For vegans and vegetarians?

Question

I am not either a Vegitarian nor a Vegan, I am not here to "bash" you, I would like to know if you could tell me, in genereal, or point out some studies, about the health levels of vegans compared to meat eaters, to include but not limited to:Cholesterol, triglycerides, diabetes, and the likeliness of heart attacks and clogged arteries.

I don't think I will never give up meat for my own reasons, but truly enjoy some vegan dishes. Also, is there a site for calorie/fat/carb counts for these dishes.

Answer 1

Diabetes- Vegan diet may actually help cure it:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/26/health/webmd/main1837927.shtml

Cholesterol- since a vegan diet contains no cholesterol, it is likely to lower your cholesterol level unless you have some other medical problem causing it. It will also depend on your omega3/6 fat balance.

Triglycerides- totally depends on whether people are junk food vegans or healthy ones. Studies have shown vegans to have lower levels, but I think that is because vegans tend to be more aware of what they eat and not any intrinsic benefit.

Heart disease/ clogged arteries- vegans typically will fare better here.

This study covers a bunch.
http://www.thechinastudy.com/about.html

Another on to look into is called the Nurses Study (Harvard IIRC)

For nutritional information, I happen to like calorie-count.com (You can also track exercise there.)


People also seem to do very well when they switch to only rarely eating meat (like once per week/ once per month.)

Answer 2

I can give you my own personal levels. When I ate meat, I was crippled, on medication for high cholesterol (over 300) and had triglyceride issues, and was border line diabetic, and seeing a cardioligist-all at age 35. I became vegetarian, went off my meds, have healed completely from my crippling health issues, cholesterol and tri are at normal levels, I havent seen the cardiologist in years, and I feel great!

Answer 3

If you want to look at studies you should consider browsing Google Scholar. They currently have a beta site allowing you to browse the abstracts of journal publications. You will find hundreds of studies done by the world's academic and research institutes. For example, you could search for "vegan and heart disease"

Answer 4

VEGETARIAN HERE DUDE, TO ME EATING MEAT IS LIKE JEFFREY DAHMER, BUT YOUR JUST INTO ANOTHER SPECIES OTHER THAN HUMAN, IT'S NASTY........

VEGANS ARE LIVING DANGEROUSLY AS YOU NEED YOUR PROTEIN, I EAT EGGS, MILK, CHEESE, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS I DID, BUT DAILY YES.

GO TO A SLAUGHTER HOUSE AND ASK FOR A TOUR, YOU MIGHT CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT MEAT. THEN YOU GOT STEROIDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO WORRY ABOUT.

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF A CORN FED MAN, IT'S TRUE, SEX IS BETTER, YOU WANT IT MORE, YOU DON'T AGE AS BAD, AND YOU CAN REVERSE HEART DISEASE, SMOKE AND NOT WORRY ABOUT CANCER, STAY YOUR CORRECT WEIGHT, HOW ABOUT FRIED POTATOES IN A SKILLET WITH VEGETABLE OIL. EAT ALL YA WANT, NO WEIGHT GAIN.

CAN'T IMAGINE WHY OTHERS DON'T PICK UP ON IT......

Answer 5

::VEGANS ARE LIVING DANGEROUSLY AS YOU NEED YOUR PROTEIN, I EAT EGGS, MILK, CHEESE, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS I DID, BUT DAILY YES.

Holy Cow you believe that? I've been VEGAN for nearly 15 yrs and there is plenty of protein in other things.
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm

Vegetarians have significantly reduced rates of obesity, coronary heart disease, hypertension, type II diabetes, diet-related cancers, diverticular disease, constipation and gall stones.

Answer 6

vegans tend to have lower fat %, cholesterol and blood pressure but without proper vitamins they can damage their liver, kidneys and circulation from a lack of iron and protein.