Vegetarian Diet Vs Meat Eating Diet
Meat vs veggie: From depression to infertility, how your choice of diet can wreak havoc on your health
Scientists recently declared that vegetarians are much less likely to develop cancer. For the five per cent of the population who are vegetarian, that is good news indeed. But is meatfree always the healthiest option? Here, PETA BEE looks at common health problems linked to diet, to see who is most at risk ...
ARTHRITIS
MOST AT RISK: MEAT EATERS
Rheumatoid arthritis occurs as a result of the immune system attacking the lining of the joints, causing pain and stiffness. It affects around half a million Britons.
Eating a large amount of red meat (five or more portions a week) is a recognised risk factor. A study funded by the Arthritis Research Campaign found that people who ate meat every day had double the risk of getting the disease compared with those who ate meat less, perhaps twice a week.
The researchers, who'd studied the dietary habits of 25,000 people, suggested that collagen in meat triggers that immune response.
Vegetarians are less likely to develop cancer - but what about other health problems?
Another possible factor is the high iron content of meat. Iron has been shown to accumulate in the joints, causing tissue damage.
INFERTILITY
MOST AT RISK: VEGETARIANS
About one in six couples experience problems trying to conceive and there is some evidence showing that the problem is compounded by a vegetarian diet.
Studies have suggested that eating large amounts of soya, popular with vegetarians because it provides protein, can affect a woman's fertility.
Researchers at King's College London showed that a compound in soya called genistein sabotages sperm as it swims towards the egg.
Genistein is present in all soya products. The researchers recommended that women avoid soya around the most fertile times of the month to aid conception.
GALLSTONES
MOST AT RISK: MEAT EATERS
Gallstones occur when bile from the gallbladder, which is normally fluid, forms into stones. These can be painful - untreated, the patient will need to have their gallbladder removed.
One possible cause is too much saturated fat (found in meat) in the diet. A study of more than 45,000 men found that those who ate meat were 18 per cent more likely to get gallstones than those who ate more vegetables and unsaturated fat.
It's thought a diet higher in unsaturated fat increases sensitivity to insulin, which prevents gallstones forming.
DENTAL EROSION
MOST AT RISK: VEGETARIANS
Veggies like courgettes, peppers, onions and aubergines can cause acid erosion
Dental erosion is caused when acid comes into contact with the teeth. Fruit and vegetables are generally acidic and studies have suggested vegetarians are more at risk.
Dentists at the University of Dundee found that different cooking methods could increase the acidity of vegetarian dishes, such as roasted vegetables. Exposure to high temperatures produced chemical changes that made the acid more concentrated, and more damaging to teeth.
In particular, the acidity level of courgettes, peppers, onions and aubergines increased when roasted.
ALZHEIMER'S
MOST AT RISK: MEAT EATERS
Alzheimer's is linked to the formation of clumps of protein (beta-amyloid) in the brain.
A high intake of antioxidant vitamins and beneficial plant compounds called polyphenols in fruit and vegetables is thought to possibly protect against these clumps.
A study at Columbia University found that people with mild memory problems were 48 per cent less likely to slip into dementia if they ate a Mediterranean-style diet with very little meat compared with those who ate it regularly.
The risk of developing mild memory problems was reduced by a third by cutting down on meat and eating more fruit, vegetables and cereals.
OSTEOPOROSIS
MOST AT RISK: MEAT EATERS
The bone-thinning disease osteoporosis will affect one in three women and one in 12 men at some point.
According to the National Osteoporosis Society, too high an intake of animal protein from red meat can have a bad effect on bone health.
As meat is digested, it produces acid residues. These need to be neutralised with alkalising minerals, such as calcium, which may be leeched from bones if you don't get enough.
Leafy green vegetables such as cabbage and kale are rich in calcium, whereas meat has a relatively low content.
DEPRESSION
MOST AT RISK: VEGETARIANS
A lack of vitamin B12 can cause mild neurological problems, including mood swings and depression
One of the major vitamin deficiencies vegetarians risk is a lack of vitamin B12.
Found only in meat and dairy foods or foods such as cereal that have been artificially fortified, it is vital for cell growth and nerve function.
You don't need to eat much animal protein to get enough - an adult needs just 1.5mcg a day, and a couple of slices of meat will provide that.
But if you don't get even this small amount of B12 you are at risk of mild neurological problems, including mood swings and depression.
'A vitamin B12 deficiency can manifest itself in extreme fatigue and brain or mood problems,' says Bridget Benelam, from the British Nutrition Foundation.
'Eating yeast products such as Marmite can help because they contain B12, although meat is the best source.'
MUSCLE ATROPHY
MOST AT RISK: VEGETARIANS
Muscle atrophy, or wasting, is a potential side-effect linked to any diet that cuts out protein, which is essential for building and maintaining muscle health.
'Anyone switching from a meat-eating to a vegetarian diet who doesn't replace the protein supplied by meat could be at risk of unhealthy muscle loss,' says Louise Sutton, a dietician at Leeds Metropolitan University.
Good sources of vegetarian protein include beans, rice and broccoli, peanut butter, soybeans, tofu or quinoa.
FOOD POISONING
MOST AT RISK: MEAT EATERS
Although many cases of food poisoning are linked to dairy, shellfish or unwashed salad, poultry and red meat are a major cause.
Raw red meat can harbour a range of dangerous organisms - including E. coli, salmonella and campylobacter - which can cause poisoning.
Studies by the Food Standards Agency show 89 per cent of people don't store meat properly - it should be kept in a sealed container on the bottom shelf of a fridge so residues cannot drop on to foods and contaminate them - and 63 per cent don't wash their hands after handling raw meat, which can lead to bacteria being transferred.
Vegetarian Diet Vs Meat Eating Diet
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1199476/Meat-vs-veggie-From-depression-infertility-choice-diet-wreak-havoc-health.html