Monday, February 20, 2012

Is it healthy to be low carb, gluten free, and vegetarian at the same time?

i'm 14 years old, and i've been vegetarian for a few years. i also recently started going gluten free and it has done wonders for me.



but i've recently started this sort of binge eating cycle, and it's mostly been on gluten-free carbs (popcorn, chocolate, frozen yogurt, etc). so i'm considering going low-carb.



will that make my options too limited? please explain your answer thoroughly. thxx :]Is it healthy to be low carb, gluten free, and vegetarian at the same time?
Fat won't make you fat, but low fat, high carb diet sure will.



It's very hard to maintain weight on a vegetarian diet unless it's extremely low calories. It's almost impossible to lose weight even with low calories. The blood stream needs to be free of insulin before fat will be released.



I'm not trying to convert anyone to being a meat eater only health conscious. Starches, sugar, fruit do not promote weight loss, they do promote weight gain. As a vegetarian you need to be vigilant to meeting your protein requirements. I have major concerns about soy products effecting thyroid health. If you could add eggs to your diet, that would solve a multitude of problems.



I would suggest you convert your diet to more of a fat based (mainly coconut oil %26amp; olive oil) diet with much more low glycemic vegetables. Stay vigilant about meeting your protein requirements but try to keep your carbs %26lt;9grams per hour. I would suggest not eating many starches that don't significantly contribute to protein requirements. Significantly increase your consumption of nuts (peanuts are a legume not a nut - peanuts are fine, just realize the difference), flax seeds, chia seeds, spirulina.



Simple carbohydrates (sugar, flour, bread, cereal, pasta, potatoes, rice %26amp; beans) trigger insulin which can store the calories eaten into fat. The more protein the more the fat burning hormone glucagon is released. The more carbohydrate the more the fat storage hormone insulin is released.



High insulin levels promote inflammation, weight gain, hunger %26amp; unbalance other hormones. Controlling insulin levels will balance out other hormones %26amp; allow human growth hormone (HGH) to be produced naturally so lean muscle will be gained even without exercise. Any exercise will greatly increase muscle mass with high HGH levels.



You have chosen a way of eating that needs you to know a great deal about nutrition and how the body processes foods. I wouldn't try to dissuade you but encourage you to educate yourself fully. Weight gain is a symptom of a problem, not the problem.



I would highly suggest chia seeds - 3.5 oz is nearly 500 calories, half calories from fat (high in Omega3 fatty acids) %26amp; 16grams of COMPLETE protein for 6grams carbs %26amp; 63% DV Calcium - 95% Phosphorus - 23% Zinc - 9% Copper - 108% Manganese.



Spirulina is also a good complete vegetarian protein.



info on chia seeds

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/nut-a鈥?/a>



vegetarian low carbers forum

http://forum.lowcarber.org/forumdisplay.鈥?/a>

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