It’s
been well documented through the years that vegetarians are healthier than
people who eat meat. Vegetarians are less likely to be obese, or to have high blood pressure, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or colon cancer. They are also less likely to die
from heart disease. Vegetarians have lower blood
pressure even when they eat the same amount of salt as meat eaters and exercise
less. Many studies show that vegetarians have less instances of colon cancer,
due in large part to the differences in the bacterial flora that is present in
the colon.
There
are many factors in the vegetarian diet that contribute to better health. Vegetarians
consume two to three times as much fiber as do meat-eaters, which has been shown
to reduce cholesterol and blood glucose levels, and
protect against colon cancer. They also consume more antioxidants, which are found in a wide variety
of plant foods and protect cells from oxygen-induced damage and reduce the risk
for heart disease, arthritis, cancer, and other diseases.
Vegetarians eat more isoflavones than do meat eaters. These
compounds, found mostly in soy foods, are a type of phytochemical. Research
shows that isoflavones may reduce the risk for prostate cancer and may improve bone health.
Vegetarians also consume much less saturated fat and cholesterol than do meat eaters,
resulting in significantly lower levels of blood cholesterol, decreased
instances of heart disease and possibly for diabetes and cancer. And, since vegetarians do not eat meat,
they are not exposed to heme iron, a type of iron found in meat that may
increase the risk of heart disease and cancer.
And lastly, vegetarianism is not only optimally healthy for your
body, but your environment and the planet’s animals. It allows you to live more harmoniously with
the world around you, which improves mental and emotional health accordingly.
