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Is vegetarian diet a healthy long term?
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In a 1988 report, it was found that there is a significant positive association between meat consumption and mortality because of all causes of death combined, coronary heart disease, and diabetes. [1]
Additionally, in another 2007 study, it was found that there is a significant positive association between red and processed meat intake and risk of cancer of the colon and rectum, oesophagus, liver, lung, and pancreas [2].
This shows that meat consumption significantly lowers life quality as diabetes and cancer significantly decrease life-quality.
Most importantly, in a 2003 meta-analysis, it was concluded that long-term (≥ 2 decades) adherence to a vegetarian diet can lead to a significant 3.6-year increase in life expectancy [3] which shows that adherence to a vegetarian diet is definitely a "good idea in the long term" as it actually increases the amount of time that the long term is going to last.
Furthermore, it is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful and nutritionally adequate [4].
In conclusion, a vegetarian diet is not only healthy in the long term but, in fact, healthier than an omnivorous diet as it reduces the chances for acquiring several cancers, coronary heart disease and diabetes and thus not only increases the general life expectancy but also improves the life quality of adherents to a vegetarian diet.
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However, at least in theory, the lack of proteins can be compensated without resorting to eating meat or products of meat-possessing creatures. The lack of meat proteins can be compensated for by eating large amounts of mushrooms. Mushrooms tend to be very expensive in most parts of the world, far more expensive than meat for the equal amount of proteins, but for some individuals the ideological benefit of eating mushrooms can offset the costs.
There are also various protein supplements that are derived from synthetic or plant/mushroom-based tissues. Those tend to be much more affordable than mushrooms and even than meat itself, but there are still questions on whether our digestive system is adapted to getting the most out of them.
Finally, depending on the "degree" of vegetarianism, the person can be willing to eat eggs, or fish, or insects. Those are all relatively cheap (depending on the area) and nutritious protein sources.
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To add to that, it is also important to note that the definition of "healthy" is somewhat ambiguous. A strict vegan diet is probably must more healthy than a mostly-fast food diet - but it will be much less healthy than a properly balanced omnivorous diet. What serves as a quality standard is an open question.
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