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While some meat-consumers stereotype the incentives of vegetarians, the truth is the decision to adapt to a meat-free aliment is a complex and personal dietetic preference. Around the world, people of all ages and from all cultural backgrounds can be vegetarians. People who follow a vegetable-based diet do not consume meats, and for vegan purposes, no dairy products either. Instead, they rely on plant-based food sources.
7.3 million people in the U.S. follow a vegetarian-based diet. Approximately 1 million of those are vegans, whom don’t consume animal products at all. According to the Global Health Centre, vegetarian diets are associated with higher consumptions of fibre, Vitamin C and E, unsaturated fats, Folic acids, and countless phytochemicals. This usually results in vegetarians having lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure, reducing the risk of having Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). Why are people impelled to go Veg? Some want to live healthier lives, while other just may want to preserve natural resources, or for the love they have for animals. Being mindful of both the pros and cons of having a vegetarian based diet can guide you to make the healthiest decisions if you choose to follow one.
Most people who follow a vegetarian-based diet are less likely to become obese than those who don’t eat all veggie-based meals. This may partly be the result of consuming higher foods of low-calorie, more filling snacks such as vegetables, fruit, and grain. Obesity is a risk for cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. More than one third of Americans are considered to be obese. Cutting out high-calorie foods (fatty meats), butter and full-fat cheeses, results in a low cal, healthy diet.
Potential health benefits such as lowering risks of cardiovascular diseases, lower blood pressure, and longer expectancy of life might make you want to think of trying this diet out, even for a certain time period! Following a Vegetarian diet can help you achieve these benefits as long as the food sources include potassium and dietary fibre. According to the American Dietetic Association, a vegetarian-based diet is “healthy, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of diseases.”
Although there are health benefits to following a strict vegetarian-based diet, the results won’t always be automatic. They occur most likely when healthy foods are integrated in the diet such as whole grains, a range and variety of fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds and beans. Vegetarian diets solely rely on refined grains, artificial sweets, sweetened beverages, and junk food can be equally or less healthier than including meat in your food plan. Fried foods, heavy pastries, and salty snacks are vegetarian, however also do contain dangerous trans fats which have an affect on your body’s cholesterol levels and decrease your body’s high-density lipoprotein.
Vegetarianism besets an individuals health choices. Large numbers of eco-conscious consumers convert to vegetarianism for virtuous reasons. As stated in the United Nations Foods and Agricultural Organisation livestock production is “one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global.” One fifth of the world’s greenhouse gases come from livestock production, cows being the most convicts. The livestock industry heavily relies, in large numbers on scant resources: water, land, and oil.
Additionally, meat food products are one of the most expensive food items on the world. The average vegan spends less on all their vegan foods, for more than the twice amount that is spent for them on meat. Transportation of vegetarian food items (which are more common in some countries than others) are also boosts in the economy in this particular food trade.
For more information go to Fitness Republic, Healthy Future , Live Strong, and Global Healing Centre.
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