The debate about the benefits of vegetarianism has been going on for a long time, and will certainly continue despite this research. Perhaps humans evolved towards omnivores to avoid the risk of malnutrition? Or is vegetarianism a healthy and ethical choice?
Here are the most impressive data from a study of 1 vegetarians over 904 years by the German Cancer Research Center. Shocking study results: vegetarian men reduce the risk of early death by 21%! Vegetarian women reduce mortality by 50%. The long-term study included 30 vegans (who ate no animal products) and 60 vegetarians (who ate eggs and dairy, but not meat).
The rest are described as “moderate” vegetarians who occasionally ate fish or meat. The health of these study participants was compared with the average health of the German population. Long life is not associated solely with the absence of meat in the diet. As the results of the study showed, the statistics of moderate vegetarians do not differ much from those of strict vegetarians. The conclusion suggests itself that not vegetarianism itself, but a general interest in a healthy lifestyle leads to such significant results. But scientists say that most vegetarians do not pay much attention to their health and lifestyle, but make their choice in favor of a plant-based diet based on ethical considerations, environmental concerns, or simply personal taste. Are vegetarians not getting the nutrients they need? Research by scientists at the University of Vienna found that the intake of vitamins A and C, folic acid, fiber and unsaturated fats in vegetarians is above average levels. However, there may be a lack of vitamin B12, calcium and vitamin D in a vegetarian diet. Strikingly, however, study participants did not suffer from diseases such as osteoporosis, usually associated with insufficient intake of these micronutrients.