Vegetarian Diet Gets Thumbs Up from World’s Top Nutrition Academy
You can introduce as many plant-based meals into your diet as you want. Start by increasingly substituting meat, fish, dairy or eggs until you eliminate them from your diet. Your body won’t miss them. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), one of the world’s major authorities on the subject, confirmed this in its journal Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets. “Vegetarians and vegans are at a reduced risk of certain health conditions, including ischemic heart disease, type-2 diabetes, hypertension, certain types of cancer, and obesity.” Since 2003, the AND has repeatedly endorsed the benefits of vegetarian diets. This year, they’ve done it again but with an important update. In 2016, after once again backing up the health benefits of vegetarian diets, the AND has included the environmental benefits of these diets. The production of vegetables and meat alternatives is far more sustainable and beneficial in the fight against climate change. In its journal, the AND states:
- “… appropriately planned vegetarian, including vegan, diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. These diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, and for athletes. Plant-based diets are more environmentally sustainable than diets rich in animal products because they use fewer natural resources and are associated with much less environmental damage.
All the concerns about the nutritional value of vegetarian and vegan diets are becoming a thing of the past. All the myths and fears that stem from the questions “Where do you get your protein?” or “If you don’t eat meat, what do you eat?” are being debunked with facts. If you want to learn more about ways to help animals, subscribe to our newsletter and you’ll receive news about animals and delicious recipes for free.
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