Lots of factors influence what we eat, everything from taste preferences, to budgets and culture. New research suggests genetics may also play a role. Manjunath Kiran/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
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How to eat more like a vegetarian — even if you're not one
There is a whole subset of people who can't imagine popcorn without a sprinkling of nutritional yeast, which is naturally full of B vitamins that are harder to come by in meat-free diets. Getty Images hide caption
Jaap Korteweg, here in The Vegetarian Butcher's new restaurant, De Vleesch Lobby, says recreating the texture of meat "requires the patience of a monk and the best experts to achieve the right result." Thessa Lageman/NPR hide caption
Sales of McDonald's new soy-based patty have far surpassed estimates in Sweden, where half the population says it's interested in more vegetarian options. Are diners just curious or truly lovin' it? McDonald's Sweden hide caption
Despite the disbanding of communes and the persistence of capitalism, culinary contributions from hippies have not only endured, but helped set the framework for the way we eat today. Evening Standard/Getty Images hide caption
Chef Jeremy Fox's inventive dish: double-chucked spring peas sprinkled with white chocolate and roasted macadamia nuts. It's served with a bit of pea broth poured on the side, "to retain the crunch." Each pea is shucked, blanched and squeezed to get the halves out. It's a labor preparation that he serves only on special occasions, like Valentine's day. Oriana Koren for NPR hide caption
'Vegetable Whisperer' Chef Plants The Seeds Of His Own Reinvention
Pigs gather in a sty at the Sierra de las Villuercas processing plant in October near Deleitosa, Spain. Denis Doyle/Getty Images hide caption
Preeti Mistry's biriyani-stuffed pumpkin. Courtesy of Preeti Mistry hide caption
So Long, Turkey: 3 Ways To Spice Up Thanksgiving Without The Bird
The College Of William And Mary anthropology professor Barbara J. King presents her "last" lecture, on emotions in the animal world, as she prepares to retire from academic life. Courtesy of Skip Rowland hide caption
A meta-analysis found that people on vegetarian diets lost around 4.4 pounds more than the control group (who had no change in diet), while those who went vegan dropped 5.5 pounds more. Marcus Butt/Ikon Images/Corbis hide caption
An orca swims with its baby at the Marineland animal exhibition park in Antibes, France, in 2013. Lionel Cironneau/AP hide caption
Choosing these lemon cupcakes because they're vegan doesn't mean you have to give up your other causes. John Raoux/AP hide caption
Even this Maharaja Mac, made specifically for the Indian market, will be off the menu at the new vegetarian McDonald's in India. kawanet/Flickr.com hide caption