The Ketogenic diet, or Keto diet for short is taking the world by storm, and has quickly become the most popular lifestyle choice for celebrities and models which they credit their amazing bodies for (in conjunction with a balanced exercise plan of course

If you’re unfamiliar with the Ketogenic diet- we’ll break it down for you. Basically, the keto diet is very low in carbohydrates (less than 50g a day which would be equivalent to a bowl of rice) and very high in fat with moderate amounts of protein. This results in sending the body into a state of what is called ‘ketosis’, which pretty much means your body uses and burns fat as the primary source of energy instead of carbs. So why are people swearing by it? The Keto diet has been vastly praised for weight loss benefits and has also been linked to improved energy levels and clearer skin.

Those following a keto diet consume protein and fat rich foods, foods that would usually come to mind would be meat, fish, cheese and eggs. But can you follow the keto diet as a vegan? The answer is yes! In fact, some can argue following a vegan keto diet is far healthier way to follow the regular keto diet as you are consuming more of the good fats (monounsaturated & polyunsaturated fats) as opposed to saturated and trans fatty acids which can be found in meat, cheese and high fat processed foods.

To give you a rough idea on the guidelines of a vegan keto diet, we’ve put together a list of foods that would typically be included in a keto diet but are still able to be eaten as a vegan.

Foods you can have
This includes high fat foods such as all nuts (macadamias, almonds, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pine nuts etc) seeds (hemp seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds) and oils (avocado, olive, hemp, coconut). Low carbohydrate veggies such as avocado (which is high in fats!) leafy greens, asparagus, radish, zucchini, celery, mushrooms, broccoli, cucumber & cauliflower. Low sugar sweeteners such as monk fruit and stevia are also amazing low carb natural sweeteners.

Foods to eat in moderation
Fruit is high in carbohydrates but does not have to be totally eliminated from a vegan keto diet. Fruits should be consumed in moderate amounts and should be low GI fruits including berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries). To add more substance to your meals you could also add Tofu.

Foods to Avoid
As keto diets are very low in carbohydrates, foods to be avoided would include grains such as pasta, bread, quinoa, rice, buckwheat plus legumes and lentils. Starchy vegetables such as potato, sweet potato, sweet corn, leek, carrots and of course sugar (but this is something we should be trying to avoid or limit at all times) are also off the list.  

Now that you’ve got the general 101 on what a vegan keto diet can include, you’re probably thinking how can I make this into a full day of eating!? Well the fun part is, going keto gives you a chance to be creative and enjoy conjuring up some delicious recipes in the kitchen. A great point about eating high fats is that they are so filling and satisfying! Yes, chocolate may be excluded from the list… but that doesn’t stop you from making your own Keto friendly chocolate, right?! Nut Butter, Coconut Oil, Cacao Powder plus a dash of stevia and Shroom Brew Super Latte mixed together and set in ice cube trays in the freezer makes the most delicious melt in your mouth peanut butter cup style chocolate- YUM!

So… thinking of trying out the Keto diet? Our nutritionist has put together a simple 3-day vegan keto meal plan.

3 DAY GF & VEGAN KETO MEAL PLAN