Paleo and Keto diets are sort of like the Kardashians of nutrition, you’ve got to have heard of them. It’s all the rave for anyone who wants to live a healthier life or cut down on some body weight. They’re popular, and for good reasons, but they are also similar.
In this article, we will explore what these two dieting options are all about. The similarities and differences. So, if you want to hop on the train, at the end of this article, you should know which diet is more suited for you.
What Is Paleo Diet?
The word “Paleo” comes from “Paleolithic”, which refers to an era in human history where humans lived in caves, worked as hunters/gatherers, and fed on natural, unprocessed foods. For this reason, you will sometimes hear the paleo diet referred to as ‘the caveman diet.
The philosophy around this diet is that processed foods are generally unhealthy. Thus, it promotes specific kinds of foods alongside certain lifestyle practices to improve and sustain your health.
Whole foods and healthful fats are the two categories of food mostly permitted in the paleo diet. Foods like meat, fish, nuts and seeds. Vegetables, except for corn which is a whole grain.
What Is Keto Diet?
The Keto diet plan is based on a natural body process known as ketosis. This process occurs when the body lacks carbohydrates to supply energy, causing the body to metabolize fats, turning them into ketones which then provides energy for the body.
If you have not deduced it by now, the keto diet involves the consumption of little to no carbohydrates and more protein and fats. So, energy is derived from the body through fat rather than glucose from carbohydrates. A typical keto diet consists of 65-90% of fats, 10-30% of protein, and 5% or less carbohydrates.
Inclusive and Exclusive Foods Groups For Paleo And Keto Diet
The inclusion or exclusion of certain foods is the major similarity between these two dieting options. In this session, we will explore different food groups and what is obtainable with regards to their consumption on both dieting plans.
Dairy
Since caveman didn’t consume them, diary products are a no-go for paleo dieting. This includes milk and cheese and cream—the alternatives coconut milk, or any other products that do not contain thickeners or sweeteners. The Paleo Pro Protein Powder, a specially processed paleo-friendly product, would also make a good alternative.
Diary is rich in fat and protein, which are both huge elements of the keto diet. So, being on a keto diet still affords you the pleasure of enjoying your milk. But you can say goodbye to any form of the sweetened dairy product like ice cream or coffee creamers that contain sugar.
Processed Meat
Both keto and paleo diet allow the consumption of natural meat. But given that the whole idea of a paleo diet is to avoid foods that are produced using modern techniques. Processed meat is excluded from the paleo diet. Preservative-free processed bacon is okay for some people on the paleo diet.
People on the keto diet are free to eat any processed meat as long as it has sugar content, which has glucose and can, in turn, get in the way of the body’s ability to achieve ketosis. If, for some reason, you consume more than you should, you can still achieve ketosis medically with drugs like this:
Vegetables
Vegetables with low carb content are ideal for those on the keto diet. Other vegetables can also be consumed in moderate amounts. Some vegetables called starchy vegetables are rich in carbohydrates and are excluded from the keto diet, as glucose can be metabolized from carbohydrates, which would alter the production of ketones.
Fruits
The paleo diet does not have a serious need to avoid sugar intake, which is abundant in most fruits. So they are free to eat any kind of fruit they want, including citrus and berries. Fruit consumption is a little more reserved for people under the keto diet. However, fruits are not completely excluded from the keto diet. Small amounts of low-sugar fruits like apples and peaches are ideal.
Similarities Between Keto and Paleo Diets
Although there are different specifications as to what can or cannot be consumed by each diet plan, there a still some similarities between these two dieting options, and we will take a look at a few of them.
Both Highlights Consumption of Healthy Fats
Fats are essential nutrients that foster general body health as well as heart health. The keto diet is based solely on the manipulation of this micronutrient, and the paleo diet is all about a healthy lifestyle.
They both recommend the consumption of fish and the use of certain refined oils like avocado and olive oils—all known to have beneficial health effects on the heart.
Both Prohibit The Consumption of Legumes and Grains
Legumes and grains are excluded from the keto diet because of their high carbohydrate and carb content. This could affect ketosis and throw you off your dieting plan.
The paleo diet also abhors these foods for specific reasons, but particularly because they contain micronutrients that are bad for food digestion and nutrient absorption when consumed in large quantities.
They Are Both Ideal Diets That Aid In Weight Loss
Paleo and keto diets are all the rave because they have both proven to be successful dieting practices for people who want to go on a weight loss journey. Research has proven this in postmenopausal obese women who went on a paleo diet and lost as much as 10% weight in 12 months.
Both Prohibit Artificial Sweeteners
Our ancestors depended on honey and sweet fruits for any form of oral sweetness. So, unnatural sugar is not welcome in the paleo diet. And for the sake of ketosis, it is not welcome in the keto diet either.
Both Diets Promote Whole Food Consumption
A food is considered to be whole food when it has undergone little or no processing at all before it serves as a meal. Fish, meat, nuts, and fresh vegetables are examples of whole food. For both dieting options, the less processed the food is, the better.
Differences Between Paleo and Keto
Ideology And General Lifestyle
The paleo diet is based on an ideological idea dating back centuries. And it’s not just about the diet for people who choose to go paleo. Other lifestyle activities like short, intense exercises, meditation and even yoga are all incorporated for an even healthier life that takes both your body and mind along.
Conversely, keto is just all about the diet – the control of carb and carbohydrate and manipulation of micronutrients. There are no compulsory additional lifestyle practices unless personally motivated.
Ease of Sustenance
The Keto diet has more dietary restrictions than paleo. This makes it a more difficult dieting choice to practice as there are more foods to abstain from than you can consume.
The case is different for the paleo diet, as you can eat almost anything, just as long as it is not processed and sweetened. Thus, it affords you every nutrient that is available in the foods. This is a reason why many would prefer the paleo diet over the keto diet.
Pros and Cons of Keto Diet
Pros
- An efficient diet for weight loss
- Helps in the reduction of blood pressure.
- Serves medicinal purposes for conditions like seizures, epilepsy, and Alzheimers.
Cons
- Nutrient deficiency
- Keto can be expensive and difficult to sustain.
- Can have uncomfortable side effects like constipation and nausea and even low libido.
Pros and Cons of Paleo Diet
Pros
- Leaves room for the consumption of different food groups, and thus more nutrients.
- Also efficient as a diet for weight loss.
- Increases energy, reduces blood sugar and inflammation.
- Incorporates healthy lifestyle activities.
Cons
- The exclusion of legumes leads to a deficiency of phytonutrients and antioxidants, which are good for the immune system.
List of Foods
Let’s get more specific as to what foods are permitted or not for both diets.
- For Keto: Salmons is a good fatty fish option. Clams and oysters for shelled fishes. Fresh meat, bone broth, and non-fat vegetables like asparagus. Plain dairy products. Poultry and poultry products, especially egg yolk. Nuts, seeds and coconuts and other fruits. And for breakfast, you can still have coffee and tea, no sugar.
- For Paleo: Healthful oils like olive. Natural sweeteners like honey. Any kind of meat. Any kind of fish, including shellfish. Vegetables and fruits with special attention to citrus, berries and tomatoes. Nuts, seeds, cocoa butter, chocolate, and tea. All these are acceptable for the paleo diet plan.
Final Words
Having seen appropriate information for these dieting options, you may just want to jump in and join the band, and you wouldn’t be the only one. Every person has their reason for wanting to choose any of these dieting options. But it would generally revolve around putting off some weight or managing a health condition.
Whatever your reason may be to make, if you’re going to do this, then I suggest you do it right. It is recommended to do so with the advice and possible guidance of a doctor or nutritionist. This would make it an even more satisfying choice. Thank you for reading. Thank you for choosing health.