Make sure you have read the series kickoff first!
When it comes to any diet, if you don’t eat a good amount of vegetables, then you are going to have a bad time. Veggies are loaded with micronutrients, antioxidants, and fiber. Simply put, it is very close to impossible to have a balanced and healthy lifestyle if you are neglecting the intake of the very food group that should be the foundation of your diet. Too many times when searching for new keto recipes or researching the diet in general, I constantly see meals that are devoid of anything green. This is concerning as a person who constantly preaches the health benefits of a sustainable and fat adapted lifestyle. This dirty form of keto is the norm and the big reason the diet is constantly denounced by healthcare professionals. Many of the complications that I see from keto diets could be completed avoided if the individuals consistently ate a good amount of veggies. Specifically raw veggies or lightly cooked ones. The higher heat and longer vegetables are cooked, the more nutrients are taken out of them.
Benefits of Veggies
There are so many benefits to eating your veggies. A diet filled with good greens should be the core of every diet no matter what path you take. The green veggies, more specifically referred to as cruciferous vegetables can be eaten in excess on a keto diet without throwing your body out of ketosis. The main focus for many individuals leading a fat adapted lifestyle is the goal of anti-inflammation. The nutrients in cruciferous veggies greatly reduce inflammation and oxidative stress which in turn will bring about many benefits. This along with antioxidants within greens have shown the following benefits in clinical trials…
- Anti-Cancer
- Depression Relief
- Pain Relief
- Cardioprotection
- Protection and elimination of toxins in the body
- Prevention of Type II Diabetes and increase insulin resistance
- Increased Gut Biome health
- Alzheimer’s Prevention
For a more in-depth look into these benefits, why they happen, and the trials that prove them, check out this article here
But What About the Carbs?
So now you know the benefits and you are ready to scarf down a huge salad lets break down how much you can actually consume. Personally, I try to eat one large salad a day along with a couple servings of veggies at night. Most of the time for dinner I will lightly sautee some broccoli or Brussels sprouts. The myth that veggies are loaded with carbs is a huge reason people get so unhealthy on a fat adapted lifestyle. Besides starchy carbs such as potatoes, carrots, squash, beets, etc you should be eating as many veggies as possible. Below is a list of the number of net carbs within one cup of the following veggies. As you can see it is pretty hard to go over the 50 gram limit of carbs that is recommended for keto.
- Broccoli (7 grams)
- Brussels sprouts (7 grams)
- Cabbage (5-8 grams)
- Chard (6 grams)
- Cucumber (3 grams)
- Kale (6 grams)
- Kohlrabi (8-11 grams)
- Lettuce (2 grams)
- Peppers (4-6 grams)
- Spinach (1 gram)
- Tomatoes (10 grams)
Conclusion
The conclusion is simple. If you aren’t consuming a good amount of veggies then you really aren’t living a healthy lifestyle. Going keto it makes it even more important to eat veggies or else you really aren’t going to achieve what you are setting out to do. So good luck, eat some greens and stay tuned for the next part of the “Wrongfully Keto” Series.
With Big Love,
Rob