Is there any empiracal evidence that either vegan or vegetarian are healthy or healthier?

Question

I understand that vegan is a type of vegetarianism, but is either of them healthier than the other and are they in fact healthier than the standard nutritional food pyramid? Is there one type of vegetarianism that might possibly be the healthiest? With this I'm defining HEALTHY through the World Health Organization's definition as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity"(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health). Any links or articles would be very helpful. Thanks.

Answer 1

What's unhealthy about them?

I never tell people that being vegan is healthier. It is just as healthy as far as healthy eating is concerned. I'm not vegan because I want to live to be 120. I do it because I want to reduce suffering.

http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/advocacy_933_ENU_HTML.htm

You can eat a wide variety of animal products and be healthy but it is VERY easy to eat TOO MUCh of it.

On the contrary it is nearly impossible to eat too many plant foods if your diet is varied and balanced.

Answer 2

According to the American Dietetic Association (the organization for dietitians; the only clinical nutrition experts recognized by the US medical profession) a vegetarian diet can be at least as healthy as one that includes meat. There can be additional health benefits due to lower cholesterol--such as lower incidence of heart disease. However, there is no guarantee that EVERY vegetarian will be healthier than EVERY meat eater. A vegetarian could have a really bad diet of all junk food. There are other variables like heredity, exercise and smoking that also affect health.

Krister gave the same link, but this is the link for ADA on vegetarian diets:

http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/advocacy_933_ENU_HTML.htm

Answer 3

The food pyramid was designed by the UNITED STATES DEPARMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Should we really trust the helath advice of an organization that represents the meat and dairy industries?


Dean Ornish, M.D. was the first person to prove that heart disease can be reversed, and he did so by feeding his patients a vegetarian diet. John McDougall, M.D. has also written extensively about how animal foods cause disease, and how people can regain their health by eating vegan instead. The esteemed T. Colin Campbell oversaw the most massive study of the relationship between diet and disease, the China Study, which the New York Times caled "the grand prix of epidemiology". His conclusions are the same as the other experts: we're not designed to eat animal foods, because we get sick when we do so.


The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition found that being a vegan cuts your likelihood of being obese in half.

http://www.europeanvegetarian.org/evu/english/news/news964/epic.html

Answer 4

The human body is not designed to be a full Vegan. It is possible, but very dificult. Luckly our modern society gives us access to two of the most efficient vegan products in the world. Jicama and Quinoa. The ideal diet includes a little fish because there are nutrients that can only be produced from fish oil. You can almost suppliment with Okinawa coral Calcium, but not quite.

Individuals with the highest longevity come from this area. i believe that their diet of Soy, Vegetables, Fish, Rice, and Pure Sugarcane helps their long life. They also absorb almost 3000mg of calcium in their diet since everything eaten has some sand in it.

Just in case you may believe this is spam, I am not Promoting the specific diet. Specific needs of each individual differ depending upon many things. I believe that blood type is very important to consider. Type A and AB have the easist type receiving all of their nutrients by being Vegan or Vegetarian. Type O on the other hand have much greater difficulty as their blood needs more iron and protein. Just something to consider before committing.

Answer 5

Here is a summary about vegetarianism and health comments, citing nearly 200 other articles/studies.
http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/92/9/531

Spiritually, well those who practice Buddhism or Hinduism may be vegetarian, and many see such people as peaceful and advancing in their spirituality which requires a good mental state. Part of the separation from meat eating allows detachment from the materialism of the physical world, because the mind has fewer desires and wants.

Answer 6

I hope I am understanding your question?!
The fact that Plant Based Diets are recomendded by several of the leading Heart, Cancer, & Immune Disease dortors count for anything?
Dr. John McDougal
Dr. Dean Ornish
50 Year ~ Farmingham Heart Study
just to name a few (all have websites) if you want to see what they say.
Long term Vegan's like John Robbins books on the world wide studies of health & longevity. Live to be 100 is 1.
The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, PhD.

A TRUELY Healthy Person is a Happy person. The qoute that goes "IF you have your health..."
I'm not sure what you need convincing of but this was a very interesting thought provoking question.

Answer 7

Healthy, yes. Healthier, no.

But it really depends on the person. Some people thrive on veggies, some don't. Some people do fine eating meat (and anything else that fits their mouth), some people don't.

By the way, there are many levels of vegetarianism. Some eat mostly non-animal foods, some eat only non-animal foods, some allow dairy, some don't. A vegan usually is the strictest type of vegetarian and does not use any part of an animal for any reason (includes leather products).

Answer 8

Well, first of all, the 'standard nutritional food pyramid' does not recommend eating meat. It only advises the consumption of the "Meat Group" which includes beans, peas and nuts. Meat is optional. You don't have to eat every member within a group. The "Grain Group" contains every grain known to humans, but most people eat only two or three (wheat, rice, corn). You're only in trouble if you avoid EVERYTHING in a group. The only group that didn't have vegan ingredients was the dairy group but now there are substitutes available.

Answer 9

I believe that a vegetarian/vegan diet is healthier. It's hard to find unbiased support for either side of the arguement, though.

Here's a website from the American Heart Association that talks about the benefits of a vegetarian diet. I think we can agree that they are unbiased.

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4777

Answer 10

From what i see here, other than the site for american heart assoc, all the othere "studies' are self serving or self promoting. either by vegan personalities and advocates or vegan or vegan sympathetic oganizations. Personal anecdotes and opinions do not count as empirical data. So I guess the search continues?