Heart disease is the leading cause of death in america. A large contributing factor are diets high saturated fat and cholesterol. A vegetarian diet has been used to treat and even reverse coronary heart disease. The large consumption of fruit, vegetables and fiber supply the body with antioxidants which help to fight off free radicals and protect the heart. .
The vegetarian diet is naturally low in saturated fat and LDL (bad cholesterol). Low levels of cholesterol are essential in keeping the heart healthy. Switching to a vegetarian diet has many benefits in the treatment and prevention of coronary heart disease. A vegetarin diet will lower you chances of coronary disease by, consuming less saturated fat, less cholesterol and supplying the body with antioxidents.
A large contributing factor to heart disease is saturated fat. (American Heart). Saturated fats clog up the arteries and can cause high cholesterol. Healthy arteries are essential in the prevention of heart disease. Most saturated fat comes from animal protein and fats such as cheese, meat, and dairy (American Heart). Diets high in vegetable, fruit and grains (such as a vegetarian diet) and low in animal protein are good ways lowering saturated fat intake.
High cholesterol levels are one of the main contributing factors of coronary heart disease. Cholesterol is found in the lipids ( fats) in the blood stream (American Heart). LDL ( low density lipoproteins) are the bad cholesterol that slowly builds up on the walls of the arteries. Eventually over time it forms a thick plague that can clog up the arteries resulting in a heart attack or stroke (American Heart). Animal proteins are the only dietary source that contains cholesterol (McCord). Vegetables, Fruit, Legumes and grains contain no cholesterol. Since the vegetarian diet based primarily on fruits, grains, legumes and vegetables, cholesterol levels in vegetarian are 14 percent lower then in those who eat meat (Dworkin).