Why is vegetarian healthier?

Ok, so this might sound stupid... but I'm really curious.  I'm not completely vegetarian, but I have switched to mostly fish as my meat/protein source.  But what I'm trying to figure out is if/why it is healthier to be a vegetarian.  Besides the fact that it saves animals (please no lectures on that), is it really healthier.  When I compare calories of vegetarian and vegan items with non vegetarian items the calories are usually very similar.  Sorry, since I lost weight counting calories, it's something that I often consider.  I know vegetable are great for you (obviously), but many meat eaters will also eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.  So, I'm just wondering what the real benefits are, and if (calorie-wise at least) being vegetarian is healthier. 

Sorry again if this sounded stupid, or should be obvious... clearly I'm new to the whole idea of begoming vegetarian or vegan, or at least changing my lifestyle to resemble it more

hi there. i'm pescatarian too. :)

it's not necessarily healthier to be vegetarian. it can be but there are also a lot of vegetarian junk foods. i have also seen a lot of people replace meat with gobs of cheese which is definitely not at all healthy.
it's just that eating vegetarian is associated with healthy foods like: raw veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins and good fats. but your diet is what you make it really.

the health reasons i avoid eating any meat besides fish is because i know that factory farmed animals have been pumped full of things i don't want in me such as anti-biotics and growth hormones and so do their by products (dairy and eggs).

so i try to eat clean unprocessed foods mostly. wild caught alaskan fish that is low in mecury and other pcbs, seitan, tofu and tempeh, organic/free range eggs, legumes, nuts, veggies, whole grains and fresh fruit.

vegetarian food isn't always lower in calories but that's not the only thing to factor in when trying to figure out if a food is healthy.

that being said eating a diet of whole, minimally processed foods that is heavy on vegetables and lower on fats (though you do need fat!! fish fats and vegetable fats are good for you though you have to make sure you're not getting too much fat and keeping them in the right amounts) is going to be better for weight loss than eating the typical modern day omnivore's diet.

Not sure why, but they are.

I always thought it was because a much greater majority of vegetarians are better educated in terms of nutrition (research most likely comes along with the choice, you know?). As opposed to many meat eaters who will just eat anything being marketed as edible.

In studies, the diets that are found to be heathiest are the ones that are based around vegetables, fruit and wholegrains.  That is not the same thing as saying 'meat is unhealthy' of course.  The current recommendation for good health is to eat red meats only once a week and to enjoy other animal products in moderation.

Since there are no 'bad foods' only 'bad diets' it is possible to have an unhealthy vegetarian diet, quite easily, if the person gets the balance wrong, makes poor choices and/or eats too much all together.  Anaemia is a common health-problem among vegetarians that get it wrong, for example.

If you're an omnivore that eats plenty of fruit, vegetables and a wide range of other foods then you'll probably be very healthy indeed. 

Original Post by gi-jane:

In studies, the diets that are found to be heathiest are the ones that are based around vegetables, fruit and wholegrains.  That is not the same thing as saying 'meat is unhealthy' of course.  The current recommendation for good health is to eat red meats only once a week and to enjoy other animal products in moderation.

Since there are no 'bad foods' only 'bad diets' it is possible to have an unhealthy vegetarian diet, quite easily, if the person gets the balance wrong, makes poor choices and/or eats too much all together.  Anaemia is a common health-problem among vegetarians that get it wrong, for example.

If you're an omnivore that eats plenty of fruit, vegetables and a wide range of other foods then you'll probably be very healthy indeed. 

True that it's possible to be an unhealthy vegetarian.

Untrue that you're just as healthy eating meat if you also eat vegetables.  In the 7th day Adventist study, the meat-eating group only consumed 3-5 servings of meat per week - a ridiculously small amount by western standards.  Yet it was enough to produce statistically significant health differences.

Original Post by my_body_is_a_cage:

hi there. i'm pescatarian too. :)

it's not necessarily healthier to be vegetarian. it can be but there are also a lot of vegetarian junk foods. i have also seen a lot of people replace meat with gobs of cheese which is definitely not at all healthy.
it's just that eating vegetarian is associated with healthy foods like: raw veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins and good fats. but your diet is what you make it really.

the health reasons i avoid eating any meat besides fish is because i know that factory farmed animals have been pumped full of things i don't want in me such as anti-biotics and growth hormones and so do their by products (dairy and eggs).

so i try to eat clean unprocessed foods mostly. wild caught alaskan fish that is low in mecury and other pcbs, seitan, tofu and tempeh, organic/free range eggs, legumes, nuts, veggies, whole grains and fresh fruit.

vegetarian food isn't always lower in calories but that's not the only thing to factor in when trying to figure out if a food is healthy.

that being said eating a diet of whole, minimally processed foods that is heavy on vegetables and lower on fats (though you do need fat!! fish fats and vegetable fats are good for you though you have to make sure you're not getting too much fat and keeping them in the right amounts) is going to be better for weight loss than eating the typical modern day omnivore's diet.

 I think this response explains it best. Before I did a 360 on my eating habits; I couldn't understand it either. Then after my extensive research and a few weeks of being a pescatarian I saw a huge improvement in how I felt, my energy level, and the look and feel of my skin. I was amazed at how much could change in a short amount of time just by making simple changes to my eating habits. 

I made the change because of family history with heart disease and diabetes. Even members of my family that ate reasonably well and exercised had heart problems. This encouraged me to take my changes in my eating habits a step further. I believe for my genetic predisposition this is what works best for me.  However it may not be what works for someone else.  IMHO genetics determines what eating habits works best for each individual. However this doesn't include processed, refined, or chemical foods, as they aren't good for anyone.

A vegetarian who makes poor food choices is not healthier than a meat eater who makes good food choices. A vegetarian who makes good food choices is healthier than a meat eater who makes good food choices, because meat is unhealthy in a modern diet. 

There is a lot more to a food than simply calorie count.  Meat has saturated fat, cholesterol, etc.  and is lacking in vitamins and minerals that the body needs, and are found in fruits and vegetables.  Additionally studies have shown that consuming animal protein contributes to many chronic diseases common in the U.S. such as heart disease, diabetes, etc.  If you would like to read more about it, I suggest the China Study. 

As others have mentioned, a vegetarian diet alone is not a guarantee of a healthy diet.  You can eat french fries all day long and that is technically vegetarian although not at all healthy! 

Original Post by chitowngrl:

 When I compare calories of vegetarian and vegan items with non vegetarian items the calories are usually very similar.  Sorry, since I lost weight counting calories, it's something that I often consider.  I know vegetable are great for you (obviously), but many meat eaters will also eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.  So, I'm just wondering what the real benefits are, and if (calorie-wise at least) being vegetarian is healthier. 

What items are you comparing?  All those processed meat-alternatives are not necessary to being a vegetarian (if that's what you're talking about).

I also have to second the poster above- low calorie does NOT necessarily equal healthy.  Yes, you will lose weight by counting calories, but that is only one part of the overall picture of health.  If you focus only on calories, you're missing out on other things.

I have nothing to add about the health benefits of being a vegetarian- everyone else has covered that pretty well in their responses.  

I agree with most of what everyone else has said. A vegetarian or pescetarian diet is only healthier than a diet containing meat if it's done correctly.

You said that when you compared vegetarian and vegan items with their meat counterparts they were similar in calories. I'm assuming that you were looking at pre-prepared items, like Morning Star or Quorn brand frozen items. While some of those brands have similar calorie numbers to meat products, meat replacements you cook yourself are lower calorie. Meat replacements such as tofu, tempeh, and seitan, are all lower in calories and fat and have the same amount of protein as meat products.

Some vegetarians eat mostly frozen products such as those. They live mostly off of salads, french fries and frozen veggie patties. If you learn how to cook with the afore mentioned meat replacements, then your diet will most likely be lower calorie.

Tofu, tempeh, and seitan are, frankly, weird foods. They both sound and look gross, but if you learn how to cook them they're really good. I suggest taking out a subscription to Vegetarian Times magazine, or just checking them out online. The magazine is full of vegetarian and vegan recipes, and goes step-by-step when using more difficult ingredients. They also have full nutritional info at the bottom of each recipe, calorie count, grams of fat, protein, etc. Vegetarian Times and the Moosewood cookbooks basically taught me how to cook! ;) By the way; Moosewood is the bible of vegetarian cooking. lol

I hope this helps, good luck!

Even if you are eating a lot of veggie "meats" that are around the same calories as the meat it's imitating, I bet the veggie option has significantly less fat and cholesterol in it.  If you look at real bacon vs soy bacon, for example, the fat and cholesterol in the soy version will be significantly lower.

I think the benefit comes from the fact that vegetarians tend to eat foods with lower cholesterol and fat levels along with more healthy things like fruits and veggies.  

Vegetarian is only healthier if you make smart vegetarian food choices. And I think it helps that vegetarians can't eat a whole lot of fast food (Going to your local Goodburger will pretty much only get you a choice of a Goodburger, Goodchickenburger, or fries fried in Goodburger drippings - none of which a vegetarian would eat).

i would encourage you to read any of john robbins' books, which all do a great job of explaining why a plant-based diet is healthier for your body and the planet. his newest is healthy at 100, he also wrote the food revolution and diet for a new america. his books are very well-researched and science-based.

you can read about healthy at 100 here: http://healthyat100.com/

I personally think eating fish/seafood is worse then eating meat due to the environmental damage it does, most of the fish that we eat is now farmed, it is very hard to find wild fish. Farmed fish have the same problems that commercial cattle has. Farmed salmon is grey in color, that pink color comes from eating krill in the ocean. Stores know we won't eat grey salmon so they pump the fish with coloring after its dead. They are loaded with antibiotics to fight off infections from horrible living conditions in crowded tanks or nets. 

A plant based diet is healthier because it is much lower in saturated fat and has zero cholerstrol. Cholerstrol is found only in animal products. It's also lower in salt, animal products is where most people get their salt intake, because salt is needed to create pressure for the heart and blood vessels.

Original Post by sashabee:

Even if you are eating a lot of veggie "meats" that are around the same calories as the meat it's imitating, I bet the veggie option has significantly less fat and cholesterol in it.  If you look at real bacon vs soy bacon, for example, the fat and cholesterol in the soy version will be significantly lower.

I think the benefit comes from the fact that vegetarians tend to eat foods with lower cholesterol and fat levels along with more healthy things like fruits and veggies.  

For one thing, we need fat in our diets - even saturated fats. For another, dietary cholesterol does not raise blood cholesterol. Eating too much saturated fat (even though we need a certain amount of it) and overeating in general raises blood cholesterol.

Vegetarian fake meats are processed and can contain a lot of artificial flavours, colours, preservatives and other additives. I personally think real meat - unprocessed and containing nothing artificial - is the much healthier option.

Original Post by vejitarian:

A vegetarian who makes poor food choices is not healthier than a meat eater who makes good food choices. A vegetarian who makes good food choices is healthier than a meat eater who makes good food choices, because meat is unhealthy in a modern diet. 

I don't believe this to be true. Vegetarians and meat eaters who eat badly are both unhealthy. Vegetarians and meat eaters who eat well are equally healthy.

Meat is not unhealthy. It's a great source of protein, fat, and iron. It contains all the essential amino acids a human body needs, as well as phosphorus, vitamin B12, zinc, copper, niacin and selenium. The fat in meat provides the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

Of course, eating too much meat is unhealthy. So is eating too much of anything. You may not agree with eating meat, but it is a healthy food in moderation.

Original Post by merylwhite1:

Original Post by vejitarian:

A vegetarian who makes poor food choices is not healthier than a meat eater who makes good food choices. A vegetarian who makes good food choices is healthier than a meat eater who makes good food choices, because meat is unhealthy in a modern diet. 

I don't believe this to be true. Vegetarians and meat eaters who eat badly are both unhealthy. Vegetarians and meat eaters who eat well are equally healthy.

Meat is not unhealthy. It's a great source of protein, fat, and iron. It contains all the essential amino acids a human body needs, as well as phosphorus, vitamin B12, zinc, copper, niacin and selenium. The fat in meat provides the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

Of course, eating too much meat is unhealthy. So is eating too much of anything. You may not agree with eating meat, but it is a healthy food in moderation.

Read the study.  Meat, even in small doses, increases the incidence of certain diseases including diabetes, hypertension, colon cancer, and others.  It shows that, contrary to your belief, vegetarians and meat-eaters who both eat well are not equally healthy - the vegetarians are healthier.

Link to the study?

UD

Original Post by umneydurak:

Link to the study?

UD

Post #2.

This particular study is part of a much larger, comprehensive study of seventh day adventist diets.  There is a whole book about it.

Original Post by lysistrata:

Original Post by umneydurak:

Link to the study?

UD

Post #2.

This particular study is part of a much larger, comprehensive study of seventh day adventist diets.  There is a whole book about it.

Ah ok so it was the AHS-1 study. A link to the summary of the study for anyone who cares: http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/70/3/532 S

Check out the Discussion Section quite interesting...

UD