Editing Vegetarianism (section)

===Hinduism===
{{Main|Diet in Hinduism}}
{{multiple image
| perrow            = 2
| total_width       = 250
| caption_align     = center
| image1            = Vegetarian Curry.jpeg
| image2            = The Complete Meal.jpg
| image3            = '8' A Thali, a traditional style of serving meal in India.jpg
| footer            = Illustrative of vegetarian Hindu meals
| footer_align      = center
}}
Though there is no strict rule on what to consume and what not to, the food habits of Hindus vary according to their specific caste and sub-caste, community, location, custom and varying traditions. Historically and currently, a majority of [[Hindus]] (about 70%) eat meat, while a large proportion of Hindus are vegetarian (about 30%).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/seta/2004/10/21/stories/2004102100111600.htm |website=The Hindu |title=Sci Tech / Speaking Of Science : Changes in the Indian menu over the ages |date=October 21, 2004 |access-date=February 3, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100826122930/http://www.hinduonnet.com/seta/2004/10/21/stories/2004102100111600.htm |archive-date=August 26, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Some sects of [[Hinduism]] such as [[Vaishnavism]] follow the purest form of vegetarianism as an ideal while [[Shaktism]] and [[Tantric hinduism|Tantric]] sects freely consume chicken, mutton (goat and sheep meat), fish and eggs. The reasons stated by [[Jains]] and [[Vaishnav]]as are: the principle of nonviolence (''[[ahimsa]]'') applied to animals;<ref>Tähtinen, Unto: ''Ahimsa. Non-Violence in Indian Tradition'', London 1976, p. 107–109.</ref> the intention to offer only "pure" (vegetarian) food to a deity and then to receive it back as ''[[prasad]]a''; and the conviction that a [[sattvic diet|''sattvic'' diet]] is beneficial for a healthy body. A ''sattvic'' diet is [[Lacto vegetarianism|lacto-vegetarian]], which includes dairy, but excludes eggs.<ref>Paul Insel (2013), Discovering Nutrition, Jones & Bartlett Publishers, {{ISBN|978-1284021165}}, page 231</ref> An overwhelming majority of the Hindus consider the cow to be a holy and sacred animal whose [[Cattle slaughter in India|slaughter]] for meat is forbidden. Thus, [[beef]] is a taboo for the majority of Hindus, Jains and Sikhs<ref>{{cite news|title=The states where cow slaughter is legal in India|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-no-beef-nation/|work=The Indian Express|date=October 8, 2015|access-date=November 26, 2015|archive-date=January 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125132322/https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-no-beef-nation/|url-status=live}}</ref>