430: The history of vegetarianism - from persecution to popularity

<div>Vegetarianism, in Western cultures at least, is on the rise.<br> <br> More people are choosing not to eat meat, although globally it is a much more opaque picture.<br> <br> There is no doubt that in the West, adopting a vegetarian diet has been one of the top trends for the food industry to consider in recent years.<br> <br> But the history of vegetarianism is anything but recent.<br> <br> It goes all the way back to new ideas in ancient Greece, through persecution during the early Christian period, two world wars, right up to the present day.<br> <br> So buckle up for a story with more twists than a spiralised courgette as we delve into the history of vegetarianism.<br> <br> <strong>Guest:<br> Richard McIlwain, Chief Executive, The Vegetarian Society of the UK</strong> </div>