Introduction
Today in the ever-evolving landscape of wellbeing and nutrition, you’ll find it hard to step foot into a gym or have a scroll on Instagram without finding a mention of the ketogenic (Keto) or Paleolithic (Paleo) diets that have exploded in popularity in recent years.
Whether you are looking to lose weight or improve your overall health both the Keto and Paleo diets share the common goal of promoting wellbeing. The Paleo diet focuses on consuming foods that were available to our ancestors during the Paleolithic era, such as lean meats, fish, fruits, and vegetables. The Keto diet, on the other hand, is a high-fat, low-carb diet that puts the body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.
With January being a natural time to review our health goals for the year ahead, we thought it would be a good time to delve into these two popular diets that each offer a different approach for achieving weight loss or optimising our health.
Keto vs Paleo Diet: What are they?
What is the Paleo Diet?
The Paleo diet, also known as the Paleolithic diet, is a way of eating that is based on the foods that our ancestors used to eat during the Paleolithic era. This diet includes foods that were hunted, fished, and gathered by our ancestors from nature, such as:
Meat
Fish
Fruits
Vegetables
Nuts and seeds
The idea behind this diet is that our bodies are not designed to eat the ultra processed foods that are sadly now part of our every day diets. There is a belief that by eating wholesome and nourishing foods like our ancestors used to, we can improve our overall vitality, health and wellbeing.
Some of the key principles of the Paleo diet include avoiding processed foods, grains, legumes, and dairy products. Instead, the focus is on consuming whole foods that are high in protein, healthy fats, and fiber to fuel and nourish the body. This diet is also low in carbohydrates thanks to avoiding grains, which can help to reduce insulin resistance and promote weight loss.
What is the Keto Diet?
The Keto diet, also known as the Ketogenic diet, is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that is designed to put the body into a state of ketosis. This is a metabolic state in which the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. By reducing carbohydrate intake and increasing fat intake, the body is forced to burn fat for energy, which can lead to weight loss and improved health.
Some of the key principles of the Keto diet include:
Consuming high amounts of healthy fats
Consuming moderate amounts of protein
And consuming very low amounts of carbohydrates
The keto diet can also be high in fiber when fiber rich foods such as avocados, nuts, seeds and leafy greens are consumed regularly. This can help promote digestive health and reduce inflammation in the body.
Keto vs Paleo: What are the key similarities?
Emphasis on Whole Foods: Both diets encourage the consumption of whole, unprocessed foods. Whilst this is the main focus of the Paleo diet, avoiding processed foods, refined sugars and grains is less of a focus with the keto diet.
Elimination of Grains: Both diets restrict or eliminate grains. In the paleo diet, all grains are excluded, while in the keto diet, grains can still be included if they fit within the daily total carb limit.
Both diets promote a wealth of different health benefits thanks to the focus on a diet of wholesome and nutrient dense foods. More on that below!
Keto vs Paleo: What are the key differences?
Although both diets share many similarities with a key focus on consuming whole and unprocessed foods, there are also key differences between the two that need to be considered. These differences include:
Macronutrient focus:
Keto Diet: The primary focus of the ketogenic diet is on macronutrient composition. It's a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet designed to induce a state of ketosis, where the body burns fat for energy. Typically, the macronutrient breakdown is around 70-75% fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% carbohydrates although this can differ.
Paleo Diet: The paleo diet doesn't have strict macronutrient guidelines but does emphasise limiting sugar intake and avoiding processed and ultra processed foods. It's more focused on food quality and allows a more balanced intake of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Refined sugars are considered harmful, and processed foods are generally discouraged. The emphasis is on consuming whole foods like lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Carb Restriction:
Keto Diet: Keto is highly restrictive in carbohydrates, typically allowing no more than 50 grams of net carbs per day, which can vary depending on individual goals.
Paleo Diet: While it restricts grains and legumes, the paleo diet allows for higher carbohydrate intake from starchy vegetables and fruits.
Dairy and Legumes:
Keto Diet: Keto allows for some dairy consumption, primarily high-fat options like butter and full-fat cheese, as long as they fit within the daily carbohydrate limit.
Paleo Diet: Paleo excludes all dairy and legumes, including beans, lentils, and peanuts.
Ketosis:
Keto Diet: The primary goal of the keto diet is to enter and maintain a state of ketosis, where the body relies on fat for fuel.
Paleo Diet: The Paleo diet does not specifically aim for Ketosis. It's more focused on consuming natural whole foods that our bodies are designed to eat.
Keto vs Paleo: What are the health benefits?
Paleo Diet: The Benefits
Many people who adopt a Paleo diet report an increased sense of health and wellbeing thanks to the increase in the consumption of whole, unprocessed foods with a focus on high protein and lower carbohydrates. The Paleo diet comes with a variety of health benefits including:
Improved digestion: Consuming a diet of whole and unprocessed foods can improve gut health by helping aid digestion and reducing inflammation in the gut.
Increased nutrient intake: The Paleo diet encourages the consumption of nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and lean meats, which can increase overall nutrient intake.
Weight loss: The Paleo diet is low in carbohydrates and high in protein, which can lead to weight loss.
Reduced inflammation: The Paleo diet is often chosen for its potential to reduce inflammation, promote a more balanced and natural way of eating, and improve overall health and wellbeing.
Keto Diet: The Benefits
With a focus on the consumption of healthy fats and limited carbohydrates to induce a state of Ketosis, potential benefits of the Keto diet include:
Weight loss: The Keto diet can lead to rapid weight loss, especially in the first few weeks of the diet as the body adjusts to a new state of Ketosis
Improved insulin sensitivity: The Keto diet can improve insulin sensitivity, which can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
Reduced inflammation: The Keto diet has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body, which can reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases
Keto vs Paleo: Summary
Whilst the Paleo diet focuses on whole, unprocessed foods our ancestors would have consumed during the Paleolithic era, the Keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that puts the body into a state of Ketosis. The Keto diet requires strict adherence to macronutrient ratios to make sure a state of Ketosis is achieved, while the Paleo diet is more flexible with a focus on whole and unprocessed foods.
Both the Paleo and Keto diets have been shown to have health benefits, including weight loss, improved blood sugar control, and reduced inflammation. However, it is important to note that these diets may not be suitable for everyone, and it is always important to consult a healthcare professional before starting any new diet or exercise program.
