Hinduism is said to be the world’s oldest religion. It was founded around 4000 years ago and has a rich and diverse set of beliefs, rituals, celebrations, practices, and traditions.
For all of these, this guide aims to help you lead a healthy lifestyle and reach your Second Nature goals.
Meat
Beef is generally forbidden for Hindus. One of the main reasons why some Hindus do not eat beef is because cows are considered sacred animals in Hinduism. In the Hindu scriptures, cows symbolise wealth, strength, and motherly love.
The majority of Hindus worldwide follow a vegetarian diet. Our Second Nature guide to vegetarian eating is available here.
We also have a Webinar on plant-based eating, which you can find here.
A balanced thali
Some traditional foods in Hinduism include:
Thepla - a spiced roti
Poha - flattened rice
Vada pav - a deep-fried potato dumpling in a bun
Idli - round cakes made from a batter of steamed rice and fermented black lentils
Sambar - rice, lentils, and spices in a soup
Goat and boar curries (eaten by Sri Lankan and Balinese Hindus who do consume meat)
Dosa - a lentil and rice pancake
Coconut
These are usually eaten on a thali. Try to follow the balanced plate model for your thali, such as having one section on the thali for carbohydrates, such as a thepla, idli, or poha.
¼ of your thali can include a high-quality protein source such as goat or boar if you eat these or vegetarian protein sources such as eggs, paneer, soya, lentils, yoghurt, or beans.
Around ½ of your thali or 2 sections of your thali, can be made up of colourful vegetables, such as a salad or vegetable curry.
Our Indian guide can also help you balance these foods in your traditional diet.
Alcohol
Alcohol consumption in Hindus varies among individuals and communities.
Many Hindus choose not to drink alcohol as a personal choice, influenced by religious teachings that emphasise purity, self-discipline and non-violence.
However, culturally, alcohol can be a big part of some Hindu celebrations. To help lower your intake of alcohol at celebrations, here are some top tips:
Choose an option without added sugar (avoid tonic water, juice, fizzy drinks and energy drinks).
If you intend to have more than one drink, alternate between an alcoholic beverage and a glass of still or sparkling water.
With this, try to limit yourself to 1-2 alcoholic drinks at a time.
Set a goal before drinking; you may decide only to have a certain number of drinks, stop drinking at a particular time, or stick to non-alcoholic or lower-strength drinks.
Have a balanced, filling meal before drinking.
Fasting
Fasting is of significant religious and spiritual importance in Hinduism.
Fasting for Hindus purifies the body and mind, develops self-control, and deepens devotion and spiritual connection with the divine.
Hindus will often fast on various occasions for different purposes. The specific rules and customs of fasting may vary based on regional traditions and individual beliefs.
Here are just a few examples of the various fasting occasions in Hinduism.
Ekadashi Fasting | Fasting on the 11th day of each lunar fortnight | Hindus will fast on this day to seek spiritual purification. |
Navratri Fasting | A 9-day fast | Hindus will fast during Navratri to seek blessings and inner strength from the goddesses. |
Maha Shivratri | A one-day fast to celebrate Lord Shiva | Hindus will fast on this day and meditate to seek blessings, peace and spiritual upliftment. |
Karva Chauth | Married Hindu women do a one-day fast for the well-being and longevity of their husbands. | Women will wait for the moon to appear and break the fast with their husbands, who will give them a gift to show their gratitude. |
Ganesh Chaturthi Fasting | A one-day fast dedicated to Lord Ganesh | Hindus will fast on this day to remove obstacles and seek Ganesh’s blessings. |
Janmashtami | A one-day fast to celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna | Celebrations and praise are given to Lord Krishna |
The aim during fasting is to have one main meal a day but to eat until you are comfortable. Again, try to follow the balanced plate model for this one meal to ensure you are well-energised and nourished for as long as possible.
You can use the hunger scale here to determine when you feel comfortably full and have eaten enough.
During fasting traditions, here are some of the foods that Hindus consume:
Sabudana (tapioca pearls) are used to make foods like sabudana khichdi or sabudana vada.
Potatoes are used in various forms to make different curries.
Flours:
-Singhara (Water chestnut flour) is used to make Puri’s or chapatis
- Amaranth flour is used to make sweet laddoos
- Buckwheat flour is used to make savoury or sweet dosas.
Dairy:
-Full-fat milk
- Yoghurt
- Ghee
- Buttermilk
Regular salt must be avoided during all fasts, and Hindus use rock salt as a substitute.
The main dietary guidelines during fasting are consuming foods that are considered pure and easily digestible.
If you’re hungry outside of the one meal a day, aim to have balanced snacks such as fruit with nuts and yoghurt to balance fibre, protein, and fats to keep you energised.
Increasing your protein intake can also help to maintain muscle and lean mass during fasting periods.
Drinking water throughout the day and limiting your tea and coffee consumption is also important.
Here are some tips on increasing water intake and reducing your caffeine intake during fasting:
Always keep a water bottle on you as a visual reminder
Place a jug of water on your desk or kitchen table
Try herbal teas, fruit teas, or cold infusion bags
Set a reminder on your phone to drink regularly or download an app for this
Make plain or sparkling water more appealing by adding fresh fruit, lemon, lime, cucumber, mint, and herbs
Set drinking goals throughout the day, i.e. "by 10 am I want to drink 750ml, and by noon I want to drink 1000ml "
Carry a bottle with you that makes the maths easy. Perhaps a 1-litre bottle filled up twice a day
For further help on following Second Nature as a Hindu during celebrations, we have a couple more guides you can read: