Top 4 Mistakes People Make While Eating Keto & How to Fix Them

In the words of Dr. Will Cole, a functional medicine expert, “diets come and go.” While the newest trends are always exciting – they’re seldom sustainable for any kind of weight loss, health change, or mindset shift. Which is why we’ve partnered with multiple thought leaders in the nutrition and wellness industry, offering meal planning solutions to those who want viable results.

Dr. Cole knows that the ketogenic diet has legitimate and exciting science behind it. This high fat, low carb diet has been shown to enhance brain health, restore energy, lower inflammation, stabilize blood sugar, and so much more. But he’s quick to remind the public that this diet only works when it’s done right. “As a functional medicine practitioner, I see firsthand how this potentially beneficial diet can quickly become detrimental, even though the person trying keto has all the best intentions. Fortunately, the most common keto mistakes are easily remedied.”

Here are the common mistakes that inhibit success while eating a keto diet:

Keto Mistake 2: When people overdo it with dairy products

From Dr. Will Cole’s blog about mistakes made on a keto diet:

Conventional ketogenic diets are loaded with high-fat dairy products, but many people have an inflammatory response to dairy products. In fact, next to gluten, dairy is one of the most common food allergens in our society and one of the most inflammatory foods in our modern diet. Granted, most of the problems with dairy actually have to do with human intervention, but dairy in its pure, natural form, before the advent of industrial agriculture, is hard to find—and it may still be difficult for some people to digest. What’s worse, most dairy cows are pumped full of hormones to increase milk production. This drug-filled milk is then pasteurized, homogenized, and the fat is removed, and then it is filled with synthetic vitamins to make up for a lack of nutrients. I don’t know about you, but to me that sounds anything but appetizing.

But even in organic dairy products, it’s the casein that is often the cause of sensitivity and reactions. Casein is the protein found in dairy, and there are two subtypes: A1 and A2. The A1 subtype is the type most likely to be in your local dairy case. It is the result of hundreds of years of cross-breeding and gene mutations, and it is the most likely to be a trigger for digestive problems and inflammation. While some people may digest A2 casein better, dairy products containing A2 casein are harder to find, could still cause inflammation in many people.

The solution? Look for substitutions.

Due to the rise of dairy allergies, there are many delicious dairy alternatives available in any grocery store, like milk made from nuts and seeds and coconut to creamy nut cheeses made from almonds or cashews. Nut milks and nut cheeses are not only great sources of fat and protein, but they come in many varieties, such as mozzarella, cream cheese, “Parmesan,” and more. Many brands taste just as delicious as their counterparts, and they are also easy to make at home. And if you are a butter lover, try grass-fed ghee—it is butter oil with the casein removed. It’s just pure grass-fed dairy fat.

Keto Mistake 3: When people ditch vegetables

From Dr. Will Cole’s blog about mistakes made on a keto diet:

Just because vegetables contain some carbs is no reason to shun them from your diet. One of the most common misunderstandings I see among people on a ketogenic diet is that they need to greatly limit or avoid vegetables, but this leaves many people lacking in necessary phytonutrients, enzymes, fiber, and resistant starches that provide food for a healthy gut. Research has shown (1) that high-fat diets that lack fiber from vegetables can actually increase inflammation.

Also, those avoiding veggies may be more likely to experience a loss of electrolytes common with a ketogenic diet because they are missing out on natural vegetable sources of magnesium, calcium, and potassium. The problem with processed electrolyte replacement drinks is that they can also contain unnecessary sweeteners and additives.

The solution? Fall in love with the produce section.

Sure, there are definitely some carb-heavy vegetables that you will probably want to limit in order to keep your daily carb count low enough for ketosis, but many amazing vegetables are low-carb enough for keto. In fact, my book Ketotarian is all about how to do a ketogenic diet and still eat a 100 percent plant-based diet. In my book, you can find the most nutrient-dense vegetable options for enjoying them while achieving ketosis—some of my favorites also have a significant amount of electrolytes, including:

• • • Avocado: 1,067 mg potassium / 58 mg magnesium per 1 whole avocado
    • Kale: 329 mg potassium / 31 mg magnesium per 1 cup of kale
    • Spinach: 839 mg potassium / 157 mg magnesium per 1 cup of spinach
    • Swiss chard: 136 mg potassium / 29 mg magnesium per 1 cup of Swiss chard

Keto Mistake 4: When people default to processed meats

From Dr. Will Cole’s blog about mistakes made on a keto diet:

Fatty meat is another conventional ketogenic diet staple. While this may not seem like “diet food,” in addition to its fat content, animal protein sources are loaded with other beneficial nutrients such as B vitamins, which are essential for healthy detox and inflammation pathways. But many studies have shown (2) that diets high in non-organic, grain-fed conventional sources of animal protein such as corn-fed industrial feedlot beef or processed lunch meats, bacon, or sausage, have been linked to cancer and other diseases.

The solution? Go organic… or plant-based.

If meat is your jam, look for grass-fed organic cuts of meat and limit the amount of processed meats you eat. Bacon at every meal is no way to tamp down inflammation! Instead, go for wild-caught fish, which is a clean, nutrient-dense animal source of both fat and protein that most people overlook in favor of red meat.

Personally, I’m a big fan of the ketogenic diet, but I am also a big fan of going predominantly plant-centric when I do keto. Not only is it more affordable, but this style of eating takes advantage of the health benefits of both conventional ketogenic diets and plant-based diets. It’s a two-for-one for your health!

We’ve teamed up with Dr. Cole to offer a ketotarian meal program – a plant-based version of the keto diet, so you can reap the disease-fighting benefits of vegetables while keeping your body in a ketogenic state. Learn more about our ketotarian meal program and transition your body from a sugar burner to a fat burner in no time.