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Although there are undoubtedly many benefits to following a vegetarian diet, including staving off obesity, preventing heart disease and lowering your risk of certain types of cancers, a recent study found that people who follow vegetarian diets have slightly weaker bones when compared to those who consume meat.

The study, which was conducted in a joint effort between Australian and Vietnamese researchers, took a closer look at over 2,700 people. In the end, the researchers found that vegetarians had a bone density that was 5% less than that of those who eat meat. For vegans, the news was even worse, as their bone density was 6% weaker than those who eat meat. When it comes to ovolactovegarians, which are those who do not eat seafood or meat but who do include dairy and eggs in their diets, the bone density was almost the same as those who eat meat.

“The results suggest that vegetarian diets, particularly vegan diets, are associated with lower bone mineral density,” said lead researcher, Tuan Nguyen, in the report that he wrote for the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. “But the magnitude of the association is clinically insignificant.”

Although the study determined that vegetarians and vegans have a lower bone density than meat eaters, the study did not look at whether or not the lower bone density puts vegans and vegetarians at a greater risk of experiencing bone fractures. According to Nguyen, this is certainly something that is worth exploring further.

“Given the rising number of vegetarians, roughly 5% in Western countries, and the widespread incidence of osteoporosis, the issue is worth resolving,” Nyguen continued.

Of course, the findings of this study are certainly no reason to give up the vegetarian lifestyle, as the benefits of following this type of diet far outweigh this possible downside.  What it does mean, however, is that you should make an effort to make certain to include foods that are high in calcium within your diet.  This way, you can enjoy the benefits of vegetarianism while also avoiding the possibility of experiencing a lower bone density.

If you are interested in taking your vegetarian lifestyle to a whole new level, you might want to consider following a raw diet.  With a raw diet, the majority of the food you eat should be uncooked as well as unprocessed.  It is also best to eat only organic foods when following this diet plan.

Of course, if you are still following the traditional American diet, starting a raw food diet will probably be difficult for you.  As such, you might want to consider gradually switching over to this type of diet.  Some of the foods that are typically included in this diet include:

· Fruits
· Vegetables
· Nuts
· Seeds
· Non-pasteurized/non-homogenized dairy products

It is possible, however, to follow a raw food diet while still including certain meats in your diet.  For example, some raw food practitioners include eggs in their diet as well as fish, such as sashimi, and meat, such as carpaccio.  But, to get the greatest health benefits from a raw food diet, it is best to keep meat out of your diet as well.

Despite the name, many raw food diet practitioners do cook their foods slightly.  In order to still be considered a raw food diet, however, the food should be heated to no more than 115 degrees Fahrenheit.  Those who follow this type of diet report enjoying a number of benefits.  These include:

· Weight Loss
· Preventing Illnesses
· Curing Illnesses

It is important to note, however, that some foods are unsafe when eaten raw.  Therefore, they should be eaten with caution when following a raw food diet.  Some of these include:

· Alfalfa Sprouts
· Buckwheat
· Cassava
· Eggs
· Kidney Beans
· Parsnips

Do you need more reasons to become a vegetarian?  Vegetarian’s have long known that passing up the meat in favor of veggies is an important step to take toward conserving the planet’s resources, but it has only been within the past couple years that major studies have come out to support this fact.  Here’s a look at just a few of the shocking findings that have been uncovered by a variety of reputable organizations:

· The UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) published a study called “Livestock’s Long Shadow” in 2006 in which it revealed that the livestock industry is the cause of 18% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions
· The country of Brazil reported that it lost 12,000 square kilometers of Amazon rainforest in a one year period, mainly due to cattle ranchers and soy producers who are supplying animal feed to European markets
· Raising a livestock uses far more water than growing vegetables, with 1 kilogram of meat taking about 200 times more water to produce than the same amount o wheat
· In the United States, farm animals consume 5 calories of food for every 1 calorie of food they produce, while farm animals in India consume less than 1.5 calories for every calorie consumed.  In Kenya, on the other hand, livestock provides more calories than it consumes.

So, even if you aren’t quite ready to cut the meat out of your diet entirely, you should seriously consider going “meat free” at least one day per week.  This way, you can help reduce the negative environmental impact that meat-eating creates.  And, who knows, you may just decide you like passing on the meat once you discover how great your body feels!

Are you interested in following a vegetarian diet, but you aren’t certain how to get started?  If you are someone who has been freely consuming meat on a regular basis, making the switchover to vegetarianism may seem impossible.  But, the reality is that thousands of people practice vegetarianism and, if you follow a few simple steps, making the switch won’t be as difficult as you might think.

Tip #1:  Take it Slow

Rather than trying to cut meat out all at once, you might want to slowly transition to a vegetarian diet.  This way, it won’t seem quite so difficult.  Many people don’t realize that there are actually different “degrees” of vegetarianism, but you might want to consider stepping your way up to cutting meat completely out of your diet.  Some of the variations of vegetarianism include:

•  · Flexitarianism - a flexitarian still eats meat, but makes a conscious effort to reduce the amount of meat he or she consumes
•  · Semi-Vegetarianism - someone who practices semi-vegetarianism excludes red meats while eating a limited amount of fish, poultry and seafood
•  · Pollotarianism - a pollotarianist does not eat mammals, but still eats poultry and fish
•  · Pescetarianism - when practicing pescetarianism, you do not eat mammals or birds, but still include seafood in your diet

Once you work your way down to being a pescetarianism, it will be much easier to make the jump to vegetarianism.

Tip #2:  Get Educated

More than likely, you have already started doing research regarding the benefits of vegetarianism.  After all, there must be some reason why you have decided to take this step.  Nonetheless, you should continue to educate yourself so you can remember the reasons why you have decided to make this change to your diet and lifestyle.

Tip #3:  Surround Yourself with Support

Your friends and family may not understand why you want to become a vegetarian, which means they might not provide you with much support in your efforts.  Seek out support groups and other vegetarians so you can get the encouragement you need while also picking up more tips and ideas for living a vegetarian lifestyle.

Tip #4:  Gather Recipes

Start gathering recipes before you go vegetarian.  This way, you will have plenty of tasty foods and meals to select from so you will be less likely to “miss” eating meat.  You will also need to gather recipes so you can be certain to continue eating healthy and to get enough protein in your diet while following a vegetarian lifestyle.

Tip #5:  Enjoy Ethnic Cuisine

Indian, Chinese, Thai and Japanese cuisine tends to offer many vegetarian options.  Experiment with a little ethnic cuisine and restaurants specializing in these foods and you just may be surprised by the tasty dishes available!