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6 Benefits of Not Eating Meat

Men's Health, Uncategorized, Women's Health / By

6 Benefits of Not Eating Meat


Improve gut health

  • Diets that exclude meat are often rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and other plant foods, they tend to be high in dietary fiber.
  • Fiber feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut that produce compounds with anti-inflammatory and immune-supporting roles in the body.
  • Gut bacteria may also play a role in preventing the growth of certain cancer cells, improving body composition, and protecting against type 2 diabetes.
  • Plant proteins and beneficial compounds called polyphenols found in plant foods may also help maintain a healthy gut.
  • On the other hand, some research suggests that fats and proteins from animal sources may promote the growth of other, less healthy gut bacteria that negatively affect metabolism.

Weight loss

  • An analysis of 12 high-quality studies found that people who followed a vegan diet for an average of 18 weeks lost significantly more weight than those who followed non-vegetarian diets.
  • However, keep in mind that many other diets that do not exclude meat, such as low-carb and ancient diets, have also been shown to be effective for weight loss.
  • The potential health benefits of reducing meat intake and eating more plant foods likely stem from eating higher amounts of beneficial plant compounds, including essential antioxidants and some micronutrients.
  • Additionally, those who eat a plant-based diet tend to consume fewer calories and less fat.
  • Poorly planned plant-based diets may not provide enough vitamin B12, zinc, calcium, iron and omega-3 fatty acids.

Help protects against certain cancers

  • Limiting some types of meat may also help reduce your risk of certain cancers.
  • Eating a lot of red and processed meats, such as bacon, hot dogs, and other smoked or cured meats, has been associated with a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer.
  • Poultry and fish have not been related to increased colorectal cancer risk.
  • Red and processed meat intake has also been associated with an increased risk of other cancers, including breast cancer.
  • Some researchers have suggested that saturated fat and carcinogenic compounds produced during meat processing and high temperature cooking play a role in this cancer development.
  • Plant foods, on the other hand, appear to have a protective effect against colorectal and other cancers.

May help reduce the risk of heart disease

  • One of the most researched aspects of plant-based diets is their effect on heart health.
  • Controversial research has found associations between the intake of saturated fat, primarily found in meat and animal products, and an increased risk of heart diseases.
  • There’s a lot of debate about this potential link.
  • Even so, it may be best to moderate your intake of meat sources that tend to be high in saturated fats. These include:
  • fatty cuts of red meat
  • bacon
  • sausage
  • hot dogs

    Meats that are lower in saturated fat include poultry and leaner cuts of meat.

  • Additionally, replacing saturated with unsaturated fat — not just decreasing your overall saturated fat intake — leads to a reduced risk of heart disease.
  • Furthermore, the greatest reductions in heart disease risk have been observed when replacing sources of saturated fat with sources of polyunsaturated fat, such as fish, flax, and walnuts.
  • Plant-based diets do not include much (if any) meat and are often rich in sources of unsaturated fat, such as:
  • nuts and seeds
  • avocados
  • olive oil
  • They also tend to be rich in dietary fiber, a nutrient that may help reduce high blood cholesterol levels, which are associated with heart disease.
  • As a result, eating more plant-based while cutting back on meat that’s high in saturated fat can benefit heart health.
  • The type of meat you choose to include in your diet can also make a difference.
  • Processed meats are also very high in sodium, which can contribute to the development of high blood pressure.
  • Even if you don’t eliminate meat entirely, choosing leaner cuts, replacing some meat with fatty fish, and avoiding processed meats while eating fiber-rich plant foods may benefit your heart.

Cut Meat and boost immunity

  • Eating a diet of plant-based foods boosts your immune system.
  • There are known benefits to eat a diet high in vitamin-packed foods full of C, A, E, D, B, and minerals like zinc, iron as well as potassium and calcium.
  • Plant-based foods like deep leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, legumes, and seeds are full of these essential vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that supply the body with the building blocks of your immune systems’ defenses.
  • You will never need to take vitamin C if you eat a red bell pepper a day since it packs three times the vitamin C as an orange.

Environmental Benefits

  • In addition to providing health benefits, eating more plants and less meat may be good for the environment.
  • Meat production typically requires more resources, leads to more greenhouse gas emissions, and contributes to deforestation and pollution to a larger extent than producing fruits, vegetables, and other minimally processed plant foods.
  • Gradually cutting back on meat and adopting more of a flexitarian style of eating that includes some meat may still make a difference.
  • A systematic review of studies on the sustainability of different diets concluded that diets, including vegetarian, pescatarian, and vegan, could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 80%, compared with standard, meat-centric diets.