Vegan Cheese And Keto: A Match Made In Heaven?

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb, moderate-protein diet that is often associated with animal foods. Vegan diets, on the other hand, exclude all animal products, making it difficult to eat low-carb and moderate protein. However, it is possible to follow a vegan keto diet with careful planning and motivation. Vegan keto diets rely heavily on high-fat, plant-based products like coconut oil, avocados, seeds, and nuts. Vegan cheese is a dairy-free alternative that can be used in a keto diet. It is made with natural processes such as fermentation and aging, combined with whole, organic ingredients, to achieve complex flavors and textures.

Miyoko's Creamery Vegan Cheese

Vegan diets exclude all animal products, making it difficult to eat low-carb and moderate protein. However, it is possible to go on a vegan keto diet with careful planning and motivation. Vegan keto diets rely heavily on high-fat, plant-based products like coconut oil, avocados, seeds, and nuts.

Miyokos Creamery offers a range of vegan cheese and butter products that are perfect for those following a keto diet. The brand uses natural processes such as fermentation and aging, combined with whole, organic ingredients, to create complex flavors and textures. Their products are also free from fillers, additives, and GMOs.

Vegan Organic Butter

1 TB serving: 90 Calories, 10g Fat, 0g Carbs, 0g Protein

Vegan Mozzarella Cheese

1 oz serving: 60-70 Calories, 5-7g Fat, 3g Carbs, 1g Protein

Vegan Cheese Wheel

1 oz serving: 110 Calories, 7-10g Fat, 4-5g Carbs, 3g Protein

Vegan Cream Cheese

1 oz serving: 90 Calories, 7g Fat, 4g Carbs, 2-3g Protein

Vegan Roadhouse Cheese Spread

1 oz serving: 100 Calories, 9g Fat, 4g Carbs, 2g Protein

Cultured Vegan Cheese Shreds

1/4 cup serving: 70 Calories, 4g Fat, 5g Carbs, 3g Protein

Miyokos Creamery's Vegan Cream Cheese is crafted using traditional creamery methods with a cashew milk base, resulting in a subtly tangy flavor. It can be enjoyed on a morning bagel, as a tasty snack, or used as a 1:1 substitute in baking recipes.

Miyokos Creamery Vegan Cheese products are available at various retailers, including Target, Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe's, and Kroger. However, product availability may vary by location, so it is recommended to call ahead before making a special trip.

Vegan cheese keto-friendly brands

Vegan diets exclude all animal products, and the keto diet is often associated with animal foods, so combining the two can be challenging. However, it is possible to follow a vegan keto diet with careful planning and some product swaps.

Miyoko's Creamery

Miyoko's Creamery offers a range of vegan cheese and butter products that are dairy-free and keto-friendly. Their products include vegan mozzarella cheese, a cheese wheel, cream cheese, and a roadhouse cheese spread. The brand uses natural processes such as fermentation and aging, combined with whole, organic ingredients, to achieve complex flavours and textures. Miyoko's products are available at various retailers, including Target, Whole Foods Market, and Trader Joe's.

Treeline Treenut Cheese

Treeline Treenut Cheese offers a range of dairy-free, keto-friendly cheeses, including a Chipotle Serrano Pepper French-Style Nut Cheese and an Herb & Garlic Soft French-Style Nut Cheese. These cheeses are ranked based on how well they fit into a healthy keto diet, considering ingredients, net carbs, and fat content.

Kite Hill

Kite Hill is known for its yogurt and butter alternatives, but it also offers a vegan cream cheese made with an almond milk base. This product has a strong, acidic flavour similar to dairy-based cream cheese and minimal aftertaste. However, some reviewers have noted that it can mould easily.

Violife

Violife is a well-known brand in the vegan cheese space, offering a wide variety of products, including mozzarella, cheddar, and Mexican-style shreds, cream cheese alternatives, mature cheddar cheese slices, and more. Violife's products are known for their strong flavours and meltability. However, they are on the more expensive side.

The Laughing Cow

The Laughing Cow offers plant-based cheese alternatives, including a spreadable cheese in original and garlic and herb flavours. Their cheese circles come with eight foil-packaged wedges, making them convenient for snacking and on-the-go consumption. The cheese is made with almond milk and fortified with vitamin B12.

Babybel

Babybel, known for its snacking cheeses in little red wax discs, has also released a plant-based version. These snacks come in bags of six and are made with modified food starch, coconut oil, and calcium citrate. While they may not be ideal for melting, they offer a subtle tangy flavour and a texture similar to biting into a piece of clay.

Other Options

Other vegan cheese brands that you can explore include Follow Your Heart, Aldi's Earth Grown, Armored Fresh, Boursin (in partnership with Follow Your Heart), Nurishh, Daiya, Tofutti, and Go Veggie. Each brand has its unique offerings, flavours, and textures, so exploring them can help you find the ones that best suit your taste and dietary needs.

Vegan keto-friendly 'dairy'

Vegan keto-friendly dairy options are available, but they require some careful planning to ensure you're meeting your nutritional needs. Here are some tips and suggestions for vegan keto-friendly dairy alternatives:

Vegan Cheese Options

Vegan cheeses made from a variety of bases, such as nuts, seeds, and coconut, can be a great keto-friendly option. Look for brands that use natural processes like fermentation and aging to achieve complex flavors and textures. Some popular options include:

• Miyoko's Creamery Vegan Cheese: This brand offers a range of vegan cheese products, including mozzarella, cheese wheels, cream cheese, and cheese spreads. Their products are free from fillers, additives, and GMOs.
• Treeline Treenut Cheese: This brand offers tree nut-based cheeses in a variety of flavors, such as herb and garlic.
• MY SALAD Cashew Parmesan Cheese: This vegan parmesan cheese is made with cashews, sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, and dried kale. It adds a cheesy flavor to salads, pizzas, and pasta dishes.
• Rice Cheeze Mozzarella Cheese Alternative: This rice-based mozzarella alternative is a good option for those looking for a dairy-free cheese melt.
• Almond-based Cheese Alternatives: There are several almond-based cheese alternatives available, such as mozzarella slices, garlic and herb slices, shredded mozzarella, and jalapeño jack cheese slices.

Other Dairy Alternatives

In addition to vegan cheese, there are other dairy alternatives that can be incorporated into a vegan keto diet:

• Unsweetened Coconut-based Yogurt: Coconut yogurt is a great source of healthy fats and can be used as a substitute for regular yogurt.
• Coconut cream: Coconut cream can be used as a replacement for heavy cream in recipes.
• Vegan Butter: Vegan butter made from coconut oil or other plant-based fats can be used as a substitute for regular butter.
• Nut-based Yogurt: Yogurt made from nuts, such as macadamia nuts, can be a good source of healthy fats and protein.

Nutritional Considerations

When following a vegan keto diet, it's important to ensure you're meeting your nutritional needs. Some key considerations include:

• High-Fat, Plant-Based Options: Focus on incorporating high-fat, plant-based options like avocados, seeds, and nuts into your diet. Coconut oil and MCT oil are also excellent choices.
• Vitamin and Mineral Supplements: Vegan keto diets may require additional supplements, such as B12, calcium, vitamin D3, and zinc, to ensure adequate nutrient intake.
• Fermented Foods: Include fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi in your diet to improve digestion and enhance nutrient absorption.
• Carbohydrate Awareness: Stay away from grains, beans, legumes, and starchy vegetables that are high in carbohydrates. Focus on low-carb vegetables like asparagus, avocado, and broccoli.

Vegan cheese sauce recipe

This vegan cheese sauce is perfect for those on a vegan keto diet. It's super simple, requiring only a handful of ingredients and a few minutes to make. The sauce is stretchy and gooey, with a texture and taste similar to real cheese. It's perfect for nachos, pizza, pasta, burgers, and more.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup coconut milk (canned)
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
• 2 tbsp tapioca flour/starch (or arrowroot flour/starch)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder (optional)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional)
• Pinch of smoked paprika (optional)

Instructions:

• Put all the ingredients into a saucepan and stir with a whisk until well combined.
• Turn on the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
• Let the sauce simmer on low to medium heat for about one minute, until it becomes stretchy.
• Enjoy the vegan cheese sauce with your favorite dishes!

Tips:

• Thickness: If the sauce is too thick, add more coconut milk or any other plant-based milk (or water) up to 1 cup.
• Coconut milk: You can use coconut milk with 17% fat content. If you don't like coconut milk, you can substitute it with almond milk, cashew milk, or any other plant-based milk. The higher the fat content, the better the taste.
• Tapioca flour: You can find tapioca flour/starch in Asian stores, large grocery stores, or online.
• Tapioca substitute: Arrowroot flour/starch or cornstarch can be used instead of tapioca, but the sauce may not be as stretchy.
• Storage: The sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days, but the texture may change. Reheat with a splash of dairy-free milk. It tastes best when freshly made.
• Color: Some nutritional yeast brands enrich their products with B-vitamins, which give the sauce a yellow color. You can add a pinch of turmeric powder for color if needed.

Vegan cheese as a healthy eating option

Vegan diets are becoming increasingly popular, with many people choosing to cut out animal products for health, ethical, or environmental reasons. One challenge for those following a vegan diet is finding tasty and nutritious alternatives to dairy products, such as cheese. Fortunately, there are now many vegan cheese options available that are not only delicious but also offer health benefits, especially for those following a keto diet.

Vegan cheese is a great way to add flavour and texture to meals while also being conscious of your health. It is often made from plant-based ingredients such as nuts, seeds, and nutritional yeast, which provide protein, vitamins, and minerals. For example, MY SALAD Cashew Parmesan Cheese is made from cashew nuts, sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, dried kale, and Himalayan pink salt. It is a good source of vegan protein and antioxidants and is also gluten-free, dairy-free, and keto-friendly.

Vegan cheese can be a healthy option for those following a keto diet, which typically involves a reduction of carbohydrates and an increase in healthy fats. As vegan diets exclude all animal products, it can be challenging to find low-carb and high-fat options. However, vegan cheeses often fit the bill, with many brands offering keto-friendly options. For instance, Miyoko's Creamery produces a range of vegan cheese and butter products that are not only delicious but also suitable for a keto diet. Their products are made with natural processes such as fermentation and aging, resulting in complex flavours and textures.

When it comes to incorporating vegan cheese into your keto diet, there are plenty of options. You can find sliced and shredded vegan cheese alternatives made from almonds, soy, or rice that can be used in sandwiches, salads, or melted on keto-friendly crackers. There are also vegan soft cheeses, cream cheeses, and cheese spreads that can be used as dips or spreads on vegetables or keto bagels. For cooking, a vegan cheese sauce made with nutritional yeast can be poured over vegetables or used in recipes such as cabbage gratin or vegan zucchini gratin.

In conclusion, vegan cheese offers a healthy eating option, especially for those following a keto diet. With a variety of flavours, textures, and formats available, vegan cheese can be a delicious and nutritious addition to meals, helping to improve health while also being conscious of the impact of animal products on our bodies and the planet.

Frequently asked questions