A new study by P-Fit (www.P-Fit.co.uk) has found that despite the many alternatives- many vegetarians think they're not getting everything they need from their meat free diet.
Vegan on Female First
The findings revealed that under a quarter of vegetarians believe their diet doesn't fulfil all of their nutritional needs.
Protein is their biggest concern closely followed by iron and Vitamin B12. To add to this 79% of vegetarians report their health has suffered as a consequence, reporting; 'a lack of energy', 'feeling faint' and 'headaches or migraines'.
When the same vegetarians were asked about their choice to omit meat from their diets, many said that animal welfare was their main motivator. This was closely followed by 91% who admitted they don't trust the hygiene of the meat on offer. 36% said they had pressures from their family or partner to cut back on their meat consumption and 17% did it for health reasons because they believe the vegetarian diet was the healthier choice.
When asked if they felt their lifestyle choice had affected their health- 24% admitted that they thought they were lacking in valuable nutrients as a result.
61% believe that the vegetarian diet offers them everything they require on a daily basis and 15% aren't sure but follow the diet anyway.
When the respondents were pressed about sharing their concerns with their friends and family- 55% said that they hadn't talked to anyone about their health complaints because they were worried about being lectured about their dietary choices.
Ross Beagrie, Managing Director of www.P-Fit.co.uk, commented on the results of the study:
"This is a really taboo subject and a very touchy one for a lot of people who opt out of eating meat. Many vegetarians insist that they are just as healthy, or healthier, than meat eaters; but the fact remains that being a vegetarian means you really have to work to make up the nutrients you are losing in animal products. Protein and vitamin supplements should be your best friend; these will help to provide your body with what it needs and prevent you from becoming malnourished. Being undernourished is a serious issue and can lead to a myriad of health problems, all of which are preventable whether you are a vegetarian or not. Do not ignore the symptoms and suffer in silence; there are ways to rectify your diet and, in turn, your health."
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