It's a Fact, Vegetarian Diets Lower the Risk of Disease

In the last few years, the United States government, in its "Dietary Guidelines for Americans," as well as Health Canada and leading health organizations, have released claims acknowledging that well-designed vegetarian happinesslifetime.com diet programs satisfy nutritional needs and support health. In fact, vegetarian diets are associated with lower risk for many persistent illnesses and ailments, including coronary artery disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, several types of cancer, obesity, and others.

It's not difficult to figure out why.

Vegetarian diets tend to be lower in saturated fat than nonvegetarian diets. Even though you can find saturated fat in some plants, saturated fats come mainly from animal foods, particularly high-fat dairy products and meats. In fact, two-thirds of the fat in dairy products is saturated. Even so-called low-fat dairy products contain a significant amount of saturated fat.

Saturated fats are usually firm at room temperature, like a stick of butter. That fact can help you identify foods that may be high in the artery-clogging fats. Foods that are high in saturated fat include red meats, poultry skin, butter, sour cream, ice cream, cheese, yogurt made with whole milk, and most non-low-fat milk.

These types of fats induce the body to produce more cholesterol. Cholesterol is a wax-like compound found abundantly in diseased arteries. Everybody needs some cholesterol, but the human body fabricates a sufficient amount. You don't need more from external sources, and for people with a predisposition for coronary artery disease, high blood cholesterol levels may lead to densifying of the arteries. Cholesterol is created in the liver, so it's available only in animal products. Foods of plant source contain no cholesterol.

Lacto ovo vegetarian diets have the possibility to be high in fat and cholesterol if you don't restrict the eggs and high-fat dairy products you eat. If you switch to a lacto ovo vegetarian diet, try not to depend too heavily on these products to substitute the meat you once ate.

I'm Kristin Hoffman and I'm passionate about vegetarian diets. I write about many things. My latest websites are about coinsorterandcounter.com coin sorters for the small business owners and ibackpackleafblowers.com backpack leaf blowers for the do-it yourself gardeners.