You’re probably already familiar with the ketogenic diet, the meal plan that increases fat intake while keeping protein intake moderately low and carbohydrate intake almost non-existent to enter ketosis, a state where you are forced to burn fat. as fuel (instead of carbohydrates), which theoretically results in weight loss. But what about those who might want to get some of those Keto benefits without eating meat?
Functional medicine expert and author of the book Ketotarian Will Cole created a meal plan that fuses a vegetarian diet with a ketogenic diet , replacing most animal fats with plant-based fats such as avocados, olives, walnuts and coconut, and thus can offer the same benefits as the keto diet without eating potentially inflammatory animal foods like red meat and dairy.
Discover everything you need to know about this interesting eating plan through the definitive guide to the Ketotarian diet .
What is the keto diet?
The ketotarian or ketotarian diet is more or less what it sounds like: a diet that allows you to experience the benefits of a vegetarian and keto diet . More specifically, it’s a high-fat, low-carb plan that, unlike a typical keto diet that is rich in beef and butter, includes lots of vegetables (non-starchy) and relies on plant sources like nuts and oil. olive for fat.
“It was born out of my experience in functional medicine and seeing the potential dangers in the ways that people are plant-based or follow a conventional ketogenic diet,” says Cole.
The Ketotarian diet excludes most animal products with the exception of eggs, fish, shellfish, and ghee, although these are optional. Eliminating these potential problem foods (high-fat dairy, coffee, lots of meat, and high saturated fat content) and going on the keto diet is a “cleaner” way to get into ketosis, according to Cole. He also notes that you will not miss out on any potential benefits of the conventional keto diet.
How to follow the ketotarian diet?
Depending on your lifestyle, there are 3 clean approaches to following a Ketotarian diet , says Cole.
Vegan, the most restrictive option, is made up of fats from avocados, olives, oils, nuts, seeds, and coconut. Vegetarian versions add organic eggs and pasture and ghee; while the Pescetarian version also allows fresh fish and seafood caught in the wild.
Food quality is another important part of the ketotarian diet. According to author Will Cole, you should choose organic foods when possible and limit unfermented soy products like tofu due to their content of phytoestrogens, which are said to disrupt your hormones (Bennetau-Pelissero, 2016).
However, more research is needed to fully understand how phytoestrogens affect health, as some studies indicate that they have beneficial effects, while others indicate that the disadvantages outweigh the potential benefits (Rietjens, Louisse, & Beekmann, 2017).
This diet also encourages you to avoid seed oils, such as corn, soy, and vegetable oils, as they promote inflammation due to their high content of omega-6 fats (Mboma et al., 2018). Also, you should steer clear of nightshade greens , which include eggplants, bell peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes. Proponents of the diet claim that they contain substances that prevent you from digesting and absorbing nutrients properly.
So on this diet you can get all the fats you need to enter ketosis (at least 65% of your calories) with plant-based fats like olive oil, avocado and coconut, says Cole.
Benefits of the keto diet
Little research has been done on the ketotarian diet. A study of 89 overweight people with type 2 diabetes found that those on a low-calorie keto diet lost more weight and had more improvements in blood sugar control than those on a standard low-calorie diet (Saslow et al., 2017). Additionally, it balances the hormones involved in hunger and satiety levels, resulting in less hunger during ketosis (Gibson et al., 2015).
On the other hand, this diet can help treat type 2 diabetes and certain nervous system disorders such as epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease (Dupuis, Curatolo, Benoist & Auvin, 2015). It can also promote intestinal health, as it is rich in fermented foods, which introduce healthier bacteria into the intestine; as well as fiber, which can decrease constipation and feed your healthy gut bacteria (Bell, Ferrão, Pimentel, Pintado and Fernandes, 2018).
Disadvantages of the keto diet
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, children, the elderly, people with chronic health conditions, and anyone with a history of an eating disorder should not try these types of diets. Nonetheless, Cole says that the keto diet can work for anyone.
“The ketotarian diet is a nutrient-dense diet of primarily real, whole foods, with lots of healthy omega and vegetable fats, clean protein, lots of non-starchy vegetables, and low-fructose fruits. “This is neither radical nor dangerous. But of course, any woman who is pregnant should talk to her doctor about all the foods she is eating. “
Will Cole, creator of the Cetotarian diet
However, although the diet is a very flexible plan for the consumption of many people, its biggest drawback is that it can be quite restrictive and difficult to follow, since doing it correctly requires extensive planning, and your options for dining out are very limited. . Also, it can be expensive if you are not used to buying organic food.
You can buy the book to learn more about the ketoterian diet
References
- Bell, V., Ferrão, J., Pimentel, L., Pintado, M. and Fernandes, T. (2018). One Health, Fermented Foods, and Gut Microbiota. Foods . doi: 10.3390 / foods7120195
- Bennetau-Pelissero, C. (2016). Risks and benefits of phytoestrogens: where are we now? Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care . doi: 10.1097 / MCO.0000000000000326
- Dupuis, N., Curatolo, N., Benoist. J. and Auvin, S. (2015). Ketogenic diet exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. Epilepsy doi: 10.1111 / epi.13038
- Gibson, A… and Sainsbury, A. (2015). Do ketogenic diets really suppress appetite? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews . doi: 10.1111 / obr.12230
- Mboma. J… and Jacques, H. (2018). Effects of Cyclic Fatty Acid Monomers from Heated Vegetable Oil on Markers of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Male Wistar Rats. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemestry. doi: 10.1021 / acs.jafc.8b01836
- Rietjens, I., Louisse, J. and Beekmann, K. (2017). The potential health effects of dietary phytoestrogens. British Journal of Pharmacology . doi: 10.1111 / bph.13622
- Saslow, L… and Moskowitz, J. (2017). An Online Intervention Comparing a Very Low-Carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations Versus a Plate Method Diet in Overweight Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research . doi: 10.2196 / jmir.5806
