Vegetarian Keto: 16 Fat-Rich Foods To Add To Your Diet


The first hurdle everyone sees when they’re about to embark on the Keto journey is the amount of fat that needs to be consumed on the diet. We’re just not used to that much fat. What makes things more complicated is if you’re putting another kind of restriction on your foods options. In our case today, that is being a vegetarian.

However, there are plenty of choices on the table to chooses from and add to your diet, and I’ll be discussing some of these with you today.

1- MCT Oil

If you’re not familiar with MCT, it stands for Medium Chains Triglycerides, and can most commonly be found in coconut oil and dairy. You can also get the extracted version, 100% pure MCT oil.

It can make your Keto journey much easier by helping your body produce more ketones (This will come in very handy, especially in the early days). It’s a great energy source for your day in general, and especially for when you’re working out because it can reduce lactate buildup on the muscles, giving you more energy during the workout with less muscle soreness the next day.


You might also notice cognitive improvements and a concentration boost after consuming it.

I highly recommend this MCT oil. It has an awesome deal right now on Amazon.

  • MCT Oil is a great addition to smoothies, desserts and Bulletproof Coffee.
  • You might want to ease into it if you haven’t consumed it before, and gradually start incorporating it in your diet because it can cause some stomach upsets for some people early on.
  • It’s also available as a powder, with each scoop (10g) consisting of:

Calories: 70

Protein: 0.5g

Fat: 7g

Total carbs: 1g

Fiber: 1 g

Net carbs: 0 g

2- Olive Oil:

We are beginning with one of the healthiest sources of Fat ever. I’m also introducing you here to the healthiest type of it: Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This is a must in your kitchen cabinet. It’s a great addition to almost every salty recipe you prepare on Keto.

Now, what you might be thinking are two things that you know/heard about this oil. First of all, it’s not healthy to cook with it because it has a low smoke point. But the reality is that studies have now shown that olive oil (especially Extra Virgin Olive Oil) is perfectly healthy to cook with. A smoke point of around 400°F (200°C) makes it suitable for pan-frying and all the other cooking methods.

The second thing is that it adds a strong flavor to the food you’re adding it to. And that is true. You have to know when to add it. For example, you can not add this to a Bulletproof Coffee cup and expect it to taste good! But if you add it to the appropriate foods, which are often the salty and sour types of foods, it’ll add an incredible flavor.

Also worth mentioning is that while Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a little more expensive than the regular Olive Oil, the natural vitamins and antioxidants are retained in the Extra Virgin version, moreover, the taste is lighter and better, making it worth the extra money.

3- Coconut Oil:

If we agreed above to associate Olive Oil with salty and sour foods, Coconut Oil is the one for desserts.

We have to distinguish two kinds of Coconut Oil you’ll come across in the supermarket. Refined VS. Unrefined, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. Here’s a handy table to help you understand the difference.

 Refined Coconut OilUnrefined, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
FlavorNeutral. You can use it even if you don’t like the taste of coconut Has a strong coconut flavor
Heat EnduranceEndures high temperature. Can be used for cooking, frying, and baking.Should not be used for cooking or baking.
PriceCheaperMore Expensive
Health BenefitsHealthy The healthiest version of Coconut Oil
What Makes It GreatYou can use it to add fat to desserts in a healthy way even if you don’t like the coconut flavor.It’s great for those who like the coconut flavor and wants to add flavored fat to their desserts

On the other hand, what they do have in common, is that they are both:

  • Used in almost all Keto-friendly desserts (including Chocolate and Fat bombs)
  • Of great and lasting effects in promoting your Ketosis state

As you can see, while both types of Coconut Oil are healthy and highly recommended, it’s up to you to choose one that suits your taste and needs. For example, when I want to make a Bullet Proof Coffee and want to add some coconut oil, I usually go with a type not mentioned in the table: Virgin Coconut Oil, which is like a halfway solution, having less coconut taste than the extra virgin and healthier than the refined.

I’ll insert a short table down below that highlights the differences in the macros between the different types of oils suitable for Keto, whether you’re vegan or vegetarian.

FoodServing SizeCaloriesProteinFatTotal CarbsFiberNet Carbs
Coconut Oil1 tablespoon (14g)1200g13.9g0g0g0g
Olive oil1 tablespoon (14g)1200g14g0g0g0g
Flaxseed oil1 tablespoon (14g)1200g14g0g0g0g
Sesame seed oil1 tablespoon (14g)1200g14g0g0g0g
MCT oil1 tablespoon (15g)1300g14g0g0g0g

4- Avocado

Avocado is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. If you compare it, gram to gram, with any other fruit, you can’t find any other fruit that is richer in fiber, potassium, magnesium, folate, or Vitamin E than avocado.

There’s no keto diet you can’t eat avocados on, from vegan to vegetarian to even Mediterranean Keto. If you’re new to it, avocado has a bland taste, so you can add it almost to anything. What you’ll get out of avocado are the texture and nutritional values. Don’t expect a taste. You have to add it to something you like in order for you to enjoy it.

Each half fruit (152g) of avocado packs around 15g of Carbs (including 12.5g of fiber, and only 2.5 g net carbs), 3.5g of protein, 15g of fat, at 182 Calories.

5- Butter

Since you’re already doing Keto, you must have let go of all the crap you’ve been hearing your whole life about butter and fat, in general. Butter is a great source of butyric acid, that can greatly reduce inflammation, prevent intestinal polyps, and reverse insulin resistance. Butter also has vitamins D, E, A K2.

One thing to note, which you’ve probably noticed me recommending before here at Masterminding Perfection, is that you should aim to buy grass-fed products.

6- Ricotta Cheese

It goes without saying that everything on this list should be consumed moderately and not be the focus of a day or the entire routine, in order for you to be able to eat a variety of foods and have a bigger chance of hitting your macros and micronutrients. However, in the case of Ricotta cheese, it’s even more important to stick to eating moderately because it has a larger carb amount than other cheeses. The reason I like it is because of the range of essential nutrients it packs, including vitamin A, niacin, vitamin B12, Vitamin K, iodine, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc.

Calories: 150

Protein: 7.5g

Fat: 61g

Total carbs: 7.5g

Fiber: 0g

Net carbs: 7.5g

(In every 100g)

7- Mozzarella Cheese

Mozzarella cheese is one of the dairy products that are strongly recommended on Keto. With 17g of fat, 3g of carbs, and 28g of protein in every 100g. I think reading these nutrition facts and picturing the melty miracle we call mozzarella, is enough to sell anyone doing Keto on it.

Calories: 280

Protein: 28g

Fat: 17g

Total carbs: 3.1g

Fiber: 0g

Net carbs: 3.1g

(In every 100g)

8- Eggs

This is what should make you grateful that you’re vegetarian, and not vegan. At the time I went vegetarian, this was my go-to snack, meal, and dessert. (I’m exaggerating, but you get the point.) Eggs were one of the things I really missed when I did Vegan Keto.

Eggs are incredible. They are the chicken that you can eat. I mean literally. They are chickens, that just aren’t born yet. This is another food that is a small sample of what Keto should look like: a lot of fat, moderate protein, and little to no carbs.

Pro Tips: When thinking of eating eggs, if you find yourself still needing a lot of fat in your day alongside some protein, fry the entire eggs (white and yolk). Frying the eggs instead of boiling them, makes the meal fattier, thanks to the butter (or other types of fats) you’re cooking it with.

If, instead, you only want your protein fix with some fat, eat the eggs boiled.

Lastly, if you want considerably more protein than fat, you should try frying them with a little bit of butter, crack 2-3 whole eggs, and then only add the whites of 4 more eggs (numbers are just an example).
Ninja Tip: Don’t throw away the egg yolks. Put them aside to make some Mayonnaise later this week.

One large, boiled egg (50g) provides:

Calories: 98

Protein: 6g

Fat: 5g

Total carbs: 0.6g

Fiber: 0g

Net carbs: 0.6g

9- Full-Fat Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is delicious and fun since it can be consumed in a variety of ways including desserts, salty snacks, and sour salads. If you pick a high-quality product you can end up with a good source of protein, healthy fats along with a relatively low amount of carbs (about 4%).

Keep in mind that this should also be consumed in moderation,especially that it’s easy – and tasty – to overeat.

10- Nutritional Yeast

This is great as a supplement. But it’s better, and tastier, as a cheese!

I bet you came across multiple vegan cheese recipes before, probably some using nutritional yeast, too. However, the special thing about this one, made from nutritional yeast, is that it not only tastes and looks great, it’s also extremely easy to prepare from scratch. This is because its ingredients are very basic.

Ingredients:

1 cup (240 ml) of coconut milk

4 tbsp of nutritional yeast flakes

3 tbsp of coconut flour

1/2 tsp of salt

1/2 clove of garlic, crushed

(a pinch of paprika and onion powder to taste)

Instructions:

1- Put all the ingredients in your pan.

2- Stir it with a whisker until everything is well combined.

3- Turn the stove on and bring the mixture to a boil.

4- Turn the heat down to low, and let it simmer for a couple of minutes.

5- Enjoy!

It’s best served hot out of the pan. The texture will thicken and need a little more milk the next time if it goes in the fridge.

11- Tahini

Tahini is basically a seed butter. It’s made from the grounded sesame seed. However, I wanted to talk about it separately here because of the many different ways it can be consumed.

It has a very special taste to it that can go with many recipes. While I love it with salty and sour recipes, as it’s mostly known as a crucial ingredient in Hummus, it can also go with desserts. There’s a very popular dessert in the Middle East called Halva, it tastes heavenly. There’s even a Keto-friendly version of it (that is vegan, too!).

It has an impressive amount of fat and a decent amount of protein.

If you think you’re already sold on Tahini, wait till you read its nutritional facts:

Each ounce (2 tbsp) of Tahini packs:

Calories: 180 calories

Protein: 6g

Fat: 16g

Carbs: 6g

Fiber: 2g

Net carbs: 4g

12- Nuts

You should really appreciate the fact that nuts are allowed on Vegan Keto. If you pick the right kinds of nuts and incorporate them moderately into your diet, they can help you get more fat, protein, omega-3, potassium, magnesium, and a lot more. Here are some of my favorites.

Pecans:

This is my number one favorite Keto-friendly nut. If your eye has gotten used to reading the nutrition facts of Keto-friendly foods, you can easily see how this nut was created specifically for Keto dieters.

Calories: 196

Fat: 20g

Protein: 3g

Total carbs: 4g

Fiber: 3g

Net carbs: 1g

(In every ounce (28g))

To make you love it even more, this nut has been proven to improve insulin sensitivity, which is huge when you’re trying to lose weight in general, and especially when you’re trying to take on the Keto diet.

Macadamia Nuts:

We owe this great nut to Australia. But lately, it has been very easy to find in the United States and pretty much everywhere in the world. It keeps you full for longer, and has positive effects on diabetes, and protecting your brain from numerous diseases, including, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and oxidative stress. It’s also naturally high in fat, as you can see:

Calories: 204

Fat: 21g

Protein: 2g

Total carbs: 4g

Fiber: 2g

Net carbs: 2g

(In every ounce (28g))

Walnuts:

Walnuts are some of the tastiest and healthiest nuts out there. They have proven to improve brain functionality, as well as lowering the levels of LDL. They are also a great source of vitamin E, among other vitamins and minerals.

Calories: 185

Protein: 4g

Fat: 18g

Total carbs: 4g

Fiber: 2g

Net carbs: 2g

(In every ounce (28g))

Almonds:

If you’ve been researching keto information, you’ve probably come across almonds in all of its glory and variable derivatives: Almond butter, almond milk, almond flour, and almond the nut. Almond dominates the Keto diet. Here are some insights on what the actual nut consists of:

Calories: 164

Protein: 6g

Fat: 14g

Total carbs: 5g

Fiber: 3g

Net carbs: 2g

(In every ounce (28g))

Hazelnut:

Are you missing all the chocolate you’ve cut out since you’ve started Keto? Well, I’ve got a vegan-keto-friendly treat just for you. Hazelnuts are some of the tastiest nuts that can heal your chocolate nostalgia. You can use its flour when making Keto-friendly desserts, as a substitute for regular flour, when appropriate, thereby adding a great flavor to the recipe.

Calories: 178

Protein: 4g

Fat: 17g

Total carbs: 5g

Fiber: 3g

Net carbs: 2g

(In every ounce (28g))

Peanuts:

They are probably the most popular nuts out there. I’m actually a decent fan of them and even a bigger fan of its butter, which we’ll be getting into a bit. Peanuts have a big portion of protein, which is great to help you meet your daily macros.

Calories: 164

Protein: 7g

Fat: 14g

Total carbs: 6g

Fiber: 2g

Net carbs: 4g

(In every ounce (28g))

Brazil nuts:

All of the nuts we’ve talked about so far are great, and for many of you, might be enough. However, what makes Brazil nuts also special and worth mentioning, is that it’s an incredible source of Selenium, a trace mineral that is crucial for reproduction and muscle building.

Calories: 185

Protein: 4g

Fat: 19g

Total carbs: 3g

Fiber: 2g

Net carbs: 1g

(In every ounce (28g))

Here’s a table that summarizes the main differences in macros in each nut:

FoodServing SizeCaloriesProteinFatTotal CarbsFiberNet Carbs
Almonds1 ounce (28g)1656g14g6g3.5g2.5g
Almond flour1/4 cup (25g)1506g11g6g3g3g
Brazil nuts1 ounce (28g)1855g18g3g2g1g
Cashews1 ounce (28g)1504g12g10g1g9g
Macadamias1 ounce (28g)2072g23g4g0.5g1.5g
Hazelnuts1 ounce (28g)2206g22g8g4g4g
Pecans1 ounce (28g)2012.7g20g4g3g1g
Pistachios1 ounce (28g)1507.5g12g7.5g3g4.5g
Walnuts1 ounce (28g)1904g18g4g2g2g

13- Seeds

Not many people give enough attention to seeds. Don’t be one of them. They are packed with fat, omega 3, protein, and many other nutrients that you need when you’re following a very strict diet like Vegan Keto. Here are my top favorites seeds and what makes each of them special.

Chia Seeds:

These tiny, black-and-white seeds easily win my number one pick any day of the week. They are packed with fiber and omega-3. Moreover, studies have shown more weight loss and anti-inflammatory effects for people who regularly consume Chia seeds. Each ounce packs:

Calories: 138

Protein: 5g

Fat: 9g

Total carbs: 12g

Fiber: 10g

Net carbs: 2g

Ways to incorporate it into your diet include adding it to stir-fry recipes, smoothies, salads, salad dressings or even using its powder instead of breadcrumbs for coating meat or chicken.

Flax Seeds:

I hope you haven’t had the bad experience with this seed that I keep hearing from people, which is always due to one mistake: eating it raw, right from the bag. First of all, you won’t be getting the same benefits if you’re eating it that way, and second; you’ll hate it because it’ll keep sticking in your teeth. Here are two great ways for you to enjoy this amazing seed:

1) Grind it. If you want a nutty, buttery addition to a smoothie or a porridge.

2) Roast it. If you want a crunchy addition to a recipe.

Each ounce of flax seeds has:

Calories: 131

Protein: 6g

Fat: 9g

Total carbs: 9g

Fiber: 8g

Net carbs: 1g

Hemp seeds:

In addition to having a decent amount of protein and fat, this seed was proven to improve high blood pressure and protect against Alzheimer’s.

Each ounce of Hemp seeds packs:

Calories: 155

Protein: 9g

Fat: 14g

Total carbs: 2g

Fiber: 1g

Net carbs: 1g

Sesame Seeds:

With tons of antioxidants, and proven protection against heart disease and so much more, you should really consider including this seed into your diet.

Each ounce of sesame seeds has:

Calories: 160

Protein: 5g

Fat: 13g

Total carbs: 7g

Fiber: 5g

Net carbs: 2g

FoodServing SizeCaloriesProteinFatTotal CarbsFiberNet Carbs
Chia seeds1/4 cup (30g)1455g10g12g10g2g
Pumpkin seeds 1/4 cup (30g)1809g14g4g3g1g
Sesame seeds2 tablespoons (18g)1033.2g9g4g2g2g
Sunflower seeds1/4 cup (30g)1606g15g6g3g3g
Hemp seeds1/4 cup (30g)1559g14g2g1g1g

14- Seed and Nut Butter

Missing PB and Jam On Keto? No problem. Here’s your fix.

It’s kind of funny to think that although you’re doing a diet like Keto where you can’t eat fruits, sugar, or bread, you can still make yourself a PB and Jam sandwich that is Keto-friendly. You start by picking 1) a fruit allowed on Keto, which is usually one type of berries, add water, your keto-friendly sweetener, and some lemon juice. Let them simmer for a while, and you have yourself a Keto-friendly jam. You can also buy a ready-to-eat jar, there is some good stuff depending on where you are. 2) Your favorite keto-friendly bread loaf. Keto bread is also now wildly available (and can, too, be prepared at home) 3) The butter. Nut and seed butter are real gems on Keto, let alone Vegan Keto (where it’s even difficult to eat enough protein and fat.)

The following are my favorite types of nut and seed butter. Whatever you choose to purchase, just make sure it has no added oils or carbs. You want to buy natural nut/seed butter without any additions or flavor enhancers. If you can’t find these in the market, you can make them yourself. You’ll only need a good food processor.

1- Almond Butter

2- Pistachio Butter

3-Peanut Butter

4-Sunflower seed butter

5- Walnut Butter

6- Hazelnut Butter

FoodServing SizeCaloriesProteinFatTotal CarbsFiberNet Carbs
Coconut butter1 tablespoon (16g)1051g10.5g4g2.5g1.5g
Almond butter1 tablespoon (16g)983.5g9g3g1.51.5g
Cashew butter1 tablespoon (16g)943g8g4.5g0.5g4g
Macadamia butter1 tablespoon (14g)972g10g2g1g1g
Sunflower seed butter1 tablespoon (16g)992.8g9g4g1g3g
Tahini1 tablespoon (15g)892.6g8g3g1g2g

15- Coconut Products

From coconut oil, which we’ve discussed earlier, to coconut butter, to shredded coconut to coconut milk and coconut flour, coconut is something worth exploring on Vegan Keto. You’ll thank me later.

Here are the three basic coconut products that you can start with, and a comparison between the macros of each of them.

FoodServing SizeCaloriesProteinFatTotal CarbsFiberNet Carbs
Coconut Oil1 tablespoon (14g)1200g13.9g0g0g0g
Coconut butter1 tablespoon (16g)1051g10.5g4g2.5g1.5g
Shredded Coconut 1/4 cup (20g)711g7g3g2g1g

16- Dairy Substitutes

Nowadays, there is a substitute for everything no matter what diet you’re on. But since you’re on two diets at the same time, Vegan and Keto, it’s gonna be a little bit harder for you to find substitutes for certain stuff. Some of the substitutes you might find helpful are:

  • Cashew Cheese.
  • Almond Milk.
  • Hemp Milk.
  • Nutritional Yeast (Can be used as a substitute for Parmesan Cheese).
  • Vegan Sour Cream.
  • Coconut yogurt.
  • Coconut butter.
  • Cashew cheese.
  • Vegan cream cheese.

You might have to spend more time to find these, but they are gonna save you a lot when preparing recipes. Reading recipes when you’re on two diets can be frustrating when you keep coming across ingredients you can’t use. So, I advise you to spend some time finding which of these substitutes (and many others out there) work for you. Do that and you’ll make it easier for yourself to eat enough fat and to stick to the diet in the long run.

References:

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Nabeel Kallas

I'm a medical doctor with a lot of passion for Keto & Intermittent Fasting. They have completely changed my life and I am beyond honored to help you experience that same change. I'm ready when you are. Read more here.

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