It has long been assumed that vegetarians eat healthier than meat eaters. But a new study from the USA provides clear evidence of this. The diet of vegetarians consists largelyfrom vegetables, fruit, dairy products, nuts and honey. These foods can cover your daily needs for protein, iron, vitamins and minerals. That's why the diet is considered healthy.
Do vegetarians eat healthier? A sensibly composed diet provides important nutrients
As part of a study by researchers from the Medical University of Chicago, USA, the health of two test groups was compared. The first group was made up of vegetarians, the second – meat eaters. The researchers found that vegetarians had lower blood pressure levels than meat eaters. They also had a healthy body weight with a normal BMI and their kidneys were functioning normally.
Researchers from London published further surprising results. They conducted a study that also compared the lifestyle and health of vegetarians and meat eaters. After evaluating the results, it was also found that vegetarians have a significantly lower cancer death rate than meat eaters.
Are vegetarians healthier? According to researchers, it's not just diet
The researchers suspect that it is not only due to diet, but also to lifestyle. Vegetarians generally drink less alcohol, don't smoke cigarettes and exercise. The meat-free diet also offers many health benefits. It contains many secondary plant substances that stimulate digestion and lower cholesterol levels. Meat eaters, on the other hand, eat fast food more often, smoke and generally exercise less. That's why they have higher cholesterol levels and suffer more often from cardiovascular diseases.
The experts therefore recommend a balanced diet. Meat eaters shouldhigh meat consumptionLimit it to once a week and eat fish and seafood at least twice a week. They also recommend eating more fruits, vegetables, and nuts. A healthy lifestyle also makes sense: those who exercise every day and eat healthy foods also have a strong immune system.
About the studyUniversity of Chicago