Most people across the globe are non-vegetarians or meat-eaters but slowly vegetarianism and vegetarian cooking are becoming popular.

Earlier, vegetarianism was the exclusive domain of certain classes and clans like the Indian Hindu Brahmin and Jain communities. But today weight watchers, fitness gurus, health freaks, doctors and naturopaths swear by vegetarian cooking. So much popular film stars, Hollywood or Bollywood celebrities are endorsing vegetarianism as a healthy life style. Vegetarians are on the warpath trying to convert meat eaters and speaking up for animal rights.

Going back in history, the early human beings were carnivores living by hunting and flesh eating gathering. Later civilizations saw the emergence of agriculture and cultivation of cereals, fruits and vegetables. However the gourmet diet was still mainly meat. With trading, fruits and vegetables were introduced in different continents by the sailors and adventurers. Spices from the east began to flavor European dishes, exotic vegetables reached far and wide. With such an array of choice available some people sensitive to animal rights began to advocate vegetarianism.

Now with certain other clans and religions, people were vegetarians by birth and not by choice, their religious tenets forbidding them to cause harm to any living creature. But many of these people became meat eaters because of influence of their environment and forgot about vegetarian cooking. Vegetarian restaurants were difficult to find and were highly expensive. These staunch vegetarians had a very hard time when they traveled or stayed away from home.

But the tide has turned. Vegetarian cooking has become the hottest trend. Meat eating has been found to cause many of the diseases of modern man, starting from heart attack right to kidney failure. Vegetarian diet is the healthy diet. Calorie watchers find economy of calories in tasty vegetarian dishes. Scientific reports deriding red meat, egg etc. and praising vegetarian gourmet like soya and greens are giving the impetus to vegetarian cooking.

Some complain that a pure vegetarian diet robs them of essential proteins and fats. The vegetarian gourmet replaces the lack of protein with pulses and soya, which are excellent sources of proteins. Vegetable oils are as fattening as their non-vegetarian counterparts like lard. You may also fill up the lack of some elements by taking them in pills.

Meat grows rotten faster than vegetables and causes worse diseases. Preserving and storing meat is much more difficult than vegetables. No fear of contracting dreaded diseases like The Mad cow disease or the East Asian Bird Flu in the vegan diet.

But to wean away those who are die hard meat fans, vegetarian gourmet dishes have been devised which taste just like meat but just are not the bad stuff. Soy chunks, mushroom patties etc. are all tasty alternatives to meat.
Vegetarians do not feel like martyrs. They enjoy the vast choice of tasty vegetarian gourmet. They also feel fitter, lighter, and younger.
So vive la vegan!