible to younger audiences, that number will continue to rise). They are more prone to developing stress and low self-esteem. 

Some more contributing factors that are leading to people’s weights becoming extreme include:

Income

Healthy and fresh foods can be more expensive than fast or packaged food. Living far from locations that sell produce are called “food deserts,” where 23 million Americans reside, according to the US Department of Agriculture. They may lack money for a gym membership or live in a not-so-safe neighborhood where going on a jog is intimidating. However, you can exercise at home (like many are doing because of the pandemic) and save more money cooking your own meals instead of ordering takeout every day. 

(Let’s say that an average fast food meal is $5. You’re spending $15 a day if you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or $105 weekly; $420 monthly; $5,040 yearly. And that’s being generous; most restaurants charge closer to $20 a meal if you’re looking for something higher quality).

Time

Making a good meal is a process that most people don’t want to do (prepping, cooking, cleaning). With a busy schedule, eating healthy becomes a second thought, and pulling up through a drive-thru is convenient when you’re a single parent with 3 kids.

Health Insurance

Like a lot of Americans, health insurance is a luxury that not many can afford. If you don’t have the resources to see a doctor or weight loss specialist, then it’s inevitable you won’t be educated about how to take care of yourself. 

Stress

As mentioned above, when people are stressed, they reach for comfort foods, like potato chips and cake, which are packed with salt, sugar, and fat.

Part VI: Other Suffering Countries

According to Global Obesity Levels, the small island of Nauru is the most highly populated obese country, with 61% of the residents being overweight. Their diet consists of a vast amount of seafood, coconuts, and fruits (limiting your diet to only a few high-sugar items will hinder, not help, your body). Next up is the Cook Islands, with 55.9% of the population being overweight, not surprisingly with a very similar diet. More than half of Palau and Marshall Islands’ citizens are overweight (eating root vegetables, breadfruit, coconut, rice, flour, and seafood), followed by Tuvalu clocking in at 51.6%. The United States ranks #12, and need I describe the foods we eat? Yes, the above countries may have higher rates, but at least their food is natural and not McDonald’s.

Part VII: Ways To Improve

A noticeable reduction in national obesity could take over a decade but there are some suggestions that could help combat this surge of illness. A few select cities are already placing taxes on sugary foods and drinks, or making their nutrition labels more effective to describe the ingredients. Limiting the amount of advertising and marketing of unhealthy foods, especially to youngsters, will help the future US know what eating poorly does to your body.

Part VIII: Conclusion

Obesity is something that has been around for many years, and will undoubtedly worsen if we continue down this path we’re on. I find it interesting that there is such a broad spectrum of people in the world, some who have disorders where they see themselves as too fat so they deprive themselves of basic nutrition, and others who know they need to change, but never do, whether that be through laziness, stubbornness, an unwillingness to even try or broader health issues. I would say that a safe bet would be to skip the burger joint on the way home and eat a salad for dinner instead. It would be a small but huge step just to make sure that you live a healthy life for many years to come.

Part IX: Sources

Calculate your BMI by clicking here.

Rising Obesity in the United States Is a Public Health Crisis

Why Are Americans Obese?

5 Reasons Americans Are Obese – That Have Nothing To Do With Food

Obesity In Children

… The US Sugar Industry Funded One of the Biggest Misconceptions in Modern Nutrition

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The History of Chocolate Bunnies

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By: Heidi Wagenbach

Even in my twenties, I still enjoy receiving a chocolate bunny for Easter. Who wouldn’t? A delicate, melt-in-your-mouth sweet (if you get a proper one from a reputable candy store and not from a gas station). They’re always covered in gold foil and placed directly at the center of other sugary delights to celebrate the spring holiday. Not being very religious, we faded out of attending church on April Sunday, yet appreciate being around close family, laughing and eating brunch. But how did a bunny become associated as being the figure for Easter, nearly as popular as Santa is for Christmas? Keep reading to find out!

A Long Time Ago… 

The legend first originated in Germany with Oscheter Haws (Easter Hare), who laid colored eggs after a long winter’s sleep. She hid them in the garden as gifts for children to find. Hares were never domesticated like other rabbits and in medieval Europe, the rabbit was a popular symbol for spring because of their fertility. Professor Dr. Diane Shane who studies various religions stated that: “Rabbits (originally hares) are… fertility symbols associated with the arrival of spring, because they are so prolific and give birth as soon as the weather warms.” The term “Easter” derived from Ostara, a pagan goddess once worshipped by the Germanic people. And guess what? Her sacred animal was indeed a rabbit.

… In A Century Far Far Away

In the 1700s, German immigrants (or the Pennsylvania Dutch) brought Oschter Haws to the eastern part of the US. (Tins for chocolate molds have been found in Munich that date back to the late 1800s). There are no records to who specifically invented the chocolate Easter bunny, however drugstore owner Robert L. Strohecker played a large part in their popularity. He commissioned a 5-foot chocolate rabbit to advertise Easter. (Yes, 5-FOOT… that’s nearly as tall as me!) This giant bunny was created by candy manufacturer William H. Luden, who became recognized years later by inventing the menthol cough drop. Since then, chocolate Easter bunnies have remained an icon.

★Fun Facts★

  1. An estimated 90 million chocolate bunnies are produced each year.
  2. Chocolate bunnies are hollow because one piece is ½” thick, which makes it nearly impossible to bite through. It also allows chocolatiers to make them larger for visual appeal and enjoyment. This practice began during WWII cocoa rationing. Side note: The New York Times explored the lore and legends of the chocolate Easter bunny. They joked that biting into a hollow one is “a child’s first taste of deception” (ha!).
  3. The largest chocolate bunny was made in 2014 for the Chocofest in Brazil. It was over 8,000 pounds and towered 13-feet tall. The most expensive bunny, on the other hand, sells for almost $50,000 with eyes made out of 1.7 carat diamonds.
  4. The Bortz Chocolate Company in Reading, PA is credited with being the first company to introduce personalities to their bunnies in 1934, making the treats play sports, get married, and be overall more cartoony (even though the traditional is here to stay).
  5. The most popular bunny during the Easter season remains to be milk chocolate.
  6. 87% of parents will buy or make Easter baskets for their children, with 81% of them snagging some of the sweets themselves.
  7. 89% of Americans think chocolate bunnies should be eaten ears first.
  8. The Easter holiday itself generates an estimated $18 billion in the US.
  9. The Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) launched a campaign to encourage people to eat chocolate bunnies as opposed to buying a real one. In 2018, hundreds of abandoned bunnies were received by SPCA after the reality set in for families of having a pet for over a decade (bunnies live up to 12 years), rather than just Easter Sunday. 
  10. In Northern Canada, a “fluffle” is used to describe a group of bunnies.

Overall…

Writing these blogs is really opening my eyes to how unique some of the history is for foods we associate as “normal” in our everyday lives, without thinking too much about their origin. Too often we get wrapped up in the stress that holidays have, with scheduling get togethers and buying presents, that we don’t appreciate how we got here in the first place. So, this spring, no matter if you celebrate Easter or not, be sure to share some of these new facts with your friends and family… regardless, they’ll find it interesting!

Sources: 

Chocolate Bunnies, History Of

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Chocolate Bunnies

The Untold Truth Of Chocolate Easter Bunnies

 

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10 Fun Food-Related Facts About St. Patrick’s Day

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By: Heidi Wagenbach

March 17th is quickly approaching, so that means people will soon be decked out in green, buying dyed food, and sporting Leprechaun hats in no time. St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday that a lot of Americans celebrate (57% of the population, to be exact… almost 35 million people in the US have Irish heritage). It’s another one of those days that doesn’t really mean a whole lot to me, other than bring back elementary school memories, when my mom (like a lot of parents) would want me to wear a clover shirt and striped green and white socks to celebrate. (I obliged, in fear of being pinched by other kids if I didn’t).

But how do people, the economy, and restaurants change during this day to embrace the luck o’ the Irish? Let’s find out.

A Little History Of Who This Guy Was

Saint Patrick, as opposed to popular belief and folklore, was actually born in Britain, at the end of the 4th century. He was kidnapped as a teen by Irish raiders and sold as a slave to a Celtic priest. He worked for many years as a shepherd, then escaped back to his home nation. He eventually returned to Ireland as a Christian priest.

And Now The Moment You’ve All Been Waiting For… 

#1

Cabbage shipments increase by 70% in the week leading up to St. Patty’s.

#2

Over 30% of Americans celebrate by preparing a– “traditional” Irish meal, including dishes like Irish bread soda and Shepherd’s pie. Irish-American cookbook author Margaret Johnson said that corned beef and cabbage is really an American interpretation of more authentic Irish cuisine. And she views beer tinted with a green shade to be “offensive.”

#3

The average person will consume about 4 drinks on St. Patrick’s Day. 75% of fatal car crashes in 2016 involved at least one person with almost 2 times the legal limit in their system.

#4

13 million pints of Guinness beer will be bought and drunk; this equates to nearly 819% more than usual sales (it is the most popular beer in Ireland, after all!)

#5

Chicago dyes a portion of the river green every year, throwing in 40 tons of vegetable dye to celebrate the saint (whose signature color, surprisingly, was blue), and lasts for a few hours.

#6

McDonald’s minty-green Shamrock Shake that’s available for only a limited time has almost 700 calories. 

#7

Saint Patrick’s day originally was not so party-oriented; until the 1700s, it was a day in the Catholic calendar to observe the popular saint in Ireland through reflection and prayer. What we know today (aka beer and… more beer) began in the early 20th century, when Irish immigrants in the US celebrated their bloodline.

#8

St. Patrick’s feast days have been celebrated by the Irish ever since the 9th century.

#9

In 1903, St. Patrick’s became an official holiday in Ireland and became more popular for everyone, not just the religious folk. How did they celebrate? With a beer, of course!

#10

Americans will spend over $5.6 billion on St. Patty’s… whether that be on decor, costumes, festive treats, liquor… or all the above!

In Conclusion…

St. Patrick’s Day means a lot to a lot of people. It sometimes feels like after the chaos of October, November, and December with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, the rest of the year gets blurred together, with more minor holidays that while important, aren’t as recognized. Regardless, hopefully you’ll take what you learned in this blog and inform your guests of the history and more statistical side of this native Irish holiday!

 

Sources:

15 St. Patrick’s Day Facts That Might Surprise You

10 Fun Facts About St. Patrick’s Day

Some Fun Facts About St. Patrick’s Day

Is Traditional Irish Food in America Accurate?

7 Surprising Facts About St. Patrick’s Day

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Veganism: Is It Really Worth It?

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For yourself… and the environment.

By: Heidi Wagenbach

With many people embracing veganism and this diet gaining more traction in the 21st century than ever before, there must be something special about this diet… right? It’s time to find out.

I went through that phase of trying different plant-based items and soy/almond milk. While that lasted for about a month or two, I never went back to eating the same again. I now limit the amount of dairy I consume, having a glass of milk in the morning and indulging cheese, but avoiding yogurt and cottage cheese. I don’t really eat red meat, but find that I still enjoy chicken and turkey on occasion. I’d like to think of myself as semi-vegetarian, and that I could embrace the diet fully one of these days, but never, ever vegan. I like ice cream too much to sacrifice it from my life. But let’s explore the health benefits of a vegan diet, its impact on the world in general, and if transitioning into avoiding animal products is really as good as experts claim.

Background

Veganism is excluding all animal products (such as meat, dairy, and eggs) from your diet. The number of people opting for this change has increased over the years, due to health issues, animal welfare, and environmental concerns. This way of eating is rich in nutrients (if done properly), low in saturated fats, and can improve overall health, limiting heart disease, fighting to prevent cancer and diabetes. However, if you’re considering changing your diet, you should know how to obtain certain nutrients, like iron, calcium, and vitamin B-12, and consult with your doctor beforehand to make sure you won’t go through deficiencies. Some people choose to be vegan, while others need to follow it due to dietary restrictions/allergies. Be sure to include a variety of fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, and seeds to ensure minerals, healthy fats, and protein. A vegan diet is much more restrictive than vegetarian.

How Veganism Helps You

Heart health

  • A lower intake of animal products means a lower intake of fat, which can reduce heart disease. 
  • Meat, cheese, and butter contain saturated fats, therefore higher cholesterol levels. Plants and grains, on the other hand, are high in fiber, reducing the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream.
  • You will take in fewer calories, meaning a lower BMI and weight loss, thus a reduced risk of obesity.
  • Vegan diets are more effective than other diets because they provide macronutrients. People who follow this eating plan will manage their weight better by replacing meat with plants. Obviously, eating a lot of processed/high fat plant-based foods contradicts the purpose.

Cancer

  • A vegan diet lowers your risk of cancer by 15% according to a 2017 review. 
  • Red/processed meat (consumed in large amounts) can possibly lead to prostate/pancreatic cancer.

How Veganism Helps The Planet

Combats hunger in many countries

A lot of food grown around the world isn’t being eaten by humans; 70% of the grain grown in the United States feeds livestock. It’s estimated that 700 million tons of food per year that could be consumed by people goes to animals instead. Deforestation, overfishing, and pollution caused by meat and/or fish industries limits the overall ability of Earth’s production. The global population is expected to go over 9 billion by 2050, and with the path we’re going down now, there’s no way that many people could survive with the limited resources Earth has.

Conserves water

Millions of people don’t have access to clean water, caused by droughts and/or mismanagement of resources, alongside the fact that livestock drink and pollute fresh water. It takes about 100 to 200 times more water to raise a pound of beef than it does to raise a pound of plant foods. Livestock also erode/weaken soil and seeing they’re living creatures that need to roam, trees are cut down to provide them with more land. The lack of forests will accelerate climate change, whereas plants provide nourishment to clean the air. Not-so-fun fact: livestock cause more carbon emissions than cars, buses, planes, and ships combined.

Reduces energy consumption

Meat costs a lot of energy. It takes time to raise animals, and the process of shipping the products from the slaughterhouse to your dinner table is extensive and expensive. Both electricity and gas are expended in this delivery process, thus Earth takes another toll.

How Veganism Hinders The Planet

Joseph Poore, a researcher at the University of Oxford, who studies the environmental impact of food stated: 

Nothing really compares to beef, lamb, pork, and dairy– these products are in a league of their own in the level of damage they typically do to the environment, on almost every environmental issue we track… But it’s essential to be mindful about everything we consume: air-transported fruit and veg can create more greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram than poultry meat, for example.

Angelina Frankowska studies sustainability at the University of Manchester and she found that the asparagus eaten in the UK has the highest carbon footprint out of the various 56 fruits/vegetables they studied, seeing that it’s imported from Peru. Our diets can lead to unexpected consequences. Just take a look at the following… 

Avocado… Or Avaca-don’t

Avocados (or “alligator pears”) are delicious, and easily one of my favorite foods, however they require huge amounts of water. A single mature tree needs 46 gallons of water every day. There are many areas suffering from water shortages (i.e. California, where a lot of avos are grown, with their constant heat waves, droughts, and fires). Other fruits, say mangoes for example, need over a hundred of gallons of water per kilogram. Similarly, plums need 67 gallons.

There Isn’t Mushroom For Jokes Here

The US Department of Agriculture showed that producing a kilogram of button, chestnut, or portobello mushrooms casts 2.13kg of carbon dioxide into the air. In order to grow mushrooms, the temperature in the controlled space must go up to at least 62 degrees celsius (or about 140 degrees fahrenheit). During this, CO2 is exchanged with fresh air. While this is still less than beef, and even the “greenest” chicken (which produces about 5 CO2/kg)… it’s still not great.

Cuckoo For Cocoa– Beans

Between 4.9 and 7.4 million acres of tropical rainforests were lost to plantations over 1988 and 2008. Even though harvesting palm oil and soy is far more damaging, 1kg of chocolate produces 11.2kg of CO2. Poore showed in his own studies that a small 50g bar of dark chocolate can create up to 7kg of CO2, or in other words: driving 17 miles in a car.

This Is Nuts!

A bag of almonds from Costco used to be an essential on my grocery list, but that was before they got so expensive. Now I can see why… nut trees consume over 900 gallons of fresh water for every kilogram of nuts. Cashews release the most carbon (almost 5 CO2/kg), and they must undergo yet another process to remove the caustic oil that can burn the skin of people handling them.

How Prices Compare

Doing some quick online browsing of my preferred grocery store, Fry’s, I found a prime example of why veganism is difficult to embrace financially when you are perhaps a single mom, a college student, or a part-time employee who wants to save instead of spend wherever possible.

  • Silk Chocolate Protein Almond & Cashew Milk (64 oz) – $3.29
  • Kroger Lactose Free 2% Reduced Fat Milk (½ gallon) – $2.99
  • Fry’s 2% Reduced Fat Milk (½ gallon) – $1.59
  • Silk Vanilla Almond Milk (½ gallon) – $2.99
  • Better Than Milk Organic Unsweetened Oat Drink (~34 oz) – $5.99
  • Blue Diamond Vanilla Unsweetened Coconut Milk (32 oz) – $2.19

In short: “Why should I pay more money for almond, coconut, and oat milk when I get less or the same amount compared to regular milk?”

In The End…

You may feel good about your health and bettering the planet by switching to veganism but personally, I wouldn’t convert to this eating lifestyle simply because I already like to think I limit what I eat and know it’s not going to make a ton of difference. Unless the entirety of the US (for example) switches to veganism, there won’t be a real, observable change. Basically, every diet is faulted one way or another, and as long as you are making smart eating choices that include all different food groups, then it’s a win.

Sources:

What to know about vegan diets

9 reasons why veganism can save the world

Why the vegan diet is not always green

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