Top 5 benefits of consuming a vegetarian diet
In spite of the ever-growing population of meat-eaters, the vegetarian diet has always been relevant. From religious sentiments to animal welfare - there are different reasons that people choose to be vegetarians, and rely on plant-based foods. Interestingly, turning vegetarian has a lot of health benefits to offer too. Here are top 5 health benefits of sticking to a vegetarian diet.
Lower cholesterol levels
The human body already makes all the necessary cholesterol it needs. So, ingesting more of it from meat or other non-vegetarian sources leads to high cholesterol levels, which can be quite problematic especially for your heart. Vegetarians, on the other hand, do not have to deal with the same as their diet is relatively free from cholesterol.
Fewer hormone ingestion
Notably, growth hormones are often used in animal-based food production. And, recent studies state that the presence of hormones in food can be a risk factor for cancer. This is definitely one of the most crucial reasons of switching to a plant-based diet.
Protection against diabetes
The cases of diabetes have been on the rise, in recent years. The causes of type 2 diabetes, the most common type, include poor lifestyle habits and excessive meat intake. On the other hand, consumption of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts avoids the settling of fat in the body, thus reducing the risk of diabetes. Hence, cutting down your meat intake is essential.
Protection from food-borne illnesses
Non-vegetarian food items can lead to various types of infections. While sometimes these infections and illnesses are diagnosed easily, most of the time they remain hidden. According to a study, chicken can be contaminated with salmonella or campylobacter bacteria. On the other hand, vegetarian food is comparatively safer from bacteria, and can keep the arteries clean, unlike the high-fat non-vegetarian food.
Spiritual well-being
Spiritual experts believe that in order to stay calm, one must not consume the flesh of dead animals, as it is believed to affect consciousness, and can also lead to distractions. On the other hand, vegetarian diet is associated with the development of ethical virtues, such as non-violence, truthfulness, purity, etc. Now, the choice is yours!
