Does vegetarians live healthier?

Triggered by the BSE, antibiotics in animal fattening or rotten meat scandals. You might also thought to leave meat and become vegetarians. But really live vegetarians healthier and the body gets through the vegetable food all the essential nutrients, vitamins and trace elements?

In US, now more than 5 million people eat pure vegetarian. But not everyone who without meat, is also a vegetarian. Differences are:

• Ovo-lacto-vegetarians, commonly referred to as a vegetarian, instead of both the meat and fish, but not eggs or dairy products
• Lacto-vegetarians do without additional on eggs
• Ovo-vegetarians refuse meat, fish and dairy products, but consume eggs
• Vegans refrain from all animal products
• often wrongly also expected that vegetarians, since they also do not eat meat, however, they can eat it with eggs and dairy products and fish.

Higher life expectancy due to non-meat diet.

For many people, fish is considered vital because it not only contains important protein for the human body, but is also seen as the main supplier of iron and various B vitamins. But it is frequently forgotten or suppressed that animal foods are also rich in saturated fatty acids, purine and cholesterol, which can lead to obesity not only, but also cholesterol, adversely affect the blood pressure and blood sugar. The consequences can be gout as well as an increased risk of cancer among other things besides the typical affluent diseases of the cardiovascular system. Thus, various studies have shown both in US and in other countries that vegetarians have a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Of course, the generally healthier lifestyle in vegetarians with alcohol and quit smoking as well as plenty of exercise plays a role. But even if these factors are involved, vegetarians still have significantly better blood for, blood pressure and kidney function than meat eaters, leading to an overall higher life expectancy.

Thus, deficiency symptoms can be avoided.

In order not counteract the benefits of vegetarian diet elsewhere by a lack of certain nutrients such as iron or vitamin B12, vegetarians need to gather considered their food. As iron is not only in meat, but also in various plant foods such as soy, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds and millet contain. However, herbal iron is worse absorbed by the body, but this can be improved by the simultaneous intake of vitamin C. Particularly important is vitamin B12, which is contained in dairy products, sauerkraut and other fermented foods and naturally in animal products such as meat. Other vitamins and trace elements make for varied ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, no problem. In strictly vegan lifestyle but should the supply missing macronutrients such as Vitamin B12 in dietary supplements.