Category: Dietary traditions

In Hinduism, milk is profoundly multifaceted, symbolizing purity, nourishment, and spiritual significance rather than simply being a food source. Reverence for the cow as a mother figure and provider is deeply ingrained, making its milk a central element in religious and cultural life.

A 2021 Pew Research Center survey revealed that around 44% of Hindus in India identify as vegetarian. This widespread practice raises the question: why did Hindus become vegetarian, a tradition deeply rooted in ethical and spiritual principles such as non-violence and karma?

According to ancient Ayurvedic medicine, mixing meat and milk is considered an incompatible food combination, a concept that predates modern nutritional science. The question of why you shouldn't mix meat and dairy has deep roots in religious texts, traditional wisdom, and even older health beliefs, though modern science presents a different picture.

According to a 2021 Pew Research Center study, around 81% of Indians limit meat in their diet, but only about 39% are truly vegetarian. This significant statistic underscores the complexity behind the common question: does Indian food contain meat?