"The central question about vegetarian diets used to be whether it was healthy to eliminate meat and other animal foods ... Now, however, the main question has become whether it is healthier to be a vegetarian than to be a meat eater. ... The answer to both questions, based on currently available evidence, seems to be yes. A properly planned vegetarian diet can provide all the essential nutrients, even for growing children ... And, on the whole, vegetarians are less likely to be afflicted with the chronic diseases that are leading killers and cripplers in societies where meat is the centerpiece of the diet."