The European Association for the Study of Obesity has carried out new research which suggests that those who choose a vegetarian diet have healthier markers than those who eat meat regularly.
The study was conducted among vegetarians and people who eat meat, ultra-processed and the like more often. Specifically, this research carried out by the European Association for the Study of Obesity gathered almost 180,000 adults in the United Kingdom, including 4,111 vegetarians (they did not eat meat or fish) and 166,516 habitual meat eaters. All between the ages of 37 and 73.
Before entering fully into the study, it is convenient to remember that a vegetarian diet is divided into several subtypes:
- Flexitarian: he is a part-time vegetarian, that is, he consumes meat, fish, dairy, eggs, shellfish and others, but very sporadically and in small quantities.
- Pescovegetariano: they decide not to eat any meat, but they do eat fish, shellfish, eggs and dairy.
- Ovovegetarian: they do not eat any type of meat, neither meat, nor fish, nor shellfish, nor dairy, but they do eat eggs.
- Lacto-vegetarian: they dispense with all meats, fish and seafood, even eggs, but they do eat dairy.
- Ovolactovegetarian: a diet where meat, seafood and fish are eliminated, but eggs and dairy are still eaten.
Although the truth is that the study only selected strict vegetarians, that is, those who are practically like vegans, since they do not eat any meat, fish or foods derived from animals and substitute animal proteins for vegetable proteins .
The vegetarian diet is healthier, but do not trust
The study examined 19 blood and urine biomarkers that are linked to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, liver, bone and joint problems, and kidney function.
Age, gender, ethnicity, education, and other key markers such as smoking and alcohol use were taken into account. The first results shed light on the research and found that vegetarians had low levels in 13 biomarkers: total cholesterol, bad cholesterol, apolipoprotein A and B (related to heart problems), markers of liver function, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1, a hormone that promotes and proliferates cancer cells), among other biomarkers.
The only downside is that the vegetarian participants were shown to have beneficial biomarkers at low levels, such as good cholesterol, vitamin D, and calcium . In turn, there were other very high biomarkers such as triglycerides and cystatin-C. The latter suggests kidney problems.
This research once again affects previous ones where carnivorous diets are pointed out as triggers of heart diseases, cancers, overweight and the like. However, the vegetarian diet “gets rid of” serious problems, but it is not blameless.
People who enjoy a vegetarian diet eat more fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, cereals and others, which is why these nutritional differences are marked.
