Can You Do a Vegan Keto Diet?

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Do you want to experience the benefits of the keto diet but you’re concerned about climate change and animal suffering? It’s hard to imagine having any options at all while on a keto vegan diet.

Is it possible to do keto and be vegan at the same time? We will talk about being vegan and whether it fits with the keto diet.

Find out what protein and fat sources are ideal for vegans, and find the best keto-friendly vegan dairy alternatives.

Vegans and the Ketogenic Diet

Generally, 75% of your calorie intake is fat when on the ketogenic diet. Keto dieters usually turn to high-fat animal products, butter, and full-fat dairy to keep up this level of fat consumption.

So, can you do a vegan keto diet? Is it even possible to put these two together? The short answer is yes. Although it may seem impossible, vegans can follow the ketogenic diet plan with some slight improvisations.

The truth is you can get a great supply of good quality fat from plant-based foods. Just remember to keep your carb consumption to less than 50 grams a day.

Although many suggest that we need complete proteins containing nine amino acids, these nutrients along with vitamins A, C, E, zinc, etc. can be acquired with the careful balance of foods and supplements.

There are so many strategies and recipes you can use to make the most out of your vegan keto diet. All of these options will help you get into ketosis for rapid weight loss without harming the environment or animals.

What is the Vegan Ketogenic Diet?

The vegan lifestyle itself comes in many forms and it is important to know how to best incorporate your vegan lifestyle with the ketogenic diet.

People on the vegan keto diet consume only plant-based foods such as vegetables and fruits. They will avoid any kind of animal products like meat and dairy. This is a low-carb diet that is entirely plant-based.

This type of vegan keto diet can help you balance your hormones by removing refined processed foods and animal products to help keep you glowing. You can even lose weight when combining your diet with exercise that helps stimulate your metabolism.

We will dive deeper into what you can and cannot eat a bit later on.

Vegan Keto Diet Benefits

Several benefits can be experienced when going on a vegan keto diet, although the studies focus separately on veganism and ketosis. For instance, the Nutrients Journal and Eating Behavior explained that a vegan diet has been shown to avoid the following:

heart disease
diabetes
cancer.

As for the keto diet, it is well-known for the following benefits:

Helping achieve weight loss.
Improving blood sugar control.
Reduced risk of heart diseases including high triglycerides, blood pressure, and bad LDL cholesterol.

Vegan Protein Sources

It is no doubt that protein in animal products are also needed by your body. Although you are prohibited from consuming meat, low-carb nuts and seeds can be the best source of protein for you because of their versatility, their suitability for both the keto and vegan diet, and the fiber, protein, and antioxidants they contain.

The amount of protein you need depends on your weight, body composition, activity level, and age. But the average amount is 60-100 grams.

Keto Vegan “Meats”

Some substitutes for meat that are also great for the keto diet as they are high-protein and low-carb, like:

tempeh
tofu
seitan.

Vegan Greek Yogurt

This one is also an excellent source of calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Greek yogurt provides probiotics to make your gut healthier and more capable of ketosis. In fact, you can make your own vegan Greek yogurt with coconut milk and other ingredients.

Check out how in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rytUvHW_li0

Homemade Vegan Greek Yogurt (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rytUvHW_li0)

Hemp Seeds

Hemp seeds are rich in soluble fiber with healthy fats, potassium, and magnesium.

Vegan Fat Sources

This is easy. High-fat vegan dairy alternatives can be a significant component of your keto meals. These include:

vegan cheeses
high-fat vegan cream
vegan butter.

Oil

Here is a list of oils you can use for cooking and baking which are plant-based and really good sources of fat:

Avocado oil
Coconut oil
MCT oil
Olive oil
Macadamia oil
Walnut oil.

Sweeteners

Low-carb sweeteners are available in the market to give your meals the right amount of sweetness. Some of these are:

Stevia
Erythritol
Monk fruit.

Micronutrients

To provide you with sufficient fiber and micronutrients like vitamins A, C, B6, B9, and E, you’ll be needing 1-3 servings of very low-carb veggies at least twice a day. Here are some of the most ideal plant-based keto foods.

zucchini
avocado
spinach
cauliflower
mushroom
fermented foods.

Berries like raspberries, blackberries, and other low-glycemic fruits are also recommended.

Season It All Up!

There’s a wide array of herbs and spices that can make your meals more diverse and therefore enjoyable while on a vegan keto diet. These can also be great sources of other nutrients and few net carbs. Here are some of them:

basil
cinnamon
rosemary .

Foods to Avoid on the Vegan Keto Diet

When on the keto diet you need to avoid grain-based food like wheat, corn, rice, and cereal. Now, this may seem difficult for you as a vegan, but trust us when we say that you can do it!

Dried fruits like prunes and apricots, as well as legumes such as lentils, black beans, and peas, should also be limited. Say goodbye to potatoes and yams, too! These are all too high in carbs and will hinder your diet efforts.

Although vegan foods like tofu and other soy products can be great protein sources for the vegan, research suggests their phytoestrogens may trigger the growth of some cancers, depending on the amount consumed, genetics, and other factors. This, however, is controversial as no other research-backed up this previous study, so you should use your own judgment here.

Vegan Alternatives

If you’re wondering whether or not there are keto-friendly vegan dairy and egg replacements, there are, so let’s take a look at each of them.

Coconut Milk and Cream

Instead of fresh dairy milk, try coconut milk in a 1 to 1 ratio! Coconut cream can also be used as a substitute for heavy cream, although you may have to blend in a bit of water or skim some water out the container depending on the creaminess of the coconut cream.

Coconut Oil or Vegan Butter

The lower melting point of the coconut oil makes it so much better than actual butter! If you do not like the taste it gives, try looking for vegan butter in a health food store.

Just make sure that the vegan butter does not contain hydrogenated oils that contain unwanted trans fats so you won’t ruin your keto diet by worsening your health.

Vegan Cheese and Cream Cheese

Your local health food store probably has one of the many vegan cheeses available. Most of these are based on ingredients such as soy, coconut, cashew, and other plant-based foods. You can even make your own creamy cashew cheese! Check out the mouth-watering recipe here.

Downsides of the Vegan Keto Diet

Obviously, one drawback of the vegan keto diet is the very limited types of food you can eat. However, some other serious disadvantages that some can suffer, include the following:

poor concentration
diarrhea
weakness
muscle cramps
difficulty sleeping.

Vegan Keto Supplements

Another disadvantage of the diet is the need for supplements. Vegan and keto diets can be low in important nutrients, that is why you need quality supplements that have vitamin B12, D, K2, zinc, omega-3 fats, iron, and calcium.

Here are the best supplements to take on a vegan keto diet:

Nature Made Magnesium includes 100 tablets that can help you with your lack of magnesium. This mineral boosts energy, regulates blood sugar, and supports your immune system. Take 1 with water and a meal per day.
Amazon Elements Vitamin B12 includes 65 berry longes that are gluten-free and vegan. The nutrient helps keep nerves and blood cells healthy as well as assist in making DNA.
Caltrate Calcium & Vitamin D will help in providing you with Calcium for bone strength. It also contains vitamin D3 for better absorption and muscle function.