According to Vegetarian Society.org, vegetarianism’s four most common forms are Lacto-ovo-vegetarian, Lacto-vegetarian, Ovo-vegetarian, and Vegan.
VeggieVisitors.com also lists these common forms of vegetarianism and includes a few others, such as Fruitarians, Pesce-vegetarians, Pollo-vegetarians, Flexitarians, Vegans, Lacto-vegetarians, and Lacto-ovo vegetarians.
The Medical Daily says that the high fat and protein content of meat forces the body to take more time to digest it, leaving less time for routine body maintenance, like immune system checks, to try to fix itself.
Many people begin their transition to vegetarianism by eliminating red meat and slowly purging their diet of other animal products. Once they discover the incredible variety of vegetarian choices, they never miss the meat (veggievisitors.com).
3 Advantages of Eating More Vegetarian-like:
Advantage # 1 – Improved Health and Energy
When you eat more vegetarian-like, not only do you look and feel healthier and more energetic, but your body also receives the essential vitamins and nutrients it needs, which contributes to a healthy body weight. The American Dietetic Association has affirmed that a vegetarian diet can meet all known nutritional needs with various foods. On average, people who eat less meat are leaner and less likely to gain weight than those who eat meat.
Eating less red meat contributes to weight loss. Livestrong reported that eliminating red meat from the diet can help with weight loss and overall health, citing that leaner, less caloric options than red meat include skinless chicken breast and fish.
Advantage # 2 – Reduced Risk for Disease
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine reports that vegetarians have lower rates of cancer, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and asthma. They also cited that you can still have many of the health benefits of a vegetarian diet without trading your turkey for tofurkey by trying flexitarianism or semi-vegetarianism.
Eating red meat is associated with an increased risk for disease. The Archives of Internal Medicine found that a higher intake of red meat was associated with a significantly elevated risk of total cardiovascular disease and cancer. Substituting red meat with fish, chicken, or nuts lowered the risks. Hence, a diet high in red meat shortens life expectancy (Harvard Medical School).
Advantage # 3 – Increased Life Expectancy
A study published in both the Medical Daily and the Washington Post found that approximately 73,000 adults with no prior diagnosis of cancer or cardiovascular disease, comprised of vegetarians and non-vegetarians (those who ate red meat), died over a six-year span, with most of them being non-vegetarians. Overall, vegetarians were 12% less likely to have died within that time.
As studies have shown, a diet high in red meat is likely unhealthy. Eating more vegetarian-like gives you proven advantages, such as healthier body weight, and reduced risk for diseases like cancer, heart disease, hypertension, and asthma; it also increases life expectancy.
It may be hard for some to transition to a completely vegetarian or vegan diet, but I challenge you to eat less red meat so that you can enjoy the advantages of eating more vegetarian-like!
Here is an awesome vegetarian guide to help you select healthy options while shopping at your local grocery store or market.
References
Archives of Internal Medicine
Harvard Medical School
LiveStrong.com
The American Dietetic Association
The Medical Daily
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
The Washington Post
Veggievisitors.com
Vegetariansociety.org
Nurse Resource Team
