Paleo and Keto are the two diet terms that top the list when you plan for diet or weight loss sessions. Though you may or may not have tried it, you would have come across them at least once as they are incredibly popular.
They are all over the internet! But, let’s ask the real question, which one is the best, and what’s the difference between Keto and Paleo?
Which one should you follow for the health and weight loss program?
If you were to sort out the most popular diets, you would see a broad spectrum of plans and practices ranging from low carb to high fat.
Let’s figure out the difference, and which one you should follow to maintain an absolute lose weight plan.
What is Keto Diet?
Low carb intakes are quite popular in the 21st century, thanks to Robert Atkins, the American physician and cardiologist famous for Atkins Diet.
A Keto food is a well-known low carbohydrate diet plan which is an overall tool for good health, not just weight loss.
Keto helps your body to produce ketones in the liver through reduction of carbohydrates and increase of dietary fat.
Ketones are an alternate fuel for your body when you are running low on glucose in the blood.
When you eat very few carbs, blood sugar levels drop, and your body makes Ketones, and your body uses fat for burning calories.
Hence, it will be an easy way to reduce your weight, as your body will be consuming more fat reserves to burn calories.
When your body produces Ketones, the process is Ketosis, and the faster way to go Ketosis is by fasting.
But, Keto food is a natural alternative to take your body into nutritional Ketosis while staying hungry.
The Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet
When you consider the benefits of a Keto food, it’s all similar to those diets with low carb but way too powerful than a liberal low carb food.
Think of the Keto as a charging low carbohydrate diet maximizing its effects.
While considering the long-term benefits of Ketogenic diet, some of the benefits are:
- Low blood glucose levels
- Increased HDL levels
- Reduces body mass
- Mental focus
- Increased energy
Now that you have understood how a Keto diet works, it might be clear how your body turns into a fat-burning machine.
While in the Keto diet, fat burning increases and creates circumstances that support fat loss without starving.
When your body burns fat 24/7, it has constant access to stored energy that is even months old; it dramatically reduces hunger pangs.
A Keto diet plan makes it easy to eat less and to shed those extra pounds.
Now, the incredible piece of information is here; the Ketogenic diet helps epilepsy to keep it under control as well.
It is still one of the most using therapies to control epilepsy in children. In the last couple of years, studies have shown significant results in obese patients.
What is Paleo Diet?
A Paleo diet or Paleolithic diet focuses on the quality of food on short term, and it has developed from the eating patterns of ancient people.
Early cave dwellers of the Paleolithic ages didn’t have any access to refined and processed food lists and their diet mainly composed of protein.
It follows a healthy way of eating which involves a nutritional approach that aligns with genetics to make you lean, strong, and energetic.
While on a Paleo you will be asked to eat a wide range of proteins mainly from animal sources. You also need to include lots of fruits and vegetables and healthy fats from seeds, fish oil, olive oil, nuts in your diet.
The Benefits of Paleo Diet
The Paleo healthy eating plan promotes real, whole, and fresh food groups. It reduces the consumption of food made of preservatives and additives.
The Paleo diet doesn’t just offer quick fat loss; it is all about sustained fat loss in the long run.
The primary focus of a Paleo is to eliminate packaged food from your diet.
While it is out of the question to follow the diet style of our ancestors, the diet plan focuses on lean meat from modern-day animals.
Fat loss, improved heart health, and prevention of autoimmune disorders are some of the benefits of a Paleo diet.
A Paleo is dense in nutrients having an emphasis on fresh and organic vegetables and eliminates usage of dairy products.
The diet provides plenty of fiber with adequate water intake and smaller consumption of salt to reduce bloating.
Plus, the diet improves the level of healthy bacteria in your gut which is essential for healthy digestion.
Comparison Between Keto and Paleo Diet
While a Keto focuses on increasing Ketone production in your body, a Paleo concentrates entirely on the food quality and chooses whole foods which are nutrient-dense and free of toxins.
A Ketogenic diet also includes high-quality food, but the emphasis is not on that.
Both plans are low carbs, but a Paleo still has high carbohydrate intake than a Keto.
A Keto diet emphasizes improving your fat intake whereas a Paleo is less fat-oriented than Keto.
Keto or a Paleo diet, which one is best for you?
Paleo vs. Keto has always been a hot topic of debate among diet planning professionals.
Whether to do a Keto or a Paleo diet solely depends on your needs. A Ketogenic diet has a lot of therapeutical benefits related to Ketones.
If you struggle with weight loss and want to stop your cravings, Ketogenic is the one you should consider.
However, if you are planning to switch to a healthy diet then you need a morsel of food with more flexibility; Paleo can work well for you.
If balancing your blood sugar level is an added priority, a Ketogenic diet can help you maintain your energy spikes the whole day.
Paleo vs. Keto vs. whole 30
Along with Keto & Paleo, another question getting a quite lot of attention is Paleo vs. Keto vs. Whole 30.
All these three diets offer unique similarities; they are low carb-diet choices for nutrition but with some modification.
Both Paleo and whole30 are low-carb diets and eliminate the inclusion of grains, refined sugars, and processed food. You might have already known what they are.
The Whole 30 diet meal plan is quite similar to Paleo in eliminating gluten dairy, junk food, and legumes but takes an additional step by removing some more versions of junk food like baked goods and sweet treats.
The excluded processed foods also include alcohols and sweeteners including natural ones.
In short, the Whole 30 diet is essentially an elimination diet, and people might struggle with the transition from eating in a standard way to adapting to whole foods.
People who have intolerance and allergies will find Whole 30 as a great starting point to modify their diet.
Keto vs. Paleo vs. Atkins
Keto vs. Paleo vs. Atkins is again a highly prevalent group of diets having a lot of overlap, and in fact, you can adhere to all these diets at the same time.
This overlap itself is enough to make these diets very confusing to decide on which diet plan you need to follow to accomplish your goals.
The Atkins diet for fat loss is one of the famous fast track diets, claiming that you can lose a lot of fat by adding so much protein and fat to your diet.
But, you need to avoid high-carb foods to achieve this.
The Atkins diet has even proved in several clinical studies. Atkins diet starts with an introduction phase where the dieter has to follow similar nutritional intakes like that of a Keto diet.
The primary reason why people get attracted to the Atkins diet plan is that you could eat whatever you want unless it isn’t carbs.
However, the Atkins diet possesses dehydration risk and nutrition deficiency issues when compared to the diets.
Does Paleo put you in ketosis?
Generally, paleo will not put you in ketosis. The Keto diet is generally higher in fat than Paleo. Paleo is higher in carbohydrates than Keto. Paleo diet allows fruits and starchy vegetables, while the Keto diet doesn't because it's in carbs content. A standard ketogenic diet is 60-75% of calories coming from fat, 15-30% from protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates.
Can You Combine Paleo and Keto?
If you’re attempting to eat more whole foods to find lasting health and weight loss, both excellent choices. These eating patterns work well together if you can stick to them. I’ve been doing Paleo for almost a decade, and continue to get more healthy and fit by working on the Paleo lifestyle. However, some people struggle with trying to combine the two eating styles into one well-rounded diet. When you combine diets together, you have a plethora of delicious foods that provide the body with high-quality nutrition.
Here are five of the most delicious foods that you can find on the eating patterns. Eggs make an excellent breakfast and are also a great Paleo-Keto meal like grass-fed meat. They’re a filling breakfast option that provides you with a well-rounded meal that provides a good source of protein, calories, and carbohydrates. By adding eggs to your day, you can replace eggs for some of your breakfast plant-based items (bananas, cereal, toast, etc.), while still enjoying a tasty breakfast!
Why Paleo Diet is Unhealthy?
The most recent research by Dr. Oz has confirmed what has been questioned before: the popular Paleo diet is unhealthy. He did a study on the diet with hundreds of patients, over the course of 5 years, and then divided them into 4 groups. The groups consisted of the Paleo dieters, the Back to the Landers, the Paleo dieters with the reintroduction of grains into their diet, and a control group, which did not change their diet at all.
At the end of 5 years, he found that participants who switched to a Paleo diet were the ones who developed the highest risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, kidney disease, and digestive issues. These groups also had the highest rates of all types of weight gain. He also showed a noticeable increase in the rates of diabetes, even in the control group who maintained a normal diet. You can read the full study on the Mayo Clinic website.
Why is Keto Bad?
Well, there is no one reason. There is a whole spectrum of symptoms and reactions when people switch from eating a carb-heavy diet to a ketogenic one. However, there are a few common factors that are considered to be the key causes. Poor Personal Prep. This is the biggest one, and this is a concern no matter what kind of diet you follow. A keto diet requires a lot of planning and foresight, especially in the beginning. Getting into ketosis is not easy, and there are many people who are not able to properly reach that state.
The lack of awareness about the inner process of ketosis makes people give up during the process. You must first know the anatomy of your body, and how your liver metabolizes various components. If you cannot identify these things, you will not be able to follow the ketogenic diet correctly. Your head is your greatest asset on this planet.
Are Bananas Paleo?
Bananas are great Paleo foods that can be consumed like any other fruit. Bananas can be made into smoothies, baked into pancakes, and even frozen as an ice cream substitute. Bananas are a great way to replace those carbohydrates we miss when we are following a Paleo diet. Here is a great article on bananas to read if you want to learn more about this.
To enjoy bananas on a Paleo diet, make sure to read all of the food labels and ingredients. Things to Look For When Choosing Bananas. As with any other fruit, bananas should be organic. It’s important that you do not buy from a farm where pesticides are used or that the bananas are heavily sprayed.
Keto vs Atkins
The ketogenic (keto) and Atkins diets are both low-carbohydrate dietary approaches that share similarities but have distinct differences in their underlying principles, goals, and phases. Here's a detailed comparison of the two:
- Carbohydrate Intake:
- Keto: The ketogenic diet is characterized by extremely low carbohydrate intake, typically limiting daily carb consumption to 20-50 grams or even less. The primary goal is to induce and maintain a state of ketosis, where the body relies on fat for fuel.
- Atkins: The Atkins diet, on the other hand, has multiple phases, with the initial "Induction Phase" being quite similar to keto, limiting carbs to around 20-25 grams per day. However, it gradually reintroduces carbs in later phases, allowing more flexibility and personalization.
- Fat and Protein Intake:
- Keto: A key aspect of the keto diet is the emphasis on high fat intake, typically comprising about 70-80% of daily calories. Protein intake is moderate.
- Atkins: While the Atkins diet also promotes higher fat consumption during the induction phase, it allows for more protein intake and a gradual transition to a more balanced macronutrient profile as you progress through its phases.
- Phases:
- Keto: The ketogenic diet doesn't have distinct phases like the Atkins diet. It aims to maintain a state of ketosis continuously.
- Atkins: The Atkins diet is divided into four phases: Induction, Balancing, Pre-Maintenance, and Maintenance. Each phase has specific carbohydrate intake guidelines and food choices.
- Foods Allowed:
- Keto: The keto diet emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods. It includes low-carb vegetables, high-quality fats, and moderate protein sources. It restricts or eliminates starchy and sugary foods.
- Atkins: The Atkins diet provides a wider range of food options throughout its phases, including some processed low-carb products. It becomes less restrictive in later phases, allowing for more carbohydrate variety.
- Weight Loss vs. Lifestyle:
- Keto: The keto diet is often chosen for its potential to induce rapid weight loss and for therapeutic purposes, such as managing epilepsy or type 2 diabetes. It is typically followed as a long-term lifestyle.
- Atkins: While it can also lead to weight loss, the Atkins diet offers a more gradual approach to carb reintroduction, making it a more flexible long-term dietary choice for some individuals.
In summary, the key difference between the keto and Atkins diets lies in their approach to carbohydrate intake and the presence of distinct phases in the Atkins diet. The keto diet maintains strict low-carb, high-fat intake to sustain ketosis, while the Atkins diet allows a gradual reintegration of carbohydrates over time. Individuals should choose the one that aligns with their goals, preferences, and ability to adhere to the dietary restrictions. It's essential to consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian before starting any restrictive diet to ensure it meets your individual needs and health goals.
Conclusion
Both of these diet plans revolve around offering carbs free diet.
But you should not ignore the fact that carbs are also essential for your body, as it provides glucose to the body and maintains blood sugar, and support keeping up energy level.
Both plans can support fat loss significantly.
Once you are clear about the difference between Keto and Paleo, you can freely choose the best one suiting your lifestyle.
You can start with Paleo and periodically switch to Keto whenever you need an energy boost.
The best diet suitable for you is the one you can actually stick to your fat loss regime.
The goal is to stick to a diet that can bring sustainable changes to your lifestyle instead of just giving a quick weight loss solution.