5 Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet

Among consumers in the United Kingdom, there is a growing interest in reducing meat consumption. This has turned meat-eaters into flexitarians, vegetarians, or even vegans. Many people adopt a vegetarian diet in concern for animal welfare, the environment, or to boost their health and reduce the risk of disease.

Typically, vegetarians avoid meat and seafood, some of them exclude also dairy and eggs from the menu. What they eat defines the type of vegetarian diet they follow.

We can categorize the vegetarian diet into 3 groups:

• Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian: A diet that excludes meat and seafood but includes dairy and eggs
• Lacto-Vegetarian: A diet that excludes meat, seafood, and eggs but includes dairy
• Ovo-Vegetarian: A diet that excludes meat, seafood, and dairy but includes eggs

What are the advantages of a Vegetarian diet?

1. Reduce disease risk

A carefully planned, plant-based diet that supplies all the essential nutrients needed for your age, gender, and activity levels has numerous health benefits. Studies show that a vegetarian diet can lower your blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, and lower cholesterol. Eating fruits, vegetables, nuts, and wholemeal grain products, which are higher in fibre and unsaturated fats allows to maintain good health and delay the aging processes of the body.

2. Protect natural resources

Plant-based diets are considered healthier for the environment. This is because they use fewer natural resources and, as such, are associated with less environmental damage.

Did you know that more than half of the water used in the world is to raise farm animals? To produce 1 kg of meat needs almost 21 thousand liters of water to be used. In comparison, 1 kg of wheat needs only 210 liters of water. A completely vegetarian diet requires approximately 1,100 liters of water a day while eating meat uses more than ten times as much water.

Additionally, animals require significantly more land than plants to thrive – so much that about one-third of the Earth’s landmass is dedicated to raising animals for consumption. Meanwhile, plant-based meat alternatives don’t require nearly as much land to produce. The Good Food Institute estimates that plant-based meat uses up to 99% less land than conventional meat.

3. Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

A vegetarian diet has been shown to be beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes. A plant-based diet reduces saturated fats and cholesterol, which can help reduce fatty tissue which causes the body to be more resistant to insulin.

“A shift to a dietary pattern higher in healthful plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and lower in animal-based foods, especially red and processed meats, can confer substantial health benefits in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.” Frank Hu, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health says.

4. Reduce energy consumption

Plant-based foods can be raised with far much less energy, saving on power, and other costly inputs that go into producing meat- going vegetarian, therefore, will ultimately reduce energy consumption.

Meat requires a lot of processing before it is suitable for human consumption, and its processing requires also a lot of energy. Plant-based sources of protein, like beans and nuts are very often ready-to-eat products and are therefore much more energy-efficient. Making the switch to plant-based reduces fossil fuel emissions and positively impacts the environment.

5. Manage Weight

Meatless eating is often associated with losing weight. Vegetarian habits help to cut down fatty tissues and empty calories which leads to better weight management. Dr. Gabrielle Turner-McGrievy in her case study from 2017 proved that plant-based diets are an effective tool in the management and prevention of overweight and obesity. Thus, if you are trying to maintain or reach a healthy weight, a plant-based diet might be helpful to gain your goal!

Even though vegetarian dishes are rich in healthy fats and calories, it is worth remembering to provide the appropriate amount of proteins in veggie dishes. Having between 20 and 30 grams of proteins per meal will ensure a good balance between your health and weight!