Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

4 reasons to go vegetarian in 2016

Shivam Joshi, MD
Physician
January 20, 2016
Share
Tweet
Share

If you have been thinking about becoming a vegetarian, there’s no better time to make the switch than the beginning of a New Year. For those of you have been on the fence, 2015 provided us with a few more reasons — like saving money and losing weight — to make the dietary transformation.

Reason #1: Vegetarian diets increase metabolism. Vegetarians have a lower body mass index compared to those eating meat, which has been previously attributed to eating less calories. But a study published in July showed that vegetarians also had a higher resting metabolism. By simply doing their everyday routine, vegetarians burned more calories compared to non-vegetarians. If your New Year’s Resolution included weight loss, becoming a vegetarian may be a good way to do just that.

Reason #2: Vegetarian diets can save you money. Contrary to popular belief, eating healthy doesn’t have to be costly. A study published earlier last year showed that a vegetarian meal plan can actually save money over a meat-based plan. According to the study published in the Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, vegetarians can save nearly $750 annually! Over a lifetime, this can add up to thousands of dollars in savings. Who doesn’t like a little extra money in their pocket?

Reason #3: Even the government is noticing vegetarian diets are sustainable and healthy. Since the infamous McGovern Report in 1977 — which unsuccessfully tried to incorporate a more plant based diet into formal nutritional guidelines, the meat industry has lobbied heavily to keep meat a mainstay of American dishes. However, things may be about to change. Earlier this year, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which helps to create our Dietary Guidelines (think Food Pyramid and MyPlate), concluded that vegetarian diets are more healthy and environmentally friendly than their meaty alternatives. The formal Dietary Guidelines are still under review, but they may finally give vegetarians diets their due credit.

Reason #4: Processed meats cause colorectal cancer. If losing weight and saving money weren’t enough reasons to become a whole-hearted vegetarian, then maybe knowing that processed meats cause cancer might help you cut down on your total meat intake. Earlier this year, the World Health Organization released its landmark report denouncing bacon, hot dogs, sausages, ham, and other types of processed meat as Group 1 carcinogens – a category shared with cigarette smoking. Red meats were not far behind and were labelled as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Given that colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer in America, who wouldn’t want to reduce their lifetime risk of getting cancer?

I have been a vegetarian for three years now, after making it my 2013 New Year’s Resolution in 2013, and it has been one of the best decisions of my life. For those of you who aren’t ready to make the switch, I am sure 2016 will have a few more reasons to jump on the veggie train.

Shivam Joshi is an internal medicine resident who blogs at afternoonrounds.  This article originally appeared in the Huffington Post.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Stop comparing cancer with diabetes

January 20, 2016 Kevin 2
…
Next

Dare to make yourself more human

January 20, 2016 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Obesity

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Stop comparing cancer with diabetes
Next Post >
Dare to make yourself more human

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Shivam Joshi, MD

  • A physician’s warning on the keto diet

    Shivam Joshi, MD
  • The fire and fury of Trump’s diet

    Shivam Joshi, MD
  • President Trump: Stop focusing on insurance and focus on health

    Shivam Joshi, MD

Related Posts

  • 5 reasons to get involved in organized medicine

    Frances Mei Hardin, MD
  • A physician’s addiction to social media

    Amanda Xi, MD
  • Are there reasons to doubt remdesivir?

    Daniel Hopkins, MD
  • Why this physician teaches first-year medical students 

    Mark Kelley, MD
  • 3 reasons why smart doctors fail big exams

    Steve Blatt, MD
  • 4 reasons why physicians will become extinct

    Varun Verma, MD

More in Physician

  • How New Mexico became a malpractice lawsuit hotspot

    Patrick Hudson, MD
  • Why compassion—not credentials—defines great doctors

    Dr. Saad S. Alshohaib
  • Why Canada is losing its skilled immigrant doctors

    Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD
  • Why doctors are reclaiming control from burnout culture

    Maureen Gibbons, MD
  • Why screening for diseases you might have can backfire

    Andy Lazris, MD and Alan Roth, DO
  • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

    Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • How community paramedicine impacts Indigenous elders

      Noah Weinberg | Conditions
    • Why doctors are reclaiming control from burnout culture

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • How fragmented records and poor tracking degrade patient outcomes

      Michael R. McGuire | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How medical culture hides burnout in plain sight

      Marco Benítez | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • How fragmented records and poor tracking degrade patient outcomes

      Michael R. McGuire | Policy
    • How New Mexico became a malpractice lawsuit hotspot

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • How I learned to stop worrying and love AI

      Rajeev Dutta | Education
    • Understanding depression beyond biology: the power of therapy and meaning

      Maire Daugharty, MD | Conditions
    • Why compassion—not credentials—defines great doctors

      Dr. Saad S. Alshohaib | Physician
    • Addressing U.S. vaccine inequities in vulnerable communities [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 30 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • How community paramedicine impacts Indigenous elders

      Noah Weinberg | Conditions
    • Why doctors are reclaiming control from burnout culture

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • How fragmented records and poor tracking degrade patient outcomes

      Michael R. McGuire | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • Here’s what providers really need in a modern EHR

      Laura Kohlhagen, MD, MBA | Tech
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How medical culture hides burnout in plain sight

      Marco Benítez | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • How fragmented records and poor tracking degrade patient outcomes

      Michael R. McGuire | Policy
    • How New Mexico became a malpractice lawsuit hotspot

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • How I learned to stop worrying and love AI

      Rajeev Dutta | Education
    • Understanding depression beyond biology: the power of therapy and meaning

      Maire Daugharty, MD | Conditions
    • Why compassion—not credentials—defines great doctors

      Dr. Saad S. Alshohaib | Physician
    • Addressing U.S. vaccine inequities in vulnerable communities [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

4 reasons to go vegetarian in 2016
30 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...