Go vegetarian for your health

Media Release
25 September 2009

Go vegetarian for your health encourages Sanitarium

On October 1 2009 Sanitarium is encouraging New Zealanders to take a positive step in improving their health, by celebrating World Vegetarian Day with a meat-free meal.

Sanitarium Health Food Company is committed to improving the health and happiness of all Kiwis and believes incorporating more plant-based meals into our diets can have a positive effect on our lives.

A plant-based diet offers a range of health benefits from reducing our likelihood of developing heart disease and high blood pressure, to providing protective benefits against cancer and other illnesses.

Heath benefits of increased plant-based eating include:

1. Protection from heart disease
Vegetarian’s have a lower risk of developing heart disease and are 24 percent less likely to die from heart disease compared with non-vegetarians. Vegetarian food choices are generally lower in ‘bad’ cholesterol and saturated fat, which are linked to heart disease.1

2. Lower blood pressure
Studies indicate that vegetarians are twice as likely to have lower blood pressure compared to non-vegetarians, reducing the risk factor for stroke and coronary heart disease.2 A diet rich in plant-based foods is linked to reduced blood pressure, possibly due to its higher level of nutrients such as potassium and magnesium.

3. Cancer fighting properties
A vegetarian diet rich in wholegrains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruit and vegetables has been shown to help combat the incidence of various types of cancer. A high intake of red and processed meats is linked to increased rates of colon cancer. Non-vegetarians have an 88 percent increased risk of developing bowel cancer and a 54 percent increased risk of developing prostate cancer.3

4. Lower risk of developing diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is strongly associated with obesity. Vegetarians on average have a lower body mass index (BMI) than meat-eaters reducing their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Vegetarian diets which incorporate wholegrains and legumes promote a slow rise in glucose levels which can stabilise blood sugars and reduce high peaks in insulin production, which is essential in maintain healthy blood sugar levels in existing diabetics.

5. Protection from other illnesses
Vegetarian diets are high in fibre and don’t contain excessive amounts of animal protein. This can be helpful in preventing illnesses such as gall stones,4,5 kidney stones and bowel disorders such as constipation and diverticular disease by keeping you regular.

6. Maintaining a healthy weight
The high fibre and low fat properties of a vegetarian diet mean on average vegetarians are slimmer than non-vegetarians. Combined with regular exercise, a balanced vegetarian diet is a great way to maintain a healthy body weight. 6,7

To find out more about the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle, the Sanitarium Nutrition Service offers free nutritional information and handy hints for vegetarian eating.

A wide range of information on health and wellbeing as well as a selection of great vegetarian recipes are also available online at www.sanitarium.co.nz

Sanitarium has launched a new vegetarian recipe book. You can download the book – Food for Health and Happiness – from www.sanitarium.co.nz/recipes.aspx Alternatively browse the great range of vegetarian recipes and read a wide range of articles and information at www.sanitarium.co.nz

The Sanitarium Nutrition Service, a free community initiative to help the community experience happy, healthy lives, provides information and handy hints on vegetarian eating and ways to add more plant-based foods into your diet.

To speak to one of the qualified nutritionists provided by the service call 0800 100 257 or e-mail the Sanitarium Nutrition Service at nutrition@sanitarium.co.nz

ENDS

REFERENCES:
1 Fraser GE. Associations between diet and cancer, ischemic heart disease, and all-cause mortality in non-Hispanic white California Seventh-Day Adventists. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999;70:532S-538S.
2 Messina MJ, Messina VL. The Dietitians Guide to Vegetarian Diets: Issues and Applications, Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen Publishers; 1996.
3 World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research. Food Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer. A Global Perspective 1997.
4 American Dietetic Association. Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Vegetarian Diets. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, June 2003, Vol 103, No. 6.
5 Dietitians Association of Australia, NSW Vegetarian Interest Group. Current Research in Vegetarian Diets: a Review. Nov, 2004 (unpublished, available through the Dietitians Association of Australia).
6 Sabate J & Blix G, Vegetarian diets and obesity prevention, In: Sabate J, ed. Vegetarian Nutrition, CRC Press, Florida, 2001, 91-107.
7 Appleby PN, Thorogood M, Mann JI et al, Low body mass index in non-meat-eaters: the possible roles of animal fat, dietary fibre and alcohol, Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1998;22:454-460.

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