Punjabi vegetarians

Environment straining diet order through food production : Jain diet > Vegetarian > Meat (Jain diet : Vegetarian minus Root vegetables)

Farming and harvesting root vegetables like potato destroys entire plant leading to wastage as opposed to plucking vegetables which grow above soil which can regrow, which makes Jain diet even more environment friendly than simply vegetarian diet.

Vegan is stupid as it is devoid of milk – making it devoid of the only source of vitamin B12, Vitamin D (edible) and bodily required animal fat (butter/ghee). Milk is also an important source of proteins for vegetarians.

Taking care of cows in return for their milk and banning beef, is a beautiful symbiotic relationship already established by Jains between humans and cows. Beef production also leads to highest carbon footprints creation. All this comes on top of valuing animal and plant life and for the selfish reason that Jain diet is the healthiest diet.

Low IQ – Meat eaters (shorter life span)

Leftist – Vegan (shortest life span)

High IQ – Vegetarian (live long)

High IQ – Jain Diet (live the longest)

The production of meat, particularly beef, drives several environmental crises.

Water Usage: Meat production is water-intensive. For example, producing just one pound of beef can require roughly 2,400 gallons of water.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Livestock production is responsible for approximately 11–20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This is largely due to methane produced by ruminant animals (like cows and sheep) and nitrous oxide from manure and fertilizers.

Inefficient Land Use: Livestock takes up about 80% of global agricultural land (including grazing and feed crops) but provides only about 18% of the world’s calories.

Deforestation & Biodiversity Loss: The demand for pasture and feed crops (like soy) is the primary driver of deforestation in tropical regions like the Amazon. This habitat destruction is a leading cause of species extinction.

The below is a map of India which is not accurate but does its job of showing the influence of Jains on Indian subcontinent. Anecdotal evidence doesn’t suggest Punjabis being so much vegetarian in percentage. Also, the map cannot capture changes due to partition of India into Pakistan in 1947 which changed demographics of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh significantly; their numbers would be less if it wasn’t for Muslim population migrating to Pakistan side. In Sindh region (now Pakistan) nearing Gujarat and Marwar, a percentage of Hindus are vegetarian. Also, note the caste demographics of Jains in South India is different from NW India affecting influencing ability, and Jainism reached South India later in history. One more thing, is that South and East India maybe more lactose intolerant which may have affected their ability to have milk based vegetarian diet.

Ancient Greece influenced by Jains had a certain percentage vegetarian population.

Lactose Intolerance means vegetarian diet needs to be adjusted by them by limiting or skipping milk for yogurt, and maybe even that may not work in completeness for some as a replacement of meat based diet.

Animal welfare and Environmentalism, goes hand in hand –

Animal welfare is related to Environment concerns. History is witness of Jains working for animal welfare, and Jains run an extremely high number of cow shelters along with running veterinary hospitals and donate money towards the cause of animal welfare.

Marwar is one of the most Jain influenced region left. Bishnois in Rajasthan are strongly Jain influenced by their mindset when it comes protecting animals and plants and are known for their dedication towards them; Bishnoi sect of Vaishnav Hinduism started in Marwar.