A Lacto-Ovo ketogenic diet is just what it sounds like. A hybrid between a keto diet and a Lacto-Ovo vegetarian diet.
Lacto-Ovo vegetarianism is the most common style of vegetarianism. A Lacto-Ovo vegetarian includes dairy and eggs in their diet but won’t eat meat, fish, or poultry.
Even though they don’t restrict themselves in food, they enjoy eating like delicious no-bake keto chocolate chip cookies, it could still be hard being on a keto diet. Because meat is one of the most consumed foods on the keto diet!
But, that doesn’t mean Lacto-Ovo ketogenic diet isn’t possible. In fact, there exists a variation of the keto diet called “the vegetarian keto diet”. Go figure. Because the keto diet is very strict and hard for sometimes hard to follow, here is how to successfully be a Lacto-Ovo vegetarian.
Related reading: Can A Vegetarian Or Vegan Go Keto?
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Know what you can eat
Dieting is a lot easier when you know exactly what you can eat, and what you can’t eat. The majority of keto-friendly foods are high-fat, low-carb, and medium protein. Because vegetarians don’t eat meat they have to make some adjustments to the traditional keto diet. With that in mind, here is a look at what a Lacto-Ovo vegetarian keto dieter can eat.
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- Plant-based proteins – tofu, tempeh, seitan, textured vegetable protein.
- Low-carb vegetables – asparagus, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, collard greens, kale, lettuces, swiss chard, turnip greens.
- Plant-based fats – avocado, coconut, and olive, and their oils.
- Dairy – full-fat milk, heavy cream, non-sweetened butter, cheese, plain cottage cheese, full-fat yogurt.
- Seeds and nuts
- Eggs
- Berries
Eat something high in protein with each meal
The standard keto diet is built around animal products because they are the best source of protein. Animal protein contains all nine of the essential amino acids that we have to have to be healthy. Because Lacto-Ovo vegetarians don’t eat meat they will need to eat a combination of dairy, eggs, seeds, and nuts.
So when planning their meals, the Lacto-Ovo vegetarian ketoer needs to create meals that include eggs and/or dairy products. To give you an idea, for breakfast try having low-carb keto-friendly bread, greek yogurt with berries. For lunch help yourself to a Broccoli and Cheddar Frittata.
Related reading: 6 Alternatives For Bread On The Keto Diet
Limit your carbohydrates
The keto diet focuses on eating low-carb foods that are high in fat and proteins. Therefore limiting your carbohydrate intake is crucial. Because they’re avoiding carbs, a vegetarian on keto has to avoid the typical vegetarian protein sources (i.e., legumes, quinoa, buckwheat, etc.) because they all have too many carbs.
Focus on the low-carb vegetables
Because vegetables are very healthy, include them in your meals. Not all vegetables are low in carbohydrates. So be mindful and eat only low-carb vegetables like leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, etc. Avoid all of the root vegetables because they are high in carbs (carrots, potatoes, turnips – but the greens are good, beets, etc.).
Add healthy oils
Consuming oils is inevitable because we use them so much for cooking as well as ingredients in our recipes. Oils make each meal taste better, improves our food’s texture, helps us feel satiated for longer periods of time. Oils are also needed for our bodies to properly absorb some vitamins.
Keeping in mind that oils are a great source of fats, limit your use of oils to only healthy oils. So instead of using the typical vegetable oils (sunflower, safflower, or canola oils), use avocado, olive, coconut oils, and butter or ghee.
Spices and herbs are your friends
Spices and herbs give your meals a better flavor. They also increase the variety of dishes and provide micronutrients. Experiment with different spices and herbs to change the flavor of the same, or similar, meals. So if you use common spices like cinnamon, basil, or rosemary try something different like; nutmeg, cumin, or thyme.
A Lacto-Ovo vegetarian keto diet is a splendid blend of high-fat, low-carb, and protein-rich foods that take care of your daily needs. It’s the perfect diet for vegetarians who want the benefits of a keto diet without giving up their diet.
But before going keto you need to learn what you can and can’t have in your meal plan. Planning meals isn’t that simple. If you would like help planning your meals, click here and learn about an eight-week custom keto diet plan that’s designed for you based on your food preferences (such as no meat, fish, or poultry) and other personal data.
Related reading: How To Make A Keto Meal Plan
Are you ready to start your Keto Diet? One way to get started with a Keto Diet is to have an 8-week “Custom Keto Diet Plan” created for you based on your height, weight, age, level of physical activity, and personal weight goals. Click the banner to learn more about your customized keto diet plan, or click here to go straight to your custom keto diet meal planner. |
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Bread has a high carbohydrate and calorie content. So people on the keto diet can benefit from alternative bread, like these 6 alternatives for bread on the keto diet.
It’s imperative that you choose high-quality dark chocolate containing at least 70% cocoa. The greater the amount of cocoa the healthier the chocolate will be, but also the more bitter it will taste. Start with a 70% bar then buy chocolate with greater amounts of cocoa until you find your “bitterness limit”.
