People like to believe that eating meat is a healthy way to go about your dietary needs, but is it really? Studies have shown that being vegan, vegetarian or even a fruitarian can lower your risks of diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity.

Being a vegetarian is more vogue than caring about the animals and health benefits. Celebrities like Betty White, Steve-O, Denzel Washington, Christian Bale and Carrie Underwood have all cut meat out of their diets. As people start to see celebrities going the vegetarian way, many others follow that path to see what it’s like.

Many people believe that becoming a vegan or vegetarian can cause more health risks since we need protein in our lives. Research has shown that vegetarians have 12% fewer deaths over a period. With heart disease, vegetarians are 19% less likely to die than meat-eaters. There has been a study that red meat, mostly processed meat, has ingredients that include heme iron, sodium, nitrites and specific carcinogens that are being formed while cooking the meat.  These ingredients mixed together are linked to increased risk of chronic diseases which are cardiovascular disease or cancer.

Vegetarians can be and are healthier than meat eaters. Living a lifestyle without meat can lower their chances of cancer and becoming obese. Eating more vegetables and fruit can also help people with their antioxidant effects, which are naturally occurring chemicals in the body. People may believe that there is nothing to eat if you take meat and dairy products out of your diet, but there are many supplements that can replace these products. Some examples of these products are Morning Star, Quorn, Tofurky and Daiya .

Everyone has their own opinion on what is healthy and what is not healthy. Next time you think about eating a burger or steak think about your health and find a healthy alternative.