Following a low-carbohydrate diet without meat?

1. Eating less carbohydrates is not that difficult.

1. Simply replace the sugars and starches in your diet with vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, nuts and fats.

1. Seems pretty easy unless you don't eat meat.

1. Conventional low-carb diets rely heavily on meat, making them anything but ideal for vegetarians.

1. But this need not be the case.

2. But this doesn't have to be the case.

1. Anyone can follow a low-carb diet, even vegetarians and vegans.

1. In this article I show you how to eat low-carb without meat!

2. In this article I'll show you how to eat low-carb without meat!

Why eat low-carbohydrates?

1. In recent years, numerous studies have shown that a low-carb diet can help you lose weight (without counting calories).

2. In recent years, numerous studies have shown that a low-carbohydrate diet can help you lose weight (without counting calories).

1. One of the main reasons is that these diets can significantly reduce appetite, causing you to consume fewer calories without consciously trying to eat less.

1. But a low-carbohydrate diet has a positive effect on health in other ways too.

1. These diets are very effective in fighting harmful belly fat, and they tend to reduce triglycerides and significantly increase HDL (called good cholesterol). They also tend to lower blood pressure and blood sugar.

2. These diets are very effective in fighting harmful belly fat, and tend to reduce triglycerides and significantly increase HDL (so-called good cholesterol). They also tend to lower blood pressure and blood sugar.

1. While not everyone needs to eat low carbohydrates, this has important benefits for people with obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes and certain neurological disorders.

1. A low-carbohydrate vegan diet can also be very healthy. Studies of a vegetarian low-carbohydrate diet (25% of calories as carbohydrates) have shown that such a diet is much healthier than a regular low-fat diet and even a low-fat vegetarian diet. [! 192298 => 1130 = 13!] Different types of vegetarians

2. A low-carbohydrate vegan diet can also be very healthy. Studies of a vegetarian low-carbohydrate diet (25% of the calories as carbohydrates) have shown that such a diet is much healthier than a regular low-fat diet and even a low-fat vegetarian diet.

Different types of vegetarians

1. There are different types of vegetarians. None of them eat meat or fish.

1. The two most common types are lacto-ovo vegetarians and vegans.

1. Lacto-ovo vegetarians (or simply vegetarians) do eat dairy products and eggs, but vegans don't eat animal foods at all.

Dairy products and eggs are low in carbohydrates

1. Eggs and dairy products, without added sugar, are low in carbohydrates, but are high in protein and fat. For vegetarians (not vegans) they are perfect for following a low carbohydrate diet.

1. Eggs: Contain only trace amounts of carbohydrates. Choose organic or omega-3 fortified eggs if you can.

1. Yogurt, Greek yogurt and kefir: Choose unsweetened, full-fat versions of dairy products. Preferably look for dairy with live cultures for an extra probiotic boost.

1. Grass-fed butter: Butter from cows that have been allowed to graze freely is healthy and can be eaten in moderation on a low-carbohydrate diet.

1. Cheese: Very nutritious and of course very tasty, can be used in all kinds of recipes.

1. These foods are also rich in vitamin B12, a vitamin not found in plant foods. Vegetarians can get their full vitamin B12 requirement from these foods, while vegans should probably take supplements.

Low carbohydrate plant foods (for both vegetarians and vegans)

1. There is actually a huge variety of low-carbohydrate plant foods.

2. There is actually a huge variety of low-carb vegetable foods.

1. Many of these foods are also rich in proteins and fats.

1. Vegetables: Many vegetables are low in carbohydrates. This includes tomatoes, onions, cauliflower, eggplant, peppers, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

2. Vegetables: Many vegetables are low in carbohydrates. This includes tomatoes, onions, cauliflower, eggplant, peppers, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.

1. Fruit: Berries such as strawberries and blueberries are fine to eat on a low-carb diet. Depending on how many carbohydrates you want to eat, other fruits may also be acceptable. Fruit with a lot of sugars, such as banana or mango, should be consumed only occasionally.

2. Fruit: Berries such as strawberries and blueberries are fine to eat on a low-carb diet. Depending on how many carbohydrates you want to eat, other fruits may also be acceptable. Fruits with a lot of sugars, such as banana or mango, should be consumed only occasionally.

1. Fatty fruits: Avocados and olives are incredibly healthy. They are low in carbohydrates, but many healthy fats.

1. Nuts and Seeds: Nuts and seeds are low in carbohydrates, but rich in protein and fat. This includes almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts and pumpkin seeds.

1. Soy: Foods like tofu and tempeh are high in protein and fat, but low in carbohydrates. This makes them acceptable on a low-carb vegetarian / vegan diet.

1. Note: soy is not an optimal choice because of the plant estrogens, but is acceptable as long as it is not used more than once a week.

1. Legumes: Some legumes, such as green beans, chickpeas, and more.

1. Healthy fats: Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil and coconut oil.

1. Chia Seeds: Most of the carbohydrates in chia seeds are fiber, so almost all of the useful calories come from protein and fat.

1. Dark chocolate: If you choose dark chocolate with a high cocoa content, you will get good fats and few carbohydrates.

How many carbohydrates should you eat per day?

1. There is no fixed definition of what low-carbohydrate food means.

1. It is important to experiment and find out how many carbohydrates you can eat to achieve your goals.

1. That said, these guidelines can help at the beginning:

1. 100-150 grams per day: This is a decent range for when you've reached the maintenance phase and is good for people who exercise a lot.

1. 50-100 grams per day: This should lead to automatic weight loss, and is a good range for people in the maintenance phase who don't exercise much.

1. 20-50 grams per day: With an intake of such low carbohydrates, you will lose weight quickly without experiencing much hunger. This range creates a state of ketosis.

1. Vegetarians can easily reach the lowest range, but such a diet would be impractical for vegans. A range of 100-150 grams would be better suited for vegans.

1. It is recommended that you use a nutritional app for at least a few days to keep track of your carbohydrate intake and make sure you are getting enough protein and fat.

A low-carbohydrate eating plan for a vegetarian diet

1. This is a weeklong eating schedule for a vegetarian (non-vegan) diet low in carbohydrates.

1. You can of course customize this menu based on your own needs and preferences.

1. Breakfast: eggs and vegetables, fried in olive oil.

1. Lunch: Bean salad with olive oil and a handful of nuts.

1. Dinner: Cauliflower gratin topped with cheese with broccoli and a small potato.

1. Breakfast: Full-fat yogurt and berries.

1. Lunch: Some cauliflower gratin from the day before.

1. Dinner: Grilled portobello with vegetables in butter and avocado.

1. Breakfast: Smoothie with coconut milk and blueberries.

1. Lunch: Carrot and cucumber sticks with hummus dip, and a handful of nuts.

1. Dinner: Stir-fried tempeh with cashews and vegetables.

1. Breakfast: Omelette with vegetables, fried in olive oil.

1. Lunch: Leftover tempeh from the night before.

1. Dinner: Chilli beans with sour cream, cheese and tomato salsa.

1. Breakfast: Full-fat yogurt and berries.

1. Lunch: Quinoa salad with some olive oil and a handful of nuts.

1. Dinner: Salad with feta cheese, pumpkin seeds and macadamia nuts, drizzled with olive oil.

1. Breakfast: Fried eggs with baked beans and avocado.

1. Lunch: Carrot and cucumber sticks with hummus dip, and a handful of nuts.

1. Dinner: Moussaka with aubergine.

1. Breakfast: Strawberry smoothie with whole yogurt and nuts.

1. Lunch: Moussaka from the night before.

1. Dinner: Quiche with asparagus, spinach and feta.

1. Looking for even more vegetarian or even vegan low-carb recipes?

1. There is a huge amount of free recipes available on the internet. Try keywords like low-carb vegetarian recipes or low-carb vegan recipes in Google.

1. There are also several cookbooks available on Bol.com that are devoted to low-carb and plant-based eating.

Finally ...

1. There are many delicious plant-based foods that are low in carbohydrates, but high in fat and protein.

1. In short, if you're just a little creative, there's no need to be a meat eater to reap the benefits of a low-carb diet.