The keto diet’s popularity persists because it allows individuals to indulge in high-fat, flavorful foods that are typically prohibited on other diets. Moreover, it is satisfying, simple to adhere to, and does not necessitate meticulous calorie counting or intake monitoring.
Is it possible to follow a ketogenic diet while being vegan?
Adapting the ketogenic diet to a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle can be challenging due to its high fat and low carb content, which is commonly included in many plant-based diets. Nevertheless, by making a few simple changes, you can still enjoy the advantages of following a well-planned, plant-based diet while embracing the keto lifestyle.
What is a vegan keto diet
While replacing animal products and meat can make the ketogenic diet slightly more difficult, it is still possible to adhere to a vegan or vegetarian keto diet.
To achieve the desired outcome, follow a systematic approach by substituting starchy vegetables with low-carb vegan keto diet foods, and ensure a sufficient intake of beneficial fats and protein, similar to the conventional keto diet.
When you reduce your carbohydrate consumption, your body is compelled to utilize fats as fuel instead of sugar, triggering ketosis and initiating the accumulation of health benefits.
If you are aiming to reduce your consumption of animal-based products or follow a vegan diet, it can be challenging to adhere to most ketogenic diet plans that focus on consuming foods like grass-fed butter and unprocessed meats. Nonetheless, there are plenty of alternative plant-based options with high-fat content that you can also consider.
What is the distinction between a vegan diet and a vegetarian keto diet? Vegans have more limitations on the usage of animal products compared to vegetarians. Although both diets exclude meat completely, vegetarians are allowed to consume non-meat animal products like eggs, grass-fed butter, and ghee to fulfill their protein and fat requirements, whereas vegans solely rely on plant products such as nuts, seeds, and vegetables.
Vegan keto diet plan
The health advantages of being vegan have been extensively recorded; indeed, eliminating meat from your diet has been connected to various health benefits, such as a lower risk of cancer and heart disease. Furthermore, similar to traditional keto, vegan keto also produces notable benefits, including enhanced weight loss and better cardiovascular well-being.
When following a vegan keto diet, the majority of your food intake should consist of nutritious plant-based fats, protein-rich foods, and non-starchy vegetables. It is advisable to consume high-carb foods in moderation.
It is fortunate that there are countless plant-based choices for you to add to your diet, making it easy to follow a low-carb vegan diet. Additionally, you can effortlessly include nutritious and keto-friendly vegan foods in your preferred keto recipes and dishes to incorporate them into your diet.
For example, raw walnut tacos can benefit from the addition of walnuts as a tasty source of high protein and fat, and including a keto smoothie in your vegan keto breakfast can be a convenient approach to incorporate additional fat servings.
Rules to follow
If you’re unsure about how to begin, these straightforward guidelines can help you smoothly follow a healthy vegan keto diet:
- A vegan keto diet should not include any meat or animal products, including dairy, honey or eggs.
- The standard keto diet should consist of about 75 percent of calories from fat, 20 percent from protein and just 5 percent from carbohydrates.
- On a less restrictive modified keto diet, fat should make up about 40 percent of calories and 30 percent of calories should come from proteins and carbs, respectively.
- For most people, 30–50 grams of net carbs daily is enough to stay in ketosis. Net carbs are calculated by subtracting the grams of keto friendly fiber consumed from the amount of total carbohydrates.
- Reduce your intake of high-carb foods such as high-sugar fruits, starchy vegetables, legumes, sugar and grains.
- Include plenty of low-carb, nutrient-dense foods in your diet instead. Nuts, seeds, low-carb fruits and veggies, leafy greens, healthy fats and fermented foods are all excellent choices on a plant-based keto diet.
- Be sure to eat plenty of plant-based proteins, such as tempeh, natto, nutritional yeast, spirulina, nuts and seeds.
- Additionally, consume a good amount of healthy plant-based fats such as avocados, coconut milk and coconut oil.
Vegan keto diet benefits
There are various health benefits connected to both vegan diets and ketogenic diets. Nevertheless, there have been no specific studies conducted on vegan ketogenic diets. Evidence has demonstrated that adopting a vegan diet can reduce the chances of developing chronic health ailments including heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
According to studies, vegans have been found to have a reduced risk of developing high blood pressure, with a decrease of 75%, as well as a risk reduction of up to 78% for type 2 diabetes.
In addition, there is a tendency for vegans to have a lower weight compared to non-vegans, and those who choose to follow vegan diets are more effective at shedding pounds than individuals who consume animal products. A thorough examination of 12 studies revealed that individuals who adhered to vegan diets lost an average of 5.5 pounds (2.52 kg) more than those on non-vegetarian diets over a duration of 18 weeks.
Similar to the vegan diet, the high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet has been proven by research to have potential benefits for your health. The keto diet is renowned for its effectiveness in promoting weight loss, managing blood sugar levels, and lowering the risk factors associated with heart disease.
A ketogenic diet was found to be more effective than a low-calorie diet in terms of weight and fat loss in a study conducted on 58 obese children and teens. Additionally, the keto diet led to a significant increase in adiponectin levels, a protein responsible for regulating blood sugar and fat metabolism.
Increased levels of adiponectin are linked to improved blood sugar regulation, diminished inflammation, and a decreased likelihood of developing obesity-related disorders such as heart disease.
When considering the sequential thought process, it can be stated that ketogenic diets have proven to decrease risk factors for heart disease, such as elevated levels of triglycerides, blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. As both vegan and ketogenic diets can potentially provide similar health benefits, it is plausible that incorporating both approaches through a vegan keto diet would also have a positive impact on one’s health.
Foods to avoid
On a vegan keto diet, it is essential to lower your carb consumption and substitute them with wholesome fats and plant-based protein sources while eliminating animal products such as eggs, meat, poultry, dairy, and seafood.
Here are some examples of foods that must be completely avoided:
- Meat and poultry: Beef, turkey, chicken, pork.
- Dairy: Milk, butter, yogurt.
- Eggs: Egg whites and egg yolks.
- Seafood: Fish, shrimp, clams, mussels.
- Animal-based ingredients: Whey protein, honey, egg white protein.
Here are some examples of foods that must be reduced considerably:
- Grains and starches: Cereal, bread, baked goods, rice, pasta, grains.
- Sugary drinks: Sweet tea, soda, juice, smoothies, sports drinks, chocolate milk.
- Sweeteners: Brown sugar, white sugar, agave, maple syrup.
- Starchy vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, beets, peas.
- Beans and legumes: Black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans.
- Fruits: All fruits should be limited. However, small portions of certain fruits like berries are allowed.
- High-carb alcoholic beverages: Beer, sweetened cocktails, wine.
- Low-fat diet foods: Low-fat foods tend to be high in added sugar.
- High-carb sauces and condiments: Barbecue sauce, sweetened salad dressings, marinades.
- Highly processed foods: Limit packaged foods and increase whole, unprocessed foods.
The amount of carbohydrate restriction in a vegan keto diet depends on your health goals and individual needs. Typically, the majority of your diet should consist of healthy, high-fat vegan foods and vegan protein sources.
Foods to eat
When adhering to a vegan keto diet, it is crucial to concentrate on consuming vegan-friendly, wholesome foods that have a high fat content and low carbohydrate content. The recommended food options for a vegan keto diet consist of:
- Coconut products: Full-fat coconut milk, coconut cream, unsweetened coconut.
- Oils: Olive oil, nut oil, coconut oil, MCT oil, avocado oil.
- Nuts and seeds: Almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, hemp seeds, chia seeds, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds.
- Nut and seed butter: Peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower butter, cashew butter.
- Non-starchy vegetables: Leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, mushrooms.
- Vegan protein sources: Full-fat tofu, tempeh.
- Vegan full-fat “dairy”: Coconut yogurt, vegan butter, cashew cheese, vegan cream cheese.
- Avocados: Whole avocados, guacamole.
- Berries: Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries can be enjoyed in moderation.
- Condiments: Nutritional yeast, fresh herbs, lemon juice, salt, pepper, spices.
Even though the keto diet eliminates several food groups that vegans depend on, like whole grains and starchy vegetables, it is possible to follow a vegan keto diet by planning carefully. In order to do so, vegan keto followers must obtain their calories from unprocessed, whole foods and stay away from highly processed vegan food options.
Vegan keto diet side effects
The process of transitioning to a ketogenic diet can present difficulties. Commonly known as the keto flu, the period of transitioning from a diet high in carbohydrates to a ketogenic diet can be physically demanding. During this shift from using glucose as fuel to utilizing fat, your body may experience unpleasant symptoms.
Possible side effects of following a vegan keto diet may include:
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Irritability
- Constipation
- Poor concentration
- Diarrhea
- Weakness
- Headaches
- Muscle cramps
- Dizziness
- Difficulty sleeping
To alleviate symptoms of keto flu, one can follow steps such as staying hydrated, getting sufficient rest, consuming fiber-rich foods, and engaging in light physical activity.
In addition, the symptoms of muscle aches, headaches, and insomnia can be reduced by taking additional electrolytes such as magnesium, sodium, and potassium.
Due to its limitations on food choices, the vegan keto diet is not suitable for everyone.
The vegan keto diet might not be appropriate for individuals with type 1 diabetes, pregnant or breastfeeding women, athletes, or individuals with eating disorders or a past of disordered eating.
Before transitioning to a vegan keto diet, it is important to consult with a doctor or qualified health professional to ensure that the diet is safe to follow.
