Is Being a Vegan/Vegetarian Healthier?

If you eat a vegan or vegetarian diet and get enough protein, then is that still healthier than a normal healthy balanced diet where you get enough fruit/vegetables?

A friend of mine (hipster vegetarian guy) says that animal sources of protein are unhealthier, not sheriff srs though.

Just eat more vegetables and stop eating doughnuts.

I'm not convinced. Vegetarians and vegans tend to be more health conscious than the average person - they're prepared to make what can be a big lifestyle change, so they must be health conscious. Very few of them smoke or drink excessively, and they often cut out or reduce junk food.

Meat eaters, on the other hand, includes "everyone else" - it includes the slob who sits in front of the TV all day eating beef burgers as well as those who avoid processed meat and who regularly exercise. That's why some studies suggest vegetarians are healthier on average - if you compare a health conscious group to the average of course there'll be a difference. But correlation does not mean causation.

A lot of the people who claim that "going vegetarian really improved my health" could have easily achieved the same health benefits on a meat diet - cutting out high fat and processed meats, for example, and not eating too much meat. It isn't cutting out meat that brings those benefits, it's the balanced diet and plenty of exercise.

No.

Now, processed meat is bad for you. Eating large amounts of vegetables is very good for you. So a vegetarian diet does have some advantages over an average diet. But you simply do not need to cut out meat to get those benefits of a vegetarian diet.

Fresh meat, eggs and fish are high quality, nutrient-dense sources of protein and many essential vitamins and minerals. They are an excellent part of a healthy diet. Which is, of course, why the vast majority of professional athletes eat meat.

It was really a general pronouncement, but clearly you're upset that you're not allowed to eat doughnuts. I eat bags of kale and I'm probably stronger than you.

There was a study peer reviewed quite recently that showed that even meat in moderation increases the risk of quite a few cancers, but I can't find the link.

Even if we remain sceptical about just how much is okay/not okay, the bottom line is that there is no cancer risk that is increased from eating vegetarian/vegan.

It's not healthy in the sense that you don't get the nutrients you need from meats, but there are vitamins and alternatives that you can have.

And it is healthy if the food is organic because all the growth hormones used in meats won't be in your body and if all the food you eat is organic then you won't be swallowing the cancerous pesticides either, but a lot of places state their produce is organic when it is not so do your research

Depends. People tend to eat too much meat these days and still claim to have a balanced diet. You shouldn't eat meat every day.
Not getting enough protein is also unhealthy though. But there are plenty of vegetarian protein sources out there.
Not so sure about veganism tbh.


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I eat meat at every meal. Because I'm on weigh gain programme at gym. I'd bet I'm healthier than a weedy vegetarian eating rabbit food.

Meat with every meal? I'd get sick after a while.

There was a study peer reviewed quite recently that showed that even meat in moderation increases the risk of quite a few cancers, but I can't find the link.

Even if we remain sceptical about just how much is okay/not okay, the bottom line is that there is no cancer risk that is increased from eating vegetarian/vegan.

Do name the growth hormones used in meat production and carcinogenic pesticides used in arable

Pro tip - there are none in the EU

It's also illegal to claim organic without proper accreditation and you'd face a jail sentence.

So just no to your entire post

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The FDA website itself states all the hormones they allow to be used on certain animals, to make more milk production, etc so hormones ARE used.

It is also proven that hormone-treated cows are more prone to infection of the udders, to treat this antibiotics would need to be used, which would mean a higher amount of antibiotic residue left in the cows milk, frequent exposure to this from drinking milk or eating dairy products on a long-term basis will cause the body to become resistant to these antibiotics, and antibiotics used to treat illnesses won't be as effective.

And if pesticides are not a problem why are there many organizations out there with projects all over the world to stop or reduce the use of pesticides, such as PAN UK?
Pesticides are poisonous, and some have been linked to cancer. Some are based on WW2 nerve gases that damage the nervous system, they're harmful in so many ways.

You'd have to switch the meat obviously. But meat is awesomely delicious and you have the satisfaction of eating at the top of the food chain.

What's your favourite meat that you could eat everyday?

I think it's salmon?