Are All Hindus Vegetarian?

Are Hindus vegetarian? Do Hindus never eat any non-veg? When and why Hindus don’t consume non-veg food?

All these are common questions about Hindu culture for those who wants to know about Hinduism and their lifestyle. My current blog will address all your questions regarding Hindus and their food choices.

Are Hindus Vegetarian?

Yes, Hindus are vegetarian. But not all the Hindus follow pure vegetarian food. So, some Hindus are vegetarians and some Hindu people are non-vegetarians.

What Percentage of Hindus are Vegetarian?

According to the Pew Research, 44% Hindus are vegetarian and 29% of Hindus do not consume non-veg on certain days.

So, many Hindus are vegetarians only 16% of Hindus Hindus eat non-veg without considering certain days and type of the food.

Why Are Most Hindus Vegetarian?

In Hinduism, vegetarian food is considered as pure and better for health than consuming non-veg. Also, most Hindus believe that one should not harm animals to consume them. This is the reason that most Hindus are vegetarian.

What Does Bhagavad Gita Say About Eating Non-Veg?

Bhagavad Gita did not put restrictions on eating non-veg on Hindus. But in the Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna has talked about the different types of food and their effects on health, mind and body.

Bhagavad Gita talks about 3 types of food and ‘Tamasic‘ food is not good for mind and body. Non-veg is considered as Tamasic food according to Bhagavad Gita.

Hindus Do Not Eat Meat or Non-Veg On Particular Days

Some Hindus do not eat meat on certain days even if they consider themselves non-vegetarian. Let’s see why is that so-

Hindus Don’t Eat Non-Veg During Festivals

Hindu festivals include puja (worshiping god). On the festival day Hindus do not eat non-veg because they believe that one should eat non-veg during Godly work.

Hindus Don’t Eat Meat on Tuesdays

In Hinduism, Tuesday is a day of Goddess Durga and Lord Hanuman. People visit temples of Goddess Durga and Hanuman on Tuesdays. So, some Hindus don’t eat non vegetarian food on Tuesdays.

Some Hindus Don’t Consume Non-Veg On Thursdays

Hindus consider Thursdays are holy days and it’s a Sai Baba day. So, some Hindu people also do fasting on this day to devote God. This is the reason that they don’t eat non-veg food on Thursdays.

Many Hindus Avoid Non Vegetarian Food on Saturdays

Saturday is a day of Lord Shani Dev in Hinduism. On Saturdays Hindus visit Lord Hanuman temple to get blessings from God. So, most  of the Hindus prefer only veg food on Saturdays.

Hindus Don’t Eat Non-Veg During Shravana Month

Shravana Month is one of the Hindu months according to Hindu calendar. This usually begins in July and ends in August. According to Hindus it is a holy month. This is the month to celebrate Lord Shiva. So, Hindus don’t eat non-veg in the Shravana.

Hindus Don’t Consume Non-Veg During Navaratri

Navaratri is one of the grand celebration of Hindu festivals. This is a 9 days festival where Hindus worship Goddess Durga and her 9 forms. During this time Hindus don’t eat non-veg because they consider it sin to consume non vegetarian food during Navaratri.

FAQs on Hindus’ Non Vegetarian Food Habits

1. Do Hindus eat meat?

Yes, Hindus eat meat. As some Hindus are non vegetarians, they eat meat.

2. Do Hindu eat chicken?

Yes, Hindus eat chicken but not all the Hindu people. Only some people who are non vegetarians prefer eating chicken.

3. Are Hindus Vegan?

Yes, many of the Hindus are vegan. But some Hindus are non vegetarians as well.

4. Do Hindus eat fish?

Yes, many of Hindus eat fish and other sea food. The Hindus in costal areas often eat fish regularly.

5. Do Hindus eat beef?

No, Hindus do not eat beef. Hindus eat only fish, egg, chicken, mutton and some other sea food. But Hindus don’t consume beef because they worship cow and consider it as a holy animal in Hinduism.

6. Do Hindus eat pork?

Yes, but rarely a few Hindus eat pork. Not all the Hindus prefer eating pork.

7. Do Hindus eat eggs?

Yes, many Hindu people eat eggs. In fact, some Hindus believe that the eggs not vegetarian food. So, such Hindus eat only eggs but don’t prefer eating any other meat.

8. Is eating meat allowed in Hinduism?

Yes, eating meat is allowed in Hinduism. Well, it depends on one’s own choices and food preferences.

I hope my blog has helped you to know about Hindu’s non-veg food habits. I hope you have gained more clarity for your question, “Are Hindus vegetarian?”