The ketogenic diet has gained immense popularity in recent years, with numerous individuals achieving successful weight loss and improved health outcomes through its principles. A common question arises: Can the keto diet be combined with other dietary approaches, such as vegan or vegetarian diets? Fortunately, it is indeed possible to follow a vegan keto diet, although careful planning and attention to nutritional needs are essential. This article delves into the intricacies of the plant-based keto diet, providing a comprehensive guide to its principles, benefits, risks, and practical implementation.
Understanding the Basics
To understand the plant-based keto diet, it's crucial to define its foundational components: the vegetarian diet, the vegan diet, and the ketogenic diet.
Vegetarian Diet
A vegetarian diet excludes meat, poultry, and seafood. Vegetarians primarily obtain their protein from plant sources. Subcategories of vegetarians include:
- Ovo-lacto vegetarians: Consume dairy and eggs.
- Ovo vegetarians: Consume eggs but not dairy.
- Lacto vegetarians: Consume dairy but not eggs.
Additionally, there are flexitarians (or semi-vegetarians) who eat a primarily plant-based diet with occasional consumption of meat, poultry, and seafood, and pescetarians who exclude flesh but consume seafood.
Vegan Diet
A vegan diet excludes all animal products, including meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy. Traditional veganism extends to avoiding all animal-based products, such as leather, reptile skin, furs and hairs, health and beauty aids with animal additives, and even plant-based foods that might contain animal additives, such as vegetable soup in beef broth.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Ketogenic Diet
The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can aid in weight loss and management of certain health conditions. Typically, the body derives energy from carbohydrates. However, when carb intake is limited, the body switches to fat as its primary energy source, entering a metabolic state called ketosis. This process can lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity, which can help with hunger and appetite control.
The keto diet's effectiveness for weight loss stems from the satiating nature of high-fat and high-protein foods. These foods tend to be more filling than high-carb foods, potentially leading to reduced calorie consumption even without strict calorie tracking or portion control.
Navigating the Vegan Keto Landscape
A standard low-carb vegan diet, such as a vegan Atkins or a vegan ketogenic diet, does not exist yet. However, vegans can tailor a custom ketogenic diet by taking cues from existing ketogenic/low carb diets geared at meat eaters. They can do this by switching the suggested protein and fat sources to comply with vegan dietary beliefs. The keto diet requires you to consume no more than 5 percent of your calories from carbohydrates. Some experts recommend staying under 50 grams of carbs per day, and others recommend staying under 35 grams. Everyone has different caloric needs, so it may take some trial and error to figure out what works for you.
Many people opt for the vegetarian keto diet, which allows dairy and eggs, providing additional sources of fat and protein. A vegetarian keto diet includes protein and fats from non-meat sources, such as eggs, cheese, low-carb protein bars, low-carb protein shakes, plant-based fatty acid supplements, and low-glycemic fibrous vegetables. With a keto vegan diet, most of the proteins and fats come from nuts, nut butters, hemp protein, rice protein, MCT oil, plant-based fatty acids, and greens. There are no hard and fast rules when creating a vegan or vegetarian keto diet. Because of this reason, vegetarians and vegans have the option of building keto diets from the ground up to suit very specific health requirements that each individual may have.
Foods to Embrace and Avoid
Unfortunately, many of the staple foods of a standard vegan diet are not allowed on the keto diet because of their high carbohydrate content. The following foods are not permitted on the vegan keto diet: Meat, eggs, dairy, and other animal products, Fruit, Beans and legumes, Potatoes and other root vegetables, Grains and starches.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
However, there are plenty of foods that you can include in your vegan keto diet meal plan. Here are some of the best foods to include in your vegan keto diet recipes: Tofu, tempeh, and seitan, Leafy greens, Above-ground vegetables, Avocados, Mushrooms, Nuts and seeds, Coconut and olive oil.
Macronutrient Ratios
A vegan keto diet typically consists of roughly 70% fats, 25% protein, and 5% carbs, coming exclusively from keto-friendly plant-based foods.
Health Benefits and Potential Risks
Both the keto diet and the vegan diet have a number of health benefits, so combining the two can be a great way to lose weight and improve your health. However, it's essential to acknowledge both the potential benefits and risks associated with this dietary approach.
Potential Benefits
- Weight Loss: Both vegan and keto diets have demonstrated effectiveness in aiding weight loss.
- Blood Sugar Control: Reducing carbohydrate intake can help manage insulin levels and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Heart Health: Healthy fats, such as those from nuts and avocados, may help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
- Anti-Inflammatory Effects: Plant-based eating has been linked to reduced inflammation.
- Reduced risk of chronic health conditions: Vegan diets, for example, have been shown to lower the risk of various chronic health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.
- Improved blood sugar regulation and fat metabolism: Higher levels of adiponectin have been associated with better blood sugar control, reduced inflammation and a lower risk of obesity-related diseases, including heart disease.
- Reduced heart disease risk factors: Ketogenic diets have also been shown to reduce heart disease risk factors, including high triglycerides, blood pressure and “bad” LDL cholesterol.
Potential Risks
- Nutrient Deficiencies: Vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, and omega-3s may be lacking.
- Digestive Issues: Low fiber intake can lead to constipation if not managed properly.
- Keto Flu: The initial adjustment period can cause fatigue, headaches, and irritability. Vegan keto diet side effects may include Fatigue, Nausea, Irritability, Constipation, Poor concentration, Diarrhea, Weakness, Headaches, Muscle cramps, Dizziness, Difficulty sleeping.
- Restrictive Nature: The vegan keto diet may not be suitable for those with type 1 diabetes, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, athletes or those with eating disorders or a history of disordered eating.
Addressing Nutrient Deficiencies
Several studies, for example, have shown that both vegetarians and vegans are prone to deficiencies in B12, calcium, iron, zinc, the long-chain fatty acids EPA & DHA, and fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, & K2. It’s essential that you still meet your nutritional needs to achieve the best vegan keto results, so you should aim to eat as wide of a variety of foods as possible. This will prevent you from getting bored with your meals, too, which will help you stick with the diet.
Consider supplementing with B12, omega-3s (DHA/EPA), iron, and vitamin D to avoid deficiencies.Eating fortified foods, focusing on whole-foods and enhancing nutrient availability, for example through fermenting and sprouting, is important for people following a vegan keto diet.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
Crafting a Vegan Keto Meal Plan
Meal planning can be intimidating. Here’s everything you need to know about meal planning for a plant-based keto diet.
Here’s an easy formula you can use to build a variety of plant-based keto meals: 3 ounces of protein + 1 tablespoon of fat + 1/2 cup (or 1 piece) of grain substitute + 1 cup vegetables. Or you can skip the grain substitute and just go for an extra-hefty dose of veggies (since most grain subs are vegetable-based anyway).
Protein Sources
Protein is an important consideration in any diet. It provides the amino acids your body needs to create new proteins. There are nine essential amino acids we must get through our diet. Animal-based protein sources contain all nine in the correct ratios, but most plant proteins are short on one or two. Because of this, you need to eat a variety of plant-based protein sources to make sure you’re getting enough. A lot of the protein in standard vegan or vegetarian diets comes from grains and legumes, which are pretty carby. But there are several low carb proteins you can include in your diet:
- Soy: tofu, tempeh (fermented soy), black soybeans
- Nuts: almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, nut butters
- Seeds: flaxseed, hemp seeds, hempeh (fermented hemp), chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, seed butters
- Protein powders: pea protein, hemp protein, soy protein
- Vegan burgers and other “meats" that are available in most grocery stores.
- Add a flavorless vegan protein powder to your meals. Pea protein isolate tends to be the cheapest and easiest vegan powder to use.
- Make a low-carb smoothie with flavored vegan protein powders. Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder to one of Ruled.me’s smoothie recipes.
Fat Sources
On a keto diet - including plant-based keto - most of your calories should come from fat, since that’s what your body uses as fuel when you’re in ketosis. Don’t be afraid to add a little extra fat to everything you eat, especially since most plant-based proteins are pretty lean to begin with. Fat can help keep you full and help your body absorb certain nutrients more efficiently. Here are some ideal plant-based fats:
- Oils: coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil
- Nuts: peanuts, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, nut butters
- Seeds: flaxseed, chia seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, seed butters
- Others: coconut cream, coconut butter, cocoa butter, avocado
Grain Substitutes
A plant-based diet is typically naturally rich in grain foods like rice, oats, quinoa, pasta, and bread. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but it just doesn’t jibe with a keto diet. However, if you’re used to eating a grain-heavy diet (plant-based or not), including some close substitutes can make sticking to a low carb diet much easier. Here are some great alternatives for grains and other starchy carbs:
- Rice: cauliflower rice, konjac rice
- Oats: “noatmeal” made with seeds, almond flour, and coconut
- Pasta: zucchini noodles, konjac noodles
- Potatoes: jicama fries, roasted radishes, mashed cauliflower
- Flour: almond flour, coconut flour
- Bread: shiitake mushroom caps
Vegetables
No shocker here, but on plant-based keto you’re gonna be eating a LOT of vegetables. Because of this, the diet will naturally be a bit higher in carbs than an omnivorous keto diet, but most of it is from fiber, so it’s NBD. But there are some higher-carb vegetables you’ll want to avoid to stay in ketosis, including potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, and peas. (Side note: Meat substitutes and protein powders made from pea protein are usually fine.) Veggies like carrots, tomatoes, and onions are relatively high in carbs but can still be included in your diet in moderate amounts. Here’s a list of vegetables you can eat on plant-based keto. A note for beet lovers: Since a cup contains 17 grams of carbs, it’s one veggie you may want to enjoy in moderation. The other nonstarchy picks on the list can be eaten to your heart’s (and stomach’s) content! spinach, kale, salad greens, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, cucumber, green beans, celery, brussels sprouts, cabbage, bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, mushrooms, artichoke, eggplant, okra, yellow squash, zucchini.
Sweet Cravings
You also need to be prepared for sweet cravings. Satisfying them can be as easy as munching on some low carb fruit (like strawberries or raspberries) or as involved as whipping up some vegan keto baked goods - which, FYI, will destroy your kitchen. The outcome is totally worth it, though. Chia seed pudding is another great option, since the carbs in chia seeds are almost 100 percent from fiber and the chia seeds take on a perfect puddingy consistency in liquid. You can also make vegan fat bombs with coconut cream, coconut butter, or nut butters to satisfy your sweet tooth and deliver an easy dose of healthy fats.
Vegan Dairy and Egg Replacements
- Replace Milk with Coconut Milk.
- Replace Heavy Cream with Coconut Cream.
- Instead of Butter use Coconut Oil or Vegan Butter. Coconut oil has a slightly lower melting point than butter and the same smoke point as butter, which makes it a good butter replacement.
- Replace Dairy-Based Cheese with Vegan Cheese.
- Instead of Cream Cheese have Vegan Soft Cheese.
- Replace Yogurt and Sour Cream with Nut-Based Yogurt.
- Finely ground flax makes an excellent binder.
- Silken tofu is a softer, silkier form of tofu that makes a good egg and dairy replacement.
- The Vegg is a 100% plant-based egg company.
- Follow Your Heart is another plant-based company that makes vegan alternatives of everything from cheese to mayonnaise. Their VeganEgg is advertised as a vegan whole egg replacement that has the taste and texture of real eggs.
Oils for Cooking
- Coconut oil is an excellent oil for fat bombs, keto desserts, and cooking or baking at temperatures below 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Avocado oil contains more healthy monounsaturated fats than any other commonly used oils.
- Red palm oil is an incredible source of Vitamins A and E.
- MCT oil is commonly derived from coconut and palm oil. If you need an energy boost, add this flavorless oil to your salads, sauces, fat bombs, and hot drinks like coffee or tea.
Sample Meal Ideas
Here are some sample meals that follow this formula:
- grilled tofu kebabs with peppers, purple onion, and mushrooms and a green salad with olive oil vinaigrette
- plant-based ground beef alternative with homemade spaghetti sauce (containing tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and spinach) and zucchini noodles cooked in avocado oil
- taco bowl with taco-seasoned black soybeans, cauliflower rice, lettuce, tomato, and avocado
- stuffed shiitake mushroom cap (with sautéed plant-based meat shreds or tofu, peppers, and onions), topped with plant-based cheese, and oil-roasted green beans
- protein shake with 1 scoop of pea protein powder, strawberries, unsweetened almond milk, spinach, and avocado