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How do you eat low-carb on a vegetarian diet?

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Ask:

No medicine, pills, etc. What are foods you can eat on a low-carb diet?

Answers:

Answer 1:

When you choose to follow a Vegetarian LOW CARB (LC) diet, you have to make sure that you are getting enough “Complete Proteins”. Even if your morality says that killing things to eat them is wrong, this does not negate your body’s need for the spectrum of Amino Acids from complete protein sources to make it healthy, and to drive your metabolism. So, Protein is always the first piece of your meal that you plan.

In a healthy Protein Adequate LC diet, Protein must be around 30% of the Caloric Value that you ingest, and Eggs, Cheese, Soy, and Quorn are the best (i.e. “complete”) Vegetarian protein sources.

(NB: If you have a Thyroid Problem, I would advise you to steer well clear of unfermented Soy products, as these have been proven to slow the thyroid. Soy On Line Service for more information)

I just want to stop and really praise eggs here, There are hands down the best protein source you are going to be eating. The complete spectrum of amino acids, eggs are high quality protein, they also have the right amount and quality of fats, (and lecithin to aid in emulsifying it) and every mineral and vitamin you are going to need to live thrive and survive, bar Vitamin C, (Chickens can make their own!) in perfect proportion, in the perfect delivery system for our body to use it.

Nuts and Seitan (a meat-texture substitute, prepared from Gluten) are good too, but are incomplete, so you have to work these in with other things, to make sure that the protein is complete when eaten. (Although some say that you can just make sure that you eat the right amino acids over the day… I haven’t found enough evidence either way on that, and as a meat eater, not something I needed to research.)

Next, Fats. This should be at least 60% of your Caloric intake. When eating Low Carb, you derive your energy from fat. You cannot use Protein as an energy source easily. If you try, the body protests, with symptoms of shakiness, and rolling blackouts.

I also want to make the point that Saturated Fatty Acids (SFA) and Cholesterol are good for you. Think about it, your Body fat is saturated, and you use both SFA and Cholesterol to make hormones and to build your cell walls. If you have low cholesterol, you are more likely to have depression. The Medics don’t tell you that one!

There is no point in eating a Low Cholesterol diet as the liver makes 80% of the Cholesterol that is needed. If we eat less, the Liver just ramps up production, but unfortunately it tends to make more LDL, rather than HDL, which isn’t helpful!

Dairy Products (Butter, Cream, Cheese and Eggs) and coconut oil are the main veggie sources of Saturates. In fact if you are Vegan, Coconut Oil is the only SFA available to you. NB: Cocoa butter is also a SFA, but it is very difficult to get hold of in Isolation, and this fact is not a good excuse to eat tonnes of high% cocoa solid choc! Even if it does taste nice 😉  Continue reading How do you eat low-carb on a vegetarian diet? →

Weight loss diet for man and women

Diet and Mental Health

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Recent evidence suggests that good nutrition is essential for our mental health and that a number of mental health conditions may be influenced by dietary factors.

One of the most obvious, yet under-recognised factors in the development of major trends in mental health is the role of nutrition. The body of evidence linking diet and mental health is growing at a rapid pace. As well as its impact on short and long-term mental health, the evidence indicates that food plays an important contributing role in the development, management and prevention of specific mental health problems such as depression, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Nearly two thirds of those who do not report daily mental health problems eat fresh fruit or fruit juice every day, compared with less than half of those who do report daily mental health problems. This pattern is similar for fresh vegetables and salad. Those who report some level of mental health problem also eat fewer healthy foods (fresh fruit and vegetables, organic foods and meals made from scratch) and more unhealthy foods (chips and crisps, chocolate, ready meals and takeaways).

A balanced mood and feelings of wellbeing can be protected by ensuring that our diet provides adequate amounts of complex carbohydrates, essential fats, amino acids, vitamins and minerals and water.

While a healthy diet can help recovery, it should sit alongside other treatments recommended by your doctor.

Food consumption

What we are eating now is very different from that of our recent ancestors. Food production and manufacturing techniques, coupled with changing lifestyles and increasing access to processed foods, mean that our intake of fresh, nutritious, local produce is much lower, at the same time as our intake of fat, sugar, alcohol and additives is much higher. It has been estimated that the average person in the UK and other industrialised countries will eat more than 4 kilogrammes of additives every year.

Over the last 60 years there has been a 34% decline in UK vegetable consumption with currently only 13% of men and 15% of women now eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. People in the UK eat 59% less fish than they did 60 years ago – decreasing the consumption of essential omega-3 fatty acids.

Healthy eating on a budget

A healthy diet can be more expensive. Fish, fruit and vegetables can be particularly pricey. However, by cutting down on sugary drinks and snacks, takeaways and alcohol, you can save money so you can buy healthier foods.

Take care to buy only as much as you know you can use within the next few days, to reduce waste. You can also cut your costs by taking advantage of special promotions and by shopping at market stalls, which are often cheaper than supermarkets. If you live alone you could save money by splitting purchases with friends (buying bulk is usually cheaper) or by cooking several portions of a dish and freezing some of them. This also saves energy and saves you the effort of preparing meals every day.

Frozen fruit and vegetables are often cheaper than fresh produce and are usually just as good nutritionally (with no wastage). Fresh fruit and vegetables are usually cheapest when they are in season. Beans, lentils and soy mince are also cheaper than meat and just as nutritious. Continue reading Diet and Mental Health →