Both the ketogenetic and vegan diet have an older origin and a great tradition but they are not so well known and not so many people know what they are really about.
Many people have never heard of the former, and the latter is known to be the same as the vegeterian diet.
In this article, we are going to introduce both and compare them.
Ketogenetic diet
This diet was originally developed with therapeutic goal and against certain diseases. Ketones are oxygenated organic compunds that are also present in the human body. They are made when glucose is in short supply and they can function as alternative fuels for the body.
Summary of ketogenetic diet
The intent of the ketogenetic diet is that the meal should have a low amount of carbohydrates, an adequate amount of proteins and high amounts of fat. And in this case, the liver breaks down the fats into ketones and fatty acids. In this way, ketones replaces glucose which would be the source of energy.
A big advantage is that the body breaks down the excess fat, overweight people can lose wieght and it can help prevent many diseases. It is not without interest that there is no strong feeling of hunger compared to regular or other diets.
It is beneficial for diabetes, high blood pressure, epilepsy and for certain neurological diseases.
The ketogenetic diet had been developed in the 1920s but it started to spread in the 90s.
You may think that this diet is not beneficial for skinny,thin people because of the lower amount of proteins and carbohydrates, yet experiences show that it is possbile to gain muscle with this diet.
The ketogenic lifestyle can also occur naturally, for example if you get in a situation where the food is less,the body switches into survival mode. Since there is less carbohydrates, the body will use the (stored) fats. From this point of view, people with excess fat can take advantage of it.
Ketogenic diet meal plan
Firstly, it is needed to determinate the neccessary amount of energy considering the age, weight and other circumstances. The ratio of carbohydrates, proteins and fat has to be determinated and only consume as much as it is recommended.
The drawback of it that you have to keep monitoring the amount of energy you eat at mealtimes.
The diet can include various types of meat, fish, some dairy products (such as heavy cream, high-fat cheese), vegetable fats and oils, cauliflower, broccoli, etc…
Only those fruits and vegetables can be consumed that are low in carbohydrate.
There is not a specific list of what you have to eat but the ratio of the total quantity of fat, protein, carbohydtate and the energy must be proper together.
You may need to add some supplements (vitamins, minerals that may not be taken in to your body with the diet) to your ketogenic diet.
Over time, different types of ketogenic diet has been formed, depending on the purpose of the treatment for example Atkins keto diet, combined together with paleo diet.
While it may be used effectively in some diseases and obesity, it has several drawbacks. On the one hand, you have to constantly measure, note the quantity consumed, on the other hand, it is not balanced in terms of various nutrients eaten.
It is allowed to eat many unfavorable, even unhealthy foods while you may avoid some healthful foods.
The vegan diet
The vegetarian diet is primarily a plant-based diet, the the main thing is to avoid meat. This diet is not the same as vegan diet. Before we get into that, let’s see what the difference is between vegan and vegetarian diet because many people don’t know it or often think that they are the same.
The difference between vegan and vegetarian diet
The vegan diet is a type of vegetarian diet. Therefore, every vegan diet is a vegetarian diet at the same time however, it’s not true backwards.
Following the vegetetarian diet, we can’t eat meat, while following the vegan diet, we can’t eat any animal source food. It means, we can’t consume milk, egg, dairy products. Moreover, honey is not allowed, either.
Summary of vegan diet
First of all, vegans don’t consume meat, milk, eggs, dairy products. Whereas they consume vegetable dishes, namely, vegetables, fruits, cereals, seeds.
Vegans replace animal source food in a creative way. For example, milk is replaced with plant milk, „meat” is replaced, made with cereals, soy. Cheese can be made with nuts or soy.
But there is another type of this diet, that is called „raw vegan”. This means, they eat everything raw or they only eat those plant products that were heat-treated to 40-42 degrees.
Hovewer, it had been around since the beggining of the last century, the phrase „vegan” was spread in the 40s. From then, its popularity has been increased.
The vegan diet is very effective in preventing many diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases. What you have to watch out is that all the essential nutrients, trace elements (such as vitamin B12) must be taken.
Typical vegan foods can be: muesli, granole, vegetable stew, pasta, buckwheat, steamed and fried vegetables, porridge, fruit salad, vegetable salad, fruit and vegetable soups, rice-based foods, potato dishes, quark and vegetable-based cheese, cereal-based foods, whole grain breads, delicacies made of plant.
The comparison of ketogenic and vegan diet
The ketogenic diet is used more against certain diseases or in order to lose weight, and partly for health reasons.
The vegan diet is primarily used for health reasons and ethical reasons. In this case, the principle is not to kill animals and not to keep them as food.
The ketogenic diet can also include many unhealthy foods that can contribute to the develpomnet of certain diseases.
With the vegan diet, there is a chance that not all the necessary amounts of nutrients are taken in to the body.
None of these diets actually exclude the possibility of consumig all the necessary nutrients but this requiers constant attention.
The ketogenic diet can be very effective for those who are prone to corpulence or are overweight, while among vegans can be found idividuals whose weight are above the healthy rate. On the other hand, the much fat, its ratio and its type also matter. This speaks against the ketogenic diet.
In both the ketogenic and vegan diet, there may be purified, processed products, products that are filled with food additive and other less preferred products.
In the case of a vegan diet, there may be more carbohydrates at times and in the case of a ketogenic diet, the too much animal fat can be a problem. Of course, it depends on the individual. It also depends on the individual how beneficial the diet is for him or her.
It is not recommended to start any of these diets without delay. Just because your logic tells you to do so, it is not the right way. You have to take into account the state of the body and mind and realize if your determination is strong enough.
Using ketogenic diet in the long term, can lead to the development of chronic diseases. It may also have side effects that can cause gastrointestinal problems.
Combining the two diets generates a completely different situtaion. If you achieve the ketogenic effect with vegetable fats and protein, the harmful effects of animal source foods can decrease. If you combine the two diets correctly, you can enjoy the advantages of both methods. This is what the book by Ruediger Dahlke, “Vegan Ketogen Diet” is about.
This is an ideal combination if you have diabetes, neurodegenerative disease or problems related to obesity. In the case of allergies, it can also be efficient and strengthen the body’s natural defense system.
The ketogenic method itself can reduce life expectancy, while together with the vegan diet, quite the contrary, they can increase it.
