PLANTSTRONG Podcast Ep. 337: Jet Benitez - The Keto Diet Almost Killed Him. So, He Turned to Plants.
Jan 22, 2026
Jet Benitez, a 66-year-old former keto devotee, shares his remarkable health transformation after switching to a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle. Once struggling with angina and high calcium scores, he found renewed vitality post-diet change, allowing him to hike again after years of inactivity. He recounts the emotional wake-up call at a reunion and how the diet led to stunning improvements in his health markers. Jet offers advice for those curious about changing their diets and emphasizes the importance of compassion and joy in helping others adopt healthier habits.
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Keto Years Raised His Calcium Score
- Jet followed a strict ketogenic protocol for five years aiming to reduce coronary calcium but his score rose from ~400 to near 900‑1000.
- He paid for expensive supplements and monitored annual calcium scans without improvement.
Reunion Scar Sparked A Diet Rethink
- At a college scuba reunion Jet saw his friend Mike show a large bypass scar and describe adopting a whole‑food, plant‑based lifestyle after surgery.
- That encounter planted the seed that later helped Jet consider changing his own diet.
Symptoms Vanished Within Days Of Switching
- Two months after the reunion Jet developed angina, back pain, poor sleep and feelings of impending doom.
- After switching to a whole‑food, plant‑based diet his chest pain and back pain vanished within about ten days.
