There are numerous rumors about vegetarianism and mainly due to this we still know too little about this specific approach of eating. Vegetarianism has nothing to do with dieting – it’s a way of life and can be even called a philosophy. However, nutritionists still have their opinion about vegetarian diet and its pros and cons. Here are some of them:
Pros
Naturally, the refusal of meat has its advantages to our health – people reduce their intake of saturated fats and also minimize their intake of bad cholesterol. In addition, vegetarians who eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and soy products, get more dietary fiber and improve their menu with various phytochemicals that enhance health. As a result, their body mass index and blood pressure drops down. It is scientifically proven that vegetarians suffer from coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, II type of
diabetes and some cancers less. Vegetarians weigh less than the people who eat the meat on average. This is due to the fact that they carefully keep the balance in their diet and consume less fat, most of which are animal origin. It has been also scientifically proven that vegetarianism cures diabetes. So, vegetarian diet helps to get rid of the overweight and it is very important in treating II type of diabetes.
Cons
The biggest problem of vegetarian diet is the lack of vitamin B12. Five different clinical researches have shown that vegetarians lack of this vitamin, which is extremely important for the cells’ growth and blood cells’ formation. Therefore, vitamin B12 deficiency risk initiates neurological disorders and those mothers who are breastfeeding may lead their babies to anemia also because of vitamin B12 deficiency. Bones of vegetarian people tend to be weaker, so if you follow the principles of vegetarian diet, make sure you take calcium and vitamin D supplements.