The History of Plant Based meals

Are you planning to go plant-based? If you are, then it is very likely that you have heard of the diet from the internet. On social media, many influencers and celebrities are swearing by the benefits of going meat-free, posting their appetizing plant-based meals.  

Indeed, with the notoriety of documentaries like “The Gamechangers” and “What The Health,” the plant-based movement is gaining traction. Trendy as it might be now, you might be surprised to know that plant-based diets are not new.  

Making plants a staple of a diet goes back to ancient civilizations. With a history that goes back to the period of Classical Antiquity, the plant-based diet has been around much longer than you might think. According to an article from Time Magazine, the vegan diet may have been around for more than 2,000 years!. 

Keep reading to learn more about the history of plant-based diets. 

Pythagoras and Flesh-Avoidance 

Pythagoras of Samos lived sometime around 500 CE in ancient Greece. Not only is he the founder of the Pythagorean theorem but he is also one of the first people to mention vegetarianism.  

According to him, it is the duty of people to be benevolent to animals. This involved staying away from meat — which was also a practical idea then due to the scarcity of meat.  

Ancient Rome 

It was not long after the promotion of meat avoidance in Greece when the practice became prevalent in Rome. While meat was widely consumed in the Roman empire, some circles stuck to barley and beans.  

Gladiators, in particular, consumed a diet that was high in legumes and barley. In fact, the ancient Roman term given to gladiators at the time was “horaederi” or “bean and barley chewer”.  

Asia and Africa 

Meanwhile, veganism was already present in countries like India and China. For the most part, the practice of eating plant-based meals in Asia was born out of religious reasons.  

Buddhism and Hinduism advocated for the avoidance of meat. The religious practice of veganism continues amongst the followers of these religions until today.  

Africa is also no stranger to the vegan diet. Plant-based meals were a mainstay in Africa due to necessity, with plants and tubers being in relative abundance contained to grains.  

Early 20th Century Adaptation of Veganism 

Fast forward to 1944, an English animal rights advocate coined the term “veganism” for the first time. Donald T. Watson in explaining and promoting a meat-free diet founded The Vegan Society — the first vegan advocacy group in the world.  

Across the pond and 36 years later, Dr. T. Collin Campbell promoted the plant-based diet to an American population, invoking statistics of heart disease and other ailments.   

Go Plant-Based Today With Plant Based Meals 

Many people are going plant-based. And, many people have in the past — even long before it became a trend. Let us at Plant Based Meals help you make the shift in San Diego through our prepared meal delivery service.