Limit Meat: Improve Your Life and the World

Did you know that the average American eats half a pound of meat per day? That’s 180 pounds per year. While meat is a great source of protein for the body, many foods are just as effective. More and more people are beginning to understand the benefits of limiting meat intake throughout the week. Reducing global meat consumption could improve health, the environment and the economy; it’s a win-win situation for all.

Improve overall health:
Reduce heart disease and stroke, limit cancer risk, fight diabetes, curb obesity, longer longevity -- sounds great, right? These are some of the many health benefits you may experience by incorporating a low meat diet into your life. Adopting this diet can be a fantastic entry into experiencing better health.

Help the environment:
“There has never been a better time to go green by eating green.” We all want (or we should want) to help the planet, but how can we as an individual do this? It is easier than you think -- cut out meat, even just once a week, from your diet. By going vegetarian, we can reduce the impact of climate change and pollution while saving water and other resources. Did you know that raising animals for food produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all of the cars, planes and other forms of transportation combined? Food for thought: If the world ate 15 percent less meat, it would be like taking 240 million cars off the road each year.

Save money:
Reducing meat consumption could save you tremendous amounts of money each year. Due to meat’s high per-capita healthcare costs the country could save $180 billion if the population ate according to recommended nutrition guidelines. Though it may seem challenging to serve healthy meals on a budget, going meatless once a week can help conserve money for more fruits and vegetables. Aside from cutting your weekly food bill  (meat costs a lot of money), it will also curb healthcare spending. In the United States chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes cause seven in ten deaths each year and account for 75 percent of the $2 trillion spent on medical care. Red meat, especially processed meat, contains ingredients that have been linked to increased risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease. Spare your wallet and your health by consuming less meat.

Bottom Line: Consuming meat is not a bad thing or something to judge others for doing. Whether you’re thinking of going vegan, vegetarian or simply reducing your meat intake, there are plenty of great reasons to lower your consumption. Give it a try.

Written by: Leigh Hullett, Wellness Workdays Dietetic Intern
Source 1
Source 2

Visit Wellness Workdays for more information about our worksite wellness programs.

Vegetarian Diet Helps Balance Blood Sugar

Well-balanced vegetarian diets have been proven to provide many health benefits, including improving glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. There are many different types of vegetarian diets; a vegan diet is a type of vegetarian diet that includes only plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, seeds and nuts. A recent study compared the effect of a vegan diet and conventional diabetic diet on glycemic control.

The 12-week study included 93 participants with type 2 diabetes. The participants were randomly assigned to follow either a vegan diet or a conventional diet recommended by the Korean Diabetes Association. The vegan diet consisted of whole grains, vegetables, fruit and legumes. The patients in the vegan group were asked to avoid white, processed foods and all animal products. The participants were educated on which vegan foods to include and avoid but the amount, frequency, energy intake and portion size were not restricted over the twelve weeks.

Participants in the conventional diet group were asked to restrict their energy intake based on weight, physical activity and need for weight control. Their total caloric intake was comprised of 50-60 percent carbohydrate, 15-20 percent protein and less than 25 percent fat. Daily energy requirement and proportion of food categories were distributed into three meals and snacks between meals.

Results showed that both the vegan and conventional diets were effective at significantly reducing hemoglobin A1C levels (average blood sugar control over past two to three months) among participants. However, compared to the conventional diet, the vegan diet appeared more effective for glycemic control. In particular, the vegan diet group with high compliance showed a markedly decreasing trend in hemoglobin A1C levels. Additionally, this benefit was seen even after adjusting for energy intake and waist circumference over the 12-week period between the two groups. This indicates that a vegan diet may have additional benefits beyond low energy intake and weight loss. 

Bottom Line: Following a vegan diet was more effective for glycemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes than the conventional diet recommended by the Korean Diabetes Association. However, compliance for the vegan diet group was lower than the conventional group. Dietary choices are personal and there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to nutrition. While a vegan diet may not be the right fit for everyone, research shows that incorporating more plant based foods into one’s diet may help improve glycemic control for patients with diabetes and offer additional health benefits such as lower risk for obesity, coronary heart disease and high blood pressure.

Source

Visit Wellness Workdays for more information about our worksite wellness programs.

Are Vegetarians Happier People?

With consumers being more health conscious these days, it’s no wonder that plant-based diets have become increasingly popular. Well-balanced vegetarian diets are typically rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients and can provide many health benefits. A recent study investigated whether vegetarian diets can boost mental health along with physical health.

Evidence suggests consumption of fish may protect mental health due to its rich supply of polyunsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Because the vegetarian diet typically excludes fish, researchers examined whether this could negatively impact mental health. The study looked at associations between mood state and polyunsaturated fatty acid intake as a result of adherence to a vegetarian or omnivorous diet in 138 healthy Seventh Day Adventist men and women residing in Arizona and California. Participants in the vegetarian group excluded all flesh foods including fish. Participants completed a Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) and quantitative food frequency and Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaires.

The vegetarian participants did report a significantly lower intake of EPA and DHA but reported higher intakes of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including alpha-linolenic acid and linolenic acid, compared to the non-vegetarian group. Total Depression Anxiety Stress Scale scores of the vegetarian participants were significantly lower than non-vegetarian participants. Mean total Profile of Mood States scores of vegetarian participants were also significantly lower than non-vegetarian participant scores indicating better mood in vegetarian participants.

Bottom Line: Incorporating more plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables and legumes into your diet suggests mental health benefits. The results of this study indicate vegetarians may have significantly less negative emotions and stress than non-vegetarians. To boost your mood and reap health benefits, try incorporating more plant-based foods into your snacks and meals. Small changes matter; going meat free for just one meal each day is a great start! 

Source

Visit Wellness Workdays for more information about our worksite wellness programs