Vegan Keto

The Keto Diet is often stigmatized as the “meat” diet. This is largely due to the historical baggage it has gathered since its inception. With plates of bacon, cooked with butter, often portrayed as a standard keto menu item, vegetarians and vegans can feel lost in the clamor and question what benefits keto could offer them.

The health benefits that accompany a proper Keto diet are hard to deny: weight loss, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, decreased inflammation, among numerous others; it is no wonder that interest exists in such a diet. But where do vegetarians and vegans fit into the picture?

Whatever reasons motivate individuals to become vegetarians or vegans should not have to be compromised in order to benefit from a keto diet.

OVERVIEW

The primary aim of the ketogenic diet is to restrict consumption of carbohydrates because of the way that the body metabolizes and uses them. Broadly, an effective ketogenic diet will look something like this:

• 60-80% of your calories from fat
• 15-35% of your calories from protein
• 5-10% of your calories from carbohydrates

How these ratios actually work out in your life will largely be a matter of your goals for being on a keto diet but also your lifestyle and personal preferences. The challenge that faces vegetarians and vegans is finding enough variety to both maintain these ratios while having enough variety to motivate individuals to remain on the diet.

WHAT A PLANT-BASED KETO DIET LOOKS LIKE

While the focus of this article is to address the needs of the vegan, vegetarians may use much of the content in developing a meal plan that works for them.  The primary difference for ovo-lacto vegetarians is the availability of eggs and dairy products to utilize in establishing a diet that remains within the ratios outlined above.

Before we list those food items that should be avoided it is important to make a list of foods that may be consumed on a vegan keto diet. These include:

• Leafy Green Vegetables – whatever diet you wish to expound upon, none exclude these vegetables which build muscle, contain high levels of fiber, iron, and other essential nutrients while being excellent antioxidants. These may be eaten as often as desired.
• Other Vegetables – many of the foundational items of a keto diet are vegetables. These include: asparagus, avocado, broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans, among others. In considering the list of vegetables that may be included in a vegan keto diet it is important to remember vegetables which come from the ocean like kelp and spirulina.
• Mushrooms – there are many uses for the ubiquitous mushroom. They have been used as buns for keto burgers, among other things. They are a good source of protein in your daily diet. As always, care should be taken to only use mushrooms from a safe and reputable source.
• Nuts and Seeds – the large variety of nuts and seeds provide multiple options for every taste. As an outstanding source of fats and proteins, they are packed with nutrients as well. It is important to note that some nuts are higher in carbohydrate content then others and that this should be taken into account when planning your daily ratios.
• Vegetable Oils – these may be used in the preparation of other foods or as a topping or even a supplement. Vegetable oils are an easy way to increase fat content in a daily menu and can be used to manage desirable ratios.
• Fermented Foods – one topic that is not always discussed in the context of a diet is the flora of our digestive tract. These are the beneficial bacteria which exist to aid our bodies in digestion and make our lives more pleasant by reducing bloating and other unpleasant symptoms which often accompany an imbalanced condition. Fermented foods, including sauerkraut and kim chi, aid in maintaining this flora.
• Tofu – often viewed as a vegetarian’s replacement to meat, this food does provide an alternate form of protein. Although generally a soy-based food, there are other varieties available with differing nutritional values.
• Replacement Foods – with the advent of an industry to serve the vegan community many replacements have been developed for the sole purpose of replacing common menu items with vegan-friendly options. Look for replacements for eggs, dairy, wheat flour, and others.
• Supplements – while it is difficult enough to ensure an optimal amount of vitamins and minerals in a vegan diet, adding the restrictions of a keto diet makes ensuring this unmanageable. As with any diet, it is important to include a complete quality supplement to your daily regimen to ensure that these needs are being met.

Vegans are already adept of controlling their diet by ensuring that animal products are not part of their diet. Keto veganism takes this concept one step further. Because of the restrictions on the consumption of carbohydrates outlined below is a list of foods that you should avoid:

• Sugar – first and foremost, sugar in all its forms are to be avoided. Many vegans have already removed processed sugars from their diets, however this also includes honey, agave, and other similar sweeteners. Stevia, or raw sugar, may be included in a keto diet.
• Fruits – consuming fruit causes a spike in blood sugar because of the fructose it contains. This is the direct opposite of the goals of the keto diet. While this is the case, it is important to remember that not all fruits have the same effect on the body and that you are allowed a portion of carbohydrates during your day. Fruits such as berries may be included in a keto diet without a significant negative impact.
• Grains – for many vegans, grain is a primary source of nutrition. It comes in many varieties and can be made into breads and pastas; the list is almost endless. All is not lost! It is important to remember that much of the food that we have grown accustomed to eating on a vegan diet may be created using a low carb options such as coconut flour and flaxseed meal.
• Legumes – beans are generally low fat and high carbohydrate foods making most of them unsuitable on a keto diet. Many vegans obtain a good portion of their daily intake of protein though the consumption of legumes. Like fruits, not all beans are created equal. White kidney beans, for example, may be used to fill your daily potion of carbohydrates.
• Below-ground Vegetables – most vegetables which grow below the ground, including the venerable potato, may not be consumed on a keto diet due to their carbohydrate content. This includes sweet potatoes and parsnip. Depending on the source you look at, some of these vegetables like carrots may be included in a keto diet.

It is important to remember that the foods you actually make a part of your daily diet are a product of your personal goals and tastes. For a complete list of foods that may be consumed on a vegan keto diet, together with their nutritional values, please visit Keto Diet Food List.

If you find all of this overwhelming, you are not alone. Counting grams of fat, protein, and carbohydrates to ensure that you remain on the keto diet every single day, while at the same time planning meals and menus can feel daunting. The Keto Meal Planner was developed to take the guess work out of this process.

While this has been a cursory glance at the world of the vegan keto diet, I hope that this has helped to show that the benefits of a ketogenic diet are available to those that have chosen to not include animal products in their daily lives. Many vegan keto are available to help introduce a whole new world. To see some of the vegan keto meals that you can enjoy today, please visit the recipes.