Recently I read in national newspaper that Goldsmiths University in London has banned sale of beef burgers on Campus to combat climate change, as animals like cows produce methane gas that is more polluting than other forms of polluting menace, that include cars, air travel and use of fossil fuels.
It seems trend world-wide is to move away from carnivorous diet to vegetarian one that is now considered to be healthy, well balanced and environmentally friendly, only sensible way to save planet Earth for future generation.
Unfortunately there is misconception in certain culture and tradition that diet that lacks meat is incomplete, lacks protein, vitamins and other body-building essential ingredients, harmful for the good health, especially the young, developing children. This is myth created by meat industry, as they fear that meat diet will become as unpopular as smoking, which was once “Status Symbol” in twenties and thirties, as no hero in Western movies would be seen without cigarette in his hand. It was same for Bollywood, as I distinctly remember our heroes Ashok Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand were ardent smoker, on and off the screen.
Risk of vegetarian diet is the same as any imbalanced diet. Eating meat without greens, fruits pose even worse health risk than vegetarian diet. If one looks at nature, healthiest and longest living animals are vegetarians, including elephants, gorillas, rhinos, even giant whales that survives on sea planktons, not forgetting tortoises for whom life longevity of a century is the norm. In comparison, carnivorous animals like lions, tigers, leopards and cheetahs hardly move out of their twenties!
There is also misconception through ignorance that vegetarian diet lacks variety and taste. Far from it, hundreds of dishes can be cooked using rice, wheat, maize, oat and various types of flour, lentils, roots, fruits, vegetables and dairy products. Moreover spices are the main ingredient that gives vegetarian food taste and variety!
Kumudini Valambia
By email
