A 2018 Health magazine review of the history of diet and nutrition, a year in which high fat became fashionable, meat became number one, and biblically inspired diets rose to prominence. This refers to two very popular dietary fads: Paleo Diet and Keto Diet. Many people want to know. What is the difference between these two diets? Which one is better?
What is the Paleo Diet?
A Paleo Diet is essentially the abandonment of modern processed foods in favor of the natural, nutrient-rich foods consumed by our hunter-gatherer ancestors. The Paleo Diet emphasizes the consumption of foods previously obtained through hunting while advocating the restriction of foods that have dominated since the beginning of the agricultural era some 10,000 years ago, such as dairy products, grains, sugar, and hydrogenated oils.”
The term “paleodiet” began in 1975 when Walter Voegtlin described the benefits of eating like our Paleolithic ancestors in his book “Diet in the Stone Age”. In 2002, Dr. Kodan wrote the book “The Paleo Diet” and since then, the Paleo Diet has become a popular approach around the world.
What Foods Were Included in the Paleo Diet?
- Grass-fed beef, lamb, and other meats
- Seafood
- Poultry, eggs
- Fresh fruits, nuts, and seeds
- All types of fresh vegetables (starchy or non-starchy)
- Non-refined oils, such as olive oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, avocado oil
- Natural sweeteners, including raw honey, maple syrup
What Foods Should Be Avoided in a Paleo Diet?
- All grains (even whole grains) and products made from grain flour
- Legumes and peanuts
- Dairy products
- Refined sugars, refined vegetable oils, processed/junk foods, sugary drinks
While the Paleo Diet is low in carbohydrates, it is not as low as ketogenic foods because it still includes fruits, starchy vegetables (such as potatoes and beets), and natural sweeteners, such as honey or maple syrup.
What Are the Benefits of a Paleo Diet?
The Paleo Diet has been associated with many health benefits, including:
- Reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease
- Better management of blood glucose, reduction of insulin resistance, and prevention of the metabolic syndrome
- Reduce inflammation, all-cause mortality, and symptoms of autoimmune disease
- Help with weight loss by reducing many of the empty calories absorbed from the diet and by consuming more protein and fat to increase satiety
- Improves weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure
- Reduced risk of nutrient deficiencies due to emphasis on nutrient-rich foods, including high-quality meats, nuts, fruits, and vegetables
What is a Keto Diet?
A Keto Diet is a very high-fat, low-carb diet that puts the body into a metabolic state called nutritional ketosis. In a state of ketosis, your body produces a compound called ketones that burns fat (instead of glucose) for energy. You may have only heard the term Keto Diet in the last few years, but some doctors have been using it since the 1920s. To monitor your blood levels of ketosis, this easy-to-use home test kit can be purchased from Amazon.
To get into ketosis and stay there, you need to strictly and drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake and instead focus on eating healthy fats, some protein, and low-carb vegetables. The whole idea is to put your body into ketosis, switch from using carbohydrates as fuel to using fats, and keep the macronutrient ratio for body energy roughly. 70% from fats, 20% from protein, and 10% from carbohydrates.
What Are the Benefits of a Keto Diet?
These benefits include:
- Helps with weight loss, usually in a relatively short period
- Prevention of common diseases, including obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease
- Increases energy and mental health
- Reduces inflammation
- Increased protection of the brain against cognitive decline
- Reduces hunger
What Foods are Included in a Keto Diet?
- Grass-fed beef, lamb, and other meats
- Seafood
- Poultry, eggs
- Full-fat, low-carb dairy products, such as cheese, butter, cream
- A variety of non-starchy vegetables, nuts, and seeds (up to a quarter cup per day)
- Non-refined oils, such as olive oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, avocado oil
Foods to Avoid on a Keto Diet.
- All types of sugars
- All grains (even whole grains) and products made from grain flour
- Fruits (you can eat a little)
- Beans and peanuts
- Low-fat dairy products with added sugars (such as most yogurts and all ice creams)
- Processed/junk foods
- Sugary drinks
- Starchy vegetables (e.g. all potatoes, corn)
Similarities between the Paleo Diet and the Keto Diet
Overall, both diets emphasize low-carb, low-sugar foods that are relatively nutrient-dense. Since both eliminate most of the “empty calories” found in the typical Western diet, they can aid in weight loss, blood sugar management, and other benefits.
Is it possible to be on both a paleo and Keto Diet? Yes, it is possible because most of the foods you eat on a ketogenic diet are also promoted on a Paleo Diet (e.g., meat, fish, vegetables, good oils, nuts, and seeds).
To combine the Paleo Diet with the Keto Diet, you need to be able to:
- Consume only 20-30 grams of carbohydrates per day
- Avoid all types of added sugars, grains, dairy products, legumes, fruits, and almost all processed foods
- Get more than 70% of your daily calories from fat and monitor your protein intake to keep it “moderate”.
Differences Between the Paleo Diet and the Keto Diet
The main differences are:
- The Keto Diet is high in fat, while the Paleo Diet is high in protein
- The Paleo Diet eliminates added sugars, grains, legumes/legumes, and dairy products; the Keto Diet essentially eliminates all sugars (both natural and added), fruits, grains, legumes, roots and tubers, and regular dairy products
- The Keto Diet is very specific about the number of carbohydrates that should be consumed per day (about 20-30 grams per day), as this is important to get into nutritional ketosis. In a Paleo Diet, the goal is not to enter ketosis, but simply to eat a healthy, balanced diet.
When comparing a keto diet to a paleo diet, there’s no clear “winner,” although a keto diet may allow you to lose weight faster. The Paleo diet is a more sustainable way to eat in the long run, especially after you stop ketogenic, or if you find it too restrictive.
