I came across beef (meat of cattle) consumption while going to the hostel. This concept of consuming Beef was entirely new to me. I was new to the consumption of red meat by individuals in our country. Below is some of the knowledge that I gathered regarding beef consumption.
Beef contains protein, iron, and vitamin B12. Beef is a good source of protein and other nutrients, but it is also high in cholesterol and saturated fats which can cause fatty deposits to build up in the blood. Beef can be a healthy part of your diet, but should be eaten in moderation. Beef is an excellent source of iron. The iron in beef helps your body produce hemoglobin, a protein that helps your blood carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Not consuming enough iron can put you at risk of iron deficiency anemia, meaning your body isn’t getting enough oxygen. You might feel tired, listless, weak, and mentally foggy. Along with other kinds of red meat, high consumption is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer and coronary heart disease, especially when processed (basically preservation).
Eight in ten Indians limit meat in their diets, and four in ten consider themselves vegetarian. All of India's most widely practiced religions have dietary laws and traditions. For example, Hindu texts often praise vegetarianism, and Hindus may also avoid eating beef because cattles are traditionally viewed as sacred. Hindus don't eat beef. They worship the animals. The Muslims don't eat pork. The Buddhists are vegetarians and the Jains are strict vegans who won't even touch root vegetables because of the damage it does to the plants.
The lynching of a Muslim man in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly storing and consuming beef a few weeks ago has sparked a heated debate about banning the meat. Predictably, battle lines have also been drawn around religious groups.
According to NSSO data, the biggest chunk of the beef-eating population is Muslim by faith. Around 63.4 million Muslims consume beef, which is 40% of the total Muslim population. For Christians, this figure is around 26.5%. Although less than 2% of Hindus eat beef, they are ranked second in absolute terms. More than 12.5 million Hindus consume it.
How did we arrive at these numbers?
The last consumer expenditure survey by NSSO was conducted in 2011-12. For the beef/buffalo category, the data was collected in two schedules, type I (based on a 30-day recall period), and type II (based on a 7-day recall period).
We have taken the type I schedule to ensure better capture of actual consumption given the longevity of the recall period. Conversely, it might lead to under-reporting the actual quantity consumed.
Among the 101,000 surveyed households, 9,711 reported having consumed beef. Using population weights given by NSSO to arrive at total population estimates, 83.5 million people out of 1.1 billion people consumed this meat variety, which is around 7.35% of the total population.
Among religious groups, there are considerable variations across caste groups. Apart from Muslims, schedule castes and schedule tribes (SC/ST) comprise the majority of the beef-eating population. Among Hindus, more than 70% of the beef-eating population is SC/ST, 21% is other backward castes and only 7% is upper caste (others category).
Consumption patterns vary across states as well. The largest beef-consuming state is not the Muslim majority in Jammu and Kashmir but Meghalaya, where more than 80% of the population consumes this meat. Among larger states, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Assam, and West Bengal show a relatively higher share of beef-consuming population.
In any case, it is clear from the NSSO data that beef eating cannot be attributed solely to any one particular religious group in the country. In many regions of the country, a large number of non-Muslims eat beef.