…plus Let Vegetables Save Your Life and Why Vegetarians are Being Offered Cheaper Insurance!
This Soup’s a Life Saver!
An extensive ongoing study in Europe has determined that eating more vegetables and fruit can extend your life. Dr. Andrew Weil, the famed health expert and respected physician, writes in his article “How Vegetables Can Save Your Life,” that the “study’s findings are impressive, especially since the amount of fruits and vegetables that made a difference was relatively low, only 2.4 cups a day.” Scientists in 10 countries have been following more than 450,000 people for over 13 years, during which time about 26,000 of the participants have died. Here are some of their conclusions:
How Veggies Can Save Your Life
• 2.4 cups of vegetables or more daily = reduced the risk of death about 10% and delayed that risk for 1.12 years compared to people who consumed less than 9 oz. of vegetables/fruit daily
• for every increase of 1 cup of daily fruits/vegetables = mortality risk drops by 6%
• high consumption of vegetables/fruit = 16% reduction in the risk of death
• people who consume 5 or more servings of vegetables/fruit = 30% lower risk of heart disease or stroke than those who each fewer than 1.5 servings daily
Most of the deaths during the course of the study were due to cardiovascular disease.
Vegan American Princess agrees wholeheartedly that generally the more vegetables and fruit you eat daily, the better off you will be. It seems that widespread, publicized studies like these are starting to lead more and more people towards adopting a plant-based diet. But the benefits may continue to grow beyond better health and lower risk of disease and death.
Herbivores may soon be reaping monetary benefits, as well.
An insurance company in Australia, called Make A Difference Insurance, is offering 20% off insurance premiums for vegetarians, according to Ecorazzi. The managing director of this company, Brian Jones, explains, “Life insurance premiums are calculated based on several factors, including medical history, lifestyle choices such as alcohol and nicotine intake, so surely a vegetarian or vegan diet should be considered too.“ Jones pointed to the statistics that a plant-based diet reduces the likelihood of some cancers and heart disease and all those delicious vegetables have been know to decrease cholesterol, as reported by Ecorazzi.
The Australian Herald Sun reports that Jones, who gave up meat three years ago, hopes insurers will introduce and underwrite separate reduced vegetarian insurance policies. He points out that meat eaters were a bigger health risk and more likely to place insurance claims because of heart attacks and cancer. “Vegetarians are subsidizing meat eaters who impose higher costs on the health care system,” says Jones to the Herald. His company charges $300-675 less compared with carnivores with similar lifestyles.
The British publication, the Daily Mail Online, reported that the AFI Insurance Agency, underwritten by Liverpool Victoria Life Insurance, has created a Vegetarian Term Life policy to reward non meat-eaters with lower premiums. The newspaper states that “the company claims that the wider industry has failed to catch up with reality that vegetarians are a better insurance risk.” AFI, which stands for Animal Friends Insurance, claims that the entire industry should deliver long-term discounts to vegetarians. If smoking, drinking habits and family history are legitimate factors in deciding premiums then the plentiful factual data the demonstrates a clear correlation between a vegetarian diet and less risk should be recognized industry-wide. according to AFI Insurance.
If more people became vegetarians and vegans, then not only could they live longer, healthier lives but our healthcare system would be significantly unburdened and insurance premiums might be reduced.
Hmmmm, let’s see…Better health…More years to enjoy it…AND some extra money in your pocket? Seems like a no-brainer to me.
Put more veggies in your life by making this delicious vegetable soup that everyone seems to love! It gets even better the next day. The days are getting chillier even here in Southern California, but a bowl of hot soup stocked with tons of healthy vegetables and lots of taste is just what you need!
The Best Hearty Healthy Veggie Soup
by Ellen Francis
- 3 tbs olive oil
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 cups celery, chopped
- 5 carrots, sliced
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 4 cups tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup white wine (optional)
- 1 cup canned kidney beans, drained
- 1 cup green beans, cut
- 2 cups baby spinach, fresh
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 tbs dried oregano
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- salt & pepper to taste
Directions
- 1. In a large soup pot, heat olive oil and saute garlic and onion for 5 minutes
- 2. Add celery and carrots and heat for 2 minutes
- 3. Add vegetable broth, water and tomato sauce, bring to boil. Add the white wine of desired
- 4. Reduce heat to low and add the kidney beans, green beans, spinach leaves, corn, peas, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 40 minutes to an hour
- 5. Serve as is, or with bread or over noodles for a very hearty meal
Treat Yourself to a Special Gift: Gorgeous Vegan Bracelet Cuff
Recipes for Football Game Day Noshes
Read the Dr. Weil article, How Vegetables Can Save Your Life
Read the Ecorazzi article, Aussie Vegetarians Could Get Discounted Life Insurance
Read the Australian Sun article, Vegetarians Given Cheaper Life Insurance
Read the Daily Mail Online article, Vegetarians to be Offered Cheaper Life Insurance
xox Enjoy
VERY INFORMATIVE.
Ellen did an amazing job on this post, as usual!
I can’t wait to make this hearty soup. I love the idea of cheaper insurance for plant-based people. That’s the way to go!
Why would one ruin such a beautiful soup with canned beans? Beans are one of the easiest (and cheapest) things in the world to cook, even when one doesn’t sprout them first (I always do). Health and peace.