A ketogenic diet can be interesting by making a twist. You can combine it with a vegetarian diet. A type of diet plan is focused on eating vegetables and fruits and exclude meats. But keto for vegetarians, how is it possible?
Keto for vegetarians can be longer than the usual keto diet since it’s healthier than the normal keto. The first thing you need to remember if you are following a ketogenic diet is you need to be in ketosis always because if you will be kicked out from the state of ketosis everything is useless and you will back to zero.
Different Type of Vegetarians
Before you undergo keto for vegetarians, you should consider a lot of things because following a ketogenic diet is not easy as much if you will combine it with a vegetarian diet. Vegetarian people do not eat animal meat and just consume mostly vegetables. If you combine this to a keto diet it will need more effort.
Below are the different types of vegetarians:
- Pescetarian: This type of vegetarian-only consume egg, fish and dairy products
- Lacto-ovo vegetarian: This type of vegetarian-only eats dairy and eggs they exclude poultry, meat, and fish on their daily meal plan.
- Lacto vegetarian: They exclude eggs, meat, and poultry on their daily intake and they only eat dairy products and vegetables.
- Vegan: Vegan is the strictest type of vegetarian they only eat vegetable.
Keto For Vegetarian List Of Foods
Vegetarian keto is much easier to follow than a purely vegetarian diet. The following are the food that is vegetarian keto-friendly.
- Cauliflower: Cauliflower is a low carb vegetable that you can substitute to rice via cauliflower rice.
- Green leafy vegetables: Almost all green leafy vegetables are low in carbohydrates that make it perfect to the vegetarian keto diet.
- Eggplant: Eggplant is high in antioxidants and low in carb vegetables. You can make different dishes using eggplant that is good for those who are into a low carb diet.
- Tomatoes: Tomatoes are best in salads. You can enjoy eating it fresh alone or with other vegetables.
- Olives: Olive is a great source of fat which is very essential to a ketogenic diet. Aside from this olives is high in fiber which helps better digestions.
- Avocado: Avocado is one of the healthiest fruit around the world it contains potassium, healthy fats and it is very low in carbs which is an excellent choice for a keto diet.
- Mushroom: Mushroom is tasty and very healthy. Aside from being low in carbs, it contains vitamin D.
- Nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds contain saturated fat that makes it perfect for a keto diet. Do not worry because the fats from seeds and nuts that you will consume are healthy fats.
- Soy milk: Instead of drinking cow’s milk soy milk can be an alternative and it’s perfect for a ketogenic diet.
- Dairy products: If you don’t have lactose intolerance you can enjoy dairy products on your meal. Those dairy products you can enjoy during keto diet are cheese, ghee, and butter. If you love yogurt it should be unsweetened
- Eggs: Egg is protein-rich food and low in carb. Egg is perfect in ketogenic diet recipes.
- Healthy oils: Choosing the right oil for keto diet is very helpful to reach and stay in state of ketosis because it’s easier to turn it into energy. Healthy oils are coconut oils; MCT oil, avocado oil, macadamia oil, flaxseed oil, and olive oil.
Keto For Vegetarian: Foods To Avoid
- Avoid eating starchy vegetable like sweet potato and potato
- Do not eat or drink sweet foods such as honey
- Do not consume the usual flour such as wheat flour instead use almond flour and coconut flour because they are low in carbohydrates.
- Avoid fruit juices and shakes it contains a lot of sugar which is very big no in ketogenic diet.
Four Steps on Vegetarian Keto Diet
Though according to research ketogenic diet and vegetarian diet do not complement to each other but there are people also benefiting the combination of the two diet.
- Cut off carbs: This is the most challenging and hardiest step on a ketogenic diet since our body usually use glucose as a source of energy it will undergo adjustment and some side effects may feel such as nausea and headache. Avoid consuming low-fat dairy products choose those high in fats dairy products.
- Eat plenty of low-carb vegetables: To fill up the loss carbs eat plenty vegetable especially green leafy vegetables. They are low in carbs but high in fiber. The best vegetable for a ketogenic diet is kale, spinach, zucchini, cabbage, cauliflower, green beans broccoli, and Brussels sprout.
- Add vegetarian protein source: Vegetarian protein should be the next thing you put on priority. The source of vegetarian protein should be high quality for keto diet.
- Eggs
- Greek yogurt (plain and unflavored)
- High in fat cottage cheese
- Nut butter
- Hard cheese such as parmesan, feta, cheddar and swiss
- Soft cheese like Monterey Jack, mozzarella and blue cheese.
- Add plenty of healthy fats on your meal: Healthy fasts are the key to reach ketosis that’s why it’s very important to eat food high in fat but here in vegetarian keto diet you only have few options but if you are determine to do this diet plan you can make it more exciting by making different friendly keto diet dishes.
Keto For Vegetarians: Food Ideas You Might Enjoy On Your Keto diet Journey
- Vegetarian pizza: You can make a keto-friendly vegetarian pizza. Use mushroom, vegetables low in carbs, and cheese as toppings.
- Zoodle pasta together with sauce: Chop or slice zucchini in shape you want but preferably slice like noodles. You can choose keto-friendly creams such as avocado base cream and coconut cream.
- Vegetable salad: You can make a simple and healthy vegetable salad. But only choose low carb vegetables and use olive oil as your salad dressing.
Vegetarian keto is very achievable but it needs a lot of effort and research since there are just a few people who are following this combination of the ketogenic diet. The most important thing is you achieve your goal such as losing weight during the diet plan. But before you undergo keto vegetarian ask your doctor first to avoid health issues later on.
