Vegetarians: add fish to your diet when you get old

It isn’t just about what you eat—it’s also when, in your life, you eat it.

Vegetarians generally live longer and healthier lives than meat-eaters, but that benefit disappears in older age, say researchers from Loma Linda University Health in California.

In old age, adding fish to a mainly vegetarian diet helps you live longer, and the chances of longevity increase further if you also eat dairy and eggs.

The researchers analysed the impact of various diets—non-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian (fish eating), lacto-ovo-vegetarian (dairy and eggs) and vegan—on around 88,400 people.

Overall, vegetarians lived longer because they suffered less renal (kidney) failure, had fewer infectious diseases, and less diabetes and heart problems.

But those benefits started to reduce as people got older, and those who were eating fish had fewer strokes, and were less likely to suffer from dementia and Parkinson’s disease.  Fish is a rich source of omega-3 oil, which helps protect the brain and nervous system.

What do you think? Start a conversation over on the... WDDTY Community