Vegetarian Diet Advantages

Three Health Advantages of a Vegan/Vegetarian Diet

Advantage 1

Vegetarian diet advantages are numerous. While some may worry over the nutritional disadvantages of a poorly planned vegetarian diet, less time is spent stressing the health advantages of adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet. So, let’s look at the top three nutritional advantages to living a vegetarian lifestyle.

The first major vegetarian diet advantage is increased heart health. Vegetarians, on average, consume more nuts than the average person as a supplemental form of protein. Nuts contain omega-3 and omega-6 also known as the "good" fats. Omega-3 and omega-6 oils promote good heart health because they aid in reducing "bad" cholesterol and unclogging the arteries.

In addition to nuts, vegetarians also consume soy milk as a replacement to cow’s milk, which also reduces "bad" cholesterol and has been linked in various studies to good heart health.

Advantage 2

Fruits and vegetables are also rich in fiber, which helps flush toxins out of the body leaving the benefit of healthy looking skin.

The second major vegetarian diet advantage is increased skin health. In addition to nuts, vegetarians tend to eat more fruits and vegetables. And of course we all know and cannot deny that fruits and vegetables are rich in essential vitamins, including Vitamins A and E, which are known to help with skin health.

Advantage 3

Vitamins C and E are important antioxidants

The third health advantage vegetarians enjoy is an increased intake of antioxidants through their natural diet. Antioxidants are foods that help prevent cancer
by destroying free radicals. Vitamin C and Vitamin E, two strong antioxidants, are commonly found in vegetarian meals.

Vitamin C can be found in asparagus, berries, kale, kiwis, tomatoes, citrus fruit and peppers. Vitamin E can is abundant in wheat germ, seed oils, almonds and walnuts, and brown rice. All of which are prevalent as part of a well-balanced vegetarian diet.

So what does this all mean for you as a prospective vegetarian?

According to Mark Mattson in his book Diet-Brain Connection: Impact on Memory, Mood, Aging and Disease, vegetarians tend to have lower body mass index and blood pressure, lower levels of cholesterol with less incidence of heart disease, hypertension and type 2 diabetes. They suffer less osteoporosis and dementias like Alzheimer’s disease. Not only can a vegetarian diet be nutritionally sufficient, but it can increase your heart health, affect better skin health and help prevent cancer.