A Guide To Vegan Keto Diet With Top 40 Foods List

Are you vegan and want to enjoy the benefits of the popular keto diet? A regular keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet, including a high consumption of animal fats. While a typical vegan diet is a high-carb, low-fat diet that restricts all animal products and relies only on plant foods. But what if you want to follow a keto diet while staying vegan?  Vegan keto is your option. The vegan keto diet combines these two eating styles into one plant-based, low-carb approach. 

Let’s have a detailed look at what vegan keto is and how you can follow it.

What is vegan keto?

A vegan keto diet is a plant-based approach to a ketogenic diet. The ketogenic diet is a low-carb and high-fat diet that puts your body in a state called ketosis. Normally, your body breaks down carbohydrates to obtain energy. But in ketosis, your body uses fats as a primary fuel for energy production.

The ketogenic diet has become popular for its numerous benefits, such as weight loss and blood sugar control. However, it’s difficult for vegans to follow a traditional keto diet as it contains high amounts of animal fats and proteins. For this purpose, a vegan keto diet that combines the principles of both vegan and keto diets is a great choice.

In vegan keto, animal products are replaced by plant products. For instance, plant fats such as avocado and coconut oil are added instead of animal fats like poultry and fish. Similarly, it replaces animal proteins like eggs with plant proteins like tofu and tempeh. Furthermore, vegan keto limits the intake of high-carb plant products such as legumes and whole grains.

The typical vegan keto diet consists of:

• 70-75% of calories from fat
• 20-25% of calories from protein
• 5-10% of calories from carbohydrates

Note that restricted food choices in vegan keto make it difficult to meet nutrient needs such as protein, iron, and vitamins. Therefore, careful planning and proper supplementation are necessary.

How to do vegan keto?

Following a vegan keto requires careful planning. Keep the following principles in mind while following this diet:

1. Track your macronutrient ratio. Just as the ketogenic diet involves proper tracking and management of macros, so does vegan keto. Use a calorie calculator to count your daily caloric intake.
2. Don’t consume carbs more than 35 g/day. To calculate net carbs, subtract fiber from total carbohydrates.
3. Eat leafy green and cruciferous vegetables that are low in fat and rich in fiber, such as broccoli, cauliflower, etc.
4. Add more plant-based fats to your diet to meet the 75% fat intake requirement. Eat avocados, nuts, and seeds.
5. Avoid animal products, including fish, meat, and proteins.
6. Get 25% of your protein from plants, such as tofu and tempeh.
7. Ensure you add supplements to your diet to meet your body’s needs. Take vitamin D3, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, and iron through supplements.
8. Add protein-rich additives like peanut butter to your meal plans.

Vegan keto food list

When you’re on a vegan diet, you should include plant-based fats, low-carb vegetables, and vegan proteins. Here’s a detailed list of what to add and avoid in your diet.

Foods to add to the vegan keto

Following are the foods that are part of the vegan keto diet:

Healthy fats

Avocados

• 1 avocado (201g): 322 calories, 29.5g fat, 17.1g carbs, 13.5g fiber

Oils

• Extra virgin olive oil (1 tbsp): 119 calories, 14g fat
• Avocado oil (1 tbsp): 124 calories, 14g fat
• Coconut oil (1 tbsp): 117 calories, 13.9g fat
• MCT oil (1 tbsp): 120 calories, 14g fat

Nuts 

• Almonds (1 oz): 164 calories, 14g fat, 6.12g carbs, 3.54g fiber
• Walnuts (1 oz): 185 calories, 18.5g fat, 3.88g carbs, 1.9g fiber
• Macadamia nuts (1 oz): 204 calories, 21.5g fat, 3.91g carbs, 2.4g fiber
• Cashews (1 oz): 157 calories, 12.4g fat, 8.56g carbs, 0.94g fiber
• Peanuts (1 oz): 161 calories, 13.9g fat, 4.56g carbs, 2.41g fiber

Seeds

• Chia seeds (1 oz): 138 calories, 8.7g fat, 11.9g carbs, 9.75g fiber
• Flaxseeds (1 oz): 152 calories, 12g fat, 8g carbs, 8g fiber
• Hemp seeds (3 tbsp): 166 calories, 14.6g fat, 2.6g carbs, 1.2g fiber
• Pumpkin seeds (1 oz): 163 calories, 13.9g fat, 4.17g carbs, 1.84g fiber

Non-Starchy Vegetables 

Non-starchy vegetables are low in carbs. Therefore, they are your go-to nutrient source on vegan keto. 

Some examples include:

Leafy Greens

• Kale, 1 cup (21g): 7.35 calories, 0.3g fat, 0.86g fiber.
• Spinach, 1 cup (30g): 6.9 calories, 0.1g fat, 0.66g fiber.
• Arugula, 1 cup (20g): 5 calories, 0.1g fat, 0.3g fiber.
• Romaine lettuce, 1 cup (47g): 7.99 calories, 0.1g fat, 1g fiber.
• Bok Choy, 1 cup (70g): 9 calories, 0.1g fat, 1g fiber.
• Collard Greens 1 cup (36g): 11.5 calories, 0.2g fat, 1.4g fiber.

Cruciferous Vegetables

• Cauliflower, 1 cup (107g): 26.8 calories, 0.3g fat, 2.14g fiber.
• Broccoli, 1 cup (91g): 30.9 calories, 0.3g fat, 2.4g fiber.
• Brussels sprouts, 1 cup (88g): 37.8 calories, 0.3g fat, 3.3g fiber.
• Cabbage, 1 cup (89g): 22.2 calories, 0.05g fat, 2.2g fiber.

Other Vegetables

• Zucchini, 1 cup (124g): 21.1 calories, 0.4g fat, 1.2g fiber.
• Eggplant, 1 cup (82g): 20.5 calories, 0.15g fat, 2.5g fiber.
• Tomatoes, 1 small (91g): 16.4 calories, 0.2g fat, 1.1g fiber.
• Cucumber, 1 cup (104g): 15.6 calories, 0.2g fat, 0.5g fiber.
• Mushrooms, 1 cup (70g): 15.4 calories, 0.2g fat, 0.7g fiber.

Low-Carb Fruits

Fruits that are low in carbs are:

• Blackberries, 1 cup (148g): 84.4 calories, 0.5g fat, 21.5g carbs, 3.55g fiber.
• Raspberries, 1 cup (123g): 64 calories, 0.8g fat, 14.6g carbs, 8g fiber.
• Strawberries, 1 cup (152g): 48.6 calories, 0.5g fat, 11.7g carbs, 3g fiber.
• Cantaloupe, 1 cup (177g): 6.02 calories, 0.4g fat, 14.4g carbs, 1.6g fiber.

Vegan Protein Sources

Getting adequate protein from plant sources takes some planning on keto. Some options:

• Tofu (1⁄2 cup): 181 calories, 21.8g protein, 3.5g carbs.
• Tempeh (1⁄2 cup): 159.5 calories, 17g protein, 6.4g carbs.
• Seitan (1⁄3 cup): 120 calories, 21g protein, 5g carbs.
• Nutritional yeast (3 tbsp): 60 calories, 8g protein, 5g carbs.
• Low-carb vegan protein powders

*Note: All the above values are taken from FoodData Central – USDA.

Other Keto-Friendly Plant Foods

• Unsweetened nut milk
• Herbs, spices, and vinegar
• Unsweetened vegan condiments (mustard, hot sauce, salsa)

Foods to avoid on vegan keto

To maintain ketosis while on vegan keto, you need to restrict/limit certain foods. 

Here are the foods that you should completely avoid:

Animal Products

• Meat (Beef, mutton)
• Poultry (Chicken, turkey)
• Seafood (Shrimp, mussels, fish)
• Eggs (Egg whites and yolks)
• Dairy (Milk, yogurt, butter)
• Whey protein
• Honey

Moderation is the Key!

While following a vegan keto diet, here are some foods that you should consume in limit:

• Grains: Wheat, rice, corn, oats, quinoa, barley, etc.
• Legumes: Beans, lentils, peas, peanuts, soybeans
• Starchy vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, carrots, parsnips
• High-carb fruits: Bananas, pineapple, mango, grapes, oranges
• Sweets & added sugars: Desserts, candies, syrups, sweetened drinks
• Breads & grains: Breads, pastas, cereals, crackers
• Alcohol: Wine, beer, mixers

Final words

To conclude, vegan keto is a diet approach for people who want to achieve ketosis by staying vegan. This diet includes plant-based products, excluding all animal foods in the keto diet. However, due to its restrictive nature, it can cause a deficiency of certain nutrients and minerals. Therefore, proper meal planning is important when following a vegan keto diet. You might need to take supplements with your diet to fulfil your nutrient requirements. Always consult a dietician or registered nutritionist before you follow any diet. Take care of your well-being!