Many people associate themselves these days by their diet and what they eat. Hosting a dinner party? Might want to check twice on everyone’s dietary preferences before going grocery shopping. Eating at a restaurant? You’ll find many places that cater to special needs diets and have special menus for these people.

In fact, there are so many different diets and foodie lifestyles these days it’s hard to keep track. These “food tribes” are communities of people who rally and support each other around their food preferences. Some are for health and medical reasons, others for political reasons, and some just to simply feel good and lose weight. So, what the heck are all these food tribes and what do they mean? Here’s a guide from A-Z.

Flexitarian 

This is a fairly minted term that’s used to describe semi-vegetarianism. The people in this tribe primarily are vegetarians, but occasionally eat meat. They are very open about being flexitarians and try to stay away from meat when they can.

Gluten Free 

This is one of the most popular and growing tribes, and we’ve broken them down into the following three types:

1. Celiac- These are people who suffer from the auto-immune disorder. They have to follow an extremely strict gluten-free diet, as they can get sick from even the tiniest amount of gluten. It’s hard for celiacs to eat out at all because most restaurants are not dedicated gluten-free facilities. They are the most extreme of the gluten-free bunch, and for good reason.

2.  Gluten Intolerant-This sub-tribe is filled with those who have either been diagnosed with gluten sensitivity or self-diagnosed. They follow a strict gluten-free diet for health reasons, and for the most part it helps them feel better. However, they do not have to be as careful as celiacs when it comes to products being made on the same equipment as those containing gluten.

3.   The Trendy Gluten Free Gal or Guy – This tribe has picked up on the gluten-free diet because of it’s growing popularity and decided they want to be included because it’s trendy and they want to lose weight. Ever seen that skit with Jimmy Kimmel? Yup, that’s them.

Low Carb 

This tribe revolves around consuming the least amount of carbs possible. They follow this strict, carb-depleted diet to get their body into a fat burning phase called ketosis. Some are extreme enough to even test their blood to tell whether or not they are in fat burning mode. Insane!

Paleo 

This food tribe follows a way of eating that is also known as the “caveman diet.” They eat what a caveman would eat – meat, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and healthy oils.  The idea behind the paleo diet is you are only eating whole, natural, unprocessed foods like the kind your body is meant to process. Many people in the paleo tribe also fall into the same workout tribe and do crossfit as their physical activity.

Pescatarian

This tribe is comprised of vegetarians who eat fish and other types of seafood. One of the most common reasons people associate themselves with this tribe is for health reasons – they don’t want to eat other types of meats but consider fish and seafood to be more morally acceptable.

Raw Foodies

Someone who follows a raw food diet only eats uncooked, unprocessed foods. Their diet primarily consists of fruits, raw vegetables, nuts, and seeds. They can also eat meat and fish if its uncooked, such as carpaccio and sashimi. If they consumer dairy products, it has to be raw and non-pasteurized.

Vegan

This is the most extreme form of vegetarianism because vegans stay away from animal products entirely. In addition to not eating meat, vegans stay away from all dairy and egg products. Some who are vegan for moral reasons made refuse to wear leather or any clothing made from animal materials.

Vegetarian

The vegetarians do not eat meat, but the amount of vegetables they actually eat can be questionable. Many substitute meat for carbs like grilled cheese and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. A plant-based diet can actually be quite good for you if you know what to eat and stick to the right foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs and beans. Many people are vegetarians for both health and political reasons.

And last but not least, we have the clean eating tribe. This is the group of folks who try and eat fresh and healthy foods as often as they can, but don’t have any specific dietary restrictions. I’d like to think that LUVO falls into this category as well.

No matter what your dietary preferences are, the important thing is you find what works for you and stick to it. Everyone is different, so find your foodie tribe and go for it!

What about you? What’s your food tribe? Post in the comments and let us know!