Health
It is well known that vegetarians are healthier than other people. People who don't eat meat and fish are less likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, have lower cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower overall cancer incidence. Recent studies have also shown that vegetarians are also slimmer.
Weight loss through vegetarianism
According to an article by certified nutritionist Dr. Neal Barnard, vegetarians weigh significantly less than non-vegetarians. After analyzing data from 40 studies on the relationship between vegetarian diets and body weight, it was found that women who oppose animal food weigh 6-17 per cent less, than meat lovers, and men are 8-17 per cent fewer. People who fully follow a vegetarian diet (do not eat animal products, including eggs and milk at all) are the slimest.
Dr. Barnard explains this phenomenon as follows:
1. Due to the body's different ways of converting different types of food into energy, plant-based foods help increase calories burned by 16 percent within three hours of consumption food.
2. Vegetarians tend to consume fewer fats, especially saturated fats, which are mainly ingested from animal products.
3. Vegetarians consume more fiber, which is found in many fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, and is found in the minority in animal products. Fiber fills the human body with “zero calories”. The doctor emphasizes that the average person will lose weight by eating low-fat vegetarian foods “without strenuous physical activity, without taking into account calories eaten and size servings.”
It is also noted that vegetarians care more about their lifestyle in general, which also helps them become slimmer.
Fat traps
The doctor notes that replacing meat with more pasta or white bread is not a healthy way to go. He recommends a balanced vegetarian diet consisting mainly of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, as well as a reasonable amount of nuts, vegetable oil and rapeseed oil. He also recommends eating fewer eggs and choosing low-fat dairy products.
You should watch out for highly processed products advertised on the market as “for vegetarians only”. They may contain large amounts of sugar, corn syrup, salt, and trans fats. Always read the product label, no matter how healthy or healthy the product claims to be.
When starting a vegetarian diet
If you're eating a variety of natural foods, getting enough protein shouldn't be a problem for you. However, you should consider the fact that vitamin B-12 is only found in animal products, so you should consider vitamin supplements. The doctor advises everyone to start, give up animal products for three weeks, and see if you like the result. After all, you're not going to lose anything but a few pounds of weight.