Ultimate Guide On a Vegan Keto Diet

Being vegan is tough enough on its own. Whether it is to end animal suffering, reverse climate change, or to improve your health, going vegan is a significant step. However, that also complicates matters, as it really restricts your options. The keto diet is also trendy nowadays, thanks to its ability to aid in weight loss. The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-protein, and high-fat diet while others feel much better on a high-carb vegan diet. But with so many restrictions in place, how do you ensure that you get the proper nutrients? Here’s an ultimate guide on a vegan keto diet to help you go keto in a healthy and controlled manner. 

Why Vegans Should Go Keto

While a vegan diet can be beneficial, there are certain things that it doesn’t really help with. For instance, a keto diet can be a lot more helpful if you suffer from obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, or epilepsy. Also, when it comes to losing weight, the keto diet can be a potent tool. Furthermore, the keto diet tends to be a little less restrictive than the vegan diet. In some instances, it is hard to get all the micronutrients you require while on a vegan diet, whereas that problem does not exist with the keto diet. In case you follow a very high-carb vegan diet, you will find it challenging to feel lighter and freer. In such cases, it is better than switching over to a keto diet to lose weight, get fit, and feel more light and free. However, what if you could combine the two to get the best of both? Here’s the ultimate guide on how to do that and achieve a Vegan Keto diet, which helps you get healthier and more fit.

Vegan Keto Diet

Let’s be honest from the get-go, the Vegan Keto diet is one of the world’s most restrictive diets. Therefore, this one is for the experienced dieter who can curb their hunger pangs and cravings. However, some tips will help you keep the vegan keto diet without losing your sanity, and falling seriously ill. Here are a few rules you need to follow to ensure that you stay healthy.

• Limit your daily carb intake to less than 35 grams per day.
• To ensure that you stay vegan, get rid of all meat, poultry, fish, seafood, and eggs from your diet.
• Skip the high-carb veggies and stock up on low-carb ones like leafy greens and tomatoes.

• Make sure you get at least 70% of your daily calories from plant-based fats, which are healthy and nutritious. 
• Make sure that over 25% of your diet has plant-based proteins in it.
• In case you feel that you are not getting enough micronutrients, use supplements to bend the gap. You might need supplements to meet your daily targets of Vitamin D, B12, B6, Iron, Zinc, and Selenium.
• Make use of a keto app or calorie counter to account for everything you put inside your body.

What to Avoid On a Vegan Keto Diet

1. Grains: Wheat/ Rice/ Corn/ Cereal
2. Legumes: Lentils/ Black beans/ Chickpeas/ Peas
3. Sweeteners: Sugar/ Honey/ Maple Syrup/ Agave
4. Fruits: Apples/ Bananas/ Guavas/ Oranges/ Squash/ Pears/ Grapes
5. Veggies: Nightshade Veggies/ Potatoes/ Yams 

What To Include In a Vegan Keto Diet

• Vegan Meats, which are high in protein and low in carbs: Tempeh/ Seitan/ Tofu
• Mushrooms: King Oyster/ Shitake/ Lion’s Mane
• Veggies: Leafy greens like spinach, kale, celery and chard/ Broccoli/ Cauliflower/ Zucchini/ Chilies/ Kelp/ Dulse
• Dairy alternatives: Almond Milk/ Coconut Milk/ Coconut Yogurt/ Vegan Cheeses/ Coconut Cream/ Soy milk
• Nuts: Pistas/ Almonds/ Macadamia/ Walnuts/ Brazillian Nut
• Seeds: Sunflower seeds/ Pumpkin seeds/ Chia Seeds
• Fruits: Raspberries/ Strawberries/ Blackberries/ Blueberries/ Avocados
• Sweeteners: Stevia/ Erythritol/ Monk fruit
• Oils: Coconut Oil/ Olive Oil/ MCT oil/ Avocado oil

Vegan Keto Diet Meals

• Peanut Butter Pancakes + Protein Strawberry Smoothie
• Sesame Tofu with Eggplant + Nuts
• Asian Broccoli Salad
• Vegan Coconut Curry
• Crispy Tofu with Bok Choy 
• Grilled Eggplant and Red Peppers
• Roasted Caprese Salad
• Peanut Butter Balls stuffed with Coconut.

Vegan Alternatives Which Help You Cook On a Keto Diet

One big problem when you follow a vegan diet is that you can’t make food by going through generic online recipes. Most of these recipes use ingredients that do not fall under the vegan bracket. However, there are healthy, vegan alternatives to all these ingredients, and here’s a quick look at those alternatives to make sure you can cook conveniently while on a Vegan keto diet.

1. Use coconut milk instead of milk in desserts to get the same result. You can use coconut milk just about anywhere as it doesn’t have a very strong flavor, and the substitution may be made in a 1:1 ratio.
2. Replace heavy cream with coconut cream to turn any regular dessert into a delicious vegan one. You might have to add or remove some water from it to get it to the right consistency depending on how creamy your coconut cream is.
3. Use vegan butter, coconut oil, or olive oil instead of butter while cooking dishes. Since the melting point of coconut oil is lower than that of regular butter, it acts as an excellent substitute for butter. However, it does have a strong taste, and that flavor becomes part of whatever you make. If you want to avoid that, you can go for vegan butter, but before you buy it, make sure it does not have any hydrogenated oils.
4. Cheese is an integral part of European cuisine, and the best vegan replacement for typical cheese is vegan cheese. You will find a large variety of vegan cheeses including, soy cheese, coconut cheese, and even cashew cheese. The best vegan cheeses on the market are the ones made by Treeline or Miyoko and Follow Your Heart.
5. Go for vegan soft cheese instead of cream cheese while making desserts. The best one on the market is the cashed-based one made by Treeline, which is both delicious and savory.
6. Instead of yogurt, add a touch of sourness using Nut-Based Yogurt, which is made using plain almond, or coconut milk yogurt. However, make sure these do not have added sugars or milk.
7. Whenever you buy vegan alternatives, make sure you check the labels to avoid buying ones that contain unhealthy ingredients. For instance, you should avoid everything that has added sugar, carbs, hydrogenated oils, and agar, which may cause bloating and an upset stomach in some people. 
8. You can use finely ground flaxseed as a substitute for eggs when using almond flour or coconut flour to bake goods. Another great option is silken tofu, which tastes great in brownies, quick bread, and cakes. For every one egg, add 1/4 cup of these substitutes. 
9. In case you want to up your protein intake, add flavorless vegan protein powder to the meals and smoothies that you make. 

While it is definitely more challenging to follow the keto diet when you are a vegan, thanks to an explosion of health-based companies, you now have more options. It is easier now than ever before, to be on a vegan keto diet. Use this guide to buy the right vegan alternatives that will help you veganize most keto recipes.