A look at what a dietitian thinks the Netflix documentary The Magic Pill gets wrong about the keto diet. We review the evidence on the ketogenic diet.
In case you missed it, check out my other post where I covered what The Magic Pill gets (at least kinda, sorta) right about the keto diet – check that out here.
Alright, so we’re back to discuss the new hot food documentary that is exploring the controversial ketogenic diet. It talks about how a low carb high fat diet significantly improved the lives of people suffering from a variety of illnesses. The documentary uses powerful testimonials that claim the keto diet promotes weight loss, improves neurological diseases and reverses chronic diseases. From confusing messages about processed foods to painting an ugly picture of carbohydrates, let’s uncover what “The Magic Pill” gets wrong about the keto diet.
Claim #1: Early humans only ate meat and fat
A common argument is that the keto diet is the closest to our ancestor’s diet. The documentary claims that thousands of generations survived primarily on a meat and fat based diet. The story follows that over the years, with the industrial revolution, our diets have changed to more of a carbohydrate based diet.
What the Research Says
In reality, that is not entirely true. A recent study that collected archeological and anthropological data found that carbohydrates were actually integral part of the human body and actually helped with the growth of the human brain over the last million years. Meat may have kick started the evolution of larger brains, but eating starchy foods apparently made us smarter by providing our brains with glucose (they still do). Even genetic evidence suggests that our salivary amylase (needed to digest starch) has been present in humans for the last one million years. Believe it or not, like today, carbohydrates were an integral part of humans’ diets. So to say that carbs are new to the game since the industrial revolution is just not true. Maybe refined carbs, sure, but not carbs period.
Bottom Line: Archeological research has found that carbohydrates have been a large part of our ancestor’s diet (long before industrial evolution) and have played a role in the evolution of the human brain. We may now know that our brain can function, maybe even well, without it, but that maybe wasn’t true in the past.
Claim #2: All Processed Foods Are Evil
In the documentary, there is a montage of “health experts” going through subjects’ kitchens and throwing out processed foods. Throughout the documentary, certain processed foods are demonized while other processed foods are encouraged to cook with. This makes their messages very misleading. While cooking oils like olive oil are encouraged, vegetable oils are seen as “toxic”. The documentary is sending mixed messages. They don’t take the time to demonstrate the difference between processed and ultra processed foods. There is a critical distinction between the two.
What The Research Says
Have you ever bought milk at the grocery store? It didn’t just come out of the cows udder and make it to your door. Processing can make food healthier and safer in a lot of ways.
Minimally Processed Foods: Use little processing or preparation (i.e. washed, packaged fruits and vegetables)
Foods Processed for Preservation: Foods that are preserved to maintain freshness (i.e. canned/frozen fruits and vegetables)
Mixtures of Combined Ingredients: Foods that combine ingredients (sweeteners, colouring, preservatives) to improve taste, safety and visual appeal (i.e. cake mixes, salad dressings)
Ultra Processed Foods: ready-to-eat convenience foods (i.e. breakfast cereals, lunch meats, carbonated beverages, frozen meals/pizzas)
The documentary puts a lot of energy into demonizing foods that can still be incorporated into a healthy diet. Ironically, the documentary promotes a ton of processed foods like cheese, coconut oil and bacon. I would even categorize bacon as a ultra processed foods. I think this documentary needs to refine the language or their recommendations because there are some mad mixed messages.
Bottom Line: Although there is truth to the negative health impact of some highly processed foods, it is important to point out that processed foods exist on a spectrum. Some processed foods can be part of a healthy balanced diet while others should be limited (um, like bacon). The overall recommendation is to follow a diet that is made up of freshly prepared meals from mostly unprocessed or minimally processed foods, some processed foods and small amounts of ultra-processed foods.
Claim #3: All carbohydrates are BAD
Throughout the documentary, carbohydrates are seen as the enemy and are demonized in every single way. Throughout the film carbohydrates are equated to refined sugar and there is no distinction between the different types of carbohydrates.
What The Research Says
As a dietitian, when I think of carbs I think of FIBRE. Fibre does wonders for us. It helps us feel full for longer, helps us manage our weight, lower our cholesterol and the list goes on! One major point the documentary misses is that not all carbs are created equal. There are major differences between refined and processed carbs and whole carbs in their natural state. Depending on the type of carbohydrate, they also have a drastically different impact on blood sugar levels due to their fibre content. Several systematic reviews have found that the intake of whole grains is associated with significant reductions in the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Bottom Line: Not all carbohydrates are created equal. Depending on the type of carbohydrates will have a drastically different impact on blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates rich in fibre carry significant heart health benefits and keep us full for longer which may help with weight management.
Claim #4: Choose more animal products over fruits and vegetables
In the film they recommend a complete overhaul of the food pyramid by flipping on its head so that fats and animal foods are eaten in higher amounts compared to fruits, vegetables and carbohydrates. Ironically, the base of the pyramid shows a picture of a burger with a fried egg and bacon which is hella processed which furthers their confusing and inconsistent message about processed foods.
What The Research Says
I may eat meat, but I am also a huge supporter of eating more plant based foods. That is not only from an environmental perspective but also from a health perspective. A large body of research has shown that there are a lot of benefits to diets that are rich in plants like the Mediterranean diet or vegetarian/vegan diet. While I do believe there’s definitely room in a diet for animal products, we do know that increasing plant-based foods in our diet may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity– I’ve written a bunch about this here.
Bottom Line: Increasing the plant based foods in our diet may reduce the risk of various diseases. If you’re following a keto diet, I recommend trying to find a balance between animal-based protein and plant-based protein and loading up on the low carb veg.
Claim #5: Animal products as a primary source of protein
The documentary wants you to ditch legumes and other plant based proteins because they’re too high in carbohydrates. Instead opt for meat to get your protein fix.
What The Research Says
Like I mentioned earlier, plant based proteins have cholesterol lowering benefits and are considered heart healthy. This is not to say that you should avoid meat. Meatless Mondays don’t hurt and incorporating a variety of protein sources, animal and plant, carry serious benefits. Plus, the amount of carbs in a cup of beans for the amount of fibre you get is really no big deal. You’re looking at 45 g of carbs and 12 grams of protein for 270 calories and 15 grams of protein. No, its not hard core keto-friendly but totally balanced in my books.
Bottom Line: Plant-based protein sources carry a wide range of benefits, so try to enjoy a few Meatless Mondays more often.
Claim #6: Food is the “magic pill”
I’m a firm believer of a “food first” philosophy when it comes to our health, but I think this documentary takes it a little too far. The documentary largely focuses on diet and specific nutrients as the key to good health. It spends very little time acknowledging that lifestyle factors also play an important role in maintaining good health.
What The Research Says
Yes, food plays a huge role in our health, but we can’t ignore the other factors that impact our health. We know that that health is shaped by a variety of things, from our genetic makeup to lifestyle factors like smoking. Sometimes medication and other interventions are the only solution, or are an essential part of the solution and not just a diet.
Bottom Line: There’s more to our health than just what we eat. Majority of the time, treating a condition requires a variety of treatment efforts. Suggesting that we can just go off of our medications or abstain from lifesaving therapy by taking on a diet can be dangerous and potentially deadly advice.
The Magic Pill did get some things right when it comes to the ketogenic diet. However, there’s a whole lot of information and research that was conveniently omitted to support their case. We still need a lot more stronger studies to say with confidence that the keto diet really is the “magic pill”. I do think that the keto diet has its merits, especially in clinical settings, but it’s not without its risks. Not to sound like a broken record, but a healthy diet is one you can maintain in the long run. It’s up to you to find what works for YOU.
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In case you missed it, check out my other post where I covered what “The Magic Pill†gets right about the keto diet.
If you liked this post, you may like:
What This Dietitian Thinks About a Keto Diet for Weight Loss
Is it Safe to Breastfeed on a Keto Diet and How Does it Affect Breast Milk
Can The Keto Diet Cure Your Digestion Problems & IBD?
Does a Keto Diet During Pregnancy Cause Birth Defects?
So friends, tell me, what do you think of the Magic Pill?
What are your general thoughts or experiences with the keto diet?
Any other new food documentary’s you want me to review?
Leave me a comment below!
Contribution By:
RD2B Giselle Segovia
Edits By Sofia Tsalamlal, MHSc, RD
Updated on August 15th, 2020
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.
Jeff Cranston says
I like your clarifications Abbey, and I know it’s pretty old in 2023 now, and things change so quickly in the food and medical world. And with inflation going on, one of the highest costs in the USA are grocery stores. Poor folks look for cheap fare at fast food because they simply can’t afford the weekly bills. I am a type 1.5 diabetic. I had an Insulinoma that was removed with 2/3 of my Pancreas so that made me a diabetic for life but not as bad as being type 1. As I got older, I found my blood sugars spiking more often than I liked. And one of my docs made me realize I was eating a lot more carbs than I realized. It’s so easy to do, in spite of being educated, to fall into the trap of things we like. So I really had to get some nutrional lists and I did a sizable shift to lessen carbs and heighten proteins. And not too much fruit as that can raise blood sugar. If I get bacon, I will usually get Turkey bacon that is way less fatty. I don’t drink milk at all since like age 10. Nor do I drink alcohol at all anymore (not that I overdid it) nor any sugary drinks. I will have coffee with a little Stevia. So I like to call it pseudo Keto diet but not to the book Keto. My blood sugars over 6 months are much better and I’ve lost about 20 lbs. And I wasn’t really trying to lose a lot of weight. It just came off.
I don’t like the theme where the mega producers are making things unhealthy, like force feeding most cows grains instead of grass, and the genetically altered chickens that make them crazy large quickly and how most people that eat chicken are guess what? Eating it fried. Why, that carb breading. So delicioso, right? Can’t get away from the carbs, just like the kid in the show who was hooked on the sugar. No businesses care about the peoples health. They just care about the money.
AJ says
Keep consuming your stupid fiber recommendation and farting all day everyday just to get a stupidly tiny amount of butyric acid from fermentation. OR adopt the keto lifestyle and get a lot of butyric acid from butter WITHOUT farting all day. If you do not know how important short chain saturated fatty acids are and what they do then definitely you shouldn’t practice or write articles about nutrition!
Abbey Sharp says
Hi AJ. Sorry you feel that way.
Dennis says
You should be happy he feels that way. Keto stops the gas, and bloating. Not to mention acid reflux. I have been on keto now for 2 years. No more bloating, gas, acid reflux. Do you also feel sorry for me?
Abbey Sharp says
Im glad the keto diet works for you!
Fa says
Hi! This is my first time commenting on an article because I’m shy 😀 but I just have to share this. I just watched the documentary and decided to do some research on it because I was so darn confused about what the documentary said and thank you so much for this article. I’m taking a human nutrition course at a college right now (for master’s requirement) and I wasn’t taught to eat more meat, fat, and minimize carbs. It made me wonder…what about fiber? If all carbs are bad, then why is the documentary suggesting fruits and veggies since they have some carbs in it too? If I remember correctly, many fruits contain simple carbs (healthy kind!) with nutrition dense. I was taught that the keto diet was invented to help people with epilepsy due to being sensitive to the carbs (don’t remember exactly rather it’s the carbs or something specific in the carbs or other). I was taught in another class that keto diet can be dangerous in the long term but is okay temporarily.
I’ve been having a hard time trusting the documentaries because the other documentary (What the Health, I think) said that eating meat is bad and vegan diet is the answer.
I went to Japan two years ago (btw, they have amazing food!!), their diet is mainly fish, veggies, rice, and other things. They also eat meat but didn’t consume as much as Americans do. Yes, they eat carbs! And their obesity rate is 3%. I lost weight and I have a particular health issue (luckily, don’t need meds, just change of diet) and the symptoms were gone although I was eating out at restaurants three meals a day the entire trip (it was 8 days). So basically, they eat more real food and little processed food. After meals, I didn’t even want desserts. I was too satisfied, happy, and full which lasted for a long time.
I’m surprised by how much angry comments were there. I honestly feel like the film is generally biased and confusing. I do somewhat agree with the film but not all of the information they stated. BUT what I can say is there is no such thing as ONE diet for ALL. Everyone is different. The vegan diet is not for everyone, the keto diet is not for everyone and so on. I’m kind of upset that the documentary made it seem like everyone must do a keto diet and is the only answer. Lastly, the biggest issue with the American diet is that people are confused about how to eat healthily because diet advice is always changing like a new article pop-up be like “you need to take more supplements!”, or “eat less fat for better heart!”, or “do the detox!” and so on but the actual diet advice has been the same. It made me wonder what is the media is trying to do to us. There are too many nutritional documentaries with so many different nutritional advice which is confusing and driving me crazy. So I plan to stick with what works for my body and will do more research with peer-reviewed sources.
Again, thank you for the article! I know my comment is long. 😀
Abbey Sharp says
Hi Fa! Thanks for your comment. I totally agree 🙂
nancy says
Very much disagree with you, but that’s ok. We all must make our own choices. I am always suspect of “medical” folks with a degree who think they know more than scientists and researchers – and Dr Perlmutter for crying out loud. I think the documentary was right on. You can’t eat just a little bit of refined foods without craving and ultimately giving in to more, more, more – just like any other addiction.
Since I am forced to give you my email to leave this comment, I respectfully request that you DO NOT bombard me with solicitations. Thank you.
S.AW. says
All of the criticisms listed in this article either cherry pick or totally disregard what is shown in the movie. an example is that “All carbs are bad” The family with this little girl are shown cooking broccoli and a mix of vegetables. the girl later comes and grabs a veggie stick off the counter. How is that saying all carbs are bad.
That is just one example of the poor quality, biased, approach to this article. read actual studies and talk to real people to see their thoughts and results.
Jimmy Seah says
Why are carbs needed if they are non-essential and the liver is able to create all needed by the body?
Annie says
Thank you! Keto does work and it’s the best for all those diseases listed way more than all the other diet choices! She, Abbey basically misleads
In her assessments and doesn’t offer valid arguments at all!
JT says
Did you even watch the documentary though? Every point you say is not reflective. The film focuses on diet, but states at the beginning that there are many factors such as exercise, sleep and more that play a role. Healthy carbs are promoted in this film such as vegetables, so to say carbs in general are demonized is also not reflective. Come on though. Your statement about processed food is incorrect also, even though canned food may not be as processed as pop tarts, it doesn’t mean it’s natural or healthy, you’re acknowledging the lesser of two evils. Dairy is also terrible for people. Look into A1 Casein Protein. Anyway, don’t send me emails.
Heather says
a cow’s udder is spelled as such, not ‘utter’. When I see glaring spelling errors, I’m suspect of the material sadly.
Abbey Sharp says
Thanks for catching that. Making that edit now
Bob Ivan says
The film got nothing wrong. You simply interpreted it wrong. For example, the food pyramid comment about showing ” a picture of a burger with a fried egg and bacon which is hella processed” and your image of a big old bun burger is nothing like the picture they show of a what looks like perhaps a slice of grilled meat with a fried egg, bacon and no bun. However, their choice of apples and grapes was clearly not on the keto list.
Abbey Sharp says
agree to disagree. the film was problematic.
Daniel Plumey says
Agreeing to disagree is a simple way of having no real data to back up your article. As a diabetic, I followed this Ketogenic diet and reversed my type 2 diabetes. The food is absolutely the key as I no longer require insulin and watched my numbers go back to normal. Sugars down to 114, cholesterol down, triglycerides down, A1c down, etc. I can go on with more, but you will simply agree to disagree.
liz barber says
Hi Abbey! I just finished watching the documentary today. I appreciate what you have to say about Carbs. Personally I don’t want to give up carbs completely.
I did like the documentary and seeing the impact the change in diet had on little girl with autism. Both my boys have been diagnosed with autism so this documentary has really inspired me to make some big changes to their current diet. They are similar to the little girl who had a very limited range of foods she would eat.
Abbey Sharp says
Hey Liz, thanks for your comment. I wouldn’t be able to give up carbs completely, and while this may have helped some children, it doesn’t mean it will have the same effect in all children.
Jess says
But, don’t you think ALL children should try a diet change before shoving high dollar pills down their throat? That also come with a LONG list of side effects. Have you researched the Ketogenic diet? They used it in the 1920’s for epilepsy, until the pharmaceutical company came up with a drug! I feel as if you dislike this way of eating because you are most likely a Vegan. Not looking to help others, but to trash it because we eat MEAT!
Abbey Sharp says
Hi Jess. Yes I have written all about the use of the keto diet for epilsepsy in part one of my review of the Magic Pill to provide a balanced review of what the film gets right about the diet. Here is the link if you are interested (https://www.abbeyskitchen.com/a-dietitians-thoughts-on-what-netflixs-the-magic-pill-gets-at-least-kinda-right-about-the-keto-diet/)
Kimberley Armstrong says
The film did not encourage people to just ditch their medication for a different diet. The ex nurse for example gradually came off of her pills. As she progressed through the diet, she needed her medication less and eventually did not need them at all. At no point in the film was it suggested for people to go cold turkey and replace with a keto diet.
Elle says
Your critique is way off base,,, making comparisons that don’t exist. This documentary is absolutely not stating some of your conclusions the way that you are inferring. I eat a LCVHF diet for migraine management and absolutely loved this documentary. Let’s give the viewers of a film like this a little more credit than to say we just don’t know what refined carbohydrates are….you missed the point of the entire movie. I sincerely hope that no one walks away from watching this due to your desire to point out flaws there that just don’t exist. It’s not a medical journal article… it’s a point of view that provides insight for those of us out here who are looking.
Amanda says
I really loved reading because it was such a rational, well-balanced response. Thank you for promoting balance and that yes animal foods can be okay yes processed foods can be okay but yes unprocessed was plant based foods are very beneficial to our health. I catch myself going back into disordered eating habits sometimes from the media influence, fearmongering their audiences into never eating certain foods because of life or death or heavy moral reasons. Anyways. Thank you for this.???❤️
Abbey Sharp says
Thanks so much Amanda
DF says
“As a dietitian, when I think of carbs I think of FIBRE. Fibre does wonders for us. It helps us feel full for longer, helps us manage our weight, lower our cholesterol and the list goes on! One major point the documentary misses is that not all carbs are created equal. There are major differences between refined and processed carbs and whole carbs in their natural state. Depending on the type of carbohydrate, they also have a drastically different impact on blood sugar levels due to their fibre content.”
Duh, that’s why you calculate net carbs by subtracting fiber from your carbohydrate intake. On keto, I take in far more fiber than I do when I was not on keto via psyllium husk and other sources. I guess this post was meant for social media marketing and to increase traffic and SEO to your site. For that, great job, for the insight, maybe you should read some more peer reviewed studies on keto. This is coming from a PHD researcher.
Michael says
I have tried many diets and ways of trying to eat right according to your ideas. The keto diet makes me full longer than your idea of FIBRE. My calorie intake is lower because i feel full, satisfied and have plenty of energy. My cholesterol has never been better. All this despite my doctors advice on not partaking in the keto diet. After my bloodwork came back he started to refer some of his patients to me. Imagine that. The problem is you were taught a certain way and think your god like complex of ideas are the only way. I challenge you to try it for 12 weeks then dispute how good you will feel and look. I was skeptical but proof is in the results.
Cat says
This is a terrible piece of writing and very misleading.
Abbey Sharp says
Sorry to hear that.