Who is healthier, a meat eater or a vegetarian? Scientific research has found the answer

Which eating pattern do you think is healthier, vegetarian or meat-eating? Different teams have their own reasons:

Vegetarian:

At that time, the economic conditions were not good. I grew up a vegetarian, and there was little oil and water. Everyone was in good health, and I didn’t hear about the three highs. Now that everyone’s living conditions are better, they have money, and they eat more and more meat and processed foods. However, people have many health problems, such as cancer or other diseases.

meat eaters:

It is against the law of heaven not to eat meat. According to the logic of the food chain, being a vegetarian will only be slaughtered by others, and eating meat can promote evolution. Meat is a high-grade food material, both in terms of nutrition and taste, it is stronger than vegetarian food, and eating meat is an instinct engraved in human genes, which cannot be violated.

Omnivore:

Is there any good choice that can't be eaten together? There must be an absolute conclusion, it is good to have vegetarian food, and it is wonderful to have meat or meat! According to me, if you don't have any beliefs, the combination of meat and vegetables is the most fragrant.

Which one is healthier, meat-eating or vegetarian?

1. People who like to eat meat have no chance of longevity?

Is it natural for animals to eat meat? In order to find out which is healthier, eating meat or eating vegetarian, the Ecological Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences analyzed 110,148 zoo animals. The study was published in the journal Nature.

By extracting autopsy records from zoo animals, researchers have found that carnivorous mammals are more likely to die from cancer than vegetarian mammals . According to the research analysis, there may be viruses in raw meat, which can lead to an increased risk of cancer after ingestion.

However, the conclusion of this study is based on animal experiments, and there is no definite research on whether the same results exist in humans . At present, studies have also found that eating red meat and processed meat can increase the risk of certain cancers.

There is sufficient evidence that eating red meat and processed meat can increase the risk of colorectal cancer, and Cantonese-style salted fish can increase the risk of nasopharyngeal cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has also classified red meat as a "2A carcinogen" (probably carcinogenic to humans).

But it should be noted that even though red meat is defined as possibly increasing the risk of cancer, the Institute of Cancer Research does not recommend not eating meat at all .

It is undeniable that eating meat is also good for health. From a nutritional point of view, meat contains nutrients such as high-quality protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12 , which are indispensable energy sources for human life activities. Therefore, it is too narrow-minded to think that eating meat must cause cancer.

Previously, a study involving 11 countries also found that adequate protein in the elderly is more conducive to prolonging life . It can be seen that people with sufficient protein intake can live longer than those who love meat.

2. For vegetarians, what can the body gain?

More and more health professionals recommend vegetarianism. In recent years, the global vegetarian population has increased by 10%, and the Chinese vegetarian population is also growing. Is vegetarianism really harmless to the body?

Published on JAMA Network Open, a research team led by Dr. Kit Falk Peterson, an internal medicine expert at Yale University School of Medicine, conducted a comparative research experiment.

The researchers divided the subjects into an intervention group (vegetarian only) and a control group (no change in diet), and found that:

Over 16 weeks, body weight, insulin resistance, muscle lipids, and liver cell lipid levels all improved in the intervention group. A vegetarian diet can not only lose weight, but also improve heart metabolism and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease .

So, can vegetarians "prevent cancer"? At present, there is no conclusion on "eating a vegetarian diet to prevent cancer".

There is some evidence that dietary fiber can reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. But unhealthy vegetarian food can also increase the possibility of cancer , such as frequent consumption of fried vegetarian food, frequent consumption of refined grains, drinking sugary drinks, etc., will also have the risk of obesity and the possibility of cancer.

It should be noted that long-term vegetarianism may also induce various diseases. Long-term single food source, clear soup with little water will lead to insufficient vitamins and minerals needed for fat metabolism in the body, and it is more likely to cause anemia, gallstones, bone lesions, hyperlipidemia, etc.

3. Humans Are Actually Omnivores

From the perspective of human evolution, omnivores are closer to the evolutionary trend of humans, so a diet with meat and vegetables is the healthiest.

So how to eat healthy? Let's take a look at the "Mediterranean Diet" model——

This model emphasizes two points: one is to focus on vegetables, fruits, fish, seafood, beans, and nuts; the other is to use vegetable oils instead of animal oils when cooking, and olive oil is the first choice.

The Mediterranean diet is not limited to a certain food, and the combination has the following characteristics:

➤Eat a daily diet rich in plant foods, fruits and vegetables, including legumes and a small amount of nuts;

➤It is recommended to eat fish and poultry and shellfish at least twice a week; use red meat only a few times a month;

➤It is recommended to eat whole-grain bread and cereals, and choose more whole-grain cereals and pasta;

➤It is recommended to replace lard, butter, and margarine with healthier oils such as olive oil or rapeseed oil;

➤ A small amount of high-fat dairy products such as whole milk, cheese and ice cream every week is recommended to be replaced by skim milk, fat-free yogurt and low-fat cheese;

➤It is recommended to drink red wine in moderation.

Of course, the Mediterranean diet is just a way of eating, and does not emphasize that everyone should follow this way of eating. Xiaojiu also recommends that everyone develop relatively healthy eating habits and exercise habits, which are the foundation of health.

References:

[1] "Nature: Eating meat or vegetarian, which one is more prone to cancer?" ". Chinese Journal of Science. 2021-12-24

[2] "Eating meat is prone to cancer, can vegetarianism prevent cancer? Nutritionist's article tells you the truth". All people are true-Tencent News. 2021-05-16

[3] "Prevent dementia, depression, cancer, please accept this healthiest Mediterranean recipe!" ".Shenzhen Health Commission. 2018-01-17

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