Tips for Vegetarian Low-Carbers

[Karen]

This is from:

http://www.holdthetoast.com/archive/000202.html

and contains some good information for vegetarian low-carbers.

Frequently Asked Question

I think I'm carbohydrate intolerant/carbohydrate addicted, but I'm a vegetarian. Can I still go on a low carbohydrate diet?

Yes, you can! I've known a few low carb vegetarians, and they've done fine. I've also known some vegetarians who simply incorporated *some*of the principles of a low carbohydrate diet -- most notably, a higher protein consumption -- into their diets, and were rewarded by improved health and energy.

If you wish to be a low carbohydrate vegetarian, the first thing
required is to get over the idea, very wide spread, especially among moral vegetarians, that the body requires very little protein. In my experience, improved health and energy level when protein intake is increased is virtually universal. You also need to ignore the widely touted idea that grains and beans are the "natural" diet of humankind, because they have been the *principle* diet of the majority of humankind since the Agricultural Revolution. Remember that agriculture was
invented approximately 10,000 years ago -- and that by the best
estimates of science, humankind has a 2 *million* year history. That's a very long time during which human beings lived and thrived on a diet that contained very little in the way of grains and beans, but did indeed include meat and other animal-derived foods.

None of which means you can't be a low carbohydrate vegetarian, and be quite healthy! After all, the concept of "natural" when it comes to humans is pretty meaningless. We didn't evolve with central heating, either, but I, for one, don't care to give it up! All it means is that you won't be constructing your vegetarian diet around grains and beans.

So what will you be eating? Well, first of all, all the stuff that
non-vegetarian low carb dieters eat that isn't meat! That would mean, of course, plenty of low carb vegetables, nuts, seeds, low sugar fruits, healthy fats like olive oil, mayonnaise, and butter, along with foods that contain healthy fat -- things like avocados and olives. If you're a lacto-ovo vegetarian, you'll also be eating eggs and cheese. (If you're a vegan, you should know that most soy cheeses are indeed low carb.)

The big food group that omnivorous low carbers tend to neglect, but that the vegetarian low carber will likely be consuming in abundance, is soy foods -- tofu, tempeh, okara, soy based veggie burgers, and soy based meat substitutes -- sausage, fake cold cuts, ground beef substitutes and the like. You'll need to be even more vigilant about reading labels than the omnivores, who can generally assume that all fresh meat,
poultry, and fish have about the same carb count -- zero -- and the same protein content -- 7g per ounce, cooked. Pay attention to not only carbohydrate content and fiber content, but also protein content, and look for products that have 5 or fewer grams of usable carbohydrate per serving, (subtract the grams of fiber from the total grams of carbohydrate to get the usable carb count), and choose those with the *most* protein for the *least* carbohydrate.

Another low carb, high protein soy food that many of you may not know about is textured vegetable protein, or TVP. Even if you haven't heard of it, you may well have had it, since it's often used to make processed foods seem like they have more meat in them than they do. I suspect it's also the basis for a fair number of the vegetarian meat substitutes on the market. TVP is a soy product, made by Archer Daniels Midland, the ultra-huge agricultural company. It comes dry, in granules or in chunks (about dry dog food-sized) -- I can get both at my health food store. Since Bloomingfoods (that's my health food store) only carries TVP in bulk, there was no package for me to read for nutritional info, so I called Archer Daniels Midland. (Hey, you can get just about anybody's phone number if you ask a reference librarian!) Talked to a very nice man named Mike in the research and development department. Here's the lowdown on TVP, nutritionally speaking:

100 grams of dry TVP has:
50 grams of protein -- and that's complete protein.
30 grams of carbohydrate
18 grams of fiber

That means that actually 100 grams of TVP has 12 grams of usable carb, of course.

Now, you wouldn't likely eat 100 grams of TVP! That's a LOT. There's about 80 grams total weight in a cup of the stuff. And TVP grows about 200% when you add liquid, so a cup of TVP would end up being 3 cups when it was rehydrated. I'm figuring about a third of a cup, dry, would be a serving -- that would be about a cup of rehydrated TVP. That would contain 13.2 grams of protein, and 3.16 grams of usable carb. Not bad.

How would you use TVP? It would make a good vegetarian chili, for example. Also, one night recently I was making a new meat loaf recipe, with lots of zucchini and parmesan cheese in it (yes, I'll give you the recipe in a future issue!) for company, and one of my guests was a vegetarian. I mixed together everything but the meat -- the zucchini, the onions, the cheese, the eggs, the seasonings -- and then before I added the ground beef, I scooped out some of this mixture and combined it with rehydrated TVP. I put it in an individual casserole dish, and
baked it. My vegetarian friend loved it!

What do you rehydrate TVP with? If you're making that vegetarian chili I just mentioned, the moisture from the tomato sauce and such will do fine. For other recipes, you *can* rehydrate TVP with boiling water -- two parts water to one part TVP -- but I like to use some sort of seasoning -- bouillon, soy sauce, something like that. Of course, you'll check the carb count on that, too, right? For the zucchini/parmesan casserole, I flavored the water I used to rehydrate the TVP with some Bragg's Aminos, a protein broth you can buy at many
health food stores. Gave a sort of "meaty" taste to the TVP.

Anyway, TVP is a versatile and inexpensive vegetarian protein option I thought some of you might have missed; so now you know!

There are also some seitan (wheat gluten) products that are low enough in carbohydrate to qualify as "low carb", but keep in mind that wheat gluten is A) not a complete protein and B) one of the foods most likely to cause unpleasant reactions. I'd choose it less often than the soy products, and eat it in combination with other vegetarian protein foods, if I were you.

Read the labels on *everything*! Don't assume that because Brand X veggie burgers are low carb, Brand Y veggie burgers are, too. Doing research at my health food store, I found veggie burgers that were made from soy protein, and were quite low carb and high in protein, and I also found veggie burgers that were made from grains, and were very high carb, with little protein. Be aware that seasoning can change the carb count, too -- if the same company makes different flavors of a product -- for instance, Italian flavored tofu, Thai flavored tofu, and Southwestern flavored tofu -- read all the labels on the different flavors!

Also pay close attention to products sold to flavor tofu -- scrambler mixes and the like. They often have starches or sugars in them. You'll do better to season your tofu yourself; buy a good cookbook if you have to.

So there you have the basics of a vegetarian low carb diet: Plenty of low carb vegetables, nuts and seeds, eggs and cheese, soy products, a bit of low sugar fruit, and unprocessed natural fats. A nutritious diet, and a healthy one. Just be aware that as a vegetarian, you'll be getting more carbs with your protein than your meat-eating low carb compatriots, and adjust the carb content of the rest of your diet downward accordingly.

Any concerns, here? Well, just a couple. First of all, most vegetarian meat substitutes cost considerably more per gram of protein than inexpensive meat or poultry would. Especially if you're a vegan, a low carb vegetarian diet could get pretty pricey. Too, vegetarian meat substitutes are virtually all processed -- even tofu is a processed food, to some degree. It's unclear to me what, exactly, the impact of this might be, but I thought I should point it out. (On the other hand, to be entirely fair, ground beef has to be considered at least slightly processed, too. After all, our ancestors didn't just eat the muscle meats, they ate virtually the whole animal.)

Third, the only good sources of iron in a vegetarian low carb diet would be egg yolks, nuts, and a few vegetables -- beans, the most common source of iron in most vegetarian diets, are not suitable for low carbing, except on some of the more liberal, "hybrid" diets, like my Careful Carb diet. Vegetarians may wish to choose such a hybrid diet, or take an iron supplement. (Be aware, though: Iron is a mineral where not getting too much is as crucial as not getting too little. Too little will cause anemia, and make you tired. Too much has been associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Women of childbearing age are the population most at risk for anemia.) (In case you were wondering, the most absorbable form of dietary iron is called
"heme iron", and is found in red meat. Those of us who eat an
omnivorous low carb diet shouldn't have to worry much.)

My fourth worry applies only to vegans: I'm convinced that cholesterol is *good* for you -- it's essential for every single cell in your body -- and a vegan diet supplies *none*. It is also lacking in DHA, a fatty acid essential for brain function. (There's now some speculation, for instance, that the measurable difference in brain function between breast fed and formula fed babies -- breast fed babies tend to be smarter -- may be due to the fact that breast milk is rich in DHA, while formula has none.) Eggs are a good source of both, so lacto-ovo vegetarian low carbers don't have to concern themselves with this. Also, be sure to eat plenty of the vegetarian sources of healthy fats -- olive oil on your salads, and to sauté things in, avocados on your salad, things like that. A low carb/low fat diet isn't good for you.

One other possible problem occurs to me: Eating out as a low carb vegetarian could become a very difficult proposition. Most vegetarian entrees at restaurants are based on pasta, beans, or rice. I'm afraid I don't know much of a way around this, except perhaps to pick a good local restaurant where they're known for catering, to some degree, to vegetarians, and let them know of your dietary restrictions. They just might come up with a great new tofu dish or tempeh stir fry for you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[vegitarian]

That was very helpful. One idea I have is asking everyone if they wouldn't mind a vietnameese or asian restrauant. You can usually get stir-fried veggies there with Tofu.

One question though, is Tofu allowed during induction?

:confused:

[black57]

:wave: Hello, I wanted to visit a difierent board ( I am doing atkins ) to see what y'all are discussin'. I had discussed this way of eating on the Woman's Day Forums and I had mentioned that vegetarians could do this diet. So I wanted to see how vegetarians do it.

I think tofu is highly acceptable on induction. However, I noticed that some tofu contains 0 carbs while others will list 2 grams of carbs on the packet. So you will want to be aware of that.

I love mashed potatoes ( shh don't tell anyone ). I mix tofu with mashed potatoes to reduce the carb grams ( 1/2 cup serving ) And it actually increases the protein. My family won't touch them.

I am sure there is someon who knows better about tofu and will corrct me if I am off base.

Black57

[gowe]

Hi Karen:

Thank you so much for your wealth of information. It is most helpful, I know I will refer to it often as I practice my new diet. I mean diet as in new way of eating.

I am curious. Where are the low carbers using the Carb Addict's Plan? Let's share.

Gowe

[Karen]

From the Main Page (http://forum.lowcarber.org/), scroll down to the CAD/CALP forum.

Karen

[andie]

this is great! i had indeed wondered about just this subject. ive been a vegetarian in the past ..but being carb intolerant now i know why i was heavy on such a food plan. i do love beans !! thanks for the information and sparking some new thoughts.

[joycelyn]

Wow! I am so glad I found this forum! I too am a vegetarian - lacto ovo ( I do eat eggs and dairy), and it's a relief to see others who want to reduce carbs yet maintain the integrity of a vegetarian eating plan.

I am on the Insulin Resistance Diet; it's a modified protein/carb balanced eating plan that lets you eat things like beans and dairy, lots of low-starch veg, along with measured amounts of fruits and grains. Nothing is denied, so this is something I can live with the rest of my life.

I modify the Insulin Resistance Diet to include more fats than they allow, as I feel their emphasis on a low fat diet is outdated, but other than that, I am thrilled with this eating plan. Besides, I'm a firm believer that the best diet around is the one we tweak to suit our own needs!

You can go on Amazon.com and view, I think, 38 pages of the book for free, if you're interested!

If anyone wants to swap recipes or needs a particular vegetarian recipe, just let me know...I have lots of low carbohydrate books on my shelves, and I also enjoy modifying meat-containing recipes to be vegetarian ones.

[has]

Vegitarian I found a recipie for Daikon (Chinese
radish) You dice and fry it with onion and add
salt and pepper until it is crispy on the outside
and soft on the inside. It is delicious. Also make
pizza crust out of old cheddar microwaved for 2-3
minutes then add a little salsa or low carb pizza
sauce and toppings. Works really well. I also
like devilled eggs. Hard boiled eggs scooped out
add a little mustard and mayo and fill egg .
I am also a PT. I chose to do this because a lot
of clients ask about Atkins and I wanted to know
what I was talking about.

[has]

Jocelyn Hi I used to be huge on Humous and
pita. Do you know of a alternate snack that would
be simular? I've tried veggies to dip but it is not
quite the same and you can't have a lot of those
either.

[has]

Jocelyn has, again. Do you have an idea for
pop? I drink club soda with a dash of lemon
sometimes but have been unable to find sugar
free syrups to add variety. Do you have any
other suggestions?

[Paleoanth]

Does it have to be carbonated? There is Fruit2O which comes in a bunch of flavors and is sweetened with Splenda. Or you might mix that half and half with the club soda to give it that zing.

[joycelyn]

Hi everyone,

In reply to the Hummus question...on the Insulin Resistance Diet you are allowed legumes and don't have to count them. This is because they are high in protein and fiber and have a low glycemic index. This was but one of many factors that sold me on this eating plan, especially since I am a vegetarian. ( I know on Sugarbusters you are allowed lots of legumes as well).

So on my plan I can eat my hummus and have pita bread too, making sure the amount I eat balances out to the carb/protein ratio the diet recommends.

If you are really cutting carbs way back, of course legumes are out. Some folks do interesting things with black soybeans which have a ton of fiber and low carb count. But honestly, garbanzo beans (which are used in hummus), have such a rich buttery flavor, I doubt if the taste would be similar.

As far as soda, I don't drink much sugar free soda, using the brands made with Splenda if I do. One interesting thing some folks do is mix up the Davinci sugarfree syrups with club soda and even cream, and make what are called "Italian sodas." I've never done that, but sounds interesting.

Hope this helped a little. Sorry about the hummus...I would feel very deprived if I couldn't eat some hummus and pita now and then, that's why I like the Insulin Resistance Diet. I don't feel deprived.

[Meghan]

Tofu question! I have found that the "low fat" tofu has carbs were as the regular has 0-1 depending on th brand! So I would say tofu is okay, and when you get farther down the line there is a really yummy tofu straberry smoothie you can have
Atkins SF strawberry syrup
fresh Strawberries
and Tofu
mix in blender, it is really yummy since tofu taste like what you put in it!

[pondwader]

*sigh* looks so complicated to me, I don't like any of the stuff I'm allowed to eat. I love pasta and beans and rice, and corn and carrots and all the stuff that is loaded with carbs. I can't stand tofu, and for me, wanting to stay away from meat has nothing to do with the fact that it is an animal, that doesn't bother me, I just can't stand the smell or taste or texure of it, so the veggie burgers etc are out for me too. I haven't got a clue what to do to get started. I don't have time for a lot of cooking, I prefer fast, easy, and preferably no cooking at all. My husband and I both work full time and have four kids, so even if I liked cooking, I have no time to cook separate meals just for me. Any advice on foods I can eat just the way they are that will meet the requirements for this diet? (raw or easily found prepared foods?)

[Paleoanth]

What about Tempeh? Do you like that at all?

Squashes and mushrooms are on the OK list and they are all easy to prepare. I found a couple of recipes both here (click on Low Carb Recipes above) and at another site http://www.carb-lite.au.com/index.html that were quick and easy.

They have come out with low carb versions of pasta-I am not sure how they taste or anything, but even at my local Kroger's they have low carb versions of many foods. You might have to switch off with hubby on the cooking duties. This way of eating does require more advance planning, especially for vegetarians.

[Tonymoo]

My best tip for vegetarians is....eat meat!

I'm not being sarcastic. I was a vegetarian (no meat or fish) for over 20 years. I got through induction fine and lost 16 pounds, but then had MASSIVE cravings for meat, which I eventually responded to.

I now realise I missed out on great food for 20 years. I know several vegetarians who have had the same experience - go with what your body feels is right

[Iowagirl]

Not sure this would be considered a "helpful" tip. I don't think most vegetarians are abstaining from meat in answer to a masochistic call. They are making what they consider to be a healthy choice.

[Paleoanth]

I just hate plants. So I eat them.

[Iowagirl]

That would make you a sadist. Vive la difference!

[SerenityNY]

Hi everyone~

I thought vegetarians would like to know, if they don't already, this disappointing piece of information:

Unless CHEESE is specifically labelled "made with microbial enzymes" or "made without rennet", that it is not vegetarian. The "enzymes" used to make cheese come from the stomach lining of veal calves.

Check your local health store for organic dairy cheese. The brand Horizon makes all their cheeses labelled renettless without animal enzymes, and it tastes exactly the same as regular cheese and costs maybe a quarter more.

Unfortunately, most veggie/soy cheese is almost inedible, and many of them are made with hydrogenated and partially fractionated oils. Especially Tofutti brand. Read your labels!

The only brand I can recommend is something called "Almond" by Lisanetti....it comes in Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Mozzarella, and it is delicious, and can melt and has only 1 cab per ounce!

More information about this an be read at:
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/cheese.html
http://www.wholefoods.com/healthinfo/rennet.html
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mrennet.html

According to the last link,
If you're lucky enough to live near a "Trader Joe's" store, you will find cheeses categorized into three rennet categories: animal, vegetable, and microbial. See
http://www.traderjoes.com/products/brochures/east_rennet.asp

Hope this helps!

[Skinny9]

But honestly, garbanzo beans (which are used in hummus), have such a rich buttery flavor, I doubt if the taste would be similar.///.I would feel very deprived if I couldn't eat some hummus and pita now and then, that's why I like the Insulin Resistance Diet.

There's an Indian legume called 'chana dal' with some unbelievably low GI. It's kind of strong-flavored for hummus, but you could go light on the garlic. Maybe you could mix the two.

I'll look for a forum on Insulin Resistance Diet. But most kinds of beans make me dull, tho I love them. I wonder why they're allowed.


Skinny9

[Skinny9]

Any advice on foods I can eat just the way they are that will meet the requirements for this diet? (raw or easily found prepared foods?)

My body began calling for very low-carb and raw, so I asked for suggestions and got these, all raw nibble food:
snap peas, snow peas, asparagus, baby carrots already peeled, mixed salad greens, sliced mushrooms, broccoli, celery, fresh peppers, jicama, dikon radish, avocado, grapefruit. (I love 'cherry tomatoes' but dunno if they meet the requirements.) Their flavors are fine for me without special dressings or dips. Sometimes some plain butter and/or grated cheese.

For breakfast I'm mixing cottage cheese, cream cheese, yoghurt, sour cream with unsweetened cocoa powder. This would keep a long time.

What about boiled eggs? If 'deviled' eggs are too much trouble, you could eat them hot with butter and salt. What about make-ahead stuff like egg salad?

Skinny9

[nutty]

Nuts are my best bets :yay: The longer I stay away from meat/fish/poultry/egg, the less I crave them. I never have problem with nuts. Acutally, I went down from 115 to 96 after gone lacto-vegetarian. I don't really eat dairy either except in the form of whey protein found in protein bars.

[vmeera]

Hi Karen
Thanks for all the amazing, helpful information you supply. Could you please tell me how many carbs / protein would be in a serving of 1/4 Cup hummous? Sorry if you've answered this before. I looked through the site but couldn't find an answer!

Best to you
vmeera

[Paleoanth]

Hey Vmeera-

According to Fitday, hummus has:

Total Carbohydrate 12.4g

Dietary Fiber 3.14g

So that would make it around 9 grams or so of net carbs. I know the kind I buy has 3 or 4 net grams per 2 tablespoons.

[Karen]

Could you please tell me how many carbs / protein would be in a serving of 1/4 Cup hummous? It depends on how it's made. Less/more chickpeas, less/more tahini, garlic and lemon juice. There's a pretty good carb counter under Tools at the top left of the page and fitday.com is another way to figure out carb counts.

You can make a pretty decent hummous out of tofu or canned black soy beans if you don't object to using soy. And, it's lower in carbs, higher in protein. :)

Karen

[Pei-lin]

Thought I'd share my quickest vegetarian low-carb recipe:

2/3 cup meatless crumbles

1/4 cup spaghetti sauce (low-carb kind if you want; you don't need much, though)

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Mix the sauce and meatless stuff together, sprinkle liberally with the cheese, and pop in the microwave for a minute and a half, maybe longer.

<sigh> almost like eating spaghetti

A mexican version with a little hot sauce or salsa and cheddar cheese isn't bad either. Using Morningstar Farms Grillers recipe crumbles and Ragu Carb Options brand spaghetti sauce, I get 200 calories 12 g total carbs 4 g fiber and 13 g fat. I think you can find an even better low-carb version of crumbles out there then what I use, with 4g total carb/3 g fiber, but my grocery store doesn't stock it -- Yve's brand makes it and it says 'Carb Busters' or something like that on the front and advertises 1 g of net carbs.

[Paleoanth]

Hey Pei-

You should start a new thread with this recipe. That way it won't get lost in this one.

Good idea on that spaghetti! Sounds quick and easy-just like I like my food.

[sweetmango]

I read this info from a book I had recently checked out of the library , pesco vegetarian , I don't eat poultry, red meat or pork, some dairy,this is more for my lifestyle :) mainly my breakfast meals i have trouble with same old thing eggs, oatmeal or dry cereal~`







This is from:

http://www.holdthetoast.com/archive/000202.html

and contains some good information for vegetarian low-carbers.

Frequently Asked Question

I think I'm carbohydrate intolerant/carbohydrate addicted, but I'm a vegetarian. Can I still go on a low carbohydrate diet?

Yes, you can! I've known a few low carb vegetarians, and they've done fine. I've also known some vegetarians who simply incorporated *some*of the principles of a low carbohydrate diet -- most notably, a higher protein consumption -- into their diets, and were rewarded by improved health and energy.

If you wish to be a low carbohydrate vegetarian, the first thing
required is to get over the idea, very wide spread, especially among moral vegetarians, that the body requires very little protein. In my experience, improved health and energy level when protein intake is increased is virtually universal. You also need to ignore the widely touted idea that grains and beans are the "natural" diet of humankind, because they have been the *principle* diet of the majority of humankind since the Agricultural Revolution. Remember that agriculture was
invented approximately 10,000 years ago -- and that by the best
estimates of science, humankind has a 2 *million* year history. That's a very long time during which human beings lived and thrived on a diet that contained very little in the way of grains and beans, but did indeed include meat and other animal-derived foods.

None of which means you can't be a low carbohydrate vegetarian, and be quite healthy! After all, the concept of "natural" when it comes to humans is pretty meaningless. We didn't evolve with central heating, either, but I, for one, don't care to give it up! All it means is that you won't be constructing your vegetarian diet around grains and beans.

So what will you be eating? Well, first of all, all the stuff that
non-vegetarian low carb dieters eat that isn't meat! That would mean, of course, plenty of low carb vegetables, nuts, seeds, low sugar fruits, healthy fats like olive oil, mayonnaise, and butter, along with foods that contain healthy fat -- things like avocados and olives. If you're a lacto-ovo vegetarian, you'll also be eating eggs and cheese. (If you're a vegan, you should know that most soy cheeses are indeed low carb.)

The big food group that omnivorous low carbers tend to neglect, but that the vegetarian low carber will likely be consuming in abundance, is soy foods -- tofu, tempeh, okara, soy based veggie burgers, and soy based meat substitutes -- sausage, fake cold cuts, ground beef substitutes and the like. You'll need to be even more vigilant about reading labels than the omnivores, who can generally assume that all fresh meat,
poultry, and fish have about the same carb count -- zero -- and the same protein content -- 7g per ounce, cooked. Pay attention to not only carbohydrate content and fiber content, but also protein content, and look for products that have 5 or fewer grams of usable carbohydrate per serving, (subtract the grams of fiber from the total grams of carbohydrate to get the usable carb count), and choose those with the *most* protein for the *least* carbohydrate.

Another low carb, high protein soy food that many of you may not know about is textured vegetable protein, or TVP. Even if you haven't heard of it, you may well have had it, since it's often used to make processed foods seem like they have more meat in them than they do. I suspect it's also the basis for a fair number of the vegetarian meat substitutes on the market. TVP is a soy product, made by Archer Daniels Midland, the ultra-huge agricultural company. It comes dry, in granules or in chunks (about dry dog food-sized) -- I can get both at my health food store. Since Bloomingfoods (that's my health food store) only carries TVP in bulk, there was no package for me to read for nutritional info, so I called Archer Daniels Midland. (Hey, you can get just about anybody's phone number if you ask a reference librarian!) Talked to a very nice man named Mike in the research and development department. Here's the lowdown on TVP, nutritionally speaking:

100 grams of dry TVP has:
50 grams of protein -- and that's complete protein.
30 grams of carbohydrate
18 grams of fiber

That means that actually 100 grams of TVP has 12 grams of usable carb, of course.

Now, you wouldn't likely eat 100 grams of TVP! That's a LOT. There's about 80 grams total weight in a cup of the stuff. And TVP grows about 200% when you add liquid, so a cup of TVP would end up being 3 cups when it was rehydrated. I'm figuring about a third of a cup, dry, would be a serving -- that would be about a cup of rehydrated TVP. That would contain 13.2 grams of protein, and 3.16 grams of usable carb. Not bad.

How would you use TVP? It would make a good vegetarian chili, for example. Also, one night recently I was making a new meat loaf recipe, with lots of zucchini and parmesan cheese in it (yes, I'll give you the recipe in a future issue!) for company, and one of my guests was a vegetarian. I mixed together everything but the meat -- the zucchini, the onions, the cheese, the eggs, the seasonings -- and then before I added the ground beef, I scooped out some of this mixture and combined it with rehydrated TVP. I put it in an individual casserole dish, and
baked it. My vegetarian friend loved it!

What do you rehydrate TVP with? If you're making that vegetarian chili I just mentioned, the moisture from the tomato sauce and such will do fine. For other recipes, you *can* rehydrate TVP with boiling water -- two parts water to one part TVP -- but I like to use some sort of seasoning -- bouillon, soy sauce, something like that. Of course, you'll check the carb count on that, too, right? For the zucchini/parmesan casserole, I flavored the water I used to rehydrate the TVP with some Bragg's Aminos, a protein broth you can buy at many
health food stores. Gave a sort of "meaty" taste to the TVP.

Anyway, TVP is a versatile and inexpensive vegetarian protein option I thought some of you might have missed; so now you know!

There are also some seitan (wheat gluten) products that are low enough in carbohydrate to qualify as "low carb", but keep in mind that wheat gluten is A) not a complete protein and B) one of the foods most likely to cause unpleasant reactions. I'd choose it less often than the soy products, and eat it in combination with other vegetarian protein foods, if I were you.

Read the labels on *everything*! Don't assume that because Brand X veggie burgers are low carb, Brand Y veggie burgers are, too. Doing research at my health food store, I found veggie burgers that were made from soy protein, and were quite low carb and high in protein, and I also found veggie burgers that were made from grains, and were very high carb, with little protein. Be aware that seasoning can change the carb count, too -- if the same company makes different flavors of a product -- for instance, Italian flavored tofu, Thai flavored tofu, and Southwestern flavored tofu -- read all the labels on the different flavors!

Also pay close attention to products sold to flavor tofu -- scrambler mixes and the like. They often have starches or sugars in them. You'll do better to season your tofu yourself; buy a good cookbook if you have to.

So there you have the basics of a vegetarian low carb diet: Plenty of low carb vegetables, nuts and seeds, eggs and cheese, soy products, a bit of low sugar fruit, and unprocessed natural fats. A nutritious diet, and a healthy one. Just be aware that as a vegetarian, you'll be getting more carbs with your protein than your meat-eating low carb compatriots, and adjust the carb content of the rest of your diet downward accordingly.

Any concerns, here? Well, just a couple. First of all, most vegetarian meat substitutes cost considerably more per gram of protein than inexpensive meat or poultry would. Especially if you're a vegan, a low carb vegetarian diet could get pretty pricey. Too, vegetarian meat substitutes are virtually all processed -- even tofu is a processed food, to some degree. It's unclear to me what, exactly, the impact of this might be, but I thought I should point it out. (On the other hand, to be entirely fair, ground beef has to be considered at least slightly processed, too. After all, our ancestors didn't just eat the muscle meats, they ate virtually the whole animal.)

Third, the only good sources of iron in a vegetarian low carb diet would be egg yolks, nuts, and a few vegetables -- beans, the most common source of iron in most vegetarian diets, are not suitable for low carbing, except on some of the more liberal, "hybrid" diets, like my Careful Carb diet. Vegetarians may wish to choose such a hybrid diet, or take an iron supplement. (Be aware, though: Iron is a mineral where not getting too much is as crucial as not getting too little. Too little will cause anemia, and make you tired. Too much has been associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Women of childbearing age are the population most at risk for anemia.) (In case you were wondering, the most absorbable form of dietary iron is called
"heme iron", and is found in red meat. Those of us who eat an
omnivorous low carb diet shouldn't have to worry much.)

My fourth worry applies only to vegans: I'm convinced that cholesterol is *good* for you -- it's essential for every single cell in your body -- and a vegan diet supplies *none*. It is also lacking in DHA, a fatty acid essential for brain function. (There's now some speculation, for instance, that the measurable difference in brain function between breast fed and formula fed babies -- breast fed babies tend to be smarter -- may be due to the fact that breast milk is rich in DHA, while formula has none.) Eggs are a good source of both, so lacto-ovo vegetarian low carbers don't have to concern themselves with this. Also, be sure to eat plenty of the vegetarian sources of healthy fats -- olive oil on your salads, and to sauté things in, avocados on your salad, things like that. A low carb/low fat diet isn't good for you.

One other possible problem occurs to me: Eating out as a low carb vegetarian could become a very difficult proposition. Most vegetarian entrees at restaurants are based on pasta, beans, or rice. I'm afraid I don't know much of a way around this, except perhaps to pick a good local restaurant where they're known for catering, to some degree, to vegetarians, and let them know of your dietary restrictions. They just might come up with a great new tofu dish or tempeh stir fry for you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[pushka]

Thank you for all the above posts...they are really useful, I sympathise with Pondwaver as sometimes cooking just seems too much of an effort to me too...that's when I tend to binge on the nasty hi carb foods like crisps or alcohol!!
I will be looking around my health food stores more than ever in the future and am looking forward to having a more varied veggie diet from now on..

Good luck to everyone,
Michele (newbie)

[sweetmango]

I read this info from a book I had recently checked out of the library , pesco vegetarian , I don't eat poultry, red meat or pork, some dairy,this is more for my lifestyle :) mainly my breakfast meals i have trouble with same old thing eggs, oatmeal or dry cereal~`



:) I am looking a low carb high protein shake any suggestions!! no milk mixtures, don't like milk. I knew A lady who mix hers with diet coke what do you think!! :yum: :yum: :yum:

[sweetmango]

I am a Pesco vegetarian , since june 7, is when I cut out poultry, I don't eat red meat or pork/ fish, no seafood , some dairy! I am a coffee drinker, and I drink herbal green tea/flavored kind, need all the support I can get. also trying to adjust to low carb. This is a life time change for me!!

[sweetmango]

karen ! I am consider to be a pesco vegetarian, no meat, just fish, some dairy, I am getting into Protein drinks, and I feel better, not as tired. Any Sugestions I want my carb level not to go 30!

[KLD65]

I have recently been told by me Primary Care Physician that I need to watch my carbs in order to lose weight. On the same day, my Neurologist told me that, because of the medication I take (Depakote), I need to watch my proteins, because I can't digest them as well. Any suggestions?

[izyb]

thanks karen for the info.....I am starting this eating plan and am a bit lost......you really helped!
blessed be
izyb

[leespike]

Hi :wave:

I am very happy to find this forum. I wanted to do the veggie low-carb because I was on the atkins low carb and it works but I want to stop eating meat. Presently I do eat lot of vegetables, fruit and nuts (raw and cook) I am more drifting to eating mostly raw food, vegetarian style eating plus loose weight for optimum living.

[leespike]

Hi, Can anyone give to tips on what to eat during the induction period on the veggie low carb or direct me to a site that will instruct me?

My present stat is 220/210/145

thanks

[aprilntx]

Wow! I am so glad I found this forum! I too am a vegetarian - lacto ovo ( I do eat eggs and dairy), and it's a relief to see others who want to reduce carbs yet maintain the integrity of a vegetarian eating plan.

I am on the Insulin Resistance Diet; it's a modified protein/carb balanced eating plan that lets you eat things like beans and dairy, lots of low-starch veg, along with measured amounts of fruits and grains. Nothing is denied, so this is something I can live with the rest of my life.

I modify the Insulin Resistance Diet to include more fats than they allow, as I feel their emphasis on a low fat diet is outdated, but other than that, I am thrilled with this eating plan. Besides, I'm a firm believer that the best diet around is the one we tweak to suit our own needs!

You can go on Amazon.com and view, I think, 38 pages of the book for free, if you're interested!

If anyone wants to swap recipes or needs a particular vegetarian recipe, just let me know...I have lots of low carbohydrate books on my shelves, and I also enjoy modifying meat-containing recipes to be vegetarian ones.
Jocelyn, what book on amazon are you talking about?

april

[aprilntx]

It depends on how it's made. Less/more chickpeas, less/more tahini, garlic and lemon juice. There's a pretty good carb counter under Tools at the top left of the page and fitday.com is another way to figure out carb counts.

You can make a pretty decent hummous out of tofu or canned black soy beans if you don't object to using soy. And, it's lower in carbs, higher in protein. :)

Karen
Karen, where can I find the recipe for the hummus made from black beans and soy?

april

[Ronchick]

I couldnt help but see that most of the veg lc diet is based on soy. how abt lentils?? are unlimite portions of it allowed??

[Gaelen]

Ronchick, it's harder to be vegetarian and low carb without soy, but if you are ovo-lacto, you don't have to use soy unless you want to.

I eat all of it--eggs, dairy, and soy--and I also include seeds, nuts, and small amounts of lentils. I wouldnt say 'unlimited amounts,' since lentils like all vegetarian protein sources have some level of carbs. So I suppose the way to put it is that you can eat all the lentils you want up to to your daily carb maximum. That usually isn't an issue on Protein Power's 40g ECC per day...but it can be pretty limited amounts if you're trying to stick to the 20g of Atkins induction. Hope this helps.

[Ronchick]

thanks Gaelen...i dont really like the taste of most soy products....i mostly have about 2 cups of lentils a day...i hope that is okay...though i have been on p1 for a week now and have lost only 2 lbs :(

[Gaelen]

Ronchick, 1 cup of cooked lentils is 39g carbs (16g fiber, so about 23g ECC per cup). Two cups would be 46g effective carbs per day...not counting any other carbs you take in, that's pretty high and might explain why you're not losing much. Have you read any low carb books for guidance?

[graypez]

This is my 1st holiday season as a vegetarian and I have no idea what to eat for thanksgiving. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[Gaelen]

Try stuffing a pumpkin, winter squash, zucchini or portobello mushroom caps with a mixture of finely diced mushrooms, shredded zucchini, ground walnuts or almonds, tofu or cream cheese, herbs, etc.. Add a side of either steamed greens or spinach salad with red onion, and top the whole thing off with a dessert of whipped cream with cranberry/orange drizzle. And enjoy!

[graypez]

Thanks so much for the advice!!!!!

[KatieAZ]

I'm so glad there are other vegiterian low carbers!! I'm not vegetarian but I don't eat a lot of meat until I started the LC diet again. I think this thread will be very helpful!! thanks everyone!!

[dm2004]

I eat alot of Quorn products. They are good for protein and low in carbs depending on what product.

http://www.quorn.us

I also eat alot of channa dal. It is low in the GI chart and good for diabetics (which I am).

Carol

[midesire]

Hello Karen,
I am new to this site and really appreciate all the information.
I do eat meat but sometimes I prefer to go without for a time but to still eat low carb.
This article is very helpful.

[tammay]

:) I am looking a low carb high protein shake any suggestions!! no milk mixtures, don't like milk. I knew A lady who mix hers with diet coke what do you think!! :yum: :yum: :yum:

Sweetmango,
I went on a search for just the thing you're looking for a while back and came up with Nature's Plus Energy unsweetened, unflavored protein powder. I'm very picky about taste (don't like the aftertaste of some of the powders) and I found this one is great - no aftertaste and also it makes a shake very thick and rich (so you might need to add more water). It's also lowcarb and nondairy - 1 scoop is 2 carbs, I think.

It is made of soy, so anyone who is sensitive to soy might not be able to use it. Also, check the can to make sure that it really is unsweetened and unflavored and 70 calories/2 net carbs per scoop. I bought a can without lookin at it and it turned out to be 160 calories and something like 18 grams of carbs!

Hope that helps!

Tam

[3thirty3]

anyone have any ideas for seasoning and coking tofu?

also - can i eat tofu in induction?

thanks

[3thirty3]

hey karen - your threads are AMAZING. thanks.

i still can;t seem to find a straight forward answer ont he induction phase for vegetarians. what can i eat/substitute and what can i not? for example, can i eat quorn products, can i eat tofu? so far, all i have eaten is salad, eggs, cheese and atkins bars.

would be great to change things around a bit, but i will do all cheese, eggs and bars if i have to for 2 weeks...

any help would be incredibly welcome!

thanks much,
vic
3thirty3~gmail.com

[Elsah]

South beach is a lot more veggie friendly at least for the early phases and without getting calories from meat you can be a little more liberal with the non low fat cheese and such. Check out those forums. I know I found it pretty helpful when I wasn't eating meat at all. (tofu, beans, and soy products are allowed in limited amounts even on phase 1)

[purnois]

First of all, Karen your help and advice is nothing short of amazing! Thank you for all you do!

I have played the weight yo-yo game yet once again :( and have now settled on an organic diet as much as possible. I found eliminating as many chemicals as possible from my diet has been the key for me. However, anything organic is hard to find and sometimes as much as triple the price of regular food. Meat is seemingly impossible to locate (without special ordering, shipping, etc). And when I now eat any kind of meat with growth hormones or antibiotics, I am sick. My body really revolts and begins throwing it off any and every way it knows how!

So, I have become vegetarian (mostly) by default. This thread is most appreciated and the support most welcomed.

Kathy :rheart:

[CurlUp&Die]

Hi! That TVP sounds pretty good, would it be ok on induction??

[innermusic]

FYI I've never found any low-carb diet that couldn't easily be adapted for vegetarians.

[Bevaboo]

Omigosh! I am sooo grateful to have found this post!

I'm a former vegetarian (long story on why I'm former), but I still don't like making meat a huge part of my diet. I sometimes get really sick of eating meat. Thank you for showing me how to eliminate a bunch of meat from my diet! Cool thread. :D

[innermusic]

Omigosh! I am sooo grateful to have found this post!

I'm a former vegetarian (long story on why I'm former), but I still don't like making meat a huge part of my diet. I sometimes get really sick of eating meat. Thank you for showing me how to eliminate a bunch of meat from my diet! Cool thread. :D
No problem. And remember, you can always become a former former-vegetarian.

[overlord]

I struggled with doing Atkins as a vegetarian as I was determined to include the induction phase.
I found this very easy once I bought the two excellent vegetarian low-carb books by Rose Elliot.
Both are cheap on Amazon and the recipes are so good that my (non-veggie) housemate who was on Atkins started using those in preference to the Atkins recipes because they looked tastier.
Buying those books would be my biggest tip to anyone, particularly if you're wanting to do a 20g carb induction phase as a vegetarian.

[purnois]

A life saver for me has been the green smoothie. I have never been one to eat my veggies, and now I'm eating more greens than ever. They are low carb and over the top with nutrition. Here are two websites that have fantastic information and recipes: http://www.rawfamily.com/recipes http://www.greensmoothiegirl.com/

[tank5863]

Why say "meatless"? Just say tofu or whatever that stuff is.

[Ohneliebe]

This is very helpful, I've started the Charles Clark, and I've had to cut out fruits and any bulky carb veggies, including flour, grains etc.

It's a challenge, and pricey as we seem to go through a lot of vegetables as I've gotten the whole family on it, (3 of us) but hopefully it's working!
Thanks for the tips.

[purnois]

I bought a juicer with my Christmas money and am using it every morning. My apple/carrot combination for breakfast gives me a super helping of vitamins and energy. It does get a little expensive, but our health is SO worth it :agree:

[purnois]

Have you seen the Arnold's Way website? http://www.arnoldsway.com/ The green smoothies information is wonderful, and so are the YouTubes!

[ujuj]

Jocelyn Hi I used to be huge on Humous and
pita. Do you know of a alternate snack that would
be simular? I've tried veggies to dip but it is not
quite the same and you can't have a lot of those
either.

Hi - you could try baba ghanouj which is similarly yummy but eggplant based. See http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/1

ujuj ;)

[Banting]

I struggled with doing Atkins as a vegetarian as I was determined to include the induction phase.
I found this very easy once I bought the two excellent vegetarian low-carb books by Rose Elliot.
Both are cheap on Amazon and the recipes are so good that my (non-veggie) housemate who was on Atkins started using those in preference to the Atkins recipes because they looked tastier.
Buying those books would be my biggest tip to anyone, particularly if you're wanting to do a 20g carb induction phase as a vegetarian.
I second that, Overlord. Rose Elliot's books have made a low carb diet not only possible but also enjoyable for me. As an LC vegetarian I have learned SO much more about diet generally.

[jsheridan]

Nobody in the Newbies area told me there was a vegetarian thread on this forum. Hurray! So happy. And Rose Elliot was my introduction to possibly doing low carb while staying a vegetarian. Great cookbook! Although I do wish some of her measurements made more sense for an American audience.

And I do NOT recommend her chocolate muffins if you make them with Stevia. Horrible after taste.

I wish I had found this thread sooner. I've been feeling a bit like a freak over on the newbie thread.

[Banting]

Nobody in the Newbies area told me there was a vegetarian thread on this forum. Hurray! So happy. And Rose Elliot was my introduction to possibly doing low carb while staying a vegetarian. Great cookbook! Although I do wish some of her measurements made more sense for an American audience.

And I do NOT recommend her chocolate muffins if you make them with Stevia. Horrible after taste.
I have found Rose Elliot's book really useful too. I used to hate tofu but she has one or two good recipes with it which I use regularly. I tend to avoid cakes, except when I am doing a LOT of exercise but I bought a shedload of stevia powder for my breakfasts (I live in Spain and it's not easy to get here) and I have given up on it. I find it has a very bitter taste whatever I do with it. The problem is getting the dose right. Mostly I use sweetener for my porridge. I do a carb-cycling diet, so it's eggs, mushrooms and spinach one day and porridge the next for breakfast. Any help with how to get the dose of stevia right would be VERY welcome, because this stuff is not cheap!

[jsheridan]

I just use it for my tea sometimes or sprinkle it on oatmeal. I can't stand the after-taste. I do think the trick is to use as little as possible. If I overdose it, then it is awful. So always go light. I used it in the chocolate muffin recipe in Elliot's book and I overdid the Stevia.

Generally I just don't make baked goods anymore, but I think if I do, I'll use sugar and just watch my in-take.

I love her baked-egg pizza recipe! That was majorly tasty and it really did have the flavors of pizza.

Have you tried her bread recipes? Just wondering.

[Shyvas]

I have found Rose Elliot's book really useful too. I used to hate tofu but she has one or two good recipes with it which I use regularly. I tend to avoid cakes, except when I am doing a LOT of exercise but I bought a shedload of stevia powder for my breakfasts (I live in Spain and it's not easy to get here) and I have given up on it. I find it has a very bitter taste whatever I do with it. The problem is getting the dose right. Mostly I use sweetener for my porridge. I do a carb-cycling diet, so it's eggs, mushrooms and spinach one day and porridge the next for breakfast. Any help with how to get the dose of stevia right would be VERY welcome, because this stuff is not cheap!

Natural stevia does have a bitter, liquorice taste. The only brand that doesn't have an aftertaste is NuNaturals. It comes in carb free powder form or liquid. It really does make a difference for baking or making desserts. You can buy it on-line from iherb which ship obroad. :agree:

[jmh6251]

I know this is a very old thread, but thanks for keeping it here. I happened on this by accident, as I was getting a little overwhelmed with what I can and can"t eat. I have to follow a vegan type lc diet due to health concerns

My body will not allow me to eat animal products at all without consequences in the form of debilitating pain. I was eating meat and dairy but can't anymore. I've been getting my protein in the form of nuts and seeds and nut butters and soy. I have some black soy beans in the slow cooker as we speak.

I guess I was trying to see what other vegan type protein sources were out there

[Shyvas]

Have you tried making seitan with wheat gluten ?

[Signey]

Anybody home? It doesn't look like there are any people visiting this forum. I am a lacto - ova vegetarian and have started low carb to curb my appetite and pull the reins on my weight gain. This has been good for me. I look forward to hearing from other vegie low carbers.

[nigel1]

Anybody home? It doesn't look like there are any people visiting this forum. I am a lacto - ova vegetarian and have started low carb to curb my appetite and pull the reins on my weight gain. This has been good for me. I look forward to hearing from other vegie low carbers.

A bunch of us are coming over from LCF. I hope to see you here and posting again soon.