Vegetarian and vegan diets have become increasingly popular in recent years, partly due to their numerous health benefits, as well as concerns about the environment and animal welfare.
In the United Kingdom, both the representative National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2008-12 and a 2016 Ipsos MORI survey estimated about 1.7 million vegetarians and vegans living in the country.
Evidence suggests that vegetarians might have different disease risks compared with non-vegetarians.
A vegan diet has been found to be significantly associated with beneficial changes in cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as lower BMIs, serum total cholesterol levels, serum glucose levels, inflammation, and blood pressure, compared to omnivorous diets, which are typically lower in whole grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables.
Such positive cardiovascular health effects may result from lower intakes of dietary cholesterol, saturated fat, and red and processed meat, as well as higher intakes of fibre, plant protein, and phytonutrients.
READ MORE: The smelly sign of Parkinson’s you shouldn’t ignore