Vegetarian Diets Can Affect Your Health

Meals with more fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of several different cancers among many other diseases. Vegetarians generally have lower body weight than those who eat a significant amount of meat.

Vegetarianism is more efficient from production to consumption because there is less waste and the ratio of energy intake compared to gross production is much greater for plants than animals. Meat prices more drastically compared to those of fruits and veggies. You can grow your own fruits and veggies in your backyard with relatively little space and resources compared to trying to raise your own livestock. Vegetarianism may lead to a deficinacy of vitamins and minerals including iron, B-12, and protein. You can also be lacking in calories in general and may be more tired because many vegetarian foods are not as calorie dense. Eating vegetarian can also be difficult depending on where you live.

Vegetarianism has been around since as early as the seventh century B.C.E.. The civilization was the Indus Valley Civilization, they practiced tolerance towards all living things. Several Indian cultures and various religions (such as a ahimsā) also practice non-violence towards animals (“Vegetarianism”, Wikipedia.com). This used to be the sole purpose for being vegetarian, but nowadays people are becoming vegetarian for several more reasons. The ethical aspect is still a big reason in the decision. Health benefits and environmental aspects have now also become big reasons for the controversy over vegetarianism. People say that killing animals for food is not morally wrong and, is in fact, a crucial part of our lives. Another aspect is that, while in some ways vegetarianism is beneficial to the environment, it can also hurts the environment. Also, despite all of the health benefits involved with vegetarianism, there are also several health concerns connected with it.

Antioxidants and thousands of phytochemicals that protect the body and support good health. Overall vegetarians have a longer life expectancy and lower rates of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and the list goes on. But don’t just take my word for it, supports for vegetarian diets comes from numerous organizations including the American cancer society, American College of Cardiology, the Mayo Clinic, Harvard School of public and, the national institutes of Health which says, “Vegetarians may be missing out on grilled hamburgers at picnics, but they tend to also miss out on the major health problems that plagued many Americans”. Just look at the difference in heart disease the number one killer of American, which is twice its size, between those who eat meat and those who are vegetarian. The progression of some of the diseases can not only be halted but reversed in as little as just two to three weeks by switching to a plant based diet. Reducing and eliminating the consumption of meat and meat products with a greener diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts seed and whole grains will lead to a healthier world.

There are many reasons why people become vegetarians, but is it really as healthy as it seems. Can simply eating veggies supply you with all the vitamins and proteins your body needs to survive. An estimated 6-8 million people do not eat meat, poultry, or fish. Harris Interactive poll commissioned by the Vegetarian Resource Group (Journal of the American Dietetic Association, July 2009).Having your diet mainly consist of fruits and vegetables allows you to consume less saturated fats and cholesterol. Also since you be consuming more plants you will be taking in mote vitamins like vitamins C and E, More fiber, potassium and magnesium. Resulting in a stronger immune system, as well as, lower cholesterol and blood pressure. “Traditionally, vegetarianism focused mainly on potential nutritional deficiencies, but in recent years, the pendulum has swung the other way, and studies are confirming the health benefits of meat-free eating. Nowadays, plant-based eating is recognized as not only nutritionally sufficient but also as a way to reduce the risk for many chronic illnesses”.

The few things that vegetarians are able to eat are vegetables, fruits, and some other things such as carbohydrates. They try to avoid any meat, poultry, fish, eggs or dairy products, unless they are lacto-vegetarians which in that case they can eat dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt. When you contrast a meat-eater and a vegetarian you will notice how they differentiate in ways, for instance their life-span. Unlike meat-eaters, vegetarians are known to have a longer life-span. Being a vegetarian provides many benefits for the health of a person. One of them include improving and boosting up their mood. A lot of people may ask, why go vegetarian? Well, being one is great for you. You’ll keep your weight down, build strong bones, and you’ll have more energy. As well as all these advantages, there are many bad effects of being a vegetarian. One of them is a high risk of colorectal cancer, which is a cancer that starts in the colon.

Besides the food borne illnesses that you put yourself at risk when eating meat, you are also at a higher risk for heart disease, strokes, and cancer. As discussed above in the vegetarian versus meat-eater study, a meat eating diet will raise your cholesterol levels. This can cause plaque buildup in your arteries. This buildup can restrict blood flow to your heart and/or brain which can cause a heart attack and/or stroke.

It reduces the risk of certain diseases. For example, heme iron, such as that found in red meats, has been linked with cancer. As per Cancer Prevention Research, “Red meat and processed meat intake is associated with a risk of colorectal cancer, a major cause of death in affluent countries. Epidemiological and experimental evidence supports the hypothesis that heme iron present in meat promotes colorectal cancer.” The iron found in green vegetable does not contain heme. Moreover, further research shows that vegetarians have a lower risk of cancer in general, not just colorectal cancer. As stated on procon.org,“A March 12, 2012 peer-reviewed study of 121,342 people found that eating red meat was associated with an increased risk of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease.” In addition, a vegetarian diet also promotes a healthier weight. According to a study of 37, 875 healthy mean and women by the Oxford cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Oxford), mean Body Mass Index(BMI) was highest among non-vegetarians and lowest among vegans and vegetarians. Difference in macronutrient intakes accounted for about half the difference, with high protein and lower fibre intake being associated with a high BMI. Vegetarianism is also better for the environment. According to chooseveg.com, nearly 80% of the

express the positive and negative effects of each lifestyle. This is an informative article based on true facts that display both sides of the vegetarian vs. omnivore debate. Humans will argue that maintaining an omnivore diet is healthier for mankind. In this article the authors say, “a vegetarian diet is shown to have a lesser risk of certain diseases.” This quote proves that by statistics a vegetarian diet is better for your health and will decrease the chances of obtaining certain diseases. Omnivore diets lead to heart disease, lower blood cholesterol levels… as well as lower overall cancer rates. I disagree with the statement that an omnivore diet is healthier than a vegetarian diet because, as recent research has shown, one not consuming animal products has a greater possibility of living longer

  This vitamin is found in meat.  Having a vegetarian diet will help to reduce the risk of diseases, such as heart disease and cancer.  Missing a meal on a vegan diet may have the effect of low blood sugar, and headaches, because of the lack of protein.  On the Earth there is not enough resources to feed 9 billion people with meat.

Over time peoples body 's change and so do personal goals. When one chooses to become a vegetarian it is important to consider all factors and to educate oneself. When considering the life style of being a vegetarian one needs to look at health benefits and facts, different types of the diet, the disadvantages, and understand how to go about it in a healthy way. For a person to take part in the lifestyle choices of a vegetarian it is important to understand the commitment and the many advantages and draw backs to being one, for some the positives for some can outweigh the negatives. Therefore allowing one to lead a healthier and cleaner life style.

Vegetarian foods are healthy foods. Vegetarian foods have high fibers, low-saturated-fat, little or no cholesterol which reduce the risk of heart diseases, cancer, gastroesophagel reflux disease (GERD) and kidney stone. On the other hand, consumption of meat increases the risk of all these diseases. In “ Reasons Why I’M A Vegetarian”, Pamela Rice explained why meat eaters are in a high risk of heart diseases, cancer, digestive diseases and kidney stones. Consumption of meat ingests high level of fat and cholesterol into the human body which get accumulated in heart causing cardio vascular diseases. Animal fat is not good for

Vegetarianism is a way to make healthy lifestyle decisions, to give your body the nutrients it needs to live a longer life.

The vegetarian diet can be said to be nutritionally superior because it offers numerous health benefits, including greater quantities of essential nutrients, lower quantities of harmful substances, and lower risk of disease. The most visible health

“Every year, cancer claims the lives of more than half a million Americans.” It is also one of the leading causes of death in the United States (CDC). The United States government spends $5 million on cancer research every year and over the past years, death rates from cancer have significantly lowered (Slate). A change in diet along with exercise can help prevent cancer but cannot be cured. According to research, a diet that consist of fruits and vegetable, which are high in fiber, iron, and many other vitamins and minerals have either shown to improve the lifestyle of patients with cancer or have prevented them for getting ill. In 1970, a British physician observed that a high fiber diet prevented colon cancer and fewer cases of colon cancer were reported. However, this cannot be said the same about people with an animal based diet. People in the U.S and the Western nations who have an animal