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Ketotarian: The (Mostly) Plant-Based Plan to Burn Fat, Boost Your Energy, Crush Your Cravings, and Calm Inflammation: A Cookbook
A Goop Book Club PickA new twist on The fat-burning power of ketogenic eating meets the clean green benefits of a plant-centric plate
The keto craze is just getting warmed up. The ketogenic diet kick-starts your body's metabolism so it burns fat, instead of sugar, as its primary fuel. But most ketogenic plans are meat- and dairy-heavy, creating a host of other problems, especially for those who prefer plants at the center of the plate. Dr. Will Cole comes to the rescue with Ketotarian, which has all the fat-burning benefits without the antibiotics and hormones that are packed into most keto diets. First developed for individuals suffering from seizures, keto diets have been shown to reduce inflammation and lower the risk of many chronic health problems including Alzheimer's and some cancers. Adding a plant-based twist, Ketotarian includes more than 75 recipes that are vegetarian, vegan, or pescatarian, offering a range of delicious and healthy choices for achieving weight loss, renewed health, robust energy, and better brain function.Packed with expert tips, tricks, and advice for going--and staying--Ketotarian, including managing macronutrients, balancing electrolytes, and finding your carb sweet spot, this best-of-both-worlds program is a game-changer for anyone who wants to tame inflammation and achieve peak physical and mental performance. Let the Ketotarian revolution begin!
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2018
1229 people are currently reading
1197 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
November 20, 2018
Let me start off by saying that the info is great, and very useful for the 'lay vegan/vegetarian' types. If you are still thinking that boiled chicken is the epitome of clean nutrition, this book will also be of great use for you.
The book covers lots of material on a very shallow basis, quickly skimming by stating that things are good without going in-depth. Vague statements along the lines of 'does your body good' while correct, are a bit of a miss for me. Had to pinpoint several new facts that were introduced by the author and then search the in-depth breakdown of what he was alluding to.
Another personal let down is that while the author says that getting the optimal nutrition being vegan IS possible (although a little more tough), he continues to push the fact that it is not advised. A little depressing that someone who followed the lifestyle for a long time wasn't able to see the bigger picture of the environmental meltdown that is currently fueled by the animal agriculture industry. On the same note, i had a great laugh reading the quote by the author's friend who's opinion is quoted to show that veganism may not be optimal.
" I spent some time reflecting on life in the wild. We all consume one another in the end. Our atoms and molecules are continually recycled. Every living thing without the benefit of photosynthesis must consume other beings – plants, fungi, bacteria, and animals. And in the end, they will consume me. I prayed and meditated on these ideas. Humans have been eating all these things for thousands of generations, so I decided I was not committing a crime against nature if I ate meat. Perhaps I was getting even closer to nature. "
Forgive me for not believing that modern slaughter house mass production of 'pork processing plants' is not getting me closer to nature. Please take a look at the conditions of just about any animal farm and then report back on how it 'makes you feel closer to nature' to support the mass executions of animals.
Regardless of my 'militant vegan' view, the book offers lots in the way of beginner level nutrition, and helped me identify several areas i might be falling short. Great info, questionable priorities.
The book covers lots of material on a very shallow basis, quickly skimming by stating that things are good without going in-depth. Vague statements along the lines of 'does your body good' while correct, are a bit of a miss for me. Had to pinpoint several new facts that were introduced by the author and then search the in-depth breakdown of what he was alluding to.
Another personal let down is that while the author says that getting the optimal nutrition being vegan IS possible (although a little more tough), he continues to push the fact that it is not advised. A little depressing that someone who followed the lifestyle for a long time wasn't able to see the bigger picture of the environmental meltdown that is currently fueled by the animal agriculture industry. On the same note, i had a great laugh reading the quote by the author's friend who's opinion is quoted to show that veganism may not be optimal.
" I spent some time reflecting on life in the wild. We all consume one another in the end. Our atoms and molecules are continually recycled. Every living thing without the benefit of photosynthesis must consume other beings – plants, fungi, bacteria, and animals. And in the end, they will consume me. I prayed and meditated on these ideas. Humans have been eating all these things for thousands of generations, so I decided I was not committing a crime against nature if I ate meat. Perhaps I was getting even closer to nature. "
Forgive me for not believing that modern slaughter house mass production of 'pork processing plants' is not getting me closer to nature. Please take a look at the conditions of just about any animal farm and then report back on how it 'makes you feel closer to nature' to support the mass executions of animals.
Regardless of my 'militant vegan' view, the book offers lots in the way of beginner level nutrition, and helped me identify several areas i might be falling short. Great info, questionable priorities.
July 27, 2018
Another health & nutrition book, with recipes, of the "finally, this will solve everything!" variety. About half the book details the supposed health benefits to get you to buy in, with the back half devoted to recipes. (I'd rather have less of a sales job and more recipes.) If you don't like avocados and coconut, you're probably not going to be crazy about this book.
September 12, 2018
I was very excited to receive this book but it did let me down a bit. The first 100+ is information about the diet and benefits, then the end is simple recipes with a rare photo. Feel like the hype mislead me into thinking this would be THE BOOK for vegan/veg keto recipes. Nonetheless, a few things look tasty and I will keep in my collection.
August 19, 2022
This is Nonfiction/Health. I've read other Keto books and I was just grateful that this one wasn't just beef and bacon and butter. I loved the emphasis on 'mostly plant-based.' I like that he addressed the nutrient deficiencies in the Vegan way of life, but yet he still managed to put veggies front and center.
I listened to the audio, so I wasn't as perturbed with the recipes at the end because for me, there weren't any. Overall, I appreciated the author's angle....so 3 stars.
I listened to the audio, so I wasn't as perturbed with the recipes at the end because for me, there weren't any. Overall, I appreciated the author's angle....so 3 stars.
April 29, 2019
The author writes a very readable intro on why becoming fat-adapted is good for your entire body before diving into a variety of recipes. I appreciate the emphasis on overall health rather than an emphasis on getting into ketosis via any means possible. Granted, if you picked up this book looking for “dirty” Keto recipes, the title alone should be enough to dissuade you.
You can definitely modify a lot of these recipes to be vegan if you’re looking for an entirely plant-based approach, and some of them are already vegan. However, I’m with the author on this not being an easy or necessarily healthy approach, especially if you’re an active person. Trying to avoid polyunsaturated oils and get some variety to my protein intake had me going for fish and eggs at least as much as tempeh.
The four stars instead of five is just because I got a little confused at the author touting the benefits of olive oil in its unheated natural form, then including it as a means to sauté in the recipe section. Olive oil oxidizes at pretty low heat, which will cause oxidation in the body when consumed. Switch it out for coconut or avocado oil instead.
You can definitely modify a lot of these recipes to be vegan if you’re looking for an entirely plant-based approach, and some of them are already vegan. However, I’m with the author on this not being an easy or necessarily healthy approach, especially if you’re an active person. Trying to avoid polyunsaturated oils and get some variety to my protein intake had me going for fish and eggs at least as much as tempeh.
The four stars instead of five is just because I got a little confused at the author touting the benefits of olive oil in its unheated natural form, then including it as a means to sauté in the recipe section. Olive oil oxidizes at pretty low heat, which will cause oxidation in the body when consumed. Switch it out for coconut or avocado oil instead.
January 27, 2019
⚡️I was first introduced to Dr Will Cole on my favorite podcast, That’s So Retrograde. He’s so insightful that I was inspired to give this book a shot. Ended up a great reference on how to conquer health issues and reevaluate your relationship with food. I enjoyed learning more about my body, as well as the food and supplements that can help it perform better. I recently began the Keto Diet. Still not sure I’ll switch to Keto-Tarian, but I will incorporate some of his suggestions as to which meats to choose. Wishing I would’ve bought this book instead of borrowing from library for the recipes. Added to my amazon wishlist to snag later ;-)
November 10, 2020
I'm so glad I ordered this book through the library instead of purchasing it. It ultimately was not a good fit for me. The first half is all about why keto and vegan diets are so good for us, but why we need seafood too and some animal products too. The author is a doctor who's a former vegan who now does low carb, mostly dairy free, meat free foods but also eats eggs, seafood and ghee. The second half of the book is recipes.
My hubby and I have been eating keto for a couple of months now and it's working well for me (he's mourning the loss of both parents and is just in survival mode). I thought this book would be a great source of new keto recipes that focus on low carb veggies and healthy fats and proteins, but most of the recipes didn't really appeal to me. Some use ingredients like vegan cheese that I would rather avoid and there's way more seafood than I really was interested in.
Many of the recipes also have far higher net carbs than I'm comfortable with. They use healthy carbs that do have health benefits like berries and I'm sure they're healthy recipes, I'm just not sure I'd call them keto.
Once again, "healthy" is such a subjective thing. For this author, it's a very specific range of foods that he thinks are best for health (he's more focused on issues like inflammation than weight loss and glucose levels). The author is a former vegan who says he meditated on it and decided he'd be closer to nature by eating animals. He can choose whatever path feels right to him, but that's likely to alienate vegans and vegetarians who are probably his primary target audience.
I ended up copying two pages of recipes to try later, one of three different fat bombs that seemed easy and tasty with common ingredients that I have on hand, and one other that I've already forgotten. I scanned the book again before sending it back to the library and didn't see anything else that really called to me.
For me, it was a two star book -- just okay. For those interested in switching to his sort of eating style and who aren't already familiar with the benefits of some of these foods, it might be much more helpful.
My hubby and I have been eating keto for a couple of months now and it's working well for me (he's mourning the loss of both parents and is just in survival mode). I thought this book would be a great source of new keto recipes that focus on low carb veggies and healthy fats and proteins, but most of the recipes didn't really appeal to me. Some use ingredients like vegan cheese that I would rather avoid and there's way more seafood than I really was interested in.
Many of the recipes also have far higher net carbs than I'm comfortable with. They use healthy carbs that do have health benefits like berries and I'm sure they're healthy recipes, I'm just not sure I'd call them keto.
Once again, "healthy" is such a subjective thing. For this author, it's a very specific range of foods that he thinks are best for health (he's more focused on issues like inflammation than weight loss and glucose levels). The author is a former vegan who says he meditated on it and decided he'd be closer to nature by eating animals. He can choose whatever path feels right to him, but that's likely to alienate vegans and vegetarians who are probably his primary target audience.
I ended up copying two pages of recipes to try later, one of three different fat bombs that seemed easy and tasty with common ingredients that I have on hand, and one other that I've already forgotten. I scanned the book again before sending it back to the library and didn't see anything else that really called to me.
For me, it was a two star book -- just okay. For those interested in switching to his sort of eating style and who aren't already familiar with the benefits of some of these foods, it might be much more helpful.
September 7, 2019
I didn't finish this so I suppose I shouldn't count it as read, but I spent a lot of time trying to get through it so I'm giving myself credit. The author spends a lot of time talking about how preachy he was when vegan then goes on to be preachy about this diet. He turned me off and relies on seafood too much to have a name like ketotarian. Not for me.
January 21, 2020
My doctor recommended this book, and I’m SO happy he did. It opened my eyes to inflammation issues in the body, from anxiety/depression to chronic gut problems, and I learned how to individualize my plate and begin a journey on what works for me to achieve “not just good, but optimal” health. What I appreciate is that it’s not repping the trendy keto diet (filled with meat and dairy and processed diet foods just to lose weight) but a lifestyle that is full of veggies and whole-foods. Using the many modifications given to represent what works for you, I get to to say goodbye to inflammation, which causes (in a short list) - being “hangry”, hormonal imbalances, acne and other skin problems, increased anxiety/depression, autoimmune diseases, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and a super sick gut (the crux of it all). I’ve been plant based for a few years now, but just because I wasn’t eating animal product didn’t make me healthier in regards to my inflammation. Within six days of this anti inflammatory approach, I can already feel the difference. Here’s to many more! Beyond a 10/10 recommendation :)
April 30, 2019
I have mixed feelings about this book.
In the upside, it’s written in a down to earth manner and includes a lot of useful information. I also liked the layout. And there were practical tips and recipes.
On the downside, I discovered that the author is a former vegan. If he was a former plant based eater then I would feel less wary. But it looks like he was a vegan for ethical reasons. I found his inclusion of how a former vegetarian justifies her change in eating habits and ethics a pure cop out. His inclusion of it was a bad idea.
The good news is, this book isn’t advocating full on animal products. There is eggs, seafood and ghee. Quite frankly I’m not convinced that eggs are healthy to consume, period. Dairy is an ethical nightmare and seafood is a mercury and micro plastics minefield.
So I’ve read this book with a pinch of salt and will be altering my diet towards Keto but sticking to veganism. I did however, take to heart the information on omegas but will do my best with that within vegan sources and supplementation.
In the upside, it’s written in a down to earth manner and includes a lot of useful information. I also liked the layout. And there were practical tips and recipes.
On the downside, I discovered that the author is a former vegan. If he was a former plant based eater then I would feel less wary. But it looks like he was a vegan for ethical reasons. I found his inclusion of how a former vegetarian justifies her change in eating habits and ethics a pure cop out. His inclusion of it was a bad idea.
The good news is, this book isn’t advocating full on animal products. There is eggs, seafood and ghee. Quite frankly I’m not convinced that eggs are healthy to consume, period. Dairy is an ethical nightmare and seafood is a mercury and micro plastics minefield.
So I’ve read this book with a pinch of salt and will be altering my diet towards Keto but sticking to veganism. I did however, take to heart the information on omegas but will do my best with that within vegan sources and supplementation.
December 4, 2019
So I don't ever plan to eat fully keto. BUT, I do have Type II diabetes, and I have been struggling to find main-dish recipes that are heavy on the vegetables, that sound tasty, and that aren't afraid of some damn fat. Because I believe good fats are super essential. I super enjoyed the information at the front of the book, and the author's ideas about health, including this one simple line that brought me to a full stop: "You can't heal a body you hate."
Anyway, this book has a lot of recipes that seem completely sensible, based on actual whole foods, and tasty, while being easily adaptable if you don't love all the ingredients.
I'd give him 5 stars but ... vegan cheese? Really? And dude, stop COOKING avocados, that's just gross. But otherwise I'm excited by all the creative, low-carb, plant based recipes.
Anyway, this book has a lot of recipes that seem completely sensible, based on actual whole foods, and tasty, while being easily adaptable if you don't love all the ingredients.
I'd give him 5 stars but ... vegan cheese? Really? And dude, stop COOKING avocados, that's just gross. But otherwise I'm excited by all the creative, low-carb, plant based recipes.
June 16, 2020
Couldn't finish it. The sales pitch and reference to quackery turned me WAY off. It came across as someone pitching MMS, or Jilly Juice. Fear mongering about medical professionals was also a huge turn off. Professionals lift each other up, they don't talk trash and pronounce themselves as the sole savior of the people.
People aren't picking up the book for the sales pitch, they're picking it up for practical advice on maintaining ketosis while eating a plant-based diet. I guess I'll be looking elsewhere.
People aren't picking up the book for the sales pitch, they're picking it up for practical advice on maintaining ketosis while eating a plant-based diet. I guess I'll be looking elsewhere.
December 28, 2018
I love this book. I actually have read it twice this year and have learned so much each time I read it. I am a huge lover of keto, but I also believe alot of people do it in an unhealthy way. This book has you eat tons of veggies, whole foods, healthy fats, and the recipes are simple and super tasty! Highly recommend to anyone doing keto, or any plant based eaters.
Read
July 7, 2022book 19
60-75% calories from fat
15-30% from protein (45-68g/day)
5-15% from carbs
washing veg: fill sink and add 1 cup of white vinegar and let veg soak 15 minutes - check dirty dozen and clean 15 for most and least contaminated produce published yearly by the environmental working group
yes:
olive oil
avocado oil
avocado
almonds
artichokes
arugula
asparagus
beets
bok choy
broccoli for detox
Brussels sprouts for detox
blueberries for inflammation
blackberries
brazil nuts
bee pollen
bone broth
cashews
crackers - almond flour, chia flour or flaxseed flour
cucumber
cantaloupe
clementine/oranges
chives
chia and hemp and flax seeds
cauliflower for detox
cauliflower rice
collards
chard
carrots for inflammation
coconut sugar and nectar and meat
cabbage for detox
dates
duck eggs and eggs
ginger for inflammation
garlic for inflammation
green tea for inflammation
grass-fed beef
ghee
grapefruit
ginseng (boost of energy without hitters from caffeine)
honeydew
honey (manuka from NZ)
hazelnuts
holy basil (for brain fog)
kale bc potassium
kiwi
lettuce / lettuce wraps
mushrooms for detox
molasses (blackstrap)
macadamia nuts
maple syrup
marine collagen
nutritional yeast
onions for detox
olives
pecans
peas
pickles
pumpkin and pumpkin seeds
passion fruit
pineapple
pine nuts
pistachios
raspberries
rosemary
strawberries
stevia, raw and organic
seed and nut oils
scallions
spinach
squash
spaghetti squash
pure soy and tempeh
sweet potatoes
spirulina
turmeric (powerful anti-inflammatory)
walnuts (go for RAW nuts and seeds- soak nuts in a bowl w 1-2 tbs of salt overnight then pour off and roast to dry)
no: canola oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, vegetable oils, cured meats, 2nd-gen soy products like soy flour found in meatless burgers and dietary protein supplements, any sugars ending in -ose, wheat, oat, rye, spelt, buckwheat
no for now: rice and corn because they contain the protein lectin and can cause inflammation and hormonal resistance patterns (like weight loss resistance), quinoa can damage the cut, eggplant, goji berries, peppers (bell peppers, chili, paprika, cayenne), potatoes (not sweet potatoes), tomatoes, peanuts, any beans (soybeans, garbanzo), meat, agave, turbinado, brown rice syrup
the issue isn’t in the dairy itself, it’s in what we did to the cows
amount of fat per meal:
almonds - 10 nuts, 6g fat (20-30 nuts per meal)
almond butter - 1 tbs, 10g fat (3 tbs per meal)
avocado - 1 whole, 30g fat (1 whole per meal)
coconut cream - 1 tbs, 5g fat (6 tbs per meal)
coconut oil - 1 tbs, 14g fat (2 tbs per meal)
ghee - 1 tbs, 15g fat (2 tbs per meal)
eggs - 1 egg, 5g fat (3-4 eggs per meal)
macadamia nuts - 10 nuts, 21g fat (15 nuts per meal)
olive oil - 1 tbs, 14g fat (2 tbs per meal)
pecans - 10 nuts, 20g fat (15 nuts per meal)
60-75% calories from fat
15-30% from protein (45-68g/day)
5-15% from carbs
washing veg: fill sink and add 1 cup of white vinegar and let veg soak 15 minutes - check dirty dozen and clean 15 for most and least contaminated produce published yearly by the environmental working group
yes:
olive oil
avocado oil
avocado
almonds
artichokes
arugula
asparagus
beets
bok choy
broccoli for detox
Brussels sprouts for detox
blueberries for inflammation
blackberries
brazil nuts
bee pollen
bone broth
cashews
crackers - almond flour, chia flour or flaxseed flour
cucumber
cantaloupe
clementine/oranges
chives
chia and hemp and flax seeds
cauliflower for detox
cauliflower rice
collards
chard
carrots for inflammation
coconut sugar and nectar and meat
cabbage for detox
dates
duck eggs and eggs
ginger for inflammation
garlic for inflammation
green tea for inflammation
grass-fed beef
ghee
grapefruit
ginseng (boost of energy without hitters from caffeine)
honeydew
honey (manuka from NZ)
hazelnuts
holy basil (for brain fog)
kale bc potassium
kiwi
lettuce / lettuce wraps
mushrooms for detox
molasses (blackstrap)
macadamia nuts
maple syrup
marine collagen
nutritional yeast
onions for detox
olives
pecans
peas
pickles
pumpkin and pumpkin seeds
passion fruit
pineapple
pine nuts
pistachios
raspberries
rosemary
strawberries
stevia, raw and organic
seed and nut oils
scallions
spinach
squash
spaghetti squash
pure soy and tempeh
sweet potatoes
spirulina
turmeric (powerful anti-inflammatory)
walnuts (go for RAW nuts and seeds- soak nuts in a bowl w 1-2 tbs of salt overnight then pour off and roast to dry)
no: canola oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, vegetable oils, cured meats, 2nd-gen soy products like soy flour found in meatless burgers and dietary protein supplements, any sugars ending in -ose, wheat, oat, rye, spelt, buckwheat
no for now: rice and corn because they contain the protein lectin and can cause inflammation and hormonal resistance patterns (like weight loss resistance), quinoa can damage the cut, eggplant, goji berries, peppers (bell peppers, chili, paprika, cayenne), potatoes (not sweet potatoes), tomatoes, peanuts, any beans (soybeans, garbanzo), meat, agave, turbinado, brown rice syrup
the issue isn’t in the dairy itself, it’s in what we did to the cows
amount of fat per meal:
almonds - 10 nuts, 6g fat (20-30 nuts per meal)
almond butter - 1 tbs, 10g fat (3 tbs per meal)
avocado - 1 whole, 30g fat (1 whole per meal)
coconut cream - 1 tbs, 5g fat (6 tbs per meal)
coconut oil - 1 tbs, 14g fat (2 tbs per meal)
ghee - 1 tbs, 15g fat (2 tbs per meal)
eggs - 1 egg, 5g fat (3-4 eggs per meal)
macadamia nuts - 10 nuts, 21g fat (15 nuts per meal)
olive oil - 1 tbs, 14g fat (2 tbs per meal)
pecans - 10 nuts, 20g fat (15 nuts per meal)
May 29, 2021
"Ketotarianism is not about shame or using food to punish your body"
As someone who struggles with weight fluctuation (no thanks to PCOS and other genetic predispositions + bad eating habits), this ketotarian diet shows a lot of promise! I don’t necessarily plan on incorporating this diet asap, I just really wanted to know the science behind it!
Dr. Cole presents this book with utmost succinctness! He summarized the relevant studies, as you would a typical review of related literature in a research paper, and he included his own journey to health and mishaps along the way. As this book is not the actual research papers (methodologies, limitations++ were not mentioned), it is important to take it with cynicism.
I particularly liked how he included gender differences i.e., brain-ovary axis’ impact on intermittent fasting. Overall, this is very layman-friendly! There were some helpful tips that I see fit for me, and I bookmarked the recipes I want to try out for the day I’m mentally there ♡
“Eating healthy foods is a form of self-respect” 💯
As someone who struggles with weight fluctuation (no thanks to PCOS and other genetic predispositions + bad eating habits), this ketotarian diet shows a lot of promise! I don’t necessarily plan on incorporating this diet asap, I just really wanted to know the science behind it!
Dr. Cole presents this book with utmost succinctness! He summarized the relevant studies, as you would a typical review of related literature in a research paper, and he included his own journey to health and mishaps along the way. As this book is not the actual research papers (methodologies, limitations++ were not mentioned), it is important to take it with cynicism.
I particularly liked how he included gender differences i.e., brain-ovary axis’ impact on intermittent fasting. Overall, this is very layman-friendly! There were some helpful tips that I see fit for me, and I bookmarked the recipes I want to try out for the day I’m mentally there ♡
“Eating healthy foods is a form of self-respect” 💯
Read
June 10, 2019Decided to give this a listen because I have a friend (heyyy girl) doing the keto diet right now, and I wanted to understand it more. Let it be noted, the author’s take on it is a little different than the standard keto diet (noooo don’t take away the cheese!!).
Will I personally do the keto diet? Nah, I’m not that hardcore. But there were plenty of good takeaways on overall health and wellness, the dangers of the pesticides/toxins in the foods we eat, and facts about herbs/oils/cooking preparation that make me want to do a little more research into food.
Will I personally do the keto diet? Nah, I’m not that hardcore. But there were plenty of good takeaways on overall health and wellness, the dangers of the pesticides/toxins in the foods we eat, and facts about herbs/oils/cooking preparation that make me want to do a little more research into food.
May 5, 2026
As a person who has been living the Keto lifestyle since 2018, I’ve been contemplating how I might make the diet ‘healthier’ by incorporating more plant based foods into my life. There are certain things that are difficult to get without meat and dairy in your diet, but I thought this book might provide some insight into how to make that process a little easier. There were a few things that I took from the book that I’m going to try to include in my diet, but knowing the Keto diet as well as I do there wasn’t the kind of impact I was hoping for.
January 31, 2024
To say that a vegan diet makes you sick is factually false. It's sad that there are people saying these lies and causing confusion. Putting that aside, I got some nuggets of other info and vegan recipes in this book that may be worth a try.
September 17, 2018
Good info on the science behind this diet trend. Makes sense. Love that it has a plant-based focus. Allows fish/seafood as protein - no dairy though. Some good recipes.
April 18, 2021
I was intrigued by the plant-based "keto" concept - and thought adding a few no/low carb recipe ideas to my repertoire would be cool.
The first 142 pages were proselytizing for Keto, full of complete and utter woo. The guy keeps referencing toxins and inflammation, the horror of "leaky guy" and then at one point discusses how keto can treat "adrenal fatigue." I went and looked these up and they seem to be made up conditions by quack-tors. But hey - these guys will definitely order tons of disgnostic labs to see if you have them, or sell you a supplement or some MCT to help these totally not made up conditions!
So after going through the Keto indoctrination, you are granted entrance to the recipes and they are... shitty. Like, put and avocado in an egg! Roast some cauliflower and olives and put some hot sauce and lemon on it! Or hey - roast some Brussel sprouts and put some lime juice on them! Eat tuna on greens!
I'm guessing after the hard sell sales pitch, you are expected to eat any bullshit recipe he feeds you promising to cure your maladies with food. Sorry quacktor - I could have come up with 80% of those "recipes" on my own.
Apparently, the writer is basically a glorified chiropractor - not an MD or DO. Shame on me for checking out a book by a fake Goop "doctor."
The first 142 pages were proselytizing for Keto, full of complete and utter woo. The guy keeps referencing toxins and inflammation, the horror of "leaky guy" and then at one point discusses how keto can treat "adrenal fatigue." I went and looked these up and they seem to be made up conditions by quack-tors. But hey - these guys will definitely order tons of disgnostic labs to see if you have them, or sell you a supplement or some MCT to help these totally not made up conditions!
So after going through the Keto indoctrination, you are granted entrance to the recipes and they are... shitty. Like, put and avocado in an egg! Roast some cauliflower and olives and put some hot sauce and lemon on it! Or hey - roast some Brussel sprouts and put some lime juice on them! Eat tuna on greens!
I'm guessing after the hard sell sales pitch, you are expected to eat any bullshit recipe he feeds you promising to cure your maladies with food. Sorry quacktor - I could have come up with 80% of those "recipes" on my own.
Apparently, the writer is basically a glorified chiropractor - not an MD or DO. Shame on me for checking out a book by a fake Goop "doctor."
September 11, 2019
The first half of the book is dedicated to describing keto and vegetarian diets which is fine by me, appreciating facts and figures, found the book kinda shallow because the author uses stories and anecdotes as the primary weapon. It's probably nice if you're new to the diet and/or not used to technical explanations.
I found the author coming off a bit preachy and relying a lot on "trust me, I'm a doctor". That kind of thing doesn't really fly with me, so that was a bit off putting. Please people; let the science talk for itself, I don't need more want a sales pitch...
The second half of the book is dedicated to recipes. This part of the book had its own slate of problems where most of the recipes are just written one after another, being just text with very few pictures. Some of the recipes are written multiple times (with slight differences, mind you) and the meal plan is not easy to grasp either. So much so that I had to manually copy everything out and building my own meal plan...
Overall a book that could have the potential to change someone's life but, sadly, falls on the finish line for me. Either because it was rushed or the people involved not being experienced enough with creating a good reading experience.
I found the author coming off a bit preachy and relying a lot on "trust me, I'm a doctor". That kind of thing doesn't really fly with me, so that was a bit off putting. Please people; let the science talk for itself, I don't need more want a sales pitch...
The second half of the book is dedicated to recipes. This part of the book had its own slate of problems where most of the recipes are just written one after another, being just text with very few pictures. Some of the recipes are written multiple times (with slight differences, mind you) and the meal plan is not easy to grasp either. So much so that I had to manually copy everything out and building my own meal plan...
Overall a book that could have the potential to change someone's life but, sadly, falls on the finish line for me. Either because it was rushed or the people involved not being experienced enough with creating a good reading experience.
August 29, 2019
This is pretty much my diet. Glad I'm doing things right.
August 9, 2020
I wanted to read this book for the recipes which by the time I got to them were totally useless for me. I was all over the fat bomb recipes but the smoothie recipes and most others didn’t work with my tastes or food allergies. C’est la vie.
That said I got a lot out of the rest of the book. I have started putting hemp seed hearts on everything and can’t fathom how I managed to do keto for six months (few years ago) without ever tasting its magnificence. I add it to high fat yogurt now and every smoothie and my chia seed breakfast pudding.
I’m guessing the recipes didn’t work for me because I was already aware of them from trial and error over that last few years. I’m solid on my protein smoothies and breakfast. I’m struggling with lunch and this book didn’t really help with that. A lot of good info nonetheless. And like I said, I’ve found my true food love, hemp seed.
In addition, being an experienced keto person and a new vegetarian, this book helped get me in the mindset that I can easily continue on with both food regimens and there are others doing the same.
That said I got a lot out of the rest of the book. I have started putting hemp seed hearts on everything and can’t fathom how I managed to do keto for six months (few years ago) without ever tasting its magnificence. I add it to high fat yogurt now and every smoothie and my chia seed breakfast pudding.
I’m guessing the recipes didn’t work for me because I was already aware of them from trial and error over that last few years. I’m solid on my protein smoothies and breakfast. I’m struggling with lunch and this book didn’t really help with that. A lot of good info nonetheless. And like I said, I’ve found my true food love, hemp seed.
In addition, being an experienced keto person and a new vegetarian, this book helped get me in the mindset that I can easily continue on with both food regimens and there are others doing the same.
October 3, 2019
I was excited about this one as I am on keto but don't absolutely love meat. It's a perfectly fine book about keto that has a decent amount of references too, but it turns out it's not the right style for me. If you are looking at keto as a way to reduce inflammation, this one is for you. My main focus is glycemic control, followed by weight loss, and this book didn't quite fit with my pattern. It's a non-dairy keto book (didn't realize that from the title) which meant there were more substitutions in the recipes than I would prefer. The write up in the beginning was quite detailed and good, but again, it wasn't my style. Finally, a lot of the recipes had higher net carbs than I would want to have for a meal on traditional keto. Verdict: this could be a good book for someone, but that someone isn't me.
August 7, 2019
I enjoyed reading this book and discovering the health benefits of a low carb, high fat diet. I had been looking for a book like this that has keto recipes that aren’t so heavily meat-based, and this fulfilled that requirement! Sources are cited for follow up research and many of the physiological concepts are detailed in a way that is easy to understand.
This book’s recipes are not for you if you don’t like coconut (oil, milk, cream, etc), avocado, mushrooms, or ghee, because those are primary ingredients in most of the recipes. I would also like more pictures of what the food should look like before I go on blindly experimenting.
This book’s recipes are not for you if you don’t like coconut (oil, milk, cream, etc), avocado, mushrooms, or ghee, because those are primary ingredients in most of the recipes. I would also like more pictures of what the food should look like before I go on blindly experimenting.
July 7, 2020
I really liked the science of the book, but the recipes were a huge disappointment. He discussed the problems with nightshades and peppers and mentioned avoiding them, and then there were quite a few recipes with nightshades, peppers, and paprika. I'm allergic to cashews and I don't like olives. So between the nightshades, peppers, cashews, and olives, there were only a few recipes that looked appealing to me. Borrow this book from the library or a friend, read the chapters on the science of it, but then build your own recipes.
March 28, 2019
I love that this comes with recipes and even a 5 week plan of eating. He breaks everything down into science while still using laymen's terms. I can see how it could become overwhelming for someone who has never thought about about what they are feeding their body or the relationship with food. I feel like he gives a compelling argument to forego grain carbs and dairy. And this is coming from a person who eats cheese every day.
January 10, 2020
This book is interesting... it has a lot of factual information about what foods are good and bad for you and why.
Unfortunately, while the book makes a good case for the author’s proposed Keto-tarian diet, the downside is that this way of eating is remarkably inaccessible. The author assumes that every person can afford, obtain, and has the time to prepare the complex meals that they set forward.
On the plus side, I did make one of these meals with a friend and it was delicious.
Unfortunately, while the book makes a good case for the author’s proposed Keto-tarian diet, the downside is that this way of eating is remarkably inaccessible. The author assumes that every person can afford, obtain, and has the time to prepare the complex meals that they set forward.
On the plus side, I did make one of these meals with a friend and it was delicious.
September 12, 2018
so I have been trying to stay on the keto diet for a year . I have my ups and downs but having choices makes it easier. I have nothing against eating meat / dairy but I do like having vegan / vegitarian choices too--- so this just adds another dimension to the keto lifestyle. For that it is wonderful.
April 4, 2024
Fantastic book 📖 👌
I love this book. It is perfectly written and very well researched. The
layout is very pretty and clean with pleasing fonts, colours, images and beautiful and iluminated with valuable knowledge. I've just ordered his other book on Gut Health as I'm so impressed and pleased with this one 🙏🥑🙌
I love this book. It is perfectly written and very well researched. The
layout is very pretty and clean with pleasing fonts, colours, images and beautiful and iluminated with valuable knowledge. I've just ordered his other book on Gut Health as I'm so impressed and pleased with this one 🙏🥑🙌
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