The most significant study of vegetarian health in the U.S. has been the Seventh-Day-Adventist Church Study^[1]. Researchers in this study found fifty percent fewer incidences of Type 2 diabetes in vegetarians.

Vegetarian diets tend to be high in complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber, found in foods like cereal, grains, fruit and vegetables. These foods have a lower glycemic index and help to maintain ideal blood glucose or sugar levels. The healthy weight and body shape of many vegetarians also contributes to a reduced incidence of diabetes.

If you're concerned about Type 2 diabetes, choose foods that are often part of a vegetarian diet, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

Many studies have demonstrated the low blood-cholesterol levels of vegetarians, some showing unhealthy cholesterol (LDL) levels to be 10 percent lower than even health-conscious meat-eaters. 

Cholesterol is only present in meat and animal products. Therefore, vegetarians, and vegans in particular, automatically reduce cholesterol intake through diet. Although a person’s intake of dietary cholesterol may not necessarily affect blood-cholesterol levels, saturated fat - the other dietary culprit for high cholesterol - is also generally lower in a vegetarian diet, leading to the same blood-cholesterol benefits.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians (those who eat dairy foods and eggs but no meat) still need to be careful of their saturated fat intake in dairy products and highly processed foods, and cholesterol in egg yolks.

Popular vegetarian foods such as cereals, grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes all are high in dietary fiber. Dietary fiber helps food pass through your digestive system more easily, which in turn helps keep your bowels healthy.

Vegetarians also have lower rates of colon cancer than non-vegetarians. The Seventh-Day-Adventist study showed half the incidence rate compared to meat eaters. Higher fiber intake is the most probable reason for this – it has often been suggested that the high incidence of colon cancer in Western countries is linked to low-fiber diets.

For better bowel health, try to include plenty of foods that are high in dietary fiber. By choosing vegetarian foods more often, you're likely to increase your fiber intake.