Vegetarians may have a lot going for them, such as better weight control and lower rates of diabetes and some types of cancer.

Dieticians from North America say that a well-planned vegetarian diet can be a very healthy alternative to a conventional meat-based diet. The meat-free diet tends to have less saturated fat, more fiber and more of other important nutrients such as magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants.

They also note that vegetarians tend to have a healthier body weight, and lower rates of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer. Currently four per cent of Canadian adults, and three per cent of adults in the USA are vegetarian - but interest is growing. If you are thinking of going vegetarian, a qualified dietician could help you plan a diet that is 'nutrient' dense - that is, providing the maximum amount of nutrients per unit weight of food.

Source

Journal of the American Dietetic Association