Low-Carb Vegetarian Asks For Help
I got an e-mail today from a vegetarian reader who believes in livin' la vida low-carb, but she needs help:
I'm a vegetarian, I do drink smoothies with protein powder. I really believe, after reading a lot on diet and nutrition that low carb is the way to go, but for me, it's minus meat. What do you suggest and what do you know about veggie low carb?
Thanks for your time!
PS...My goal is dropping 80+ pounds by end of next January, doable with persistence, low carb and exercise??
Since I am NOT a vegetarian and thoroughly enjoy eating meat as part of my low-carb lifestyle, I don't have any personal experience with this topic to share with my reader. Do I have any vegetarian low-carbers out there who would be willing to share with this person who wants to lose 80 pounds by January 2007 about how you do it?
Please click on the comment link below and share your wealth of knowledge with all of us. THANKS!
12-16-05 UPDATE: One of my readers has experience with one book and did a little research at Amazon.com and found several excellent low-carb vegetarian books to help people who don't eat meat:
Hi, Jimmy! I saw a mention of a vegetarian asking about the low carb lifestyle.
There's a book called "Carb-Conscious Vegetarian" by Robin Robertson. I don't know how closely it follows to a strict low-carb diet, but I think it would have some helpful ideas, at least. I like the recipes I have tried.
Some other books are out there too, but I don't have them and so can't say from personal experience how good (or not) they may be:
Low Carb Vegetarian by Margo Demello
Low-Carb Vegetarian by Celia Brooks Brown
Low-Carb Vegetarian Cooking by Sue Spitler
The Vegetarian Low Carb Diet by Rose Elliott
The Protein-Powered Vegetarian by Bo Sebastian
THANKS for your input. If anyone else has any ideas, feel free to share them by clicking on the comment link below. THANKS!
I'm a vegetarian, I do drink smoothies with protein powder. I really believe, after reading a lot on diet and nutrition that low carb is the way to go, but for me, it's minus meat. What do you suggest and what do you know about veggie low carb?
Thanks for your time!
PS...My goal is dropping 80+ pounds by end of next January, doable with persistence, low carb and exercise??
Since I am NOT a vegetarian and thoroughly enjoy eating meat as part of my low-carb lifestyle, I don't have any personal experience with this topic to share with my reader. Do I have any vegetarian low-carbers out there who would be willing to share with this person who wants to lose 80 pounds by January 2007 about how you do it?
Please click on the comment link below and share your wealth of knowledge with all of us. THANKS!
12-16-05 UPDATE: One of my readers has experience with one book and did a little research at Amazon.com and found several excellent low-carb vegetarian books to help people who don't eat meat:
Hi, Jimmy! I saw a mention of a vegetarian asking about the low carb lifestyle.
There's a book called "Carb-Conscious Vegetarian" by Robin Robertson. I don't know how closely it follows to a strict low-carb diet, but I think it would have some helpful ideas, at least. I like the recipes I have tried.
Some other books are out there too, but I don't have them and so can't say from personal experience how good (or not) they may be:
Low Carb Vegetarian by Margo Demello
Low-Carb Vegetarian by Celia Brooks Brown
Low-Carb Vegetarian Cooking by Sue Spitler
The Vegetarian Low Carb Diet by Rose Elliott
The Protein-Powered Vegetarian by Bo Sebastian
THANKS for your input. If anyone else has any ideas, feel free to share them by clicking on the comment link below. THANKS!
posted by Jimmy Moore at
12/07/2005 09:34:00 PM
2 Comments:
To the vegetarian lady:
It IS possible to keep a low-carb lifestyle being a vegetarian. I hope you do eat eggs and egg-products, as well as dairy products? Otherwise it would be indeed a major challenge, although not completely impossible.
However, not only in choice of foods and taste but also in terms of nutrients you do miss out quite some things on a vegetarian diet.
Particularly vitamin B-12, A, D and iron deficiency is, sadly, often found to be common in vegans. To some extent, most of the nutrients that the body needs other than vitamin B-12 can be obtained from vegetable sources if extreme care is taken.
However, the availability of some of them to the body is often adversely affected by the special characteristics of a strictly vegetarian diet. Those affected include: energy, iron, calcium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, riboflavin and all of the fat soluble vitamins, particularly vitamin D. The best sources of these are meats, poultry and seafood, which are not eaten.
Especially for children extreme care must be observed as these deficiencies may very well lead to all kinds of problems and dangers for the developing and growing child.
For the most part, it is the more extreme forms of vegetarianism that are dangerous. Lacto-ovo-vegetarianism carries little or no health risk for its adult adherents - although there may still be risk for children if a bulky, high-fibre, low-fat/protein diet is fed.
So, please do enjoy eggs, veggies, soy products (but don't overdo on soy: Like all seeds, soybeans have phytic acid in their hulls, but soybeans have considerably more. This substance binds with several minerals, notably calcium, zinc and iron in such a way that it prevents the digestion from absorbing them. This can result in deficiencies of these essential minerals.) and every now and then try eating some meat products.
Believe me - they are very good for you. If you really do not want to eat any meat or meat products, not even fish, then focus on dairy products. Combine them with berries and other fruits, proteins, whey powder, and nuts and seeds. And of course eat eggs, whole eggs including the yolk - they are nature's most perfect food.
I think it would be wise to supplement vitamin D and B-12, as well as E and C. Don't forget that most veggies these days are grown on poor soils. Try to get real organic produce and eggs. An egg is not an egg - meaning that there is a major difference in real organic, free range eggs and bioindustry eggs. The latter lack almost all of the benefits and nutritional value of the former.
Thanks for the interesting post. This is the way of eating that I am pursuing. I really appreciate this. I have Rose Elliot's book on order now!
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