Are vegetarians/vegans generally healthier and more fit than meat eaters?!
Are vegetarians/vegans generally healthier and more fit than meat eaters?
In all - physical performance, blood pressure, heart rate, slimmer?
Answers: Yes. Vegetarian diets are lower in cholesterol, lower in fat, and higher in protein, vitamins, and mineral. They have drastically reduces chances of getting colon cancer, heart disease, migraines, and tend to not suffer from obesity as much as meat eaters. The concept of meat is a "luxury" to some. Much like glucose sugars we don't need them but some people want them. Protein is a common misconception because the body naturally produces enough protein to sustain life just as it does amino acids. Extra protein comes from soy, nuts, legumes, and other vegetables. Contrary to what meat eaters will say there is no lack of protein in a vegetarian diet and no we do not starve ourselves. I have a tendency to eat steamed veggies and fresh fruit until I am full. I can eat at Ruby Tuesdays, Applebee's, any buffet, even steakhouses and find something that is vegetarian and filling. Not all vegetarians need vitamins either. I have been a vegetarian for 5 years and I have never needed vitamins but I do take them if I am sick to help recover but even meat eaters do that. I passed out frequently when I was eating meat but it immediately stopped when I became a vegetarian. I only at lean meats such as turkey and chicken and the doctor said I had an artery going to my brain which would dilate and stop oxygen flow to my brain. They said since the diet was lower in sodium, fat, and cholesterol it reduced the dilating causing me to stop passing out. I feel better and have a lot more energy. Not all the time. some Veggiterians are weak and mediacly malenurished because lack of proetein. It depends if they're getting enough protein. If they aren't, Then they are most likely malenurished and not very healthy, but they will be thin, but not heakthy or strong. I'm pretty sure we are, and we're not filthy murderers like meat eaters are. I think we're so healthy because we don't have guilty consciouses. why yes, hannah, we are. I guess it would depend upon whether or not the veggie one would care to take his/her vitamins. Being a vegetarian involves not eating a lot of stuff that actually should be eaten in order to have a balanced diet and some of the vitamins that would be missing on such a diet can make you feel not to good no you guys starve half to death! vegetarians/ vegans do not tend to be considered healthier by the medical community because of the lack of protein in their diet. But most people in the animal rights/ alternative health community consider a vegetarian lifestyle to be more healthy. Personally, I think something in the middle is the healthiest. Red meat is not necessary for a healthy diet, but things like chicken breast and fish should be eaten once every few days, even just once a week, in order to get protein. Many people believe that you can get an equal amount of protein from tofu, beans, nuts, etc. but that did not work for me. Only meat and eggs kept me from becoming anemic. It depends. A vegetarian/vegan who lives on candy and chips would not be very healthy, just as meat eaters who live on McDonald's are not healthy. There is just as much of a potential to be healthy or not healthy among both groups. Health is a matter of eating a balanced diet (and a vegetarian/vegan diet CAN be just as balanced as a meat eating diet, the protein group includes eggs, beans, soy, nuts and legumes in addition to meat), taking a multivitamin if needed, getting adequate exercise, etc etc. Meat eaters like to say that vegetarians/vegans are malnourished because they don't eat meat, but most meat eaters I know don't get anywhere near the proper intake of fruits and vegetables in a day. I can't answer for all vegans/vegetarians, but I sure have been healthier since I quit eating meat *and started walking*. I've lost a grand total of 75 lbs as of today. My heart rate and blood pressure is better than they have been in years and my cholesterol is down. I have lots more energy, and I just feel better about myself all around. Plus, since I've learned to add alot of different kinds of proteins in my diet, and to widen my horizons as far as ethnic recipes, I've enjoyed my diet alot better too. I really don't miss the meat products much. Here is a fairly long description/summary of the vegetarian diet published in one of the Oxford University medical journals.
http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/cont... people in the Himalaya's live to be 120 and they eat meat lots of lamb but I guess you could say they eat organic they have no preservatives in their food they grow their own fruits and veggies and they get lots of exercise working in the gardens and grazing the sheep Yes, there is a lower rate of obesity in vegetarians. Although many studies on the other things like physical performance are botched because only 2-4% of Americans are vegetarian so many of the studies are unfair, biased and unprofessional. not always healthier because some of them dont eat protein and some are more fit but not all some vegetarians can be big because they eat alot of bread. Some vegitarians are fat and overweight and some are not. It all really depends on the individual, their history, and their activity level.
I remember a couple I used to go to church with several years back that were vegitarians, one was overweight and the other was not. The Husband was overweight and his wife was not.