What Makes A Vegetarian Diet Healthy? Is a vegetarian diet healthy for you, or nutritionally insufficient? Some people claim that a poorly planned vegetarian diet cannot be healthy. But the opposite is also true: a well-planned vegetarian or vegan diet can be very healthy and provide nutritional benefit. There are three main advantages to following a vegetarian diet, which are explained in this article.
First, a vegetarian diet is healthier for your heart. Your heart needs good fats, such as omega-3 and omega-6. These fats are found in nuts, which vegetarians often eat as a source of protein. Omega fats help to unclog arteries and to reduce ‘bad’ cholesterol, increasing heart health.
That’s not the only heart-healthy staple in the typical vegetarian diet. Many vegetarians and vegans drink soy milk rather than regular milk. Soy milk also helps protect the heart, because it also reduces cholesterol.
The heart is not the only part of the body that benefits from a vegetarian diet. Skin also benefits. Vegetarians tend to get more vitamin A and vitamin E in their diet, because these vitamins are found in fruits and vegetables. Vitamins A and E have been proven beneficial to health of the skin.
Another reason why vegetarians may have healthier skin has to do with the elimination of toxins. Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber, and fiber helps the body flush toxins. Fewer toxins circulating in the body means healthier skin.
Finally, vegetarians benefit from the increased consumption of antioxidants possible with a vegetarian diet.
Antioxidants are compounds that fight cancer by destroying free radicals. Vegetarian meals are especially strong in two powerful antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables, vitamins C and E.
So, what concerns might a prospective vegetarian still have?
Hopefully, none. The misguided belief that the vegetarian diet cannot be nutritionally complete is a myth. In fact, the vegetarian diet provides vegetarians with nutritional protection and benefits.
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