Vegan diet v.s. Meat diet

CANCER PREVENTION

Vegetarians have lower death rates from colon and lung cancer. (Dietitian's Guide to Vegetarian Diets (DG), 1996) Probable factors are: Vegetarian diets tend to be high in fiber. Plant foods are loaded with nutrients (like vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotenoids) that have been shown to inhibit cancer in a number of ways. Plants contain phytochemicals which have been shown to inhibit cancer cell and tumor growth directly. Phytochemicals are found only in plant foods.

Animal foods like meat, on the other hand, contain compounds that raise the risk for concer. Chicken is higher than red meat in heterocyclic amines, which are compounds that directly increasen cancer risk.

A DIET GOOD FOR HEART

The risk for heart disease is linked to diets high in saturated fat, found mostly in animal and processed foods. Heart disease is much less common among vegetarian men, with vegans having the lowest risk of all. (DG, 1996) Besides lower levels of saturated fat ? and no cholesterol ? plant foods contain antioxidants, which directly protect against fatty build-up in the arteries. (DG, 1996) In addition to animal fat and cholesterol, animal protein also may raise the risk for heart disease. This maybe one reaason why diets based on low fat meat are not as protective as diets based on plant foods.

(continue on next page)