The Top Ten Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet

Being a vegetarian not only contributes to your personal physical health, it also reduces pollution from animal husbandry and thus benefits the environment. In addition, you can fully enjoy your healthy meals without any more animals being given a "death sentence." There are hundreds of reasons to advocate vegetarianism; here are the top 10. 1. Longevity A seven-year study of vegetarians from Loma Linda University showed that vegetarians live about 15 years longer than meat-eaters. These studies are further confirmed by the China Health Project, which found that Chinese people, who eat very little high-fat and meat products, have a lower risk of cancer, heart disease and other illnesses. Research from the UK also provides further evidence: a 12-year follow-up study of 6,000 cases, of which 5,000 were meat-eaters. The study found that during this period, 40% of vegetarians were less likely to die of cancer and 20% less likely to die of other diseases. 2. You will become more balanced Vegetables are the basic source of fiber, which expels waste from the human body. Meat contains no fiber. People who eat high-fiber foods have a 42% lower risk of illness. People who maintain a diet rich in vegetables tend to have lower incidence rates of diseases such as constipation, hemorrhoids and spastic colon. 3. Having a healthy heart Fruits and vegetables are comprehensive antioxidant nutrients that protect the heart and arteries. On top of that, they contain no saturated fat or cholesterol. Vegetarians' cholesterol levels are 14 percentage points lower than meat-eaters'. The American diet is mostly high-fat and high-cholesterol meat and dairy products, and the resulting cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in the United States. 4. Keeping you away from toxic chemicals 95% of the pesticide residues in our diet come from meat, fish and dairy products (according to the Environmental Protection Agency's estimate). Fish in particular contain carcinogens (PCBs, DDT) and heavy metals (mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium), which cannot be eliminated by cooking or freezing. Meat and dairy products also contain steroids and hormones. 5. Helping with a full-body cleanse The juices of fruits and vegetables contain natural phytochemicals that can help us detoxify. Giving up meat helps clear the body of toxins (environmental pollutants, pesticides, preservatives) that overload the internal organ systems and cause illness. 6. You look better and more fit Generally speaking, vegetarians are more 'in shape' than meat-eaters. A vegetarian diet has far fewer calories than the standard American diet. Vegetarians are also less likely to develop weight-related organ disorders such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. 7. You can save a lot of money Replacing meat, chicken and fish with vegetables and fruits is estimated to cut the food bill by $4,000/year. 8. Benefiting the environment You can help reduce waste and air pollution. On a farm in Utah, USA, 2.5 million pigs are raised each year, producing more waste than the entire city of Los Angeles. This is just one farm. Each year, the nation's farms produce a total of 2 billion tons of manure, which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers one of the top 10 pollutants. This does not include the methane gas released by cattle, pigs and poultry (which contributes to the greenhouse effect); the ammonia in urine; the toxic gases emitted by manure; the toxic chemicals in pesticides; and the exhaust emitted by the machinery and equipment that processes animal feed on farms. 9. More energy-efficient Currently, 72% of grain production in the United States is used to feed animals for slaughter. Obtaining one kilogram of meat requires 15 kilograms of feed. But if grain were supplied directly to people, there would be enough food to feed the entire planet's population. In addition, from the viewpoint of maximizing grain output, occupying land to develop animal husbandry is inefficient. According to records of this soil and agricultural water use: one acre (about 6 mu) of land can produce 22,800 kilograms of tomatoes, 18,240 kilograms of potatoes, 13,680 kilograms of carrots, or merely 114 kilograms of beef. 10. It is the right thing to do Einstein said: 'Our task is to free ourselves, and this requires widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances of survival on Earth as much as a vegetarian diet.'