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The American Dietetic Association (ADA) just released an updated position paper on the merits of becoming a vegetarian. And its nearly all good news.
As reported by EurkAlert, the study concludes:
Such diets, if well-planned, are healthful and nutritious for adults, infants, children and adolescents and can help prevent and treat chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes. |
Why does this matter? We already knew that vegetarianism, when done right, is good for your health, and that it can even help you live longer. But there are still a lot of nagging questions that nonetheless still plague the vegetarian community: as a vegetarian, will you be protein deficient? Will you have issues with osteoporosis? Is it safe to be a vegetarian when you're pregnant? And so on.
The report by the American Dietetic Association goes a long way to dispel such concerns. The ADA is the largest organization of food and nutrition professionals in the world, therefore carries quite a bit of esteem. This position paper is chock full of good, reliable information—and they give vegetarianism the full fledged green light, when it comes to healthy living.
According to the ADA:
Vegetarian diets are often associated with health advantages including lower blood cholesterol levels, lower risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure levels and lower risk of hypertension and type 2 diabetes, according to ADA's position. Vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index and lower overall cancer rates. Vegetarian diets tend to be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol and have higher levels of dietary fiber, magnesium and potassium, vitamins C and E, folate, carotenoids, flavonoids and other phytochemicals. These nutritional differences may explain some of the health advantages of those following a varied, balanced vegetarian diet.
If you happened to be shopping around for a few more reasons to push you over the edge to vegetarianism, that should supply you with about 16. And while the study might not be the absolute final word on vegetarianism's health benefits, it's pretty close. So if you're finicky about the foreignness of a vegetarian diet, or worried it won't keep you healthy enough, just consider this: the most straightforward endorsement for the practice by the biggest group of nutritionists in the world.
It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life-cycle including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence and for athletes.
So plan your meals well, include the proper nutrients and vitamins, and go vegetarian. And check your health concerns at the door.
More on Vegetarianism:
10 Superstar Athletes Who Don't Eat Meat
Become a Vegetarian for a 30 Day Trial Period
View and Vote: Emeril's Recipes
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