The vegetarian way of eating is based on a wide variety of foods that satisfy, are delicious, and are healthy.
Many years of studies have determined the following benefits for human health under a diet based on vegetables and fruits. In this interesting article, we will name some of those benefits.
A Healthy Heart
Vegetarians have much lower cholesterol levels than those who eat meat, and heart disease is uncommon among vegetarians. The reasons are easy to understand.
Vegetarian meals are typically low in saturated fats and generally contain little or no cholesterol. Since cholesterol is only found in animal products like meats, dairy products, and eggs, vegans consume a cholesterol-free diet.
The type of protein in a vegetarian diet may represent another significant advantage. Many studies show that replacing animal protein with plant protein reduces blood cholesterol levels even if the amount and type of fat in the diet remain the same.
Such studies show that a low-fat vegetarian diet has a clear advantage over other diets.
Lower Blood Pressure
An impressive number of studies, dating back to the early 1920s, show that vegetarians have lower blood pressure than non-vegetarians.
In fact, some studies have demonstrated that adding meat to a vegetarian diet raises blood pressure levels rapidly and significantly. The effects of a vegetarian diet also come from the benefits of reducing dietary sodium content.
When patients with high blood pressure start a vegetarian diet, many are able to eliminate their need for medication.
Diabetes Control
Latest studies on diabetes show that a diet rich in complex carbohydrates (found only in plant foods) and low in fats is the best dietary prescription for controlling diabetes.
Since diabetics are at high risk for heart disease, avoiding fats and cholesterol is the most important goal of a diabetic diet, and a vegetarian diet is ideal.
Although all insulin-dependent diabetics need to take insulin, plant-based diets can help reduce insulin requirements.
Cancer Prevention
A vegetarian diet helps prevent cancer. Studies on vegetarians show that cancer death rates are only about half to three-quarters of those in the general population.
Breast cancer rates are dramatically lower in countries where diets are typically plant-based. When people in those countries adopt a Western diet based on meats, their breast cancer rates soar.
Vegetarians also have significantly less colon cancer than meat-eaters. Meat consumption is more directly linked with colon cancer than any other dietary factor.
Why do vegetarian diets help protect against cancer? First, they are lower in fats and richer in fiber than meat-based diets. But other factors are also important. For example, vegetarians generally consume more of the plant pigment beta-carotene.
This could help explain why they develop less lung cancer. Additionally, at least one study has shown that natural sugars in dairy products may increase the risk of ovarian cancer in some women.
Some anti-cancer aspects of a vegetarian diet remain unexplained. For example, researchers are still unsure why vegetarians have higher levels of white blood cells called "killer cells" that can seek out and destroy cancer cells.
Connection with Calcium
Vegetarians are less likely to develop kidney or gallstones. They may also have a lower risk of osteoporosis because they consume little to no animal protein.
High meat consumption promotes calcium loss from bones. Replacing animal products with plant foods reduces the amount of calcium lost.
This may help explain why people in countries with diets typically based on plants have less osteoporosis even when their calcium intake is low.
