Vegans are more likely than vegetarians to avoid cancer and hypertension, according to a study

Adopting a vegan lifestyle could extend your life, according to a new report.

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Researchers at the University of Loma Linda recently conducted a study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, which examined the impact of various diets on our health.

To do this, they examined 840 people who followed one of the following five diets: vegan, which does not allow products of animal origin; lacto-ovo vegetarian, which includes eggs and dairy products but no meat; peso-vegetarian, which includes fish but no meat; semi-vegetarian, where the meat is eaten less once a week but more than once a month; and non-vegetarians, where meat is eaten at least once a week.

Participants provided urine, blood and fat samples, which were used to measure levels of antioxidants, saturated fats, unsaturated fats and vitamins.

After badyzing the results, the team found that vegans were the healthiest compared to other groups. Those who followed a vegan diet had more omega-3 fatty acids, more antioxidants and more compounds known to lessen inflammation. High levels of inflammation have been linked to diseases, including cancer.

Overall, vegans had more biomarkers to prevent diseases such as cancer, heart disease and hypertension.

"The realization that a healthier biomarker profile is obtained with a plant-based diet should motivate people to adopt healthy eating habits and prevent disease," said the co-ordinator. – writer Fayth Miles in a statement.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians are almost tied to pesco-vegetarians for the second healthiest diet. And semi-vegetarians were only slightly healthier than non-vegetarians.

"Overall, the results for semi-vegetarians look a lot like non-vegetarians," Miles said. "This research helps … pave the way for future studies to elucidate mechanisms linking diet models to disease."

Do you want to know more about the results? Take a look at the full evaluation here.

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