Are Vegetarians Healthier?

Animal products have been conclusively linked to heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Meats, eggs, and dairy products contain high amounts of cholesterol, saturated fat, and concentrated protein—all of which contribute to diseases.

Plant-based foods, on the other hand, contain no cholesterol, are low in fat, and high in fiber, complex carbohydrates, and other healthy nutrients. Research has shown that vegetarians are 50 percent less likely to develop heart disease and vegetarians have less than half the cancer rate of meat-eaters. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that 26 percent of meat-eaters studied suffered from high blood pressure - the No. 1 risk factor for strokes - compared to only 2 percent of vegetarians.

On average, vegetarians and vegans are at least 10 percent leaner, and live six to 10 years longer, than meat-eaters. The American Dietetic Associations has reported that “vegetarians, especially vegans, often have weights that are closer to desirable weights than do non-vegetarians.”

 

Read other testimonials about a vegetarian diet:

 

● The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: “Vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than non-vegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease, lower blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.”

 

● David Jenkins, a professor of nutrition and metabolism at the University of Toronto : “The evidence is pretty strong that vegans, who eat no animal products, have the best cardiovascular health profile and the lowest cholesterol levels.”

 

● Dr. William C. Roberts, the editor-in-chief of The American Journal of Cardiology : “A vegetarian diet is the least expensive and safest means of achieving the plaque-preventing LDL [low-density lipoprotein cholesterol] goal.”  

 

● T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., the author of The China Study: Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health: “ The data from the China Project suggest that what we have come to consider as ‘normal’ illnesses of aging are really not normal. In fact, these findings indicate that the vast majority, perhaps 80 to 90% of all cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and other forms of degenerative illness can be prevented, at least until very old age, simply by adopting a plant-based diet.”

 

If you want to prevent—or even reverse—many life-threatening diseases, see www.GoVeg.com for tips on making the transition to a vegan diet. As Dr. Campbell says, “Quite simply, the more you substitute plant foods for animal foods, the healthier you are likely to be. I now consider veganism to be the ideal diet. A vegan diet—particularly one that is low in fat—will substantially reduce disease risks. Plus, we’ve seen no disadvantages from veganism. In every respect, vegans appear to enjoy equal or better health in comparison to both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.”