How to Follow a Vegetarian Ketogenic Diet in a Healthy Way
Going to keto as a meat eater is possible, but it is important to be aware of the risks and limitations before jumping on the bandwagon.
Zoodles and chia seeds are two foods you can find in a keto vegetarian diet.
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Meat is the basis of a ketogenic diet, but that does not mean that food is not allowed for vegetarians. As the high-fat, low-carb way has grown in popularity, many vegetarians have sought to get into hype and find a way to make it work for them, preparing a standard keto diet menu and menu to fit inside their meat- free lifestyle
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"Six months ago, keto was everywhere I looked," said Liz MacDowell, a certified complete nutrition consultant behind the Meat Free Keto site. "I think when Kim Kardashian tried it, she got really good momentum."
Given the high-fat, low-carb diet of the most popular and the fact that there are limits (fans take about 20 to 30 grams (g) of carbohydrates per day), different repetitions have emerged. Vegetarian keto is one riff in it. According to the Mercola article, there are also:
- A cyclic ketogenic diet, including carb loading times (also called keto cycling
- A targeted ketogenic diet, where you take carbs worth a day at one exercise
- Foods high in ketogenic protein, with a high percentage of calories from protein
- Ketogenic diet, which lowers carb and calorie intake in the anti-cancer sense (a claim that has not been proven by medical research)
- Let's take a closer look at how to follow a diet like vegetables and whether it is a good idea.
- A Complete View of How the Vegetarian Keto Diet Works
The keto diet puts the body in a state of fat burning ketosis and requires fans to get 80 to 90 percent of their daily calories from fat, 5 to 15 percent from protein, and 5 to 10 percent to -carbohydrate. Most Americans get about half of their daily calories from carbs, so this is a big change in the average American diet.
And it can be especially frightening for vegetarians. Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based Jaime Mass, RDN, founder of Jaime Mass Nutritionals, LLC, says that people who eat vegetables are more likely to "eat pasta." Instead of replacing meat with healthy plant-based foods and grains, many are loaded with pasta, crackers, and other high-carb carbohydrates. Switching to keto may be difficult for these pasta-tarians, but it can also be beneficial in helping them reduce their digested carbohydrates.
A Daily Vegetarian Keto Diet Day
MacDowell has been following a vegetarian keto diet for six years. He had been a vegetarian for a long time but decided to try keto for weight loss in the mind. Some studies suggest that keto diets may be beneficial for that reason: A study published in May 2013 in the British Journal of Nutrition found that keto diets lead to greater weight loss than low-fat diets and may be helpful in combating obesity.
Although MacDowell has stuck with it for a long time, he admits that this diet can be difficult in social situations. "Not only will the reaction of your family members tell you that you are eating too much fat that will kill you, but going out to look for appetizers and drinks with friends is a challenge," he said. "You learn to work around, but there is a curve to learn for sure."
That learning curve involves finding out which foods go within the limits of vegetables and keto. Here's what a typical meal day looks like, based on recommendations from Mass and MacDowell:
- Chia seed breakfast with protein powder or pancakes protein made with eggs and protein powder
- Snack Cucumber sliced with paprika cream cheese dip or cottage cheese with sunflower seeds
- Lunch A large salad with avocado, vegetables, seeds, and nuts or an egg omelet with herbed goat cheese and pesto
- Zucchini noodles (zoodles) with pesto and tofu; tempeh minced vegetables; or spinach salad with cashew-crusted tofu, roasted zucchini, cubed feta, and olive oil
- The Risks and Benefits of Following a Keto Diet As A Vegetarian Diet
- Although deceptive, it is safe to say that following a keto diet as a vegetarian diet can be done. But is it healthy? And does it lead to weight loss?
That depends. Mass says that if keto encourages unhealthy vegetables to cleanse its carb metabolism, it can be beneficial and lead to better blood sugar control. In addition, the transition from a heavy pasta diet to rich vegetables and healthy fats should help someone lose unwanted pounds, he says. But for vegetarians who already eat fresh and rely on healthy carbohydrates such as quinoa and oats - restricted to a keto diet - to help them feel fuller, adopting low-carb keto may be extremely restrictive.
Research on vegetarian keto diets is limited, but speaking frankly, MacDowell says he saw a few positive changes when he started following a diet. "I found that not only did I lose weight faster [although at a healthy age], I also experienced things like joint pain disappearing, my digestion was normal, small things I didn't expect at all," MacDowell said. he says.
Preliminary studies have also linked keto diets to specific diseases, including diabetes. A study published in September 2016 in the Journal of Obesity and Eating Disorders, for example, found that the presence of ketones in the blood can lower HbA1c levels, possibly due to ketone bodies that reduce glucose metabolism, and benefit people with type 2 diabetes
However, Mass is reluctant to recommend this diet. “I don’t see many benefits in terms of keto vegetarian,” he says. Of particular concern is the lack of nutritious food. As Medline Plus notes, vegetarians are already at risk of deficiency of vitamin B12, vitamin D, zinc, iron, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein. Keto then imposes more restrictions, further increasing the chances of deficiency in some of these nutrients. For example, breakfast cereals, which are often rich in vitamin B12, are not allowed in keto.
Protein is also a major problem. "Since the keto diet is based on protein and fat in your calorie diet, you cut out the most complete protein you can get - say from vegetables and grains - in a regular vegetarian diet," Mass says. "In the keto diet, this source of complete protein is now complete." Protein is essential for helping the body build bones, muscles, and skin, according to Medline Plus.
How To Follow A Vegetarian Keto Diet In A Healthy Way
By being aware of your shortcomings, you can (and should) supplement your diet rich in nutrients, such as vitamin B12 cheese, vitamin D eggs, and leafy vegetables such as kale for calcium. If you are interested in trying keto without eating meat, Mass also suggests how strong you are at eating vegetables and eating fish if you do not already have one because it is a great source of omega-3 and protein.
The main point? This diet is difficult to stick to because it involves two types of food. Mass believes that risk outweighs benefits. But if you decide to try it, Mass warns you to approach the diet carefully, under the guidance of a registered dietitian who can help you choose your diet in a balanced way and make sure you add to the diet where needed. Mass also suggests that you reduce your carb diets a little at a time, rather than eating a full vegetarian keto overnight so that you do not completely overwhelm your plan..