More veggies = WEAKER bones?
I eat veggies every day.
They are chalk full of vitamins, minerals, fiber… and in general help support a healthy, balanced diet.
But one thing I don’t recommend is making veggies the FOCAL POINT of your diet.
Because once you start skimping on eating meat (or even dairy), that’s when your body starts to lose out on protein and nutrients like iron.
And today I’ve got some new research to support this point…
Because this latest finding on veggies could directly impact your valuable BONE HEALTH.
A study published in the journal BMC Medicine has found that vegetarian women are more likely to suffer a HIP FRACTURE compared to regular meat-eaters.
In fact, it turns out that according to hospital records used in the study, vegetarians had a 33% higher risk compared to people who ate meat at least five times a week.
A 2018 Gallup poll found that 5% of Americans stay away from eating meat – with that number likely higher now due to the growing popularity of “meatless” diets.
But here’s the thing.
While eating veggies is good for you, it puts you at risk of being deficient in valuable vitamins and minerals that you would normally get from meat to help support a strong body (especially protein and iron – which low levels can lead to anemia).
This study looked specifically at vegetarian WOMEN. But this news impacts both guys and gals.
That’s because even a minor fall could lead to a debilitating hip fracture that could put you out of commission for weeks, even MONTHS – regardless of gender!
Unfortunately, that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to opting to be a plant eater.
Plant eaters on average have 23% LESS ubiquinol than meat eaters. Ubiquinol is a vital compound and nutrient that promotes heart health by helping your body provide energy needed to power your heart.
A lack of ubiquinol could lead to:
- Fatigue
- Muscle issues
- A weakened immune system, and
- Increase your risk for other age-related diseases…
This is also not to say that a plant-based diet is necessarily bad, either. But, limiting yourself to only non-meat foods can cause some deficiencies with vital nutrients.
Eating organic, grass-fed meats is a great way to get vital nutrients in your body without worrying about unnatural by-products or hormones… and many can be found in your local grocery store.
You can also find grass-fed meats at many farms or butcher shops in your area.
There are also plenty of food delivery services that specialize in organic meats.
For instance, ButcherBox delivers grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, and even wild-caught fish like salmon straight to your door… along with easy recipes.
To veggies AND meat,
Cory Templeman
Senior Editor, eAlert
Sources:
Study Finds. “Vegetarian women more likely to suffer hip fractures, study shows.” https://studyfinds.org/vegetarian-women-hip-fractures/
