If you're thinking of going vegetarian for health reasons, you might have to think twice, because various studies are suggesting that vegetarianism is not necessarily healthy.

Dr. Hung Chien-teh from Yangming Hospital in Taipei made the announcement in a press conference on Thursday. Dr. Hung said a long-term vegetarian diet is irrelevant to good health. He also said such a diet might even contribute to high levels of uric acid and cholesterol.

According to Dr. Hung, one main reason is that many vegetarian foods are fried in oil that contains trans-fatty acids, and this form of acid is extremely harmful to the health.

Dr. Hung said another reason is that vegetarians tend to eat a lot of bean products. But such products contain fairly high purine content that breaks down into uric acid.

Dr. Hung suggested that people with a high uric acid level should drink plenty of water, eat green leafy vegetables and other alkaline foods. Otherwise, the acid can contribute to kidney stone formation.