Richard points to another report, this time on vegetarianism. The report says that vegetarianism is effective for people wanting to lose weight, but Richard points out that he has no anecdotal evidence to support that position. He mentions my expanding tummy, despite my kosher vegetarian diet, as proof. I have to say that my weight gain over the last year is not due to eating vegetarian but due to eating badly. Eating vegetarian can be very unhealthy if it is not practiced correctly. Some people get into the vegetarian thing and end up eating more carbs and sweets than when they were carnivorous, thus increasing caloric intake and nullifying the value of a vegetarian diet. If all you eat is white bread and over-cooked (non-raw) vegetables, then your vegetarian diet will likely fail.

As the article points out, a vegetarian diet leads to "lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other life-threatening conditions linked to overweight and obesity." The thing is that vegetarians are, as a whole, much more concerned with overall health and nutrition, which means that they are more likely to know and follow healthy nutrition practices.

Labels: Health