The No-Keto, Starchy Vegan Diet
With the growing popularity of the Ketogenic Diet (aka Keto Diet), people are avoiding grains and starchy foods, and I have to say that they are giving up a bit of healthy eating in favor of losing weight.
When I was in China traveling from city to city, I just came upon the realization that those countries with rice as a staple, had on average the skinniest people on Earth. And looking back on us Americans who have emphasized a meat-based diet, yet we see so many obese people in the U.S.
Why is this?
I think humans need a staple grain like rice. And rice (and especially brown rice) has fiber. Meat-based diets and those that de-emphasize grains contain less fiber. Fiber is quite essential to human health, but fiber is never emphasized in America. And if Americans eat something originating from grains, it’s the unhealthiest…
Consider the all-American cheeseburger or the classic hot dog. These usually go with hamburger buns or hot dogs buns made of flour, a very processed food derived from wheat. And the cheese and the hog dog or hamburger contains no fiber whatsoever. And you end up with meals that contain little or no fiber, once again fiber being essential to the digestive tract and general health.
And I can go on with the classic surf and turf dinner, usually served with some type of vegetable and a dollup of mashed potatoes. Incidentally, mashed potatoes being very processed and usually the typical vegetable… well, there is very little of it compared to the big steak and shrimp or lobster being served. And once again, steak and seafood contain little or not fiber content.
In China, they typically serve animal foods mixed with vegetables in a stir fry. The meat is cut into small bite-sized pieces and mixed with the vegetables and noodles contains more fiber.
So, in essence, any no-fiber foods like steak or chicken or seafood should be served with a LOT more fiber-rich grains, vegetables and fruits, somehow.
Another thing I’ve noticed, however, is that the people going on Keto Diets most likely ate food in abundance. Case in point, notice all the all-you-can-eat establishments and smorgasbords in the U.S.? People simply eat too much food, period. Going for a second plate, a third plate, and I’ve noticed this at parties and even in Las Vegas. So, it’s not just a lack of fiber. It’s overeating as well. And then you tend to blame the rice or the bread, but you ate too much of it.
So people go on these extreme diets like the Keto Diet, when they should just practice moderation and eat more fiber.
Better yet. Go on a no-keto, organic, whole foods, vegan diet, and you’ll get an abundance of fiber and you can eat more, because chances are, the healthier choices are lower in calories, anyway!
Image by Mamoru Masumoto from Pixabay
