Very low carb (keto) diets FAQ

As I've had questions and sought out answers, I've logged them here. Hopefully this page can answer some of your questions in turn!

For additional resources, refer to Resources | Very low carb diets.

Can you do keto as a vegetarian?

Yes! I am! Cheese, eggs, and cream, are all keto-friendly. Some vegetarian meat alternatives are also ok (I use Quorn Pieces a lot). I've been pleasantly surprised how easy it is to do keto as a vegetarian.

My one slight caveat is: I'm also trying to lose weight. If you're doing keto but don't want to lost weight, you may need to go to the higher end of keto carbs (up to 50g) to get enough calories. I am perfectly happy in a substantial calorie deficit at the moment, but struggle to see how I could get my maintenance calories without having 30-40g of carb (instead of my current 20g).

Can you do keto as a vegan?

People do, and a quick search of Amazon will show multiple cookbooks on the topic. Protein shouldn't be a problem: tofu and tempeh are both good low carb protein options.

Why is everyone obsessed with electrolytes?

Spend any time on keto forums and you'll likely see 'are you getting enough electrolytes?' as the first question when anyone reports a side effect or struggle with keto. The electrolytes in question are magnesium, sodium, and potassium.

Keto can deplete your electrolytes, especially at first as you lose water weight. Water weight is the water that holds the glycogen usually stored in your cells. As you use up your glycogen stores, the water is released. Lack of electrolytes can cause many of the symptoms often reported as keto flu, including fatigue and feeling weak.