While many people lament the nutritional disadvantages of a
poorly planned vegetarian diet, few stress the health advantages
of adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet. In this article, I will
cover the major three nutritional advantages of becoming a
vegetarian.
The first major advantage of a vegetarian diet is increased
heart health. Vegetarians, on average, consume more nuts (often
as a supplemental form of protein). Nuts contain "good" fats,
such as omega-3 and omega-6. This promotes good heart health by
reducing "bad" cholesterol and unclogging arteries.
In addition to nuts, vegetarians also consume more soy milk
(often to replace milk), which reduces "bad" cholesterol and has
been linked to good heart health.
The second major advantage vegetarians enjoy is increased skin
health. In addition to consuming larger quantities of nuts
(which contain healthful oils), vegetarians tend to consume more
fruit and vegetables, which are rich in essential vitamins,
including A and E, which are linked to good skin health.
Fruits and vegetables also contain high amounts of fiber, which
helps flush toxins out of the body, further contributing to
better skin health.
The last health advantage vegetarians enjoy is an increased
natural consumption of antioxidants.
Antioxidants are foods that help prevent cancer by destroying
free radicals. Vitamin C and Vitamin E, two strong antioxidants,
are commonly found in vegetarian meals.
Vitamin C can be found in berries, tomatoes, citrus fruit, kale,
kiwis, asparagus and peppers.
Vitamin E can be found in wheat germ, seed oils, walnuts,
almonds, and brown rice--all foods that are commonly a part of a
well-balanced vegetarian diet.
So what does this all mean for you as a prospective vegetarian?
It means the popular mythology about vegetarian diets is false.
Not only can a vegetarian diet be nutritionally sufficient, but
it can also affect better skin health, prevent cancer, and
increase your heart health.
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