Better weight management: It is true that people who follow a vegetarian style of dietary regimen are less likely to become obese than those who follow a completely non-vegetarian diet. This may be because a vegetarian diet typically includes less saturated fat and emphasizes more on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and plant based proteins, which are lower in calories and are more filling. But a vegetarian diet is not automatically low in calories. Despite being vegetarian, if the portion size is too big or too many calories are consumed at one go, you can put on oodles of weight.
Potential health benefits: Potential health benefits include lower rate of cardiovascular diseases, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and longer life expectancy. Cardiovascular benefits come from the lack of fatty meats, which are high in saturated fat. Also, vegetarian food is comparatively lower in bad cholesterol than the animal sources, which if included can increase the risk for heart disease.
Increases antioxidant intake: Vegetarian eating usually follows an increased intake of wholesome food such as fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes and whole grains, which in itself is a great opportunity to include plentiful antioxidants in the diet. Consuming adequate amounts of natural antioxidants helps in maintaining health by minimizing the effect of free radicals, the main reason for cellular damage. Although red meat contains antioxidants, its good effects are negated by the high amounts of bad cholesterol present in it.
Reduced risk of food-borne illness: Food that constitutes meat, poultry, fish or any seafood is frequently involved in food-borne illness outbreaks. A vegetarian diet helps avoid some of the virulent forms of food borne illnesses, which primarily influence children and those with poor immunity. In addition, artificially injected hormones and chemicals fed to the animals also leave their negative effects in meat and poultry. These unwanted contaminants are stored in the tissues of animals and are then consumed by meat eaters.
