I have been reading a lot on intermittent fasting and the benefits of a ketogenic diet. Recently I listened to a podcast on the Tim Ferriss show where he interviewed Dr. Dominic D’Agostino—one of the world’s leading scientists on the benefits of intermittent fasting and the ketogenic diet. I was truly blown away with the benefits of fasting and how it affected your metabolic system. Fasting can potentially prevent cancer, increase alertness, and dial you in physically. For more on fasting, click here.
After this podcast, and a few podcasts featuring Dr. Peter Attia (a doctor that focuses on longevity, and increasing lifespan) I was pretty much convinced that a low glucose diet, and intermittent feeding periods are the keys to longevity. A ketogenic diet is exactly that: low carb, low glucose, high fat, moderate protein.
The only issue is this: I have been (mostly) plant based since 2016…
The “keto” craze that I had seen on the internet includes infinite dairy and meat consumption; in other words, it was a fad diet that I was not interested in exploring. So how does one simultaneously remain plant based and achieve all of the benefits of a ketogenic diet?
It is possible
In the end, a ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low carb, moderate-protein (despite what people think) diet. One reason why it is great for weight loss is because eating high fat and low carb suppresses your appetite. Our bodies have become highly accustomed to high glucose diets; in our evolution, it became the main brain food. Therefore, your body sends demand signals when you are running low on the stuff, which can be in as little as 18 hours—not very efficient! When you eat carbs, you crave carbs. And thus, eat more carbs. The ketogenic diet makes you feel fuller (for longer) because it doesn’t rely on the same fuel. It is also a great way to kick yourself out of this carb dependency that acts surprisingly like addiction—yes, you can have carb/glucose withdrawal symptoms. So really, the keto diet as a weight loss mechanism is only as effective as the calorie restriction you pair it with (in my case, intermittent fasting).
As previously mentioned, in keto, your caloric intake is primarily fat (around 75%). By increasing fat and protein, and lowering carbs, you are also able to achieve a state called ketosis faster. Ketosis is a metabolic process where your body (being deprived of the fast and easy glucose we have come to enjoy over eons) burns fat instead. When the fat is burned, macronutrients called Ketones are produced from the liver. This macronutrient, like glucose, can pass the blood brain barrier (even better than glucose) and power that super computer upstairs. All of this is highly simplified. I discuss the benefits of fasting in a little more detail here, and the benefits of an extended fast (72 hours+) here. The purpose of this article is not to give a robust explanation of the benefits of the diet, but rather to explain whether it can be adapted to a plant-based lifestyle.
“But how do you get your protein?”
The question every plant based person hears ad nauseum. In this case, protein is a small aspect of the keto diet. Here we are more concerned about fat (but protein has its roll). Turns out, Vegetables—*drum roll please*—have lots of both!
So what can a vegan eat to reap the benefits of a keto diet while fasting? Turns out, there are A LOT:
- Leafy greens,
- Brussel sprouts,
- broccoli,
- cauliflower,
- peppers,
- mushrooms,
- zucchini,
- tofu tempeh,
- Coconut,
- Cashews (and their vegan cheese derivative),
- Herbs,
- Lemon,
- Almonds (and their butter),
- Peanuts (and their butter),
are ALL foods that would promote a keto vegan diet. This, of course, is not an exhaustive list.
You may notice that there are no whole grains on this list. Grains are heavily relied upon by vegans; however, you can replace a lot of these with flax seeds, chia seeds, zucchini noodles. My favourite of the bunch is the Shirataki Noodle (which was worthy of its own article). If you haven’t heard of the benefits of this zero cal pasta, you’re missing out.
All of this is to say that there are options.
If you are someone doing keto and are feeling the burn to go vegan, or, alternatively, if you are a vegan trying to shed a few pounds and promote the benefits of fasting, THE VEGAN KETO DIET IS FOR YOU. And most importantly, it is possible and healthy!
Vegan Keto is great for buffering extended fasts
It is worth noting that the vegan keto diet may not be the most sustainable diet (which is no different from its non vegan counterpart). It restricts a lot of the things we have come to love and enjoy. I will work in a week of vegan keto before I do an extended fast of 72 hours or more because it makes the experience more manageable. When you buffer an extended fast with a week before and after of vegan keto you can:
- make the jump to ketosis a little less painful (those glucose withdrawal symptoms are serious!), and
- ensure you don’t break your extended fast with a high carb/glucose diet and pack on those lost pounds.
I now use a vegan keto diet primarily for this purpose because I try to do an extended fast once a month. For more on the benefits of an extended fast, click here. If you are plant based don’t let the conventional ketogenic diet stop you from maximizing the benefits of ketosis and intermittent (or extended) fasting.
As always, the barrier appears to be only in the mind.
A big thank you to Dom, Tim, Peter, and healthline for some of the information in this piece.
Al holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Ottawa, and a Bachelor of Arts Double Major in Linguistics & Political Studies from the University of Manitoba. He is currently working in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Al has a passion for language, meditation, health, travelling, business and tech. Al is one of the co-founders of ThoughtNotion. You can connect with him on his personal site or on LinkedIn.
