British studies say vegetarians have a higher risk of stroke And experts recommend a balanced diet.

BEIJING, Sept. 12
(Xinhua) -- In recent years, more and more people have started to become
Chineseeconganism
because people feel that the vegetarian-based
diet
is healthier,

reported. But a recent study in the UK suggests that vegetarians and vegans may have a higher risk of stroke.
the findings were published in the British Medical Journal. The researchers followed nearly 50,000 people over an 18-year period. Half of the volunteers were carnivores, 16,000 were vegetarians or vegans, and another 7,500 did not eat meat but fish.
according to the introduction, vegetarians just do not eat meat do not eat fish, vegan in addition to do not eat dairy products, eggs, honey and other food produced from animals, that is, completely eliminate food, with animal raw materials containing food and products.
18 years of follow-up, volunteers were asked to fill in their daily diet, medical history, smoking, and daily activity. During the survey, nearly 3,000 volunteers had coronary heart disease and more than 1,000 strokes, including 300 brain haemorrhages.
study found that volunteers who ate only fish products, vegetarians and vegans had a lower risk of heart disease than meat-eating volunteers, but had a 20 percent higher risk of stroke than meat-eaters.
researchers believe this may be related to low levels of vitamin B12 in vegetarians. But further research is needed.
, does this mean that vegetarian and vegan diets are unhealthy? Dr Philip, of the British Nutrition Association, believes this should not be understood. Although there is a link between the two, she says, it is not causation.
Phillips says one of the most important messages it sends is that to eat a balanced diet, the more kinds of food, the better.
she points out that meat-based people should also be aware that it's not their diet that's insured. Because some meat eaters eat a very single variety, for example, eat only meat and potatoes every night, do not eat vegetables. Obviously, it's not the best diet either.
the survey data spanned nearly 20 years, during which time people's diets were constantly changing. Dr Phillips said the diets of vegetarians and vegans today were very different from those of vegetarians more than 20 years ago.
nutrition experts believe that no matter what diet people choose, the most important thing is to diversify, eating a balanced diet is the most beneficial to health. In addition, vegetarians and vegans should pay special attention to absorb certain nutrients, such as choline, to maintain brain health.