Both vegan and ketogenic diets are known by their amazing power to heal various health problems. But let’s find out if these powers can be combined by bringing vegan and keto diet together.
Despite that those two diets are somewhat opposite in their classical form (as classical keto diet relies heavily on animal products) they can be adjusted to go well together.
For those who are new to Keto world, let’s make brief overview of the diet.
About Ketogenic Diet
Ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet (50-70% of caloric intake) with moderate consumption of proteins. It was introduced almost a century ago mainly as treatment for Epilepsy in kids.
This food regiment shifts your body metabolism into the state of ketosis. This has positive effects on numerous health conditions and supports natural no-starvation weight loss.
Metabolic changes on Ketogenic diet
Your body uses glucose as the main source of energy for body functioning. Most dietary carbohydrates are digested or transformed to glucose, which then used by all your cells. When you reduce you digestible carbs (excluding dietary fibers) intake to 20-50g per day your body starts to switch to alternative fuel source – ketone bodies.
Ketones are products of fat metabolism that can be used by almost all cells in our body for energy purposes instead of glucose. There are less than 5% of cells that can’t use ketone bodies, mainly located in the brain. However, consumption of 20-50g of carbs per day is enough to satisfy glucose demands of those picky cells, as well as replenish glycogen storage in the liver.
Benefits of Ketogenic diet
Keto diet has numerous benefits like:
Sustainable weight loss
Reversal of type 2 Diabetes
Improvement in physical endurance
Better mental focus and memory
Metabolic syndrome relief
Cancer prevention and treatment
Leptin levels normalization
Epilepsy treatment
Migraine headache improvement
Acne improvement
Neurological degenerative diseases improvement (Parkinson, Alzheimer)
About Vegan Diet
Vegan diet is a diet that excludes any type of animal products, unlike vegetarian diets that can allow consumption of eggs, dairy, seafood or fish.
Vegan diet is beneficial for managing heart disease risks as well as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and lower cancer risk according to certain studies.
However, vegan diet on a long term can cause certain deficiencies, especially B12 vitamin deficiency, and need to include mindful supplementation with vitamins and mineral, best under doctor’s supervision.
Mistake many vegans do
There are commonly two reasons, why person decides to go vegan. First one is for health benefits and the second and more spread one is because of ethical or ecological issues. The biggest mistake for a newbie vegan, who was raised on standard American diet, is to stop eating any animal products without changing other dietary habits.
Any healthy diet should be based on whole and minimally processed foods. Thus, vegans who reject animal products but embrace highly processed meat substitutes, sugary and starchy foods (potatoes, bread or pasta, not talking about sweets), hydrogenated oils (butter substitute spreads) and other vegan-friendly junk food, really make a step in the wrong direction.
How ketogenic approach can improve vegan diet
Classical vegan diet is really heavy on carbohydrates. Dependence from pasta, bread and starchy vegetables can have many negative health effects. Such as blood sugar spikes and drops, increased bad cholesterol (LDL), hormone Leptin imbalance, increased sense of hunger.
By incorporating ketogenic approach to your vegan diet you will resolve easy-digestible carbohydrates over-consumption typical for vegan diet, while keeping all other benefits of meatless diet.
How to Get Into the Ketosis on Vegan Diet
As was already mentioned to get into ketosis you need to consume around 20-50g of carbs per day. A person can easily avoid carbs by eating meat, fish and eggs that are naturally low on carbs. But because you’re a vegan and don’t eat any animal foods it can get a little bit more tricky and requires more organization.
Good thing about keto diet that you don’t need to eat a lot of proteins that could be diificult on a vegan diet. However, if you’re trying to grow some muscle on keto diet for vegans, plant-based protein powders are a must for you.
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