Plenty of scientific evidence suggests that vegans and vegetarians are healthier than people who eat meat: they are less likely to be obese, have lower rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer (especially colon cancer), and live longer. These health differences persist even when lifestyle factors like smoking and physical activity are taken into account. A vegan diet in particular appears to be the most protective against breast and uterine cancers. In a five-year study of more than 73,000 participants, both vegans and vegetarians had a lower risk of death for any reason (all-cause mortality) than omnivores. Even occasional meat eating was linked to higher mortality rates than vegetarian and vegan eating. Although differences between various meatless diets were small, it appeared that vegans were slightly more protected than vegetarians when compared to meat-eaters. Only pesco-vegetarians (vegetarians who eat seafood) fared slightly better than vegans in the study.
When comparing the nutrient composition of various diets, vegan diets rank as the healthiest—healthier than omnivorous, pesco-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, and vegetarian. This appears to be due to the vegan diet being high in health-promoting foods/compounds and low in less healthful items:
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Vegans may have a lower caloric intake than vegetarians and meat-eaters. Modest calorie restriction prevents overweight and obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, and is associated with increased longevity.
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Vegan diets contain more fiber. Non-meat eaters consume two to three times as much fiber as do meat eaters, and among them, vegans consume the most. Fiber helps regulate blood sugar levels, protects the heart and blood vessels, and may protect against colon and other cancers.
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Vegan diets may be high in antioxidants. Antioxidants are found mostly in plant foods and protect cells from free-radical damage. Dietary antioxidants may protect against heart disease, arthritis, cancer, neurological diseases, and other diseases that are generally related to aging.
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Vegan diets may be high in isoflavones. Isoflavones are plant compounds, found mostly in soy foods, which may improve bone health and reduce prostate cancer and breast cancer risks.
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Vegan diets may be high in lignans. Lignans are plant compounds found in the fibers of foods like nuts, seeds, and legumes. A high-lignan diet has been linked to lower levels of blood markers of inflammation and a lower risk of metabolic syndrome, a condition marked by obesity, diabetes, and insulin resistance. Lignans may also protect against breast cancer and perimenopausal depression.
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Vegan diets may be high in phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are a broad group of special compounds found only in plants. They have a wide range of positive effects in the human body: some help clear toxins from the body, some stimulate the immune system, some regulate cell growth and prevent cancerous changes, and some reduce the harmful effects of excessive exposure to hormones and hormonally active chemicals.
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Vegan diets may be high in healthy fats. Vegans get a lot of monounsaturated fats like those in almonds, olives, avocados, and macadamias, certain polyunsaturated fats like those in sesame, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds as well as liquid oils, and medium-chain saturated fats like those in coconut and palm oils. These types of fats have been shown to improve carbohydrate and fat metabolism, reduce levels of inflammatory chemicals, and prevent diabetes and heart disease.
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Vegan diets may be lower in unhealthy fats. Fats from meat, dairy foods, and eggs, contain high amounts of arachidonic acid (an omega-6 polyunsaturated fat) and long-chain saturated fats that have been linked to health problems.
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Vegan diets contain less heme iron. Heme iron is the type of iron found in meat, fish, and poultry. Heme iron is necessary for healthy human functioning, and the body produces some from plant-derived iron and proteins. Excess heme iron, however, has been found to increase risks of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.
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Vegan diets may contain less carcinogens. Vegans are not exposed to the carcinogens that are found in red meat and processed meat products like cold cuts and hot dogs.