11 Best Keto Books (To Read in 2024)

Eating bacon, macadamia nuts and avocados, while losing weight, may sound too good to be true.

As a product of the 80’s, I was brain washed into believing that eating fat, made us fat. So, I subsisted on boneless, skinless, tasteless chicken and salads without dressing. I ate bagels without cream cheese, potatoes with no butter, plain pasta with fat free cheese, and even fat free baked goods.

Did it help me become skinny and healthy? 

Heck, did it help ANYONE become thin and happy? 

Well, judging from the eyeful I got at WalMart the other day, I think it not; it clearly back fired.

Fat does NOT make us fat, sugar does. But this is another soap box we will address at another time.

Many people think the ketogenic diet is the latest fad diet and I am here to tell you it’s here to stay. It is my lifestyle that I am committed enjoying for the long term. And I say enjoying because what person on the planet does not LOVE eating bacon burgers topped with avocado and chipotle mayo? You will not miss the bun!

After understanding the science and health benefits behind the ketogenic diet, I am 100% committed to this anti-aging lifestyle for many reasons.

I have read many books and research documents about the keto diet. And since the books are way more interesting, I compiled this list of some of my favorites in alphabetic order.

An important disclaimer is needed. Many people are focused on weight loss, but I love the specific health benefits the ketogenic diet offers. Hence my book recommendations are anything but traditional. I want people to commit to changing the trajectory of their lives and age in health, not sickness. With keto, this is possible.

Maria Emmerich has written so many amazing cookbooks and this is my favorite.

When a person starts the keto diet they typically eat a ton of cheese, because let’s face it, cheese is bomb.

However, lots of people are sensitive to dairy and don’t even know it. It’s not usually a lactose sensitivity, but a casein (dairy protein) one. This cookbook has delicious recipes, ditching the dairy, so we can enjoy a delicious keto meal plan with flavor and no inflammation.

To check if you have a dairy sensitivity, you may want to lay off of it for a couple months. Then weigh yourself the morning of your “test” and enjoy dairy that day, without pigging out. Then weigh yourself the next morning. If you gained 2-3 pounds for “no reason” then chances are you have a dairy sensitivity.

With over 200 delicious recipes, this cookbook is a must! Some of my favorite recipes are Curry Short Ribs, Mexican Chocolate Mousse, Spicy Fried Eggs with Chorizo, and Bacon Wrapped Scallops.

The pictures are beautiful and many of the recipes are quick and easy to make.

Because my Dad has cancer and my Mom has Alzheimer’s Disease, I was very interested in reading this book by Dr. Mercola.

He addresses how most disease “is caused by defective metabolic processes” and not from genetics. You can image how happy this made me given my DNA is stacked against me.

Dr. Mercola provides a solution for the readers which he calls Mitochondrial Metabolic Therapy (MMT) which is essentially a ketogenic diet. Mitochondria are the energy powerhouses of the cell and we want these babies to be healthy and happy.

My favorite chapter in this book is Chapter 11 where Dr. Mercola talks about other ways to improve your mitochondrial health. He says that diet and fasting are the top two, and this chapter suggests a bunch more including grounding, infrared sauna use and my favorite sunlight. As I write this, I am enjoying the latter out by my pool soaking up Vitamin D, aka the happy vitamin.

Love the approach of this book as Jimmy Moore interviews 22 doctors and wellness experts who understand the health benefits experienced while on a ketogenic diet.

Since this was one of the first books I read on keto, it has a special place in my heart. Some highlights include the Success Stories and the 21-day meal plan.

When we are inspired by the success of another person, we open up the gateway of possibilities. Success breeds success and these stories of healing are fantastic.

The 21-day meal plan is helpful because in week one we eat 3 meals a day like we are used to. Then week two, we skip breakfast and thereby introduce intermittent fasting. Week three, we switch to OMAD, one meal a day. This increase in our fasting window is my favorite way to travel.

We are bio-individuals, meaning our biology is not identical and we respond differently to various things. One man’s fuel is another’s poison. Unless you are vegan, and then whatever.

Leanne Vogel addresses this fact by providing several different types of eating plans based on the individuals’ needs and goals.

She also teaches about her signature “carb-ups” and how they can benefit your lifestyle, again depending on your specific needs and goals.

I love her writing style as it makes me feel like we are having a conversation and while it’s a pretty darn big book, it’s an easy read. There are several unique charts, such as Keto for Special Diets, Oil Smoke Points, and a Nut/Seed Chart.

In the end, Leanne gives us over 100 delicious recipes. Like who knew you could make fudge out of bacon grease? OMG, it’s pretty tasty. And she doesn’t use dairy, but nutritional yeast as a yummy substitute.

I have been drinking coconut oil in my coffee since before I found keto and am a frequent listener to the Bulletproof Radio podcast.

Dave Asprey had a mold reaction which led him into wellness. The book focuses on food quality and toxin avoidance. This is so important as I believe we are what we eat, and we are what our food eats. Grass fed meat eats grass, which is what their biology requires.

The Bulletproof Diet also has the person reduce protein and boost carbs once a week which helps develop metabolic flexibility and decrease inflammation.

He also has a cool app for tracking which foods serve you and how to identify your individual “kryptonite.”

This book was written in 2011, well before the popular keto craze. The science and research provided by Phinney and Volek buck the mainstream point of view and are a breath of fresh air.

With 140 references, this sciency book is not meant for the easy read. They dig deep into what research shows, while so much has been buried. With this said, one of my favorite chapters is at the end and titled Ten Clinical Pearls. These are studies dating as far back as the late 1800’s.

If you love geeking out on the science, this book is for you.

Since my mom has Alzheimer’s Disease, this was a must for my book collection. Amy Berger did her master’s thesis on Alzheimer’s and metabolic correlations.

When I interviewed Amy for my podcast recently, she said pubmed.gov had all the research which points to Alzheimer’s similarity to Diabetes. It is now being called Type 3 Diabetes.

I bought the book, gave it to my mom, and went on a quest to change her diet. When she said it was too hard to give up her bread, I asked her, “Isn’t it harder to lose your brain?

This book is a great resource for anyone who has a loved one with Alzheimer’s or if you want to understand how to potentially prevent this nightmare of a disease.

Dr. Anna Cabeca focuses on women’s health issues, particularly menopause. With so many women suffering through this “fun” time of life, she provides a solution to heal the symptoms naturally with her Keto Green program.

Creating a state of alkalinity in the body is the secret behind her program. Unlike the current carnivore trend, Dr. Anna recommends 6-cups of alkalizing veggies, 75% of your plate should be veggies.

Dr. Anna also makes the best tasting Mighty Maca green powder that I have ever tasted. So many of the others I tried were gag worthy. Her’s is delicious.

The book also addresses other women’s health issues. And my favorites are the chapters on sex and oxytocin, the “feel-good” hormone. Because when it comes down to it, don’t we all just want to feel good?

Everything you wanted to know about the keto diet and more. Very well researched and contains everything you would ever want to know about keto. My first resource when looking up a particular topic.

Some of my favorite sections are on aging and longevity, exercise and performance, and the numerous studies posted. There are so many references quoted; this book is very well researched.

So many people come to the keto diet to lose weight. However, there are so many health benefits to adopt this way of life long term.

Mark Sisson is known as the father of paleo, so why is he writing a book about keto? Ummm because keto is awesome!

One of my favorite parts of this book is how he recommends going paleo first. This will ease you into keto easier. This explains why it wasn’t too hard for me to make the jump. And this will help people who don’t like to dive headfirst into a new way of eating.

My Dad has cancer and his doctor told him it doesn’t matter what he eats. When he sits at his chemo sessions, they feed him cookies and candy. This is just wrong and malpractice in my opinion.

Enter Dr. Nasha and her amazing book, an amazing resource for cancer treatment and prevention. Chapter one begins with a quiz to identify which “terrain” of the life you need to focus on first. Her approach is called the Terrain 10 and these include genetics, hormones, stress, toxins, and more.

After the quiz, the reader is directed to a specific chapter to “clean up” the priority terrains in their life. By identifying your unique priorities, it helps you improve one area at a time to achieve improved and optimal health.

Dr. Nasha’s top recommendations are a ketogenic diet, fasting, and adequate sleep.

Cancer is a frightening word and with the tips in this book, you can break the dogma of the Big Pharma Mafia and learn life changing tips to heal your body and potentially prevent this horrific disease.

There are so many amazing new keto books on the market and the research continues to show numerous health benefits. Please do your research and commit to changing your life by falling in love with the ketogenic diet.

Editor’s note. 10 more best-selling keto books:

1. Simply Keto: A Practical Approach to Health & Weight Loss, with 100+ Easy Low-Carb Recipes by Suzanne RYAN

2. The Complete Ketogenic Diet for Beginners: Your Essential Guide to Living the Keto Lifestyle by Amy Ramos

3. The Easy 5-Ingredient Ketogenic Diet Cookbook: Low-Carb, High-Fat Recipes for Busy People on the Keto Diet by Jen Fisch

4. Keto Comfort Foods: Family Favorite Recipes Made Low-Carb and Healthy by Maria Emmerich

5. The Keto Reset Diet: Reboot Your Metabolism in 21 Days and Burn Fat Forever by Brad Kearns and Mark Sisson

6. The 30-Day Ketogenic Cleanse: Reset Your Metabolism with 160 Tasty Whole-Food Recipes & Meal Plans by Maria Emmerich

7. Southern Keto: 100+ Traditional Food Favorites for a Low-Carb Lifestyle by Natasha Newton

8. Ketotarian: The (Mostly) Plant-Based Plan to Burn Fat, Boost Your Energy, Crush Your Cravings, and Calm Inflammation: A Cookbook by Will Cole

9. Keto Diet: Your 30-Day Plan to Lose Weight, Balance Hormones, Boost Brain Health, and Reverse Disease by Josh Axe

10. Ketogenic Cookbook by Jimmy Moore