Are you a vegetarian, or on the path towards becoming one?
Well, that would put you into a category with over six million Americans who abstain from eating meat, fish, and poultry.
People choose to become vegetarians for many reasons. Some do it because they simply do not like meat. Others have strong personal convictions about the treatment of animals. And still another category of vegetarians choose a meat-free lifestyle for the health benefits!
According to Harvard Women’s Health Watch, “Traditionally, research into vegetarianism focused mainly on potential nutritional deficiencies, but in recent years the pendulum has swung the other way, and studies are confirming the health benefits of meat-free eating. Plant-based eating is recognized as not only nutritionally sufficient but also as a way to reduce the risk for many chronic illnesses.”
The list of chronic illnesses that can be prevented through a vegetarian diet include:
- heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- certain types of cancers
- high cholesterol
- elevated blood pressure
Individuals who do not consume meat tend to have lower LDL cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and a lower, overall, body mass index.
However, simply avoiding meat is not the ultimate “cure-all”. Though it may be vegetarian, eating Fettuccine Alfredo for dinner every night is NOT going to help your cholesterol! A well-balanced diet consisting of mostly plants (fruits and vegetables), whole grains, beans & legumes. is the real key to health!
Join us this week as we navigate our way through the Vegetable Patch and enter a world of vegetarian eating, the Clean Plate way! And, check out our Recipes Page for some healthy, vegetarian recipes!
