Meat eating diets are generally less healthy. They have huge amounts of fats and higher amount of calorie content. This is has led to obesity related diseases. The bad health conditions of the population of the United States and other population across the globe are directly a consequence of the poor consumption choices. Heart disease is the primary cause of death for the citizens of America. Most Americans are obese with 2 out of every 3 people and even children are diagnosed with obesity with 1 out of 3 being overweight. The sad part is most of the heart diseases are of preventive nature.
We are careless in our consumption and hence eat unhealthy food and this has resulted in our entire society to suffer and with soaring health care prices, we really ought to take action to live a better tomorrow.
The Plant Alternative
Currently there are over 16 million people in America who are followers of a vegetarian or vegan diet. They consume plant based products and several don’t consume even animal by products like diary, honey, eggs etc.
Doctors, celebrities, nutritionists, world leaders, and kids live energetic and healthy lives as a result of a vegetarian or vegan diets. They enjoy lower body weight, heart health, better immunity, and lower insulin resistance.
It may be surprising but Bill Clinton, the former Democratic president of the United States, had been suffering from a heart ailment and he was able to recover from this by adopting a meat free diet. Thus was his recovery in 2011. Scientific research done doctors, nutritionist and dieticians support this.
A research conducted by the University of Oxford revealed that adopting a strict vegetarian or a vegan diet does reduce the risk of hospitalization, boosts health and makes it possible to reverse the effects of many diseases like the heart disease and the reduction in the loss of life from heart disease, by almost 1/3.
The Results Of The Study
About 45,000 people participated in the study that was conducted by the diet, nutrition and health experts at the University of Oxford. About 35% of those who were participating were following a vegetarian diet. Note that the experts at the University of Oxford defined a vegetarian as one who did not consume both fish and).
All those who participated in the study were closely watched for a period of ten years and the experts gathered information about their exercise habits, dietary choices, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, and other variables that could potentially have an impact on heart disease risk.
The experts at the University of Oxford who had conducted this research concluded that despite controlling the other factors that can affect the heart and cause heart disease, the participants of the study who incorporated vegetarian diets were on average less likely to ever develop heart disease as opposed to their meat-eating counterparts.
The lead author of the study was Francesca Crowe from the University of Oxford. In a statement, she said, “The difference in risk in developing heart disease is predominantly caused by effects of both blood pressure and cholesterol as well.” She further elaborated her statement by adding; “All of this throws light on the important role played by diet in preventing heart disease.”
The study conducted by the panel of nutritionists, experts and doctors at the University of Oxford also showed that the participants of the study who followed a strict vegetarian diet had a tendency of having a lower body mass index as opposed to those who were non vegetarians. The vegetarians were less likely to suffer from diabetes as well.
More Benefits of Following A Vegetarian Diet
The study conducted by the panel of nutritionists, experts and doctors at the University of Oxford is the largest studies, which happened to be the most recent study ever to be conducted for the benefits of following a vegetarian diet on cardiovascular organs. The research didn’t be a sensation as it only proved that vegetarian diet is likely to have a better effect on the health of people.
For instance, other studies like that of the recently conducted study, tracked the life of about 37,000 adults and concluded that by eating at least one vegetarian meal everyday, one may reduce the risk of dying from cancer by about 20%.
Other research has signified that compared to those who are meat-eaters, individuals who follow a vegetarian diet:
- Have a lower risk of developing food-borne illness
- Less likely to be obese because they weight less
- Have a higher longevity.
- Experience less intense symptoms of menopause
- Have a good and better resistance to insulin.
Note that you don’t have to give up on your burgers and other forms of fast foods but it would beneficial if you consume more meatless diets, which are healthy for the heart. Simply switch to veggie burgers and veggie pizzas. It is best to opt for a plant based diet and consume large quantities of whole grains, vegetables, legumes, pulses and fruits.
A few examples of some yummy foods to consider are:
- Avocado
- Sweet potatoes
- Red, yellow, purple and green vegetables
- Seeds
- Berries
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Soymilk and soybeans
- Lentils
- Leafy greens
- Steel cut oats
- Many more
Opt to choose for vegetarian meals and do this by slowly by having at least one meal a day meatless and avoid consuming meat from your diet whenever you can.
Substitute that meat you remove with protein rich food with little to no fat like chickpeas, grams, black beans, lentils, kidney beans, and other beans.
Incorporate more fruits by opting fruits for dessert in place of baked food items, and salads, vegetables and nuts for snacks.
Choose a protein powder and fresh fruit smoothie for about two to three lunches a week instead of a meaty lunch with chicken, fish and poultry.
Small changes will go a long way and by choosing small changes over a period of time and increasing it day by day at some point you will be able to eliminate meat completely from your diet.
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