Maintaining a low-carb diet as a vegan requires reducing or cutting off grains, bread, or pasta. It is useful to lead a healthy lifestyle, but can be a challenge. A low-carb diet helps you manage or lose weight. With low amounts of carbs in your body, you will also have less blood sugar and insulin. So, your body will store more fat with little effect on your weight.
Being on a low-carb diet as a vegan is difficult because it is hard to meet all the nutrition needs. These are the top tips you should adopt.
Eat more proteins
Protein is vital in your diet, whether you are vegan or not. As a vegan, you need plant-based foods to get the necessary proteins for your diet. Plant-based proteins are less absorbed in the body. It means you’ll have to eat more and combine different foods for the best results.
Chicago weight loss clinic recommends soy protein for vegans. It is because it’s of high quality with most of the necessary amino acids you need. It digests well in your body, almost like animal protein. Vegans who do not take soy only get about 30% of the protein they require.
Track your carbs
You’ll eat more foods on a low-carb diet and you might end up taking more than you need. It means that you will have to count your carbs to avoid eating excess amounts. If you want a strict low-carb plan, adopt the keto diet. It is not flexible like your regular diet. You will have to take some supplements to compensate the missing nutrients and minerals.
Consume healthy fats
Fats are the biggest source of calories in any diet. There are best edibles fewer limits to the amount of fat that you can eat. It is best to have some in your meal not to get stuffed but satisfied. As a vegan, you need healthy fat sources. You can get them in cocoa butter, coconut oil and cream, macadamia nut oil, avocado oil, and olive oil. Avoid processed seed and vegetable oils. You can eat chocolate for cocoa butter.
Take vitamin B12 supplements
Vitamin B12 is only in animal-based foods. You can eat all the vegan foods, but you’ll miss vitamin B12. You can take vitamin B12 through fortified foods or supplements. A lack of vitamin B12 in the body can cause;
- Dementia
- Nerve damage
- Anemia
Some of these conditions are irreversible. Ensure that you have vitamin B12 in your low-carb vegan diet.
Select nutrient-dense plants
Increasing proteins is a boost to your low-carb diet. You should not depend on plant-based proteins for the nutrients. Add nutrient-dense foods such as berries, seeds, and nuts to your diet. You’ll get more minerals, vitamins, proteins, and healthy fats. They also taste good. Examples of nutrient-dense plants are;
- Spinach– has plenty of zinc, iron, and calcium.
- Sesame seeds– are rich in zinc, iron, and calcium.
- Hemp seeds– are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids and zinc.
Final thoughts
Most vegan foods are high in carbs, for example, fruits, starchy vegetables, bread, or grains. A vegan needs high discipline to maintain a low-carb diet. Weight loss experts recommend nutrient-rich foods like avocados, coconut oil, nuts, or tofu for vegans. They are healthier than animal-based foods and a vegan still gets the proteins they need. It promotes weight loss management, good cardiovascular health, and healthful aging.
