Personality and Personal Preference
Vegetarians more likely to be introverted
A recent study published in the journal Nutrients, finds the amount of animal foods you choose to include in your diet may actually give more insights into your personality than you may think!
German scientists assessed almost 8,000 people to learn more about how animal protein in the diet relates to overall weight, depression and personality traits. Participants self-reported personality characteristics, depression and dietary intake with the help of extensive surveys.
Analysis reinforced what we already know - that those who ate animal products such as meat, poultry and fish had higher body weight than those who eliminated it. Following a vegetarian diet like this, or limiting animal foods to milk, eggs, cheese etc., is known to contribute more fiber and fewer calories overall diet. Related to personality, they found that vegetarians and vegans were more introverted than those who ate animal products. Why? One thought is that these diets tend to be more restrictive and those who follow them may be socially removed as a result or perhaps introverts simply have more restrictive eating habits. More research would have to be done to explore why.
In either case, it wouldn’t hurt to head into the holiday season with a few vegetarian friendly recipes to welcome your plant-loving guests. It may even help spark up conversation!
Published November 2020