It has long been thought that sticking to a ‘five-a-day’ veg and fruit regime is good for general health, but now evidence has emerged that vegetarians with a high intake of fibre are considerably less likely to suffer from common bowel disorder. The condition, also known as diverticular disease, occurs when pouches form in the colon. In severe cases, these can lead to blockages in the colon and, occasionally, death.
However, now a report in the British Medical Journal says that individuals with a high fibre content in their diet, such as vegetarians, can significantly lower their chances of developing common bowel disorder.
Dr Francesca Crowe headed up a team from the Cancer Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford on a long-term study of 47,033 individuals of which 15,459 were vegetarians.
However, a recent study from North Carolina State University’s Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering have shown that they arent necessarily better for the environment.