Daniel Fromson delves into the history of health food, which is often served with a generous helping of cultish religiosity:
Uncontroversial businesses like restaurants … help spiritual groups avoid persecution. Consider the case of the Hare Krishnas, whose aggressive panhandling during the 1970s generated bad press. One 1976 AP article chronicled how Krishnas wearing Santa suits began competing with other Santas for holiday donations in Manhattan, harassing rivals and following passersby for as far as a block, demanding, "Ho, ho, ho. Don't you have anything for Santa?" The group ended the Santa turf wars soon after and invested in vegetarian cookery.
(Photo of a meal from a Krishna Cafe by Flickr user Premshree Pillai)
The Dish 