I was once asked (in a podcast interview!) “Keto vs Vegan?” Just that… no explanation. Now, I’m a pharmacist not a dietitian, so it’s really not my area of expertise (and the interview was about women’s hormones!) but I did my best to answer. I said I would choose keto over vegan, but really didn’t have a good explanation for my choice. Of course, I’ve had lots of time since then to consider what I could (should!) have said… and to do some research as I always do when I’m stumped for a good answer to a question.
So, here in a nutshell is what I learned…
Note: I’ve always recommended “everything in moderation” especially when it comes to diet, so it’s very unlikely that I’d ever recommend a vegan or strict keto diet. I’m more likely to recommend a “plant based” diet where all foods are included, but with an emphasis on more plant-sourced foods, while minimizing processed and sugary food.
Vegan Diet
I see a vegan diet as introducing more risk of nutrient deficiency than a keto diet because all animal products are eliminated. This can make it more difficult (but still possible) to get enough protein. However, there are plenty of plant foods with protein so a person would just need to include enough of these.
The exception, however, is vitamin B12, which can be difficult to get enough of from only plants. It is recommended that anyone following a strict vegan (or even vegetarian) diet simply take a daily supplement of this vitamin to avoid any risk of a B12-related anemia or nerve damage. Easy-peasy!
Although some people choose a vegan diet for heath reasons, I read that the majority choose it for ethical reasons, sometimes because of an awareness of animal cruelty. I can understand that – farming and food production should always be ethical.
Keto Diet
A strict keto diet limits daily carbohydrate intake to 20 grams or less. Less strict versions limit them to 30 grams daily. Carbohydrates (sugars and starches) are broken down into glucose which the body uses for energy. If not enough glucose is available, the body can break down fats into ketones that the body can use for energy instead of glucose. So the diet’s name “ketogenic” (or keto for short) comes from this generation of ketones. This diet was originally designed to control seizures in children when medication wasn’t working well enough. It’s been around a long time and is considered very safe.
The main glitch that can occur is when starting the diet. It can take some time for the body to start creating ketones so, if you cut carbohydrate intake too quickly, you can end up with what’s sometimes called the “keto flu”… flu-like symptoms of tiredness and headaches. So the key is to gradually cut back on sugars and starchy foods over a couple of weeks to give the body time to adapt.
In the past, keto diets would often replace the carbohydrates with fats. However, I’ve noticed that newer recipes lean more toward increasing protein instead. This can be a bonus for us as we age, as increased dietary protein can reduce the muscle loss that often occurs in later years.
Diabetes, Pre-diabetes and Insulin Resistance
The other population that can benefit from lower carbohydrate intake are those with insulin resistance (as discussed in last week’s blog) as well as Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes (both of which are actually driven by insulin resistance).
Less carbohydrate intake means less requirement for insulin production, in a nutshell. And higher blood insulin is associated with inflammation and increased risk of various chronic diseases.
So, that’s what I’ve learned and tried to follow over the past few years. As Michael Pollan puts it in his simple Food Rules: Eat food (real food not processed), mostly plants, and not too much.
If you’re interested in a good keto recipe website (in an effort to reduce your sugar intake), my favourite is “All Day I Dream About Food.com ” (see link below). Her recipes are well-tested and always work out great, although I sometimes cut back on sweetener. I find my taste has adjusted to less sweetness over time!
Link:
All Day I Dream About Food website: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/
Jeannie Beaudin, Artist and Author 