Combining a ketogenic or Keto diet with being a vegetarian or vegan be a challenge. Here are some great plant-based keto diet tips, including a fabulous way to get energy in the morning.

Making important life choices about what you eat and drink can serve a diverse range of purposes, from personal weight loss to being kinder to the planet.

Probably the two most common switches people make are to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, and to the highly popular keto dietary system.

When you embrace both, it can leave you with some challenges despite the abundant health advantages.

After all, keto puts a heavy emphasis on meat.

How can a vegan get sufficient energy and vital nutrients, while avoiding carbs, managing your protein intake and getting plenty of healthy fats; all while checking that no animal by-products are involved?

We've compiled a few top tips for vegetarians and vegans on Keto diets, that show how to replace animal protein and fats, with plant-based alternatives, while sticking to keto rules.

This is also a source of great keto food ideas for people who’re lactose intolerant.

Plan ahead and shop for ‘proper’ food

One of the best ways to make sure you enjoy a plant-based keto diet is to plan meals well ahead.

What you really want is to have a plate full of bright, fresh looking food that you look forward to eating. And not feel like you're missing out.

This shopping list should help keep you stocked up with the ideal essentials for a balanced plant-based ket o diet:

• Tofu
• Tempeh
• Keto Coffee pods for Nespresso© machines
• Coconut oil (including coffee pods with it already blended in)
• Other plant-based oils such as olive, avocado, flaxseed and nut
• Soy milk
• Sugar-free coconut yoghurt and milk
• Vegan butter
• Vegan cheeses that are keto-friendly
• Nuts and nut butters
• Seeds.

Avocado is a great source of nutrients for vegans but also fit with keto diets. As do a range of no or low starch veg etabl es, including:

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Courgette
• Cucumber
• Kale
• Leafy greens
• Mushrooms
• Peppers
• Rocket
• Spinach.

Balance on plant-based keto diets

The above keto shopping list ideas include the sort of oils that can help keep your consumption of healthy fats high.

The trick is to create meals using non-starchy vegetables with added fats that support good health, and which provide energy to replace carbs.

Frying pieces of broccoli, courgette and peppers (or cauliflower rice) in plant-based oils can provide a great solution. Or, chuck lots of non-starchy veg and some nuts into a stir fry with delicious nut or olive oil.

Regulating your eating

To be sure you get a good range of nutrients – and plenty of energy to fuel your plant-based recovery – you should always have plant-based options handy. So, you can eat whenever you’re hungry.

Make substantial meals too, then stop eating only when you are truly full.

Finding meal replacement drinks that are keto-friendly and plant-based can help if you prefer to skip breakfast. Our keto coffee is superb for this! (more on this below).

How coffee can support plant-based keto diets

If you follow keto nutrition guru Bulletproof©, you know that Butter Coffee can be a great way to curb cravings, feel full and get a big energy boost.

Our Nespresso© compatible Keto Coffee pods make this principle even easier. That’s because we have included the MCT (coconut) oil in our medium-dark coffee roast blend pods.

You could just use a keto coffee health pod as a great espresso for vegans.

Or, mix in vegan and keto-friendly butter to make it extra revitalising and filling.

To create a plant-based keto latte, stir in vegan double cream. You can flavour your coffee with extracts (such as vanilla or almond) and spices.

(See our blog on How to make a Keto Coffee for more information and ideas).

Ketogenic diet boost

The term Ketotarian has been coined for a high-fat, plant-based diet that fit in the keto lifestyle.

If this is a plan you aim to follow, then coconut oil and milk may well become your new best friend

Having coconut oil ready blended into a convenient and delicious coffee pod for Nespresso© is a great source of good fats. Which gets your day off to an excellent start. Or provides a healthy pick me up as the day goes on.