Eating vegetarian diets that focus on unprocessed plant foods has been linked to a lower risk of several chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, and dementia. Studies from clinical trials have shown that vegetarian diets can help prevent diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity. However, there isn’t enough data yet to confirm if vegetarian diets can protect against acute heart conditions like heart attacks, heart failure, strokes, or cognitive problems like dementia. There’s also limited information about their impact on cancer.
Because many people around the world are choosing vegetarian diets for reasons like personal beliefs, culture, the environment, and health, it’s crucial to figure out which specific types of vegetarian diets offer the best health benefits.