To be or not to be a Vegetarian?

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For many years, the decision to follow a vegetarian diet was regarded as a noble but deprived existence at best.                                                                                                           As the number of vegetarians has grown, and the range of food available has become wider, it has become clear that most vegetarians enjoy their food a great deal and, what is more, there are possible health benefits associated with vegetarian eating.
Perhaps the most obvious benefit of vegetarian eating is the reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Vegetarians tend to have lower levels of cholesterol, reduced clotting factors, lower blood pressure and a lower incidence of diabetes. These reduced risks are because vegetarian diets usually have: Lower saturated fat content, higher fibre content lower salt content, larger amounts of fruit and vegetables, more complex carbohydrates and fewer simple sugars.

A study showed that people who ate raw salad/vegetables three to four times a week suffered up to 50% less heart disease and cancer than non-salad eaters.                             Cancer risk may also lower with a vegetarian diet, particularly cancer of the colon. There is also some evidence that vegetarian diets (or diets with only a small meat content) may reduce the risk of cancer of the breast, pancreas, prostate and kidney.                             The bad points are the fact that although a carefully planned and varied vegetarian diet can provide all the necessary nutrients,. The situation isn't helped by the relatively narrow range of vegetarian foods offered in pubs, restaurants and cafés. Vegetarians who want to eat out with omnivorous friends on a regular basis have difficulty getting a balanced diet. The most common nutritional problems include:

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  Iron deficiency Meat is an important iron source, so vegetarians must be careful to include good iron sources such as eggs, leafy green vegetables, dried fruit, fortified cereals, peas, beans, nuts and pulses. Iron from vegetable sources is less easily absorbed than from meat sources, but the absorption is improved by vitamin C, so a good vitamin C source such as fruit or fruit juice should be included with every meal. Iron absorption is reduced by tannins in tea and coffee, so these, ideally, shouldn't be drunk with a meal.

  Vitamin B12 deficiency and calcium deficiency These are only ...

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