Is it true what vegetarians say about its health effects and consequently longevity?
We've heard a lot in recent years that a vegetarian diet is healthy, but some people are skeptical.
Every human being chooses his food for different reasons. Culture, religion, access, and personal health affect everything we put on our plate.
Throughout history, vegetarian food has been popular for religious reasons, but is what some followers of this diet say about the health effects of vegetarianism and its consequent longevity true?
What are the components of longevity?
Dr. James Brown, a professor of biology and biomedical sciences at Aston University, believes that our ability to live a long life is affected by a combination of genes and our environment.
In studies involving identical twins, scientists estimated that only 30% of this effect comes from our genes, meaning that the environment is the largest group of factors that control a person's longevity.
Some of the many possible environmental factors have been studied or discussed, such as our diet. Calorie restriction, for example, is one area under study.
These studies show that calorie restriction can increase life expectancy, at least in small animals, but what works for mice is not necessary for humans.
What brings us closer to death?
How much do we eat as opposed to what we eat? This is a hot topic for study, and it is often used in meat.
A study of nearly 100,000 Americans over five years found that people who did not eat meat for any reason were less likely to die than those who ate meat. This effect was especially noticeable in men.
Extensive studies combining and re-analyzing data from multiple studies have shown that low-meat diets are associated with longevity and the more one practices a meat-free diet, the greater the benefits.
However, not all studies agree with this conclusion. Some of them show little or no difference in life expectancy between carnivores and non-carnivores.
What is clear is that there is evidence that a meat-free diet can reduce the risk of health problems such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and even cancer.
There is evidence that a standard vegetarian diet provides more protection. So can we say for sure that avoiding meat will increase your life expectancy? The short answer is: not yet.
Vegetarianism is a way of life. There may be a connection between vegetarianism and longevity, but it's not just about avoiding meat.
On average, vegetarians who choose this diet for moral and health reasons, exercise more, are smokeless and drink less alcohol than those who include meat in their diet.
On the other hand, carnivorous cultures also play a role in increasing the risk.
For example, too much salt is eaten with meat, or too much meat is eaten at a meal at barbecues and parties.
Along with the snacks and most importantly the amount of alcohol consumed is also very high.
Meat eaters are regular customers of fast-food restaurants, which have a detrimental effect on their health.
On the other hand, while fresh plants are easily accessible, meat and related products usually stay in storage compartments and refrigerators for several days or months.
Do we have to avoid eating meat to live a long and healthy life?
The key to a healthy life is probably controlling our environmental factors, including what we eat.
Given the evidence, it is possible that eating a meat-free diet may help, and avoiding meat in the diet may certainly increase your chances of avoiding disease as you age.
But there is also evidence that it can be effective while avoiding some of the more obvious risks to longevity, including smoking.