World Vegetarian Day: Here’s All You Need To Know About The Day

WHAT IS WORLD VEGETARIAN DAY?

October 1 is observed as the World Vegetarian Day annually. It was founded in 1977 by the North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS) and was later endorsed by the International Vegetarian Union in 1978. The day is aimed to bring awareness and promote the benefits of adopting a vegetarian lifestyle. It intends to bring global attention to the vegetarian way of living. Vegetarianism is beneficial to the human body as well as the environment around. It is aimed at motivating people to adopt a plant-based lifestyle and ditch the meats.

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OCTOBER: MONTH OF VEGETARIANISM

The world vegetarian day kicks off the month-long program spreading awareness about vegetarian way of living. There is also an International Vegetarian Week, usually in the first week of October. Workshops are organized through the world to celebrate the healthier way of living and bring awareness and recognition towards vegetarianism. It ends on November 1 on the World Vegan Day. October is also known as the ‘Month of Vegetarian Food’ or 'Vegetarian Awareness Month'. Many restaurants across the world offer only vegetarian dishes in their menu throughout the vegetarian month, urging people to try vegetarian alternatives.

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DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEGETARIANISM

Vegetarianism has fast gained popularity across the world. It is aimed at consuming plants and plant-based products. Veganism is a branch of vegetarian living where practitioners don’t consume even milk, cheese or even honey - i.e. anything which is animal based and instead, prefers to go for plant-based substitutes.

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Different types of Vegetarianism also include ovo-lacto vegetarian (consuming eggs and milk), lacto-vegetarian (consumes milk) and raw vegetarianism (who consumes only the raw form of vegetables and fruits). In India, the Jain community, despite being strict adherers of vegetarians, does not use garlic, onion, and potato in their diet. During an auspicious period of eight to ten days (Paryushan), they abstain from consuming anything that is grown under the soil (root vegetables) or even green vegetables, owing to religious beliefs.

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SOCIETY AND VEGETARIANISM

Following a vegetarian diet forms an essential part of many religions including Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. The beliefs are rooted in the practice of non-violence and being in balance with the natural world. Along with being beneficial for the body, vegetarianism is also followed by people in order to protect the environment.

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Some Chinese people are known to observe vegetarianism twice in a lunar month i.e. on the first and the 15th day. India has the most number of vegetarians. Some of the more famous vegetarian personalities include Mahatma Gandhi, George Bernard Shaw, Benjamin Franklin, Sir Issac Newton, Henry Ford, Indian PM Narendra Modi to name a few. 

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The day promotes a healthier and a more sustainable way of lifestyle in accordance with the environment. It urges one to reflect on their eating habits and the type of food one consumes which in turn affects the health in the long run. Try out vegetarianism this world vegetarian day and reap in the benefits of a more wholesome way of eating and

Vegetarians rejoice. It’s your day, today! Let us know your experience in the comments below.