Benefits of Vegetarian Diet

A vegetarian diet is basically plant based. Fruits and vegetables make up the bulk of it. The benefits of a vegetarian diet include the prevention of of all types of disease caused by chronic inflammation including cancer.

Fruits and vegetables are considered as anti-inflammatory foods. Therefore, a vegan diet plan is also considered as anti cancer and a step to nourish your immune system.

Other benefits of vegetarian diet include . . .

• lower cholesterol levels,
• lower body mass index or BMI, and
• reduced risk for coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

What benefits do you get from a vegetarian diet?

If you choose a plant based diet, the following are the health benefits you will get from eating fruits and vegetables regularly:

1. Fiber

Vegetables and fruits are superior sources of fiber. Many foods have a more direct effect on particular types of tumor. Plant foods that contain fiber is your best prevention step for colon polyps and even tumors.

Pineapple, papaya and pomelo are my top favorite fruits for fiber. I always include any of these fruits in my everyday meals to prevent constipation (which is also one of the health benefits of using flax seeds).

2. Thousands of Phytochemicals

All fruits and vegetables contain so many different phytochemicals.

Phytochemicals have anti-mutagenic and anti-tumor properties. One type of phytochemicals is known as saponins. Most vegetables especially herbs and legumes such as beans, peas and lentils are rich in saponins.

Saponins reduce risk particularly for polyps and tumors in your colon. Vegetables that contain saponin act as prevention foods because they . . .

• suppress abnormal cells from growing;
• slow them down from spreading; and
• can cause apoptosis or cell death of the abnormal cells.

Studies found that saponins are particularly good in killing leukemia cells.

Saponins further help to build up the immune system and to provide antioxidant activity.

The benefits of a vegetarian diet also include prevention of cancers involving the epithelial cells which line your organs.

Examples of these cancers are lung, bladder, cervix, mouth, larynx, throat, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, colon and rectum.

3. Protease Inhibitors

Fruits and vegetables contain high amount of protease inhibitors. They are compounds that can hinder viruses that cause cancer from replicating themselves. Some of these compounds may even prevent tumors from metastasizing.

4. Phytic acids

These acids are found in grains, fruits and vegetables you eat. They are your body’s friends in cancer prevention because of the “chelating” ability of these healthy foods.

What is this chelating activity? Phytic acids can bind with radioactive and toxic substances such as lead and flush them out of the body.

Sara Shannon’s Diet for the Atomic Age book considers phytic acids as one of the 11 nutrients that can protect your body against heavy metal toxicity and harmful effects of radiation.

Phytic acids are powerful antioxidants that possess anti-tumor, anti-carcinogenic and blood sugar regulating properties.

5. Folic Acids

Benefits of a vegetarian diet include providing your body with Folic acids that are found in grains and in leafy vegetables such as spinach and lettuces. Low folate levels are connected in the development of cancerous cells in the cervix.

When you lack Folate, the deficiency hinders normal DNA replications, cell repair and proper cell division.

Related Pages You Might Like:

Foods in Anti Inflammatory Diet | Why are Organic Foods Better and Healthier? | Benefits of Anti-Inflammatory Diet | Health Benefits from a Mediterranean Diet | Basics of an Anti-Cancer Diet | Anti-Inflammatory Diet | Foods in the Mediterranean Diet | How the Anti-Cancer Diet Works | Organic Foods:How They Are Produced | Raw Vegan Diet: What to Expect

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