Vegan Keto Essentials: Tools, Supplements & Pantry Staples

If you are starting vegan keto, it can be hard to know which tools, supplements and pantry items are actually useful and which ones are optional. This vegan keto essentials list covers the products I use most often, including testing tools, electrolytes, B12, protein powder and everyday low-carb plant-based staples.

Frequently, you guys will message me on Instagram, or send me an email to ask what brand of something I use, or whether or not I like a specific product. I’ve been responding individually, but the other day, someone asked if I had a list of recommended vegan keto items I use, and it seemed like a good idea to put everything down in a post.

Years of vegan keto eating have definitely given me a good idea of what to use, and what really isn’t necessary. I hope you guys find this list helpful. I’m going to post a quick list up top, but to read explanations about each item, scroll down!

Quick Vegan Keto Essentials List

My Vegan Keto Essentials:

• Glucose meter: a reliable blood glucose testing kit
• Ketone strips: basic urine ketone test strips
• Electrolyte powder: a sugar-free electrolyte blend
• B12 supplement: a vegan B12 supplement
• Protein powder: a low-carb vegan protein powder

What Is Actually Essential on Vegan Keto?

The only items I would consider close to universal for most people are a reliable source of B12, low-carb vegan foods you enjoy and enough electrolytes to feel good while your body adjusts to lower carbs. Glucose meters, ketone strips and protein powder can be helpful tools, but they are not required for everyone.

For food staples, start with my Ultimate Vegan Keto Shopping List. For protein ideas, see My Favorite Sources of Plant-Based Protein for Vegan Keto and The Best Low Carb Vegan Protein Powders.

Glucose Meters and Ketone Tests

I do measure my blood glucose levels from time to time, and ketone levels as well. Usually, I can just tell if I’m in ketosis by feel, but I’ve been trying to actually quantify how I’m feeling lately to have data points as a reference. I’m not a huge fan of constantly monitoring yourself if you don’t need to, but definitely think it’s worth measuring from time to time to see how things are going. Obviously, if you have diagnosed diabetes or blood sugar issues, this is a different scenario, and you should continue to follow the advice of your doctor!

Recommended Monitor: a reliable blood glucose testing kit

Since I started a ketogenic diet to help with blood glucose control, the more important metric to me has always been blood glucose levels. For this reason, I opt to just use a blood glucose monitor when testing blood sugar levels.

For testing ketone levels, I tend not to worry too much about serum levels of ketones. Most monitors that also do ketone testing are more expensive, and the strips can be pricey. I just don’t see that as a worthwhile investment, unless you really need it.

As the cost of ketone strips that you pee on has gone down over the years, those seem to be a totally reasonable option, if you want to know when you have managed to achieve ketosis. Because these measure ketone levels in your urine, and not your blood, they aren’t really up-to-the-minute accurate. However, they will give you a basic idea of whether or not your body has gone into ketosis recently.

I always find this to be pretty useful information when doing any sort of carb cycling, or after taking a keto break, when you want to know if you’ve actually started producing ketones again. Do you really need them? No, of course not, but if you haven’t gotten the hang of telling when your body is in ketosis, they can be pretty helpful.

Electrolyte Powder

This isn’t something that is related to vegan keto specifically, so much as ketogenic and low carb diets in general. Because you end up losing so much water weight on low carb diets, and tend to flush out electrolytes that your body needs to maintain basic functions, supplementing with mineral salts, or an electrolyte powder can be incredibly helpful.

Look for an electrolyte powder that is sugar-free, low in carbs and does not contain ingredients that bother your stomach. You can also get electrolytes through salted foods, broth-style drinks, mineral-rich foods and magnesium-containing foods like seeds.

B12

The quick and dirty – a vegan B12 supplement is important for most vegans. I prefer a sugar-free, vegan B12 option. Talk to a qualified healthcare professional if you are unsure what dose or form is best for you.

Protein Powder:

I don’t take protein powder every day, and it’s certainly not necessary on a vegan ketogenic diet, but there are certainly days where I get a little lazy with food choices, or where I know I won’t be able to make delicious, protein-rich meals. Those are the times when protein powder can be a blessing.

There are a few protein powders that I like, and I discuss them in more depth in this post.

Vegan Keto Essentials FAQ

Do I need ketone strips for vegan keto?

No. Ketone strips can be helpful while learning how your body responds to lower carbs, but they are optional for most people.

Do vegans on keto need B12?

Most vegans should supplement B12 or use reliably fortified foods. B12 is important regardless of whether your diet is keto or higher carb.

Do I need protein powder on vegan keto?

Not always. You can get protein from tofu, tempeh, hemp hearts, lupini beans, seeds and nutritional yeast, but protein powder can be convenient when you want to hit protein targets while keeping net carbs lower.

What vegan keto essentials should I buy first?

Start with food staples: tofu or tempeh, hemp hearts, chia or flax, low-carb vegetables, avocado, olives, coconut milk, nuts or seeds, tahini and electrolytes. Then add optional tools like ketone strips or a glucose meter if they are useful for your goals.