By Editor You must have heard that India is actually the largest vegetarian nation in the entire world, like as per some estimates out there, around 20% to 39% of the population is vegetarian. But that doesn’t hide the fact that India’s meat consumption is growing steadily as well, and that is because of the shift in diet for many and the understanding of how protein is super important for meals. And sure enough, when it comes to that, non-veg sources have no comparison to provide you with the highest protein percentage with much better bioavailability. Though when you look within India, you’ll see too much disparity in the states with the most meat eaters or the highest consumption of non-veg. If you have always wondered that then let’s get on with this list of the Top 10 Most Non-Veg Eating States In India. Here we go.
1. Nagaland
By this point, it could very well be that many of you didn’t even know that Nagaland ranks first and highest in the list of the highest percentage of meat eaters in the country. And just so you know, talking about the data here, with an amazing 99.8% of its people consuming non-vegetarian food, it is Nagaland naturally takes the top position in the ranking of today. Meat in Naga families is not something to be specially prepared, you know, it is just one of the daily necessities. Here, though, pork is the mainstay of the food, no matter if it is smoked, fermented, or slow-cooked with bamboo shoots. Besides that, chicken, beef, and fresh river fish are equally popular among the people of the state. It is pretty much the state where, if you visit, you’ll have a hard time finding a place where purely veg dishes are served.
2. West Bengal
And of course, West Bengal is ranked second with close to 99.3% of the people of Bengal eating non-veg. That’s still super high. The relationship between the people of Bengal and fish is so strong that many people consider a meal to be incomplete if it does not have fish. Without a single doubt, non-veg has become a daily lifestyle here because of such legendary dishes as machher jhol, mutton kosha, and Kolkata-style biryani. And just in case you’re wondering, well, owing to an extensive coastline and river network, fresh fish is brought to kitchens daily, which in turn has a very good influence on the state’s trend of strong non-veg preference.
3. Kerala
Going down just one spot in the list, see, Kerala is still holding the third place position with almost 99.1% of people consuming non-vegetarian food. The food in the state is a perfect combination of seafood and meat, along with coconut, curry leaves, and delicious spices. Fish curries from Kerala, karimeen preparations, beef fry as well as chicken stew are excellent examples of what can be considered as the food identity of the area. And it is not just the choice of the people, this much meat eaters are somehow the natural way of getting proper nutrition here.
4. Andhra Pradesh
And then, Andhra Pradesh is at number four with almost 98.25% of its population consuming non-vegetarian food. You must have heard that the food of Andhra is very popular for its strong and spicy tastes, and similarly, its meat dishes are also very spicy. And sure enough, there are always the specialities like the list of popular foods is incomplete without the mention of spicy chicken curries, gongura mutton, prawn dishes, and naturally, the amazing different types of biryani from the state.
5. Tamil Nadu
Another southern state is here and no doubt, Tamil Nadu is in the fifth position in the ranking of the states of India that consume non-veg food, with 97.65% of the population. The state has an extensive variety of meat and seafood that can be the best in the whole country, ranging from Chettinad pepper chicken to coastal fish curries and Madurai’s signature mutton dishes. In point of fact, animal-based foods mix very well with the highly-consumable staples of Tamil Nadu such as rice, idli, dosa, and parotta. So it pretty much is the go-to here.
6. Odisha
Many of you might not know this but with almost 97% of the population consuming non-vegetarian food, Odisha stands at the sixth position. Due to its extensive coastline, seafood like fish, prawns, and crabs are the major constituents of Odia cuisine.The state widely consumes mustards-light curries, prawns cooked in coconut, and traditional fish.
7. Jharkhand
And then, well, the report from Jharkhand reveals that the non-veg consumption is almost 97% highly close to 99% specially, tribal communities that have strong traditional food habits. Here though, meat, fish, and local greens are generally prepared with less spices, thus the dishes have a natural and earthy flavor. It is the fresh meat that almost all people like to eat, and that’s the way it is.
8. Telangana
Another southern state? Yes, and Telangana is the eighth-best state in India for non-vegetarian lovers as almost 97% of its population eats meat on a regular basis. No doubt, the food here is essentially a kind of meat-based dishes with the usage of chicken, mutton or fish, which is characterized by highly spicy and heavy gravies. Usually, the food in Telangana is quite spicy, and every food item is full of bold and distinct red chilli flavor.
9. Tripura
And there is another percentage drop with this one but with close to 95% of the population eating non-vegetarian food, Tripura comes in at number nine. And just so you know, here, for the tribal cuisine of the state, the main staples are pork, chicken, and fish. Besides, these are usually cooked with bamboo shoots, local herbs, and fermented products.
10. Goa
And finishing off this list well is no doubt Goa, a small state but still having as many as 93.8% of the population regularly consume non-vegetarian food. And if you have visited this state, you must have noticed that seafood is kept on the table at all times, and meat-based dishes, being the most essential part of celebrations.
Conclusion
There you have it. Surely, India doesn’t rank super high in the list of the largest meat eating nation in the world, but there surely is a huge demand, and it is just growing year after year. And within India as well, no doubt, these states are also seeing a surge in the meat consumption numbers.