Vegetarian diets encompasses a broad category of what “vegetarian” means. Recent research has shown that adhering to a vegetarian diet can lower the rates of coronary heart disease, largely explained by low LDL cholesterol, probable lower rates of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, and lower prevalence of obesity. In addition, cancer rates tend to be lower in vegetarians than others living in the same communities. A recent study sought out to explain why different vegetarians may not all experience the same health benefits.
While more detailed research needs to be conducted, it is clear that vegetarians experience less chronic heart diseases than others do. Two studies conducted (one in Britain and one in California) show a reduction in total cancer incidence among vegetarians. However, in Britain there was little difference amongst the vegetarians and health conscious non-vegetarians. The clear stand-out where that differences were stark is the relation between colon cancer and red meat consumption. Using more refined categories instead of vegetarian and non-vegetarian are needed because diets can differ greatly when no meat is eaten.
Bottom line: Research has been able to prove the benefits of a vegetarian diet, but what do they consider to be “vegetarian”? Differentiating the diets into the following categories could be helpful; vegan, lacto-ovo, pesco-vege, semi-vege, and non-vege. Vegans (total vegetarians) consume no red meat, fish, poultry, dairy, or eggs. Lactoovovegetarians (lacto-ovo) eat milk and/or eggs, but no red meat, fish, or poultry. Pescovegetarians (pesco-vege) eat fish, milk, and eggs but no red meat and poultry; semivegetarians (semi-vege) eat red meat, poultry, and fish less than once a week; and nonvegetarians (non-vege) eat red meat, poultry, fish, milk, and eggs more than once a week.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 May; 89(5): 1607S–1612S.
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