Cardiologist urges patients not to follow keto diet, calling it ‘mistake’

The keto diet is “a mistake” that causes people to miss out on eating healthy, nutrient-dense foods, according to a leading New York cardiologist.

Robert J. Ostfeld, MD, MSc, is Director of Preventive Cardiology at Montefiore Health System and Professor of Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. In an interview with Plant Based News, he explained why he urged most patients not to follow the high fat, low carb diet.

“As a cardiologist, I think the keto diet is a mistake,” he said. “The keto diet, I believe, is based on misinformation.”

According to Ostfeld, people on the keto diet miss out on eating whole grains, fruits, beans, and other foods that are associated with significant health benefits. Unless the patient has a specific condition – intractable epilepsy, for example – he said patients should avoid the keto diet altogether. It could be a useful tool for short-term weight loss, he added, but “the same goes for cocaine.”