What's the minimum amount of veggies I should be eating every day?

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The usual approach is "eat as many as you'd like!" but I'm a pretty busy person and like to cook my meals ahead of time around specific numbers (I'm an accountant so it can't be helped :P). According to the keto calculator, it should be 10-15g net carbs. Could I just eat a couple high-carb keto-friendly veggies to fill this? I realize I'd need to eat A LOT of low-carb veggies to hit the 10g net carb minimum, so I'm wondering if this is really a good base to follow or if it can vary from person to person. Like, would a tall, muscular guy have to eat more veggies than a petite woman like me? I'm assuming the answer is "yes."

I've been doing keto for about 9 months and in terms of veggies, it seems like it was easier in the beginning because I thought the 10-15g suggestion was in carbs and not net carbs. This approach used to leave me with a decent amount of calories/carbs/protein for snacks which I miss dearly. Also, I don't necessarily like ALL keto-friendly veggies so I'd really like to plan my intake around the ones that I DO like (zucchini, spinach, asparagus, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, jalapenos, mushrooms, green bell peppers, green onion, white onion, tomato).

I just want a number to follow, guys. ;__; It would make things so much easier for me.

Replies

  • Mistizoom
    Mistizoom Posts: 578 Member
    edited March 2015
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    There is no minimum requirement for carbohydrates or vegetables. If you like them, eat them. But you don't have to.
  • KETOGENICGURL
    KETOGENICGURL Posts: 687 Member
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    HI, Kale is a higher carb-7g per cup, 1 fiber and I use 1-2c per kale-berry shake daily.
    Or Spinich-Kale blend, bagged, is 5g C for 3 cups/2 fiber. The magic of adding either to salads, shakes, as Romain a base to put cooked bacon-chicken bits on..kind of a bare tostada.

    Having to clean prep cauli/broc is easier than carrots, BUT buying bagged shredded combos of those veggies are easy to dump into a stir fry, microwave with cheese, etc.

    My old WW trick was to clean and cut up all veggies as soon as I bought them and keep ready in a large tupperware..easy to grab handfuls and no excuse to not use.

    Lastly J. Bailor of SANE solution promotes 50% plate of veggies you like, stir fried in bacon grease, or however you enjoy them.

    The cool crisp snap of a large Romaine leaf wrapped around a cheeseburger balances the hot fatty taste.
  • nill4me
    nill4me Posts: 682 Member
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    Mistizoom wrote: »
    There is no minimum requirement for carbohydrates or vegetables. If you like them, eat them. But you don't have to.

    Indeed.
  • queenboss3000
    queenboss3000 Posts: 4 Member
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    Mistizoom wrote: »
    There is no minimum requirement for carbohydrates or vegetables. If you like them, eat them. But you don't have to.

    So... I don't have to eat any at all...?
  • Mistizoom
    Mistizoom Posts: 578 Member
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    Mistizoom wrote: »
    There is no minimum requirement for carbohydrates or vegetables. If you like them, eat them. But you don't have to.

    So... I don't have to eat any at all...?

    No, not if you don't like them or want them. http://www.reddit.com/r/zerocarb
  • FXOjafar
    FXOjafar Posts: 174 Member
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    If it helps, I have a couple of handfuls of spinach at breakfast. About 60g (couple of handfuls) baby spinach and rocket salad at lunch (with some olives and avocado), and dinner is 160-200g of assorted cruciferous veges like cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage etc... and usually stir fried in duck fat or loads of butter.

    The fibre is important for feeding gut flora. The good ones.
  • KarlaYP
    KarlaYP Posts: 4,439 Member
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    Look up Fit_Goat's blog. He eats no vegetables and has had no problems. He and others have been a major inspiration to me! I have learned that we have all been brainwashed into this balanced diet nonsense forever! It takes a little time to retrain our brains. Overall, if you think you need veggies, and they fit into your daily totals, by all means eat them. But no, they aren't required for ketoers. Is weird to think that way, hence the brainwashing!
  • sljohnson1207
    sljohnson1207 Posts: 818 Member
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    I love veggies and therefore have the opposite problem. I have to temper my consumption. However, brussels sprouts are some of the higher carb, low carb veggies for how many you get, so if you find you want them, you can fill your "requirement" easily.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
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    Even if you discount anecdotal evidence of people being perfectly healthy without, the RDA's for vitamins and minerals have a safety net built into them which makes getting everything you need from animal foods conceivable. The "more is better" campaigns do not appear to be evidence based from what I can see (I could be wrong about that, of course).

    "The RDA's are based on scientific research of both humans and animals and are set at levels to provide for 98% of all healthy people living in the US. There is a cushion built in so that if you get 67% of the RDA for a nutrient, you should be getting a minimum amount as an average person." --Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)


    That being said I don't think there's any culture that excludes plant foods when they're available and I believe conventional wisdom when they say vegetables are good for you but I think their importance is over sold. Some is probably better than none, more may or may not be better is my personal belief. Fruits and vegetables are delicious though so I try and incorporate as many as I can within my low carb diet -- it wouldn't be sustainable for me if I didn't.
  • FXOjafar
    FXOjafar Posts: 174 Member
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    Just eat plenty of cruciferous veggies, and you will get enough nutrients/fibre etc...
    I actually eat more veggies now, than I did as a vegan :D
  • nobodysdriving
    nobodysdriving Posts: 3 Member
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    Karlottap wrote: »
    Look up Fit_Goat's blog. He eats no vegetables and has had no problems. He and others have been a major inspiration to me! I have learned that we have all been brainwashed into this balanced diet nonsense forever! It takes a little time to retrain our brains. Overall, if you think you need veggies, and they fit into your daily totals, by all means eat them. But no, they aren't required for ketoers. Is weird to think that way, hence the brainwashing!

    So so so true.
    Since I've given up veggies I feel liberated, my hunger has gone further and my weight loss restarted (have more weight to lose about a couple of stones perhaps).
    I feel heck of a lot better and eat just when hungry not because I fancy or crave food!