10 reasons to be a vegetarian

For most Nigerians, meat has always been a crucial part of their diet. 

It will be a nightmare to have the likes of goat meat, beef, chicken, and shaki stripped from the plates of many from around these parts.

Although being a vegetarian might not be the easiest of choices, it has many health benefits.

Here are ten reasons to adopt a vegetarian diet.

It is cheaper

You don’t need to be Albert Einstein to figure out that vegetables cost a lot less than meat.

Becoming a vegetarian will not only be beneficial to the health of your body but also to the health of your finances and the environment.

Lower risk of death

Researchers, over time, have been able to show that being a vegetarian has many benefits which make vegetarians healthier overall and even live longer.

With none of the saturated fat and cholesterol that clog the arteries, vegetarians may be at a lower risk of chronic diseases.

It can satisfy all your nutritional requirements

If you think vegans are nutritionally deficient or always hungry, think again.

The official position of The American Dietetic Association is that a comprehensive and well designed vegetarian diet can be nutritionally sound and appropriate for all ages and stages of life, including infants, the elderly, and even athletes.

Better moods

A 2012 study randomly split participants into three diets: all-meat allowed, fish-only, and vegetarian no-meat.

The researchers found that after two weeks, the people on the vegetarian diet reported more mood improvements than those on the other two diets

Less chance of developing kidney stones

According to the New York University Langone Medical Center, eliminating animal protein consumption in favour of vegetables will result in a higher urine pH; whereas low urine pH has been associated with stone formation.

Less chance of heart disease

Another 2013 study of 44,000 people reported that vegetarians were 32 percent less likely to develop ischemic heart disease.

Low blood pressure

Researchers say for some people, eating a vegetarian diet could be a good way to treat high blood pressure without medication. When patients with high blood pressure begin a vegetarian diet, many are able to eliminate the need for medication.

Sight and skin

Vegetarians tend to have better vision and less macular degeneration and all that extra collagen leads to better skin.

May reduce incidence of diabetes

According to Loma Linda University School of Public Health, vegetarian diets are associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of diabetes.

Information published by George Washington University School of Medicine says vegetarian diets offer important benefits for the management of diabetes and can even reduce the likelihood of development by one half.

Less likely to be overweight

While being a vegetarian isn’t for everyone. If you’re trying to lose weight, being a vegetarian can be a good part of your programme.