Episode #33

Chris Masterjohn

Why Micronutrients Matter As Much As Macros On Keto

033: Chris Masterjohn - Why Micronutrients Matter As Much As Macros On Keto
Vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids (micronutrients) are not really going to be major determinants of your success with weight loss. It’s really about being healthy. Click To Tweet

Measuring your ketone levels when you start a keto diet is a great way to quickly find out when you’re in ketosis or not, but getting caught up on this measurement and forgetting about other health factors is a mistake.

Having a high level of ketones floating in your bloodstream doesn’t mean your health is any better than it was before you started keto — all it means is your body is running mainly on ketones for fuel instead of glucose.

On ketosis, you’re in a better metabolic state, but not necessarily in a better health situation if you’re forgetting about the quality of your nutrition.

The idea that you need to have your ketones at a certain level to be healthy is definitely not the case Click To Tweet

The reality is your health could actually be worse if you’re not paying attention to important micronutrients and just load up on cheese and bacon to hit your macros instead.

But, let’s be honest, it’s harder to figure out your micronutrient needs than it is to hit your daily macros.

To make things simpler, I’m sitting down with Chris Masterjohn, who holds a PhD in Nutritional Sciences, and is a former postdoctoral research associate and assistant professor of Health and Nutrition Sciences at Brooklyn College.

Chris believes in the power of food, movement, and mindfulness to support both health and well being and has made it his mission to pay it forward with what he’s learned.

Chris is an expert at breaking down the science behind micronutrients, nutrient density and the right nutrient levels you need to be as healthy possible. In our chat, you’ll learn what micronutrients you need the most, how to test for them, and how to get them from your diet.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • The key micronutrients you may be missing out on
  • How to get a better gauge of your daily micronutrient intake
  • The 2 B-vitamins that are specific to energy metabolism
  • The one B-vitamin that can lead to blood sugar spikes with a slight deficiency and seizures if it’s a drastic deficiency
  • Chris’ views on vegetarian and vegan diets missing the B-vitamins mark
  • How to test your vitamin and mineral levels the right way
  • The micronutrient tracking apps Chris recommends
  • How to spot signs of a nutrient deficiency and what to do about it
  • The one nutrient deficiency that will make keto hard on your body
  • What happens when you’re fundamentally deficient in micronutrients
  • Why people who avoid protein are more likely to get a nutrient deficiency
  • Why being healthy improves your ability to run on fat, carbs, and fasting when necessary
  • Why certain energy states require different nutrients
  • Why everything that happens inside your body can be traced to your nutrition
  • Why Chris agrees that grass fed really is better for you

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