Key points from article :
People who follow a vegetarian diet have a healthier biomarker profile than meat eaters.
Applied to people of any age and weight, and was unaffected by tobacco and alcohol consumption.
A cross-sectional study analyzing data from 177,723 healthy participants aged 37-73 years.
“..compared a large panel of health-related biomarkers in people who self-reported as vegetarian or meat eater at least during the last 5 years,” - Carlos Celis-Morales, the study’s lead researcher.
Vegetarians had lower levels of 13 biomarkers that indicated reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and developing cancer.
Lower concentrations of total cholesterol, both bad and good cholesterol, and certain markers of liver function.
Higher levels of triglycerides and a protein called cystatin C, which may indicate decreased kidney function.
Plant-heavy Mediterranean or DASH diets, which allow for some meat consumption, are strongly associated with improved health.
Study by University of Glasgow presented at ECO.
