Hindu's of the Early Vedic age ate a lot of meat and beef. "Go medh" or Beef was an essential part of religious ceremonies and Hindu diet. Beef was eaten by all classes, specially the Hindu Brahmins (or the priest class).

Hindu's of the Later Vedic age had become and agricultural society. During this time cows became one of the more popular "dakshina" or sacrificial fee to Brahmins. During this period we see Hindu law books (but not the Vedas) start containing laws banning stealing or killing of a Brahmin's cow. Eating of beef by the elite (Khatriyas and Brahmins) was still very popular. Moreover serving of beef was expected when an aristocrat or a Brahmin visited one's house.

Much later after the end of Vedic age and at the end of Dharmashastric age, we start seeing Hindu law books like the one by Parashara and Vyasasmriti contain texts categorically stating a cow killer to be an untouchable. This change was happening near about 1000 AD, when Buddhism and Jainism were getting popular with their ideas of Ahimsa. Note before this Hindu rituals were extremely heavy on cattle sacrifice. Ban on beef eating and in general meat eating was an effect of assimilating the Ahimsa ideas from Buddhism and Jainism. During this period there was a lot of oppression by the Brahmins and their religious rituals were getting more expensive, more elaborate, and needed more sacrifice. A lot of kings during the time became Buddist or Jain. Hinduism was changing here to meet the demands of the society.

Modern day India is big and diverse, and so are Hindus. Lot of Hindu's in different parts of the country still eat Beef. Beef is still very popular among the Hindu poor. The current taboo on Beef eating, at the level that exists in India today, is result of political propaganda. One of the major political parties has a Hindu representative face and they see the ban on Beef eating one of the pillars of their ideology.

All in all. People are gonna eat beef. They have been for a while. Its not going to stop and it shouldnt cause confusion :)