The Benefits Of Vegetarian And Vegan Diets
The interest in vegetarian and vegan diets has increased significantly in recent years. More and more people are choosing this lifestyle where they shun animal products. What are the benefits of vegan and vegetarian diets? Can you maintain good health if you choose this lifestyle? Can you get sufficient amount of protein from vegan meal replacement shakes?
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What Is Vegetarian and Vegan Diets?
A vegetarian diet is based mainly on plant-based foods. It also includes some animal products like dairy items. A vegan diet excludes all animal products including the dairy items. It is living a way of life where animal products are shunned even for clothing, skin and beauty care, and other requirements. Vegan diet followers exclude even eggs, dairy foods and other animal products. They eat only plant-based foods that include vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, seeds and beans. On the other hand, vegetarians include some dairy products as well as eggs in their diet. Vegetarians may prefer a vegan lifestyle but they also include a small amount of dairy, poultry and seafood contents.
The Health Benefits of These Diets
Research has shown individuals on these diets suffer less chronic diseases compared to the non-vegetarian counterparts. The risks of diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cancer, cataract, thyroid, kidney diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and others come down significantly. Most of the nutrients a human body needs can be sourced from these diets. This lifestyle is known to extend longevity. A person feels healthy, fit and light by maintaining a healthy lifestyle based on vegan or vegetarian diet.
High Ethical Standards
Animal cruelty is a big concern. Large numbers of animals are killed every year for foods. The cruelty to animals is not limited to using them as foods only. It also extends to other sectors. For example, animals are used to test different types of medicines and cosmetics. Animals are reared on commercial scales to source a variety of animal products. Fibre is one thing extracted extensively from animals for clothing. This process puts them under severe stress and sometimes cruelty.
Most animals used for foods and other products are reared and transported in unsafe, unhygienic and inhuman conditions. Meat and dairy products are now sourced mainly from animals grown in commercial settings where their welfare is not a priority. Most animal products are sourced from less developed countries where animal welfare and ethical standards are not followed.
Medical industry tests a large number of drugs on animals, but the record shows that drugs giving safe and effective results on animals do not prove so safe in human trials. These issues and concerns have prompted many people to turn to a vegan lifestyle that avoids harm to animals as much as possible.
Healthy Skin
A plant-based diet helps keep the skin healthy. Dairy items have been linked to many skin problems. Dairy producers now use growth hormones and antibiotics extensively to increase the dairy quantity, keep animals healthy for meat and dairy productions, and grow them faster for quick and more profits. These hormones, antibiotics and other medicines used in animals can enter the human body through the meat and dairy products. A vegan lifestyle helps avoid these synthetic contents and keep skin healthy.
Vegan and vegetarian diets make people feel healthy. Most essential nutrients can be sourced from these diets only. Vegans feel satisfaction in contributing to better animal welfare and ethical standards.