Natalie Portman, Liam Hemsworth, Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero. What do they all have in common?

They’re all vegetarians.

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What is National Vegetarian Week all about?

This week 11^th – 18^th May in the UK is National Vegetarian Week. National Vegetarian Week 2020 is all about enjoying plant-based food. And while it’s an unusual time at the moment, the campaign, run by the Vegetarian Society, is viewing the lockdown as an opportunity for all of us to have a go at something new and enjoy cooking at home, but without the meat.

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Vegetarian or Vegan – What’s the difference?

Let’s take it back a step. Vegetarians don’t eat fish, meat or chicken. A vegetarian diet does however include:

• Vegetables and fruits
• Grains and pulses
• Nuts and seeds
• Eggs
• Dairy products
• Honey

Whereas, a vegan diet does not include, eggs, dairy or honey.

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Are there health benefits?

Vegetarian diets are associated with several health benefits. Studies have shown that vegetarians can have a better-quality diet than meat-eaters with a higher intake of important nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin E and magnesium.

A vegetarian diet may provide several other health boosts including weight loss, stabilised blood sugar and lower cholesterol.

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What are the stats?

Did you know that for every 8 people in the UK, 1 is vegetarian? India is right at the top when it comes to a veggie diet, with 38% of its population identifying as a vegetarian, followed by Israel (13%) and Taiwan (12%). The Economist, reports around 5% of the world’s population is vegetarian, which equates to roughly 385 million people across the globe.

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How can I get involved?

Visit the National Vegetarian Week website to find out how to get involved this week. You could also:

• Grow you own herbs and spices to liven up your meals.
• Support your local suppliers. in these difficult times. Buy your fruit and veg from the local Greengrocer.
• Head online and order a veggie cookbook or find inspiration on the millions of cookery websites.
• Think about going meat-free one or two days a week.

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Fancy giving it a go?

With so much time on our hands how about a low and slow veggie curry?

What you’ll need:

• A slow cooker
• 400ml can light coconut milk
• 3 tbsp mild curry paste
• 2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced
• 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 200g butternut squash (peeled weight), cut into chunks
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
• 1 small aubergine (about 250g), halved and thickly sliced
• 15g coriander, chopped
• 160g frozen peas, defrosted
• 1 lime, juiced, to taste
• wholemeal flatbread, to serve

How to do it:

• Put the coconut milk, curry paste, vegetable bouillon powder, red chilli, chopped ginger, garlic cloves, butternut squash, red pepper and sliced aubergine into a slow cooker pot and stir well. Cover with the lid and chill overnight.
• The next day, cook on Low for 6 hrs until the vegetables are really tender, then stir in 15g chopped coriander and 160g defrosted peas. The heat of the curry should be enough to warm them through.
• Taste and add a good squeeze of lime juice, if you fancy extra zing. Serve with a wholemeal flatbread.

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How are you marking National Vegetarian Week? Let us know on our socials @HostStudentsUK on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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