The first day of October always marks World Vegetarian Day. Since the late seventies, vegetarians everywhere have embraced this date to celebrate the healthy attributes of a diet free from meat.

Experts have long told us it is essential to include at least five portions of fruit and vegetables in an ominivorous diet, and nutritional advisors praise the virtues of vegetables in helping boost the immune system and even in fighting some life threatening illnesses. For example, kale is one of the top superfoods recommended for cancer patients, for it’s supreme vitamin content and powerful antioxidant qualities. Blackcurrants are also a superfruit – full of Vitamin C to promote healthy skin and soft tissue, and long recommended in aiding colds and sniffles in the winter months. At Good Food Ireland, we have our own superfruit blackcurrant producer, Mr. Jeffares Blackcurrants, who grows these dark luscious berries in Wexford and sells them fresh in the summer season, frozen all year round.  Mr. Jeffares Blackcurrant Cordial is made from fresh Wexford blackcurrants, and contains all the natural nutrients of the fresh fruit in a very accessible form. Children and adults love it – what a tasty way to bring some superfruit goodness into your life every day!

In our blog earlier this week, we also commented on new research from University College Cork in collaboration with an  Italian university,  which shows that the Mediterranean diet, which is mainly based on fresh vegetables and fruit, has a very positive effect on gut bacteria which in turn helps  to reduce the risk of cardiovascular and other serious diseases.

You may be a committed meat eater who has no intention of ever giving up your bacon butty or big juicy steak. The vegetarian way of life isn’t for everyone.  But there is a reason for us all to celebrate World Vegetarian Day today. It certainly does no harm to include more vegetable based cooking in our weekly menu choices.  So today we join with committed vegetarians everywhere on World Vegetarian Day,  and we hope to encourage ominivores to embrace the vegetarian way a bit more often –  in order to avail of what is essentially free body maintenance for  better health. Prevention is better than cure, so the saying goes! We hope our vegetarian/meat free recipe selection will be an inspiration to whet your appetite!