Considerations Before Starting a Keto Diet
Following a plant-based keto-friendly diet provides several potential health benefits, but it might not be the right choice for everyone. If you're thinking of adopting this meal plan, here are a few things to consider:
- A keto diet is not recommended for children or pregnant or breastfeeding women.
- People with diabetes who choose a keto diet will need to be aware of the potential for lower blood sugar. If you have diabetes and want to pursue a keto diet, talk to your healthcare provider first.
- People vary in their tendency to achieve and stay in ketosis.
- If you are wondering if a keto diet is right for you take this quiz.
4 Steps Toward Getting Started With Plant-Based Keto
1. Stock up on heart-healthy fats. You can typically use olive and canola oil liberally and eat avocados, nuts, and seeds freely.
2. Add non-starchy vegetables. Any vegetable that you can tolerate comfortably eating raw or in a salad is probably OK to consume. Spinach, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, peppers, onions, broccoli and cauliflower are all good options. These can be eaten in unlimited quantities — and the list goes on.
3. Prioritize protein intake along with healthy fats. Some people choose to add moderate amounts of lean protein foods like fish and poultry. Others stick to soy protein such as tofu or tempeh.
4. Deprioritize carbohydrate consumption. It's wise to limit yourself to a small number of carbohydrates. Two small servings of fruit per day are typical.
If you want to go keto, a plant-based keto diet has many advantages over a traditional keto diet. You'll get the benefits of eating lots of heart-healthy fats while potentially lowering your weight and your triglycerides, and blood sugar spikes after meals
If you decide to try a plant-based keto diet, it's best to start slow — try one keto meal a day for a few days, and then gradually increase until you're following this diet at all three meals each day. Pay attention to how your body reacts, talk to a healthcare provider, and then decide if a keto diet is right for you.
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