Heard about the Ketotarian Diet yet? It’s the latest buzzword in health circles. If you are tempted by the ketogenic diet but put off by all the meat and cheese then this spin off variation might be for you.
The ketogenic diet has become one of the most popular diets in recent years, thanks to its ability to help people lose weight while still enjoying lots of delicious foods without feeling hungry. If you are on the fence about following the keto diet because you think that eating all that meat and dairy could harm your health, then the ketotarian diet might be for you. Let’s find out more about this diet and whether it is better than keto or not.
What Is a Ketotarian Diet?
The Ketotarian Diet was developed by Dr. William Cole, a chiropractor and functional medicine practitioner, who specializes in clinically customizing health programs for certain chronic conditions. He was vegan for ten years but it was not giving him the vitamins and minerals he needed for his good health so he developed the Ketotarian diet.
The diet is mostly a plant-based version of the keto diet. Although the diet still involves eating cheeses and fish, these foods have to be consumed in moderation. The bulk of the diet comes from low-carb plant-based foods that contain healthy fats, such as avocados and nuts, as well as non-starchy vegetables. According to Dr. William Cole,
“The ketotarian diet is a diet that combines the best parts of a ketogenic diet with a flexible plant-based protocol.”
He further added that while most vegetarians tend to live off in a diet that’s filled with breads, pastas, and grains, the ketotarian diet does not include any of these high-carb foods that could lead to inflammation and nutrient deficiencies. Instead, the diet focuses mostly on plant-based foods that are known to fight inflammation.
Writing on Mind Body Green Will Cole says:
I eliminated all of the foods I normally reached for on my conventional vegan diet, such as gluten-free grains, loads of high-fructose fruits, and legumes. I replaced them with antioxidant-rich low-fructose berries, plant-based fats like avocados and coconut, and mounds of nutrient-dense vegetables such as dark leafy greens.
What Are the Benefits of the Ketotarian Diet?
Just like with the traditional keto diet, which is a type of high fat, moderate protein, and low carb eating plan, the ketotarian diet also aims to put into ketosis. This way, your body will end up burning fats for energy, which leads to a better and faster weight loss. Also the ketotarian diet aims to minimize inflammation in order to boost your health. And since the diet is plant-based, it’s ideal for pescatarians and vegans who wanted to enjoy the benefits that come with the keto diet.
Is It Better Than the Keto Diet?
If you believe in the ketogenic diet but don’t want to eat meats and dairy, then the ketotarian diet is more suitable for you. The ketotarian diet comes with benefits that you cannot find from the conventional keto. It leverages all of the benefits of consuming a high-fat diet but without the inflammatory effects that you can get from eating high amounts of dairy and meat.
While the ketogenic diet is reputed to have anti-inflammatory effects some people are sensitive to dairy and go overboard with meat that is not grass fed which could result in inflammation. Remember there is no one diet that is right for everyone.
Just like with other plant-based diets, the ketotarian diet can also lead to more environment-friendly eating habits. It’s also said to be more effective in keeping the blood sugar level under control, in fighting cancer and like the keto diet has detox benefits. With all the environmental toxins that get into our bodies from the air both outside and inside out homes, products we use on our skins, clothes, cleaning products and foods we eat keeping our detox system functioning is most important.
Want to learn more about detox? Check out this article on my detox blog.
The ketotarian diet helps in easily creating a plant-based food plan that’s filled with clean protein, healthy fats, and nutrient-enriched low carb vegetables. And because the diet is high in fat, low in carbs, and has moderate protein, it can still help your body to transition into ketosis, just like you would with the ketogenic diet.
Conclusion
Overall, both the ketogenic diet and ketotarian diet are effective in helping you to lose weight. However, the ketotarian diet is a more sustainable way of eating. And with its ability to limit cravings by putting your body to the fat adaptation state, you can still enjoy the benefits that come with going on ketosis.
So if you’re trying to live the ketogenic lifestyle but don’t want to indulge so much meat oir dairy the ketotarian diet is the best way to get started. Check out the book here.
