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Many people
who are vegetarians think of their diet as a way of life
rather than merely as a way of eating. It's not necessary to
be a strict vegetarian to be a natural foods enthusiast, but
generally, vegetarians almost by definition are more
conscientious about the foods they eat.
Those who
have chosen to go vegetarian appreciate knowing that their
food choices can be not only tasty and healthy but
compassionate and humane as well. Not to mention the
enormous benefit of plant-based diets to our rapidly
deteriorating environment. Common wisdom tells us that
vegetarian diets:
1. May
be overall the healthiest way to eat. Research has shown
that vegetarians tend to have lower rates of obesity-a
significant and timely point, now that 60 percent of
American adults are overweight and 300,000 die each year of
obesity-related diseases. Some of these diseases are heart
disease, hypertension, kidney disease, osteoporosis,
arthritis, and adult-onset (type 2) diabetes.
2. Give
their practitioners the edge against some forms of cancer.
Studies of vegetarians show that, overall, they have lower
rates of cancer than the general population. Vegetarians are
believed to have stronger immune systems, possibly due to
higher-than-average intake of vitamin-packed vegetables,
grains, and legumes. Fiber-rich vegetarian diets may reduce
the risk of cancers of the digestive organs.
3. May
protect against heart disease. Health experts agree that
eating foods high in fiber and complex carbohydrates can
help reduce the risk of heart disease. In addition,
plant-based proteins reduce cholesterol levels, while animal
protein raises them.
4. Help
avoid some of the most virulent forms of food-borne
illnesses caused by E. coli, Salmonella, and Listera.
Food-borne illness is particularly dangerous to children,
whose immune systems may not be developed enough to
withstand the dangers of contaminated meat products.
5. May
hold the key to longer life. Studies, including those
conducted on Seventh-Day Adventists (who advocate a
vegetarian diet), have shown that vegetarians live an
average of 7 to 15 years longer than their meat-eating
counterparts. |
