We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Are the Benefits of Vegetarianism?

By Felicia Dye
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 6,030
Share

When considering the benefits of vegetarianism, many people focus on health. It has been found that vegetarians have lower cholesterol levels and fewer heart problems than those who eat meat. Consuming a vegetarian diet can also help to manage diabetes and to combat obesity. Beyond health, there are environmental benefits of being a vegetarian, because these foods generally require fewer resources to produce and production is associated with lower amounts of pollution.

There are numerous health benefits associated with being a vegetarian. For example, those who abstain from meat tend to experience fewer heart conditions than those who have a meat-inclusive diet. This is believed to be due in part to the higher amounts of cholesterol that are contained in meat. Some vegetarian foods, such as oats, dry beans, and nuts, appear to actually lower cholesterol and promote a healthy heart.

Obesity, which is a problem in many societies, may be addressed through a vegetarian diet. One of the benefits of vegetarianism is that it tends to result in slimmer people. This is believed to be due to a lower consumption of fat and calories. It must also be remembered that meats are harder for the body to break down than items such as fruits and vegetables. The energy that vegetarians save from easier digestion can then be applied to an increase in physical activity.

This spotlights another of the benefits of vegetarianism. It has been found that individuals who abstain from meat tend to have healthier overall lifestyles. For example, they often make better choices, such as drinking less alcohol and doing more exercise. These decisions help vegetarians to avoid health conditions that are related to poor lifestyle choices.

An ability to help manage diabetes is another of the health benefits of vegetarianism. People who suffer from diabetes must be more conscious of what they eat than those who do not have the disease. A vegetarian diet can eliminate some of the difficulty in making food choices. When such a diet is largely low in fat and high in carbohydrate and fiber content, studies show that blood sugar levels can be kept down.

The benefits of vegetarianism extend beyond the health ramifications. Connections can be made between the decision to abstain from meat and positive environmental effects. Raising livestock is generally a task that requires a significant amount of resources. By choosing a diet consisting mainly of fruits and vegetables, an individual helps to reduce the amount of non-renewable resources used for food production, such as water and land. This type of diet also helps to eliminate negative environmental effects, such as water pollution from animal waste runoff, deforestation, and methane emissions.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-are-the-benefits-of-vegetarianism.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.