Some vegetarians benefit significantly in terms of health due to their plant-based diet. In the 70s and 80s, researchers from the University of California Loma Linda, who have watched tens of thousands of Seventh-day Adventists since 1958, first found that vegetarians live longer than carnivores.
The results of the study also demonstrated that the types of foods often consumed in a vegetarian diet - fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes - can reduce the risk of developing diseases such as cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, regulate body mass index and waist size, maintain brain health.
The study, which covered 96,000 people from the United States and Canada, presented impressive results. Adventist male vegetarians live an average of 83.3 years, and 85.7-year-old vegetarian women live 9.5 and 6.1 years, respectively, longer than other Californians.
Here are the results of this study:
- Vegans, vegans, on average, are 30 kg lighter than meat-eaters.
- Vegans are five units lighter on a body mass index scale than meat eaters.
- Vegetarians and vegans are also less insulin resistant than meat eaters.
- Pesco-vegetarians and semi-vegetarians who restrict animal products but still eat meat about once a week have "intermediate protection" from lifestyle diseases.
Why do researchers show such interest in Seventh-day Adventists, you ask? Because, they say, religion promotes vegetarianism and forbids smoking, drinking and using drugs. And these are important components of a healthy lifestyle.
