Vegetarianism in India: Health Benefits, Risks, and the Environment’s Role in Risk Mitigation
Abstract
Vegetarian diets lack vitamins and nutrients vital for the human body, which can have severe adverse effects and cause illnesses and pathology. However, vegetarians in India do not seem to suffer from the same pathologies that are expected to be associated with this level of vitamin and nutrient deficiency. This paper explores how vegetarians in India escape immune deficiency and whether this can be attributed to natural immunity that correlates with vegetarianism or even induced by it. The phenomenon of natural immunity in Indian vegetarians is due to a unique combination of genetic diversity, environmental exposure frequency, dietary habits, and sociocultural practices. Genetic factors such as HLA diversity, cytokine gene polymorphisms, and a rich anti-inflammatory, spice-heavy diet contribute to a robust immune system. These environmental lifestyle factors have shaped the immune responses of the Indian population, protecting Indian vegetarians from vegetarianism-related pathology.
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