In honor of World Vegan Day last week (November 1st), here are some of the health benefits of being vegan and vegetarian! Vegetarian and vegan diets have many health benefits including better heart health, a lower risk of some types of cancer, and a lower risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. So, before sinking your teeth into a hamburger take a second to read through the advantages of these meatless lifestyles.
Vegetarianism is defined as the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat, fish, or poultry. Vegans, in addition to eating a vegetarian diet, do not use any animal products or by-products such as eggs, dairy products, honey, leather, fur, and other products derived from animals.
Vegetarian and vegan diets can help heal your broken heart! Okay, not exactly, but they can lower the risk of cardiac events and death from cardiac causes. Meat, specifically red meat and processed meat, has a high percentage of saturated fat, which is known for raising low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, also known as bad cholesterol. This type of lipoprotein is considered bad because it collects in the walls of blood vessels, causing blockages in the arteries, which can increase the risk of heart disease. In a study done by Harvard University, involving more than 76,000 participants, it was found that vegetarians were on average 25 percent less likely to die of heart disease. Studies have also shown that eating high quantities of meat also increases the risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Vegans may have lower rates of high cholesterol because they eliminate all animal products, including eggs and milk.
Although there isn’t a direct correlation between meat and cancer, vegetarian and vegan diets do seem to have a connection with the prevention of some cancers. Because there are so many factors that can cause cancer, it is hard to say that a specific food can directly cause it. However, a study of more than 35,000 women published in the British Journal of Cancer found that those who ate most red and processed meat had the highest risk of breast cancer. The World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research even reported that red meat consumption is the only “convincing” dietary association with colon cancer. Even if it’s just speculation, the fact that there’s a pattern emerging here of lower cancer risks makes us want to sign up for this lifestyle!
Eating a vegetarian/vegan diet can also help prevent the risk of obesity. There is a significant amount of fat in meat and by eliminating meat from your diet you are therefore reducing the intake of fats. Fat has nine kcalories per gram. Since meat and animal products have a lot more fat than plant-based foods, meat ends up also having a lot more calories. Finally, a permanent dietary change to help you shed a few pounds! Goodbye, crash diets! Population studies show that the rate of obesity for meat-eaters is three times the obesity rate of vegetarians and nine times the obesity rate of vegans.
In addition to all of these amazing advantages, vegetarian/vegan diet can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown that vegetarians’ risk of developing diabetes was half that of nonvegetarians, even after taking BMI (body mass index) into account. Harvard’s Women’s Health Study found a correlation between eating red meat (especially processed meats, like bacon and hot dogs) and the risk of diabetes, even after adjusting for BMI, total calorie intake, and exercise.
So, while it’s easy to dismiss vegans and vegetarians as oddballs and hippies, it’s plain to see that they may be on to something. We know the thought of never eating a nice, juicy steak again is horrifying but taking into consideration how many health risks you’ll reduce by cutting meat out of your life, it might be worth it! Even if you don’t go completely meatless, small changes and reductions in your intake of meat, fish, poultry, and other animal products and by-products can do wonders for your physical well being.
If you are interested in adapting your diet or just reading about the other awesome benefits of this veganism and vegetarianism, like the environmental benefits or animal rights, check out these websites!
Sources:
http://www.bu.edu/themovement/past-issues/spring2011/being-a-vegetarian/
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/vegetarian-benefits
http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/becoming-a-vegetarian