Steven Shapin reviews the history of vegetarianism, from Pythagoras to Hitler to organic Zambian green beans. "Recent epidemiological studies suggest that adult vegetarians tend to have lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, lower rates of obesity, and, more controversially, higher childhood I.Q.s -- though vegans tend to have lower I.Q.s than their carnivorous peers, and the nature of the links between vegetarianism, health, and I.Q. is unclear."

Advertise on kottke.org via The Deck.