Low Carb Vegetarian Diet - The Healthy Weight Loss Diet.
March 21, 2009 by Mel Bryan
Filed under Weight Loss
Surprisingly enough, lots of low carb diets include many food choices that contain high amounts of unhealthy fat and cholesterol. For this reason, a low carb vegetarian diet may be the healthiest alternative you could choose. A low carb vegetarian diet is a great option for weight loss.
Even though a well balanced, low carb vegetarian diet might take some time to adjust to, you’ll be better off physically if you change poor eating habits. A bonus is that you will also look and feel much better.
Becoming a vegetarian may take some getting used to. Don’t attempt to go “cold turkey”! Try reducing the amount of meat you eat while improving the quality. Eat only lean meat and have it only one time daily. After a while, cut that down to one time a week. Still later, reduce it to once a month. Each time you reduce the amount of meat you are eating, increase the amount of other protein sources. Eventually, you will choose these sources over meat. At that point you can consider yourself to be a vegetarian.
In considering low carb vegetarian diets, you will want to choose whether you want to be a vegetarian or a vegan. The difference is that vegans do not use any animal products at all. This means no dairy products and no eggs. A low carb vegan diet might be very difficult to get used to. However, if you have your heart set on it, you may find it easier to start out with a vegetarian diet that does not allow meat but does include animal products such as cheese, yogurt, eggs, milk, etc. Then you could taper off these products over time to achieve a true low carb vegan diet.
The vegetarian diet normally features lots of pasta, bread, and rice. A low carb, vegetarian diet means you must find substitutions, since these foods have lots of carbs. Nuts are good too, but it might take some creativity when you’re not used to eating them with meals. Beans are nice, but eating too much may be tough on the digestive system.
If you want to follow a low carb vegetarian diet, you will want to include soybeans. They are high protein and also low calorie and low carb. They are excellent for helping to build muscle mass. They are an unfamiliar food to most Americans, so try introducing them to your diet a little at a time. They can be prepared in many ways, so you are sure to discover some protein rich soy dishes to enjoy.
Of course, there are other vegetarian protein sources aside from soy. For example, eggs are a very good source of protein. Keep in mind that moderation is important when incorporating eggs into your diet. They are high in protein, but they are also high in cholesterol. For a truly healthy protein source, try tofu. If you have never tried it before, now is an excellent time. Just as you are adjusting your diet and learning about creating a new, healthy low carb vegetarian diet, you will find tofu to be an excellent and interesting addition. Learning to cook with tofu is a bit tricky at first, but take heart! There are lots of great cookbooks for you to explore. Before you know it, you will be a tofu connoisseur.



