I have been a vegetarian since I was born, if I may say so, and so are thousands of people who were born into the Brahmin community like me. In Hinduism, we are divided into different groups originally based on profession. Brahmins were typically the educated ones and were expected to teach others and were also priests. As society evolved, Brahmins took on broader professions like minister, banker, businessman, etc. Some say that in the Vedic period Brahmins were allowed to eat the meat of slaughtered animals. Then with the spread of Buddhism and Jainism, in order to curb conversions to these religions, Ahimsa or non-violence was also spread as the key message of Hinduism. After this a number of Hindus, especially Brahmins, became vegetarians and this was not a particularly difficult change because they were only allowed to have sacrificial meat anyway and no other meat, so it was not a big part of their life. . This is also not to say that all Brahmins are vegetarian, as some continued to eat meat/fish. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t want to harm animals and I’m a vegetarian. Now why am I talking about Hinduism, Brahmins and vegetarians? The reason is that it is a bit surprising to me to see people warned about the ‘dangers’ of becoming a vegetarian, whereas that has been the way of life for me and my ancestors without hesitation. Also a quick look at where I came from can help you understand why I’m surprised. If you’ve ever been to India, especially South India, you’ll find more vegetarian than non-vegetarian restaurants, and non-vegetarians will usually say so explicitly on their name board. By contrast, I have yet to come across a vegetarian restaurant in the western world where I live.
Having spent some time in a Western country, I understand that meat is an important part of the diet and difficult to give up. So for some, it’s probably a big deal. People are often warned against a vegetarian diet primarily because it is said to lack protein. Proteins contain chains of amino acids that are converted into different types of amino acids during digestion and absorption. The body can secrete some amino acids, but some are required from food. Plant foods are said to lack at least one of these essential amino acids. However, it does not mean that one cannot get enough protein as a vegetarian. It’s simply a matter of combining foods, such as combining grains with lentils and vegetables. It was interesting to read that some findings show that excessive protein intake can lead to osteoporosis and kidney problems (remember your kidney has to work harder to absorb amino acids). A well-balanced vegetarian diet is said to provide enough protein. Even if you can’t break even in one meal, you can always break even in a day. For example, let’s say you couldn’t get enough protein in your lunch, you can always snack on some lentils and strike a balance. In a vegetarian diet you obviously don’t get the fat from meat and also because most plants are fibrous, vegetarian diets are said to be more helpful in maintaining a healthy weight.
Now, if the problem of not getting enough protein is out of the way, what else could prevent one from being a vegetarian? Could it be a ‘limited’ choice because most restaurants offer mac and cheese and salad as a vegetarian on their menu, or could it be the fear of not treating the palate because vegetarian is bland? If it is one or both, I can assure you that it is a myth. While I can’t put more items on restaurant menus because I have no control over them, I can certainly assure you that your menu list at home can be very long. When it comes to taste and flavor, who said spices don’t work on vegetables, grains, and fruits? There is no limit to the type of dishes you can make even with just a few ingredients.
By making healthy choices, you can very well be a vegetarian and enjoy eating. If you need help or inspiration to create good vegetarian dishes, visit my blog http://www.tastefullyveggie.blogspot.com/
