Low Carb Plant-Based Diet?

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LucyT
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Low Carb Plant-Based Diet?

Post by LucyT »

I am curious, as I have not really seen any information out there is the "low-cabrosphere" about a diet that otherwise reduces or shuns animal products, but also doesn't laden on the saturated fats. It is known that switching out saturated fats for unsaturated fats is healthier in the long run, and that switching out saturated fats with starchy or junky carbs (potatoes, white flour, etc) saw no significant change in health patterns (Harvard).

Knowing this, there should be more information out there on a diet that is:
  • Lower in carbs and devoid of "junky" carbs
  • Higher in fats, especially healthy fats and whole foods such as olives, nuts, seeds, and avocado
  • Lower or devoid of saturated fats
Assuming you still get a decent amount of protein, this should not be hard to accomplish and should be healthy. However, many high-carb vegans seem to think that fat in all its forms is deadly toxins, while low carbers tend to believe that saturated fat is a health food. There isn't really a pretty grey area in this field.

What do you think? It doesn't have to involve an extreme like Ketogenic diets do, but is there an argument for a low carb, higher fat and protein plant-based diet and still have it retain health aspects?
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brimstoneSalad
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Re: Low Carb Plant-Based Diet?

Post by brimstoneSalad »

Its' called eco-atkins
Unnatural vegan actually did a low carb experiment, and I think made a few videos on it. (EDIT: that was apparently specifically keto, maybe not useful)

Because the majority of calories in a low carb diet come from fat (you can't let protein get too high), you have to keep saturated fat percentage very low to meet recommendations, and vegan is pretty much the only way to do that (even a little bit of animal fat will push you over pretty fast).

As long as you stay out of ketosis, it's probably pretty healthy. Just depends on what you like to eat and what kind of diet is sustainable for you. Although it's worth mentioning that it is believed that low glycemic complex-carbs are a good replacement for saturated fat (just not processed carbs), consensus seems to be that this is probably true, it's just not at the level of certainty that replacing saturated with polyunsaturated fat is.
Jamie in Chile
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Re: Low Carb Plant-Based Diet?

Post by Jamie in Chile »

Strictly speaking most fruits, veg and salad all have a high % of dry mass as carbohydrates, so a low-carb plant-based diet is difficult to say the least. However, I guess you mean a low carb in the sense of the type of food we tend to think of as carbohydrate food, such as bread, pasta and so on.

If that's the case just take a regular whole foods vegan diet, perhaps with a bit lower amount of food like bread, pasta and a bit higher amount of fruit and veg.

I believe any plant-based diet with a lot of healthy natural rather than process foods is low on saturated fat.

"many high-carb vegans seem to think that fat in all its forms is deadly toxins". Nonsense, the body needs some fat, but probably you know already. Eat some nuts.

"while low carbers tend to believe that saturated fat is a health food" probably also nonsense, does not agree with mainstream science and nutrition. But then I guess you know that also.

My guess is that fairly large amounts of pasta, bread and so on, are probably not that bad. Try organic and whole wheat and things like that for at least some of it. Trust how you feel to an extent as well.

Disclaimer: I am not an expert, i can make a mistake.
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brimstoneSalad
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Re: Low Carb Plant-Based Diet?

Post by brimstoneSalad »

Jamie in Chile wrote: Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:22 pm Strictly speaking most fruits, veg and salad all have a high % of dry mass as carbohydrates, so a low-carb plant-based diet is difficult to say the least. However, I guess you mean a low carb in the sense of the type of food we tend to think of as carbohydrate food, such as bread, pasta and so on.
They usually look at net-carbs, so they exclude fiber.
Most vegetables are pretty low carb by nutrient density.
Fruit needs to be avoided, except some berries (raspberries are low carb, I think).
Jamie in Chile wrote: Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:22 pmTry organic and whole wheat and things like that for at least some of it. Trust how you feel to an extent as well.
Whole wheat is better, it's a bit lower Glycemic Index (which is the most harmful thing about carbs, if they strongly affect blood sugar), not sure what you mean by organic.
Consensus seems to be that whole food "slow carbs" are OK, and will probably reduce risk if they replace saturated fat. Not sure about sugary fruit, it might too but it's hard to say; in large amounts probably not.
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