Is it healthy to be vegetarian?

Question

i have always thought of being vegetarian not just to be healthy cuz i also love animals so my question really is if i took vitamins that i get from meat every day and eat fruit or vegetables since i m a vegetarian would i be healthy?

Answer 1

its healthy, but probably not healthful.  humans need meat in their diet.  Fish is very healthy, turkey is too.  chicken is healthy for you as well. Its just that vegans are crazy and they get into peoples heads and say that it is more healthy ( which doesn't make sense) to not eat meat.  More healthy doesn't make sense because its not healthy you want to eat, but healthful.  healthful foods are like chicken, or turkey or salmon.  they will give your body the nutrients it needs to not just survive (healthy), but to revive (healthful)

What isn't fair, is that these vegan's, will make studies, and they will pick up people at mcdonalds who already weigh like 100 pounds over weight, and ofcourse the vegans will be healthier. but lets see a vegan say they are healthier then me, a person who has a resting pulse rate of 58 and my blood pressure is just as good.  i eat meat every other day.  I eat a lot of fish, and love my scramble eggs.

Answer 2

vegetarians are most of the time healthier than the average person because of the unhealthy fats consumed by meat. But being a vegetarian can also not be healthy because you can not get the right amount of protein that you need from meat but there are subsitutes for that.

Answer 3

Yes you can still be healthy but you don't have to take vitamins because my friend dosen't take vitamins and is still healthy.You will also lose weight . So if you don't wanna lose weight you might wanna not try it!:)have a good day!

Answer 4

Yes it's healthy. And if you eat a balanced veg diet you don't need to take pills... it isn't a disease. Millions of people around the world have lived happily without meat for centuries. It's just that here in the west, everyone has false beliefs as to what a healthy diet consists of. In fact, vegetarians are on average healthier than meat eaters. Meat doesn't have any magical health benefits in it and can do a lot more harm than good.

Just eat a balanced veg diet and you'll be fine. Good Luck.

Answer 5

As long as you eat a variety of fruits and vegetables you shouldn't have to take vitamins. Raw egg yolks are great way to get plenty of vitamins though. I sometimes eat 3 a day.

Answer 6

“Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits, including lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein, as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and phytochemicals. Vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than nonvegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease; vegetarians also show lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.”

--American Dietetic Association, June 2003 position paper

Heart disease claims the life of nearly one out of every two Americans. Adopting a vegetarian diet is a powerful way to prevent heart attacks. Animal foods are high in saturated fat, but plant foods are low in saturated fat. Since cholesterol is found only in animal products, such as meat, dairy, and eggs, plant foods are cholesterol-free. The most powerful cholesterol-lowing agents are soluble fiber, unsaturated fats, and phytochemicals, all of which are found almost exclusively in plant foods.[1] In the seventeen studies conducted between 1978 and 2002, the average vegan’s cholesterol level was a mere 160 mg/dl, while the average non-vegetarian’s cholesterol was 202 mg/dl.[2] It’s not surprising that vegetarians have been shown to have a 24% reduced risk of dying of heart disease.[3] It is likely that vegetarians could cut their risk of heart disease even further by increasing their intake of omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin B12.

Vegetarians have considerably lower rates of several types of cancer than non-vegetarians. The Adventist Health Study found that non-vegetarians had a 54% increased risk for prostate cancer and an 88% increased risk for colorectal cancer, even after controlling for age, s*x, and smoking.[1] Numerous studies show much lower cancer rates in countries which have largely plant-based diets.

Answer 7

well for humans not the planet

Answer 8

yes it is healthy. you don't even have to take vitamins if you're veg*n. in fact, veg*ns have a lower risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity, and heart disease.

Answer 9

Let's get real, you've asked this in the vegetaian section they're not exactly going to say no are they?

Answer 10

If you're eating a varied, balanced vegetarian diet you can be perfectly healthy and thriving even without taking vitamins.  There is nothing magical in meat that you can't get elsewhere.  A balanced veg diet includes more than fruits and vegetables, though; you need whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds too.

Answer 11

Only if you make a real attempt to have a healthy diet.  I have a family member who is a vegetarian only for ethical reasons and she eats junk all day long.  She's not in any way healthy but she is a vegetarian.

Vegetarians and meat eaters can both have healthy diets, but it takes a little work for both groups.

Answer 12

Hey.

Its much healthier than your average meat eater, medical studies are proving that vegetarians are less likely to suffer from such illnesses as heart disease, cancer, diet-related diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.

You dont need to "Take vitamins", you can get all the protein, iron and vitamins from vegetarian food sources.

Nutrients are usually divided into five classes: carbohydrates, proteins, fats (including oil), vitamins and minerals. We also need fibre and water. All are equally important to our well-being, although they are needed in varying quantities, from about 250g of carbohydrate a day to less than two micrograms of vitamin B12. Carbohydrate, fat and protein are usually called macro-nutrients and the vitamins and minerals are usually called micro-nutrients.

Protein

Vegetarians obtain protein from:

...Nuts: hazels, brazils, almonds, cashews, walnuts, pine kernels etc.

...Seeds: sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, linseeds.

...Pulses: peas, beans, lentils, peanuts.

...Grains/cereals: wheat (in bread, flour, pasta etc), barley, rye, oats, millet, maize (sweetcorn), rice.

...Soya products: tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable protein, veggieburgers, soya milk.

...Dairy products: milk, cheese, yoghurt (butter and cream are very poor sources of protein).

...Free range eggs.

Carbohydrate

Carbohydrate is our main and most important source of energy, and most of it is provided by plant foods. There are three main types: simple sugars, complex carbohydrates or starches and dietary fibre.

The sugars or simple carbohydrates can be found in fruit, milk and ordinary table sugar. Refined sources of sugar are best avoided as they provide energy without any associated fibre, vitamins or minerals and they are also the main cause of dental decay.

Complex carbohydrates are found in cereals/grains (bread, rice, pasta, oats, barley, millet, buckwheat, rye) and some root vegetables, such as potatoes and parsnips. A healthy diet should contain plenty of these starchy foods as a high intake of complex carbohydrate is now known to benefit health. The unrefined carbohydrates, like wholemeal bread and brown rice are best of all because they contain essential dietary fibre and B vitamins.

Dietary Fibre

Dietary fibre or non-starch polysaccharide (NSP), as it is now termed, refers to the indigestible part of a carbohydrate food. Fibre can be found in unrefined or wholegrain cereals, fruit (fresh and dried) and vegetables. A good intake of dietary fibre can prevent many digestive problems and protect against diseases like colon cancer and diverticular disease.

Fats & Oils

Too much fat is bad for us, but a little is necessary to keep our tissues in good repair, for the manufacture of hormones and to act as a carrier for some vitamins. Like proteins, fats are made of smaller units, called fatty acids. Two of these fatty acids, linoleic and linolenic acids, are termed essential as they must be provided in the diet. This is no problem as they are widely found in plant foods.

Fats can be either saturated or unsaturated (mono-unsaturated or poly-unsaturated). A high intake of saturated fat can lead to a raised blood cholesterol level and this has been linked to heart disease. Vegetable fats tend to be more unsaturated and this is one of the benefits of a vegetarian diet. Mono-unsaturated fats, such as olive oil or peanut oil, are best used for frying as the poly-unsaturated fats, like sunflower or safflower oil are unstable at high temperatures. Animal fats (including butter and cheese) tend to be more saturated than vegetable fats, with the exception of palm oil and coconut oil.

Vitamins

Vitamin is the name for several unrelated nutrients that the body cannot synthesise either at all, or in sufficient quantities. The one thing they have in common is that only small quantities are needed in the diet. The main vegetarian sources are listed below:



Vitamin A (or beta carotene): Red, orange or yellow vegetables like carrots and tomatoes, leafy green vegetables and fruits like apricots and peaches. It is added to most margarines.

B Vitamins: This group of vitamins includes B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cyanocobalmin), folate, pantothenic acid and biotin.

All the B vitamins except B12 occur in yeasts and whole cereals (especially wheat germ), nuts & seeds, pulses and green vegetables.

Vitamin B12 is the only one that may cause some difficulty as it is not present in plant foods. Only very tiny amounts of B12 are needed and vegetarians usually get this from dairy produce and free range eggs. It is sensible for vegans and vegetarians who consume few animal foods to incorporate some B12 fortified foods in their diet. Vitamin B12 is added to yeast extracts, soya milks, veggieburgers and some breakfast cereals.

Vitamin C: Fresh fruit, salad vegetables, all leafy green vegetables and potatoes.

Vitamin D: This is vitamin is not found in plant foods but humans can make their own when skin is exposed to sunlight. It is also added to most margarines and is present in milk, cheese and butter. These sources are usually adequate for healthy adults. The very young, the very old and anyone confined indoors would be wise to take a vitamin D supplement especially if they consume very few dairy products.

Vitamin E: Vegetable oil, wholegrain cereals, eggs.

Vitamin K: Fresh vegetables, cereals and bacterial synthesis in the intestine.

Minerals

Minerals perform a variety of jobs in the body. Details of the some of the most important minerals are listed below:

Calcium: Important for healthy bones and teeth. Found in dairy produce, leafy green vegetables, bread, tap water in hard water areas, nuts and seeds (especially sesame seeds), dried fruits, cheese. Vitamin D helps calcium to be absorbed.

Iron: Needed for red blood cells. Found in leafy green vegetables, wholemeal bread, molasses, eggs, dried fruits (especially apricots and figs), lentils and pulses. Vegetable sources of iron are not as easily absorbed as animal sources, but a good intake of vitamin C will enhance absorption.

Zinc: Plays a major role in many enzyme reactions and the immune system. Found in green vegetables, cheese, sesame and pumpkin seeds, lentils and wholegrain cereals.

Iodine: Present in vegetables, but the quantity depends on how rich the soil is in iodine. Dairy products also have plenty of iodine. Sea vegetables are a good source of iodine for vegans.

Answer 13

Ya its really healthy!!!

Answer 14

absolutely!

i'm veg and do all them thing's and i'm fit as a fiddle :)

vegetarians also live longer woop!

x

Answer 15

1. You don't need to take vitamins if you're vegetarian,

2. You would be healthier.

3. You'd be be healthier still if you stopped eating junk food as well.

4. Go vegan instead.

Answer 16

You can still get protiens from beans, etc. A vegetarian diet would not hurt anyone.