CNN Newsource – A new study shows vegetarians are at lower risk of heart disease than meat-eaters but at a higher risk of stroke.
Researchers found vegetarians and vegans increase their risk of stroke 20% by not eating meat. It is thought that may be due to either very low cholesterol levels or certain nutritional deficiencies. Vegetarians who also eat fish — which are known as pescetarians — did not show any increased risk of stroke.
Some physicians point out the 22% reduction in heart disease vegetarians enjoy outweighs the stroke risk. Pescetarians have a 13% lower risk of heart disease than carnivores.
The findings were compiled after following more than 48,000 people in the U.K. for 18 years.