Veganism and intermittent fasting are in the top 10 of today’s most popular healthy eating and weight loss plans. However, it’s not very common to combine the two.
So, can a vegan practice intermittent fasting?
What would such a schedule and meal plan look like?
Here is all you need to know about the intermittent fasting vegan meal plan.
An intermittent fasting vegan plan is a dietary program that follows the principles of both the vegan diet and intermittent fasting.
A vegan diet is a branch of vegetarianism that prohibits the consumption of all animal products like meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, honey, and more.
Most consider veganism the strictest of all vegetarian diets because it excludes the intake of all animal products. The diet also encourages vegans to extend this rule to their lifestyle and not use any products made from the exploitation of or cruelty to animals (1, 2).
Intermittent fasting (IF), on the other hand, is less of a diet and more of an eating pattern that cycles between periods of voluntary abstinence from food and drink (known as the fasting window) and hours of eating (aka the feeding window (3, 4).
There are many ways to do intermittent fasting. However, the two most common types are:
The type of daily intermittent fasting where you restrict your eating windows to a set number of hours each day. The most common variations are the 16:8, 14:10, and 12:12 – where the feeding windows can be 8, 10, and 12 hours.
Unlike time-restricted eating, where you fast daily, the 5:2 diet only requires you to fast twice a week – but with a caveat. This IF plan does not stipulate what you choose to eat on 5 days of the week, however, on the 2 fasting days, followers restrict their daily caloric intake to about 500-600 daily calories. For safety purposes, while following this diet, experts recommend refraining from fasting two days in a row.
You should skip a day or two between these fasting days.
A person following the intermittent fasting vegan diet will choose one of the above-mentioned IF plans and follow that while on a solely plant-based diet.
It can be safe and potentially beneficial for otherwise healthy adults, but it requires some care and planning to ensure you meet all your nutritional needs.
The possible benefits of combining IF with a vegan diet:
If you’ve been hoping to shed those extra stubborn pounds but nothing is working for you then this diet plan could be what you are missing.
According to research, intermittent fasting seems to have beneficial effects that are equivalent to caloric restriction in terms of body weight control (5).
Maintaining a calorie deficit is one of the main pillars of weight loss.
Consuming fewer calories than your body burns in a day will eventually lead to fat and weight loss.
While you may not necessarily need to count calories while doing intermittent fasting, restricting your food intake to just a few hours a day can inadvertently lead to calorie restriction.
Some consider plant-based diets to be effective for treating and preventing both becoming overweight and obesity (6). Plant-based foods tend to be lower in calories than animal-based foods. These eating plans are also naturally high in fiber (7), which helps to boost satiety thus helping with calorie restriction.
How Much Weight Can You Lose On An Intermittent Fasting Vegan Meal Plan?
Intermittent fasting vegan weight loss results will differ from person to person. No results are identical because weight loss depends on multiple factors, such as:
According to the CDC, a healthy and sustainable rate of weight loss is approximately 1-2 pounds per week (9).
Therefore, if you stick to a healthy calorie deficit plan, exercise, and sleep 7-9 hours a night, you may experience intermittent fasting vegan results of 4-8 pounds lost in a month.
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While we still need more research on the matter, studies on both plant-based diets and intermittent fasting had two factors that positively affect gut microbiota (10, 11).
Plant-based diets tend to be high in fiber, which is beneficial for gut health, and intermittent fasting may affect the microbiome.
Studies and experts suggest that improved gut health supports immune function and can help reduce the risks of:
Research on the vegan diet and intermittent fasting has shown that both options can help improve insulin sensitivity and reduce insulin resistance.
In both cases, these effects can relate to weight loss. The insulin improvements could benefit overweight/obese individuals since they are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes, but also those who are prediabetic or already suffering from type 2 diabetes (14, 15).
Read more: Intermittent Fasting Food List: What You Should Eat And What You Should Avoid
While on an intermittent fasting plan, vegans should try to keep their diet as nutrient-dense as possible, meaning:
Examples of what a vegan should eat while intermittent fasting, include:
Accessible examples include: Beans, tofu, tempeh, lentils, and chickpeas.
Berries, apples, bananas, watermelons, peaches, citrus fruits, etc. are all fantastic examples.
Not only do they keep you hydrated, but they can also help mitigate hunger till the feeding window opens.
A generally balanced diet involves consuming the following (16):
As a vegan practicing intermittent fasting and aiming to maintain a balanced diet, you must follow the above rules.
However, you should also:
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The main food groups to avoid while on such a diet are:
These foods go against the rules of veganism, so avoid them as a vegan whether intermittent fasting or not.
Yes, vegans can go into ketosis if they follow a vegan keto diet. Because the vegan diet is generally high in carbs, they need to closely monitor their carb intake by limiting their intake of high-carb foods and increasing their intake of healthy plant-based fats.
Read more: Fasting 20 Hours Benefits: Impact on Health and Well-Being
Hard is subjective; thus, the answer may change depending on the person asked.
However, many have rated the following fasting patterns as the most extreme and hardest intermittent fasting variations:
The dirty vegan diet relies on highly processed foods rather than healthy whole foods. Common foods found in a dirty vegan diet include deep-fried ‘cauliflower chicken,’ vegan ice creams, processed vegan burgers, etc. It is hard to eliminate carbohydrates as a vegan fully. However, you can reduce your intake by relying more on high-protein, low-carb foods like nuts and seeds, soy products like soybeans, tofu, soy milk, tempeh, seitan, and plant-based protein powders. Some of the most low-carb fruits include watermelon, berries, cantaloupe, avocados, peaches and pineapples. These are great options if you intend to follow a low-carb vegan diet plan.Frequently Asked Questions
What is a dirty vegan diet?
How do vegans get protein without carbs?
What is the lowest carb fruit?
An intermittent fasting vegan plan can be an excellent idea for someone who is health-focused or wishes to lose weight on a plant-based diet.
As mentioned above, studies show that veganism and IF may have multiple health and weight loss benefits that can improve your general well-being.
If you choose to try such an eating plan, please speak to your doctor, especially if you have an underlying health condition, such as, diabetes. Also, try your best not to follow a dirty keto plan and keep the meal plan as nutritious as possible for the best results.
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