The keto diet can be followed however you want to. As long as you’re eating less than 20-25 grams of carbs, some protein, and mostly fat (up to 75% of daily calories), you’re putting your body into a state of ketosis. Ketosis, or nutritional ketosis, is when your metabolism burns mostly fat, ketones, and a teeny amount of carbs (glucose). As a result, you can go longer without eating between meals, ditch the cravings for sugar, clear away brain fog, lower inflammation, and lose weight… which is just the short list of benefits. [1]

Entering ketosis isn’t so cut and dry. Yes, as long as follow the “rules,” you should be able to reach it. However, the way you do it will have a huge effect on your health in the long run. You see, I’m not for quick, extreme practices. I could care less about things like cleanses, detoxes, fad diets, and balls-to-the-wall training for hours every single day. I’m looking at the bigger, long-term picture here. And so should you. For instance, if you’re going to be working out, do you see yourself doing it for the rest of your life? If so, then you need to make the exercise good (and sane) enough to last a lifetime. The same goes for your diet. Why do you think so many people rebound after starving themselves? They’ve suppressed their hunger and ignored their cravings long enough to suddenly binge long and hard. The result? Gaining all of the weight back and then some. Keto is no different. There is a type of keto that people do that goes by “dirty keto” that I want to cover. It’s something that’s giving keto a lousy name and causing more harm than good. You may not realize the damage that’s being made, but your body does. If you practice dirty keto or have come across it, let this be a PSA. Because I’ve got a bone to pick with it. 

Dirty Keto 101

“I can eat anything I want as long as it’s keto!”

I’ve heard this phrase many times and, admittedly, have joked about it before. In all seriousness, though, it’s not something to be proud of. Dirty keto is, in a nutshell, a way of eating keto using processed food. Things like packaged foods that are “keto-friendly,” deli meats and cheeses, snacks, and fast food all fall under the category of dirty keto. Think foods like salami, spam, bologna, conventional bacon, bunless cheeseburgers, “protein” chips, cookies, and drinks — all of these foods that become the bulk of someone’s diet rather than occasional treats.

The Problems with Dirty Keto

Here are the top reasons why I don’t recommend dirty keto:

• Sends the Wrong Message: My Keto Meal Plan includes a few “keto-fied” versions of foods like pizza and waffles. But that’s about a third of the recipes. The rest is mostly low carb veggies, protein, some dairy here and there, maybe a couple “sprinklings” of bacon, and healthy fats from avocados, coconut, olives, oil, and nuts and seeds. The problem with dirty keto is that it tells the eater and the world that it’s nothing but a junk food diet. That there’s no real nutrition. That it’s OK to eat nothing but fried meat, globs of cheese, bacon, and greasy food. Which couldn’t be further from the truth.
• Teaches Bad Habits: Another problem with dirty keto is that it teaches bad habits. Here’s an example. Say you have someone trying keto for the first time. Their previous diet was a typical SAD diet of processed foods like pizza, cake, and BBQ meat. Well, guess what? If they go on to do dirty keto, they’re still eating the same foods as keto versions. They still think it’s acceptable to eat pizza every day along with soda (as long as it’s a “diet” friendly one), chips, and ice cream. Grabbing a bunless burger is meant to be done as a treat or emergency meal; not something to do every day. The person following dirty keto is closing themselves off to healthier choices like salads, stir-fries, omelets, soups, and baked (not fried) foods.
• The Quality: Not everyone can afford grass-fed steak, wild-caught fish, and farmer’s market produce. But most people can fit frozen steamed vegetables, berries, eggs, and meat when it’s on sale. You don’t have to buy organic; the world is not going to end if your chicken was conventional. It’s much better than buying a bucket of fried hot wings. You’ve got to ask yourself where those fast food burgers came from. Are they 100% meat? Were they fried in vegetable oil instead of butter or coconut oil? Is there any sugar, preservatives, or MSG in the sauce? What nutrients aside from fat and protein are you getting from them? Things like antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals?
• Ignores the Bigger Picture: These types of foods on dirty keto are also destructive to your health. They either contain too much fat (and yes, that can be a problem) or ingredients that, in the long term, cause many problems Things like inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, cholesterol problems, and poor digestion. Yes, for the moment, those foods are putting you into ketosis and making you feel great. It’s what they do over time that you need to worry about. The consequences don’t usually happen overnight. It’s over the months and years. Not to bash vegans, but a lot of people who follow a vegan diet don’t often supplement to fill in the gaps for nutrients like Vitamin B12. They’ll under eat, ignore protein and fat, go way overboard on fruit or soy, and reach for “veganized” versions of foods with processed mock meats, veggie burgers, cheese, and dairy. You could say that even a “dirty vegan” way of eating is no better than a keto one.

Convenience Over Health?

There’s no reason to sacrifice your health for convenience. Yes, it’s easy to microwave a “keto pizza” or order a ton of bacon burgers from the fast-food menu, but you genuinely need to open your mind to the bigger picture here. It’s all about sustainability. How long do you expect your body to tolerate these conventional, nutrient-poor, inflammatory foods? To repeat, I am not saying you can’t ever eat a keto bar or a keto-friendly restaurant meal. But they’re meant to be “treats” or something to fall back on in a pinch (travel, work, emergency). They’re not the foundation of your diet. If you really hate cooking, there are easy keto meals that you can research online. You can invest in an Instant Pot (set it and forget it) or an Air Fryer (which cooks food in minutes). There are meal prep companies and private chefs to order from. And you don’t always have to eat “keto-fied” versions of junk foods, either. Trust me; there are plenty of ways to enjoy your veggies on keto when the right recipe is found.

While dirty keto may be easier, it’s not the healthiest diet to eat in the long-term. If you want to continue eating keto, then you’ve got to put in the effort and focus on whole foods. And don’t feel pressured to make everything so complicated! Keep it simple, as I did with this snack.

Need help with that? Sign up for my Keto Meal Plan and see how I enjoy keto. It’s 8 weeks of planned meals, recipes, shopping lists, and a huge PDF on all of the ins and outs of keto.  

Sources and Further Reading:

[1] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319196.php
[2] https://www.bulletproof.com/diet/keto/dirty-keto-vs-clean-keto/
[3] https://www.healthline.com/health-news/what-is-lazy-keto
[4] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lazy-keto#downsides