Is a vegan “hamburger” almost surely going to be high carb?

[Ginevra]

Kinda want to know because I will be eating one at someone’s home. I am not opposed to eating vegan, but I am successfully low-carbing right now and I don’t want to mess it up! But I also don’t want to beg off the veggie-burger because friend will almost surely interpret this as turning up my nose to vegan burgers. 

I really just would rather say nothing about it and eat the burger agreeably. Don’t want to get all my carbs for the day in a veggie burger, though. Not really. 

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I'm not an expert but I think it would have to be some kind of soy nightmare to not be very carby, plus if it's going on a bun...as a person who struggles with a strict diet that I have to follow, can I say for solidarity purposes, never swallow anything just to please someone else! If you don't need or want that veggie burger, tell her you had a big breakfast and concentrate on the salad. Eat what you really need, either before or after the occasion. 

[Katy]

Yes, but... if you can get them to make it out of home cooked beans rather than something that comes out of a box you'll have better luck.  The carb count might look the same on paper but the resistant starch and fiber in beans is much higher than the starches from grains that are the predominant ingredient in many commercial vegan burgers. Alternatively you can ask for some combination of grilled portabella mushrooms - as long as you watch the sauce it should be okay.

I know there are some resources out there for lower carb vegan meals, you can try google or YouTube.  Or you can mix some okay items (dry roasted peanuts are low in carbs but have enough calories and fiber to fill you up - you could put them on a salad with sauteed mushrooms and a 1/4 onion instead of the grilled chicken you might typically use.

[Annie G]

If you skip the bun you probably won’t offend the host. Much easier than skipping the vegan burger.  I don’t mind eating vegan but I’d rather have a grilled portobello or an assortment of grilled veggies on a bun instead of a vegan burger. 

‘Dh would eat the bun and skip the vegan burger.g

[Guest]

13 minutes ago, Tibbie Dunbar said:

I'm not an expert but I think it would have to be some kind of soy nightmare to not be very carby, plus if it's going on a bun...as a person who struggles with a strict diet that I have to follow, can I say for solidarity purposes, never swallow anything just to please someone else! If you don't need or want that veggie burger, tell her you had a big breakfast and concentrate on the salad. Eat what you really need, either before or after the occasion. 

I know but by comparison, it is easier to say, “I’m sorry, but I have celiac’s disease/a violent allergy to beans/diabetes and I don’t think I can eat that” vs. choosing not to eat offered food because I don’t want to mess up my downward trending weight. I am frequently the thinnest person in the room and I know better than to make the slightest implication that I am eating a particular way to lose a few pounds and re-set my set point lower. People either resent it or outright diagnose me as disordered. 

I really just want to have my eating ignored but it's hard to do that at the home of someone who is already focused on food because of a non-mainstream diet (Veganism). 

[Um_2_4]

If it was made from tofu, not too high. Boca is like 3g carbs. Some are made from beans, high starch veges, so those would be pretty high. I mean, I assume you would skip a bun.

Maybe ask her what they are made of and tell her you are avoiding beans for health reasons? Many contain soy protein and wheat gluten, so I wouldn't eat as I have a sensitivity to soy.