What determines is food is delectable or disgusting is culture and availability. In this chapter, Herzog explained that culture is influential on what we eat. He explains them with explaining the consumption of dog meat. In Asia, around 16 million dogs are consumed every year. In the United States, Americans prefer pork hams whereas in Asia “puppy ham” is the “preferred cut”. Asians consume vast amounts of dogs per year, and the numbers keep increasing. Americans do not eat dogs, at all. Mainly because dogs are viewed as family rather than food. My stomach churns at the idea of eating a dog when I have two dogs at my house Culture is very crucial in whether humans believe that a type of food is delectable or disgusting. Asians view dogs as delectable, while Americans view the consumption of dogs as disgusting and inhumane. The availability of meats has an impact of how meats are viewed. Herzog writes “lack of availability, however, is only one reason why people avoid eating certain types of meats.” If certain meats, such as “elephant toes” for example, are not available, a person would not have the ability to state if it is disgusting or delectable. The lack of availability limits the option of labeling a food delicious or …show more content…
There aren’t more vegetarians because humans enjoy eating meat and the increase of “eating birds”. Herzog writes that most vegetarians either return back to eating meat or crave eating meat, despite being a vegetarian. A study in the reading showed that “60 percent of ‘vegetarians’ admitted they had eaten red meat, poultry, or seafood within the last twenty-four hours.” Another study in the reading showed that, “‘vegetarians’ actually eat more chicken that non-vegetarian teens do.” There are simply not more vegetarians because Americans enjoy the way that meat taste, based on cultural reasons or biological reasons including that we are closely related with animals that enjoy the taste of meat. Chicken consumption increased from 1975 to 2009, by 200 percent and since then the chicken consumption has still been on the rise. Since studies have been composed, I think that poultry consumption has increased due to the increasing health “fads”. Since most people are obsessed with eating healthier, eating poultry is always a healthier option causing a lower number in vegetarians. People lie about their eating behaviors for social acceptance. In 2017, in particular, people want to be healthy and thin, or at least paint that picture. Lying about eating habits can make someone feel more socially accepted. The University of Pennsylvania researchers discovered that “meat-avoiders are more obsessed with their weight.” Herzog also writes that most college females choose to be