Vegetarians are Happier And Less Stressed than Meat Eaters, Study Shows

A new study has revealed that vegetarians could be happier and less stressed than their meat-loving counterparts.

Meat eaters' diets contain high doses of arachidonic acid (AA), a type of omega-3 acid that has been reported in previous studies as effecting mood.

In this recent study, covered in the Huffington Post, 39 frequent meat-eaters were placed into one of three food groups - either eating meat, fish and poultry or eating just fish or following a strictly vegetarian diet. They were then monitored over a two week period.

Those who ate meat reported no change in their moods but those who followed the vegetarian diets said they felt less stressed and happier.

Results showed that fatty acid levels in the control group remained the same compared to "negligible amounts" in the vegetarian group and a huge increase (95 to 100 percent) of Omega-6 levels in the group eating fish.

Eating fish often equals more Omega-3 fatty acids like eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which are said to combat AA and its harmful side effects but a previous study (along with this most recent one) show that despite the higher levels of EPA and DHA, omnivores moods were said to be significantly worse.

Plants like cauliflower and chia seeds have a good amount of Omega-3 fatty acids (ALA) and are easy to incorporate into your daily meals.