Kristi Storoschuk, BSc (Hons.) is a science communicator with a research focus on ketogenic diets, metabolic therapies, and fasting for health optimization. She currently works alongside the world’s leading ketogenic researchers providing scientific education for the mainstream audience. Outside of her research, you will find her traveling the world, doing CrossFit, and optimizing her health through diet and lifestyle.

Among the most popular dietary trends are vegan diets and intermittent fasting. One based on omitting animal foods, and the other omitting all food (for periods of time). 

Is it possible to practice the two in concert? In short, yes!

Intermittent fasting doesn’t discriminate against dietary choices, it cooperates with any diet when practiced correctly. It's typical to pair a very low carbohydrate diet with intermittent fasting to accelerate through Fasting Zones toward ketosis. It’s also very common for vegan diets to be relatively high in carbohydrates. However, just because something is common doesn’t mean it’s the only way. Fasting can certainly be used with a high carb diet, and not all vegan diets are high in carbohydrates. So, whatever type of vegan diet you follow, the same principles for fasting apply.

Check out our previous article to help decide which style of fasting may be best for you. 

Let’s break down those two misconceptions about  vegan diets and fasting:

If you are eating a relatively whole-foods vegan diet, low calorie foods make up the bulk of your diet. This often requires frequent meals throughout the day to ensure you are eating enough. If this sounds like you but you want to start intermittent fasting, here’s a quick tip: instead of trying to stuff yourself to the brim with these same low-calorie (often fibrous and high volume) foods in a short eating window, try cutting back on meal frequency. To compensate, replace the calories lost with more calorie-dense whole foods. Healthy plant foods that are higher in calories are typically lower in carbohydrates, such as nuts, seeds, nut butters, avocados, coconut, and healthy oils like extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil. 

Use fasting as an excuse to indulge in vegan junk food like those chocolate sandwich cookies. You know the ones we’re talking about. 

Use fasting as an extreme calorie restricted diet

Undereat protein and other nutrients by failing to replace the amount lost to a condensed eating window

If you are concerned you won’t be able to eat enough in your eating window on a high carb diet just based on the sheer volume of food you would need to eat, experiment with a low carb vegan diet. Calories on low carb diets can often meet that of a higher carb diet just with lower volume, and therefore potentially less discomfort. This may even bring relief to common digestive issues, such as bloating and GI distress, for those who suffer with them. Fasting alone can help with these issues as well. If you notice you can go longer between meals without feeling hungry on a low carb diet, this may be an indication that this style of eating works well with your fasting practice. If you keep carbohydrates below 50g a day, there’s a chance that your diet will put you in ketosis, where fat becomes your body’s primary fuel source. This would also be considered a ketogenic diet, and this pairs nicely with fasting as they both put you into a fat-burning state. If you want to learn more about the synergy of low carb diets and fasting, see our blog on pairing fasting with a ketogenic diet.

If you think your fasts could benefit from a low carb vegan diet and you’re ready to give it a shot, start by limiting your intake of high carb foods like fruits, grains, and legumes, while paying attention to nutrients you may need to replace. For example, legumes often account for the major sources of protein on a vegan diet. You may need to supplement with a plant-based protein powder if you choose to cut them out. Your energy (calories) that once came from carbohydrates can be replaced with healthy fats, such as those already listed above.

If giving up bananas, quinoa, rice, and beans sounds like a nightmare, don’t worry low carb is not a requirement for a successful fasting practice. If carbs don’t seem to interfere with your ability to fast, then there’s no need to avoid them. We just want to arm you with some general recommendations for getting the most out of your fasts, in the easiest way possible.

The main takeaway is that a lot of plant-based foods are naturally lower in calories and intermittent fasting may require you to adjust your food choices and macronutrients depending on your goals. If weight management is your goal, then cutting down on meal frequency might help you inadvertently create the calorie deficit you need to lose weight. If weight loss isn’t your goal, you should be conscious of how much you can comfortably consume in your eating window. This may mean introducing higher calorie foods to avoid having to eat such high volume in a short period of time. Doing this may even come with some surprising benefits, especially if you transition to a very low carb vegan diet and want to reap the benefits of ketosis. Overall intermittent fasting can be practiced no matter what type of diet you follow, vegan included!

How to Pair a Vegan Diet with Intermittent Fasting

How to Pair a Vegan Diet with Intermittent Fasting

Read the rest of this article with a Zero Plus account.