Plant-based diets carry some risk of inadequate protein, vitamin, and mineral intake. But these risks are readily overcome by choosing the right vegetarian foods and, when necessary, supplements. For example, soy, quinoa, and nuts are good sources of protein, and tofu, lentils, and spinach are good sources of iron.
While you can get plenty of protein and fiber as a vegetarian, you may have a harder time getting some specific nutrients. Iron and omega-3s can be hard to get enough of, even though there are plant-based sources. It's not impossible to do if you don't eat meat or fish, just harder.
A meatless diet can be healthy, but vegetarians -- especially vegans -- need to make sure they're getting enough vitamin B12, calcium, iron, and zinc. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics warns of the risk of vitamin B12 deficiencies in vegetarians and vegans. Vitamin B12 is found naturally only in animal products.
Results showed no differences in muscle strength or physical activity levels. Those who followed a vegan diet performed better on submaximal endurance tests and had better aerobic capacity than those who ate omnivorous diets that included meat at least three times a week.
So they expected to find the vegetarians would have higher incidences of issues like depression, anxiety, and mood problems. Instead, they found the opposite result. Vegetarians scored lower on depression tests and had better mood profiles than their fish- and meat-eating peers.
Australian research published in 2007 found that vegetarians had poorer mental health, with 21–22% reporting depression compared with 15% of meat eaters. A 2012 German study found that mental disorders tended to follow the onset of a vegetarian diet.
High-carb diets cause your blood pressure to spike and drop, which negatively impacts overall health and increases your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. Other cons of being a vegetarian include vitamin deficiencies, especially when it comes to nutrients found only in meat.
People become vegetarians for many reasons, including health, religious convictions, concerns about animal welfare or the use of antibiotics and hormones in livestock, or a desire to eat in a way that avoids excessive use of environmental resources.
Diets that limit or exclude meat have been linked to weight loss and a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Yet, this risk reduction depends on overall diet quality. Also, plant-based diets can lack important nutrients if you don't plan them well.
Studies suggest a plant-based diet can support cognitive health and protect against dementia, Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. Be sure you're getting enough omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12 and other nutrients critical for cognitive health, and avoid sugar, processed foods and high levels of fat.
Moreover, individuals who followed vegetarian and vegan diets had lower levels of anxiety. However, when depression was analyzed as a categorical variable, vegetarians and vegans had a higher risk of depression [19].
This relation was partly accounted for by better education and higher occupational social class, but it remained statistically significant after adjusting for these factors. There was no difference in IQ score between strict vegetarians and those who said they were vegetarian but who reported eating fish or chicken.
While there are a variety of health benefits associated with following a vegan diet, eating a vegan diet won't make you age faster or slower in and of itself.
The findings reveal that 84 per cent of vegetarians reported satisfaction with their sex lives, compared to only 59 per cent of meat eaters (95 per cent of the vegan participants said they were satisfied). Dietary preference was also connected with sexual frequency.
A higher intake of fruits and vegetables has also been independently linked to a lower risk of depression and overall better mental wellbeing ( 5 ). Vegan diets tend to be rich in antioxidants and other beneficial nutrients shown to be protective against depression and depressive symptoms ( 6 ).
84% of vegetarians/vegans abandon their diet. About a third (34%) of lapsed vegetarians/vegans maintained the diet for three months or less. Slightly more than half (53%) adhered to the diet for less than one year.
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences say that the less meat a person consumes, the lower their average BMI/body weight. They also say that vegetarians also tend to be more introverted, shy, and reserved than meat eaters.
It's true: Vegans poop more. A University of Oxford study of 20,000 people found that vegans poop more than vegetarians who poop more than meat eaters.
Eating only vegetarian foods can put a person at risk of not getting enough of certain nutrients , including proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin B-12. A person should plan their diet to include sources of these and other nutrients that are essential to overall health.
1. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. When pregnant or breastfeeding, women need to provide more nutrients to the body to ensure the health of the mother and the development of the fetus. Women in this period, if vegetarian, will lack vitamin B12, lack of iron, zinc, copper...