Low Carb Vegetarian Diet Plan and Food list with Sample Menu for Weight Loss

The essence of a low carb vegetarian diet is a reduction in carbohydrates, which contribute to the accumulation of fat and the appearance of excess weight.

In order to bring the health and beauty of the body into balance, you must regulate the intake of simple carb, giving preference to the complex, the same valuable and nutritious.

The main source of energy is a protein.

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To replenish energy in the body, foods containing high protein content are consumed. For example: soy, hemp and other legumes.

Low carb vegetarian diet is used for various purposes:

  • weight loss;
  • diabetes;
  • obesity;
  • hypertension.

Such diets are also necessary for athletes engaged in such sports as bodybuilding. At the same time, a special power system is used – drying, which allows you to find in a short time the relief and expressiveness of the body by reducing fat and increasing the lean muscle mass.

For each of the purposes of diet plan with a low content of carbohydrate component there are rules and a lot of features.

In the body, two kinds of carbohydrates come together – simple and complex. Complex carb have a more difficult molecule structure. Therefore, they split longer, are more slowly absorbed and practically not deposited in adipose tissue. Simple carbohydrates are digested very easily and quickly, releasing a large portion of energy to the body. If the entire volume of this energy is not quickly consumed, then excess food is stored by the body in the form of fat.

Carbohydrates are a large class of chemical compounds, including simple (monosaccharaides) and complex (polysaccharides) carb. They have different effects on metabolism.

Simple carbs are broken down into glucose and fructose in the process of metabolism. They are quickly absorbed in the body. At the same time, blood sugar rises rapidly, which gives a feeling of satiety, which quickly passes. With excess intake and no need for simple carbohydrates, they are converted to intra-abdominal and subcutaneous fat. Products: sugar, sweet fruit, honey, jam, jam, confectionery, sweets and other sweets.

Complex carbohydrates (starch, glycogen, pectin, fiber and inulin) in the body are absorbed slowly, about 3-5 times longer. They have a difficult structure and include many monosaccharaides. They are split in the small intestine and their absorption slows down the fiber. Complex carbs increase the sugar content in the blood slowly, so the body is saturated with energy evenly. Products: whole wheat bread, white rice, cereals and cereals of them, pasta, bananas, pineapple, dried fruits.

A low carb vegetarian diet simulates metabolic processes in the body that are identical to starvation. Metabolism is reoriented to gluconeogenesis, in which the process of glucose formation is derived from non-carbohydrate components (glycerin, lactic, pyruvic acid, amino acids and fatty acids). In the initial period of fasting, the amino acids (protein) metabolism is increased, which reaches a certain level and persists for 25-30 days. Then, the use of protein is rapidly slowed down, as its stores in the body can be reduced only to a certain level. At the same time, mobilization and the process of oxidation of free fatty acids are accelerated.

Advantages of a low carb vegetarian diet plan for weight loss
  • This kind of diet plan helps to lose weight, thanks to low-calorie nutrition and the content of useful substances in it.
  • The body is cleansed, its work is stabilized.
  • Such a diet will accelerate the metabolism, increasing the chances of retaining the result after the diet.
  • The state of health improves, there is a pleasant ease.
  • You do not feel hunger. The abundance of allowed food is quite large and allows you to find the food that will suit your taste.
  • Researchers have shown that a specific diet can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 10 percent within 10 years.
Limitations
  • Contraindicated for persons less than 18 years of age, pregnant women and nursing mothers, as well as people weakened from illness.
  • Do not use after any surgery.
  • Do not use if you have any chronic diseases (during periods of remission or exacerbation).
  • If you feel that there are problems with your health, consult a doctor and ask if it will not hurt you.

Low carb vegetarian diet food list – Allow foods:

Vegetables Whole-grain products
Eggplant, broccoli, mushrooms, pepper green
Green peas, canned and fresh
Cabbage, onion, lettuce
Carrot, raw
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Parsley, dill, basil
Spinach, asparagus, radish
Bulgur
Buckwheat
Grains germinated
Porridge from corn flour
Quinoa, maize, dry peas
Oat porridge on the water
Brown rice
Spaghetti from whole meal flour
Spaghetti from durum wheat
White beans
Color beans
Bread with bran
Lentils red and green
Fruits and juices Seeds and nuts
Apricots
Oranges
Grapes
Pears
Pears canned
Figs, dried apricots
Kiwi
Strawberry
Peaches, apples, raspberries
Orange juice, apple freshly squeezed
Sugar-free grape juice
Plum, cherry, grapefruit
Peanut
Walnuts
Almond
Sunflower seeds
Hazelnut, pistachios

If you are not a complete vegan, you can add eggs and skimmed dairy products (milk, kefir, fruit yogurt) in the low carb vegetarian diet food list.

The required supplements

We recommend potassium, magnesium and calcium to add in the low carb vegetarian diet food list. With this diet, you will lose a lot of water and electrolytes.

An excellent source of potassium can be avocado. Avocados contain 60% more potassium than in bananas. In addition, the avocado contains 75% insoluble fiber, which will help the body function properly.

Magnesium and calcium are best used in the form of tablets. 500 mg of magnesium improves sleep overnight.

If you want to replenish the deficiency of electrolytes with food, then lists of products suitable for a low carb vegetarian diet plan are placed in order of decreasing concentration. Please note: spinach is the only product on all three food lists.

Foods with potassium in one glass: Foods with calcium in one glass: Magnesium:
Lima beans = 969 mg of potassium
Mangold = 961 mg
Spinach = 839 mg
Pinto beans = 746 mg
Lentil = 731 mg
Dolihos = 611 mg
Mushrooms = 555 mg
Tofu solid = 280 mg
Leaf cabbage = 266 mg
Spinach = 245 mg
Turnip leaves = 197 mg
Soybean Tempe = 184 mg
Dried agar – 1 ounce = 28.35 g = 175 mg
Pumpkin seeds – 2 ounces = 300 mg of magnesium
Dried watermelon seeds – 2 ounces = 288 mg
Peanut – 1 cup = 245 mg
Almonds – 2 ounces = 160 mg
Spinach – 1 cup = 157 mg
Soybeans 1 cup = 148 mg
Cashew – 2 ounces = 146 mg
Pine nuts – 2 ounces = 140 mg
Brazil nuts – 2 tablespoons = 128 mg

Low carb vegetarian diet plan for weight loss

The main principles of a low carb vegetarian diet plan are:

  • You must reduction in the diet of carbohydrates (mostly simple) to 120-130 g daily at a physiological rate. You must moderate restriction of fats (up to 70-75 g /day). The ratio of complex and simple carbohydrates should be approximately 95 to 5. At least 50% of the protein should be provided by high-protein products. Caloric content of the daily diet should vary within the limits of about 1700-1800 Kcal /day.
  • The complex carbs should be in the first half of the day. For dinner it is necessary to give preference to protein foods.
  • Restriction of salt and salt products.
  • Prepare food using dietary culinary methods of processing foods – boil, steam and bake. Do not fry products.
  • Use at least 2 liters of fluid per day.

To increase the effectiveness of weight loss, it is recommended to practice unloading days, as they accelerate the mobilization of fat and promote metabolism reorganization.

The diet should be completed gradually and return to the usual. Little by little add avoided foods and do not get carried away with flour and sweet. Otherwise, the lost weight can return. If you want to not only improve the body, but decided to become a vegetarian, this diet can be a good start. In this case, continue to eat, adhering to your chosen type of vegetarianism, but increasing the caloric content of the diet and crushing meals.

Below is a table showing the carb content to control (mg./100 g)

Cooked macaroons
Wheat porridge
Sugar white
Bread white
Bread black
Green peas
Rice cooked white
Marmalade
Honey
Buckwheat porridge
Dates
Peanuts
Hazelnut
Sunflower seeds
Sesame seeds
Walnuts
Watermelon
Eggplant
Corn flakes
Green parsley
Tomatoes
Sweet pepper
Potatoes boiled
Beet boiled
Banana
Cashew
Carrot
Grapes
Raspberry, strawberry
Mandarins, oranges
Compote apricot
Pear compote
Apples
Currants red / black
Cherry
Dried wild rose
25
27
105
51
39
12
30
70
77
29
68
15
15
18
20
11
9
5
75
8
4
5
16
7
22
25
5
15
5
7
23
15
10
7
12
26

The low carb vegetarian diet menu on 1,950 calories is for a person who wants to weigh 130 pounds (59 kg). For a weight of 160 pounds (72.5 kg), an additional 450 calories should be added. Caloric content can be increased by taking the proportional combination of nutrients or introducing an additional substantial snack. Conveniently, the fruit and hemp meatballs offered here provide an ideal golden proportion of macronutrients. Take two of them and you can easily fill up the missing calories.

  • After waking up – 1 cup miso broth with barley
  • Breakfast
  • 2 ounces (57 g) porridge from the quinoa
  • 1 tablespoon of almond oil
  • 1.5 ounces (42.52 grams) of crushed figs and prunes
  • Snack
  • 8 ounces (227 g) of soy yogurt.
  • 0.5 ounces (14.2 g – 2 tablespoons) of hemp seeds
  • Lunch
  • 2 ounces (2 pieces) of unleavened buns from sprouted cereals
  • 4 ounces (113 g) soybean Tempe, cooked in the grill.
  • 2 tablespoons of thick gravy from artichokes.
  • ¼ cup fried pepper
  • 5 ounces (142 g) of stewed dark kale, pre-fried
  • Snack – 5 ounces of a mixture of berries and cantaloupe
  • Dinner
  • 1 cup of asparagus, cooked in a grill and fried in a shallot onion fillet with the addition of a small amount of seaweed
  • 1 cup of black beans, stewed with mushrooms.
  • 8 ounces of sweet potato.
  • 1 tablespoon of walnut oil

If the result should be achieved quickly, it is better to stick to this menu option: a lot of greens (basil, dill, green onion, parsley, rosemary and thyme), low-fat cheeses, vegetables and fruits. Vegetable salads are a great place for culinary fantasies.

Breakfast:

  • tea or coffee with saccharin (herbal tea or vegetable juice);
  • baked tomatoes (4 pcs.);
  • bread

Lunch:

  • vegetable soup;
  • fruit or vegetable salad;
  • baked vegetables;
  • tea with lemon or fruit juice

Dinner:

  • green soup (from greens and onions);
  • vegetable stew;
  • fresh or baked fruit (apples, cranberries, pumpkin);
  • tea with lemon, bitter chocolate
Miriam Josey
Miriam Josey
Miriam Josey is an RD and expert in healthy diets and sustainable lifestyles. She has a B.S from Cal State (Nutritional Science) and an M.S. from the University of Southern California (Nutrition, Healthspan, and Longevity). Miriam’s professional chef certificate allows her to develop rich, non-restrictive diets for weight loss.

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