Thank you for your feedback, Pad–and you are raising a valid point. The impact of a ketogenic diet on the gut microbiome is definitely one of the concerns experts raise. Because keto is extremely low in fiber and typically eliminates or severely restricts the legumes, whole grains, and diverse plant foods that beneficial gut bacteria depend on to thrive, it can meaningfully reduce microbial diversity over time. And given how central the microbiome is to immune function, inflammation, mental health, and metabolic health, that is not a small consideration. –Ina, Food Revolution Network Team

You’ll end up gaining your weight back when you reintroduce carbs. That’s what happened to folks on the old Atkins diet. Eat a piece of toast and blow up again. LOL!

Suggest reviewing work by Chris Palmer, MD, and/or Georgia Ede, MD. Another resource is The Charlie Foundation. Best wishes.

I am a NASM-certified nutrition coach and have done a massive amount of research into Alzheimer’s since my father was diagnosed 3 years ago. In my opinion Dr. Bredesen and Dr. Sandison are two of the most trustworthy voices on the topic and also the most hopeful. They have used the keto diet effectively in their clinics and patients have experienced improvements because of it. They do suggest that it’s possible to add some healthy plant foods and there are healthy recipes included in their books. I believe there’s a webinar on keto specifically that you can watch anytime on Dr. Sandison’s website that goes into a lot more detail than can be explained in this article. Additionally, leafy greens and blueberries are considered brain foods.

I wish you luck on your journey with your wife John. It’s a difficult situation and there are rarely easy answers. Much love.

Hi Elke!

Thank you so much for bringing this up, and what a thoughtful and well-framed question. You are absolutely right that most of the conversation around ketogenic diets centers on animal-based approaches, and the plant-based angle deserves more attention.

We want to be transparent that the Food Revolution Network generally emphasizes a whole food plant-based dietary approach rather than ketogenic eating, and does not have an official position specifically endorsing keto, even in its plant-based form. That said, we appreciate the nuance in your question and want to offer some helpful general information.

A whole food plant-based ketogenic approach is genuinely possible, though it does require careful planning. The goal would be to achieve the very low carbohydrate, moderate protein, and high fat macronutrient profile of keto while drawing those nutrients entirely from plant sources. In practice that means building meals around foods like avocados, coconut, nuts, seeds, olive oil, non-starchy vegetables, and plant-based proteins like tofu and tempeh, while significantly limiting grains, legumes, and fruit, which are higher in carbohydrates.

The challenge is that many of the most nutritionally valuable plant foods, including beans, lentils, whole grains, and many fruits, are also relatively high in carbohydrates and would need to be minimized during a keto phase. This makes it harder to achieve the nutritional completeness and fiber intake that make whole food plant-based eating so beneficial, which is worth factoring into your decision.

That said, a short term or cyclical plant-based keto approach focused on whole foods rather than processed products is likely to be far safer and more nutritionally sound than a conventional animal-based keto diet, and some research does suggest benefits around metabolic flexibility and weight management, particularly after 50 as you noted.

If you do want to explore this, working with a registered dietitian who understands both plant-based nutrition and ketogenic approaches would be strongly advisable to make sure your nutritional needs are fully met during that phase.

Thank you again for such a stimulating question, and for your support of the Food Revolution Network community. We hope this gives you a useful starting point for further exploration. –Ina, Food Revolution Network Team

Hi Carissa. I had some gut problems at the end of 2024 and because of it I had to review the way I was eating. To me the main problem was ultra-processed food which is pretty much every pre-made food sold in supermarkets and/or fast food places. I had to go back to basis, which means cooking! Sounds harder than it actually is. It took me a while to figure it out, you cannot do it overnight, but it’s totally worth it. I now cook most of the meals I eat. This way I control what’s in the food. No additives, no preservatives, no excess sugar, no excess salt, no excess oil. My gut feels so much better. I lost some weight when I was recovering from my gut issues, but I managed to keep that weight from coming back because I’m eating healthier than ever. Cravings are pretty much not existing and the energy is back. I wish you all the best!

Hello, John–I’m so sorry that you are dealing with a loved one with Alzheimer’s, and that the information out there is so confusing. We published an article a number of years ago that may be of interest to you, regarding foods that may prevent dementia: https://foodrevolution.org/blog/10-foods-prevent-dementia-alzheimers/. In addition, Dr. Greger has quite a few short videos on the topic of Alzheimer’s here, if you’d like to take a look at those: https://nutritionfacts.org/?s=alzheimers

I hope these resources are of some additional assistance. We’re sending you well wishes in your caregiving–and don’t forget to take care of yourself as well. Thank you for being here in our community. –Ina, Food Revolution Network Team