The Advantages of Vegetarian Eating

Protection from Cancer

Professor Walter Willet showed that the rate of cancer in vegetarians was less than in meat eaters, and avoiding red meat lowered the risk of colon cancer.

Dr Gary Fraser of the Loma Linda University showed that the frequent use of red meat increased the rate of bladder cancer.

Protection from Heart Disease

Dr Timothy Key of Oxford University found that vegetarians have a 25% lower risk of dying from heart disease than the general population.

Protective Foods

There are a number of groups of what are termed "Protective foods", because of the role they play in maintaining our health. They are:

Fruits and Vegetables

The increased consumption of fruit has been found to be associated with a decreased risk of cancer of the lung, prostate and pancreas. Fruits are a rich source of a variety of nutrients, containing many vitamins and trace minerals, as well as a range of dietary fibres, and many types of active compounds which could stimulate the immune system.

Legumes (dried beans)

Studies have linked the frequent consumption of legumes with a decreased incidence of pancreatic and colon cancer, particularly in those who chose to include meat in their diets. Coming soon to this site will be lots of recipes, including some delicious ones containing a variety of legumes.

Wholegrains and Cereal Fibre

Studies have shown that a diet rich in cereal fibre gives some protections against heart disease and colon and other types of cancer. This is due to the types of fibre, and also other nutritional factors in whole grains. These include resistant starch (shown to promote bowel health), trace minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals. We need to include more whole grains in our diets.

Nuts

Studies have shown that including nuts in the diet 4-5 times per week (approximately 30gram) can reduce the risk of heart disease by as much as 50%. This protection has been found to include male or female, young or old, vegetarians or meat-eaters, regardless of their country of birth.

To find out more on this fascinating study, visit the Sanitarium Nutrition Service site.