Paleo vs Keto: Similarities, Differences, and Expert Recommendations

• While the keto diet can help you lose weight faster, it is not as durable as the paleo diet, according to dieticians.
• The Paleo diet emphasizes eating unprocessed foods, which means eliminating bread, grains, and legumes and eating a diet high in protein.
• The keto diet emphasizes eating a low-carb, high-fat diet in order to achieve a fat-burning state called ketosis.
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Living a healthy lifestyle means eating the right foods, but foods that are right for you may not be right for others. This individualized approach has led to a flood of different trends. Among them, two notable regimes:

• Paleolithic regime: AKA the “Paleo Diet” or “Caveman Diet,” a nutrition plan originally based on the eating habits of our Paleolithic-era human ancestors who hunted and gathered for food. This diet has evolved into a diet that looks like many other low-carb diets.
• Ketogenic diet: AKA the “Keto Diet,” a high fat, moderate protein, extremely low carbohydrate diet that aims to achieve a fat-burning metabolic state called ketosis.

Both diets limit refined sugars, but in the Paleo diet, most of the calories come from protein. For the keto diet, they often come from fat. In general, there is no definitive answer about which diet is inherently better.

Ultimately, it depends on what works for you, since everyone reacts differently to different foods, says Sarianne Madsen, RD, CSP, pediatric and ketogenic dietitian at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital San Francisco.

According to Madsen, “The health goal should be to achieve a lifestyle change by increasing whole foods that minimize blood sugar spikes and crashes, not short-term restrictions and yo-yo diets.” .

Here are the principles, advantages, and disadvantages of the Paleolithic and Ketogenic diets, including weight loss and overall health.

What is the Paleolithic diet?

There is limited evidence for the exact diet of our Paleolithic ancestors. It varied widely depending on geography and food availability, so the Paleo diet is just a modern interpretation of their diet that is suited to current lifestyles, with an overlay of current beliefs.

However, “just because they ate in a certain way doesn’t mean that’s optimal for modern humans,” says Ayana Davis, MS, a dietitian-nutritionist at UCSF Cancer Center. Here are the main principles of the paleo diet:

• Back to the diet of our prehistoric ancestors: The Paleo diet encourages the consumption of foods that can be obtained by hunting, gathering and fishing. This includes fruits, vegetables, organ meat and fatty cuts, fish, nuts and seeds.
• Limit the staple foods of agricultural practices: Our ancestors relied on simple stone tools, so they did not yet cultivate food and livestock. Therefore, foods such as dairy products, legumes and grains should be kept to a minimum.
• Reject modern processed foodsModern food systems and production techniques that have led to the increase in processed, refined and sodium-rich foods are believed to be responsible for the increase in chronic diseases and various diseases. Only lean meat from grass-fed animals is allowed, and canned meat, bacon, hot dogs, and processed oils are limited.

“A common misconception about paleo is that it is low in carbohydrates because it limits grains, when in fact paleo includes fruits and vegetables that can add up quickly to moderate or low daily intake. even high in carbohydrates, ”says Madsen.

However, some people who practice the paleo diet may choose to limit carbohydrates if it is part of their individual nutritional goals.

What is the ketogenic diet?

People who want to lose weight fast often try the keto diet, but it takes two to three weeks to start ketosis. This diet quickly became an extremely popular trend, but there is little evidence of its purported benefits. Here are the fundamentals of the keto diet:

• Low carbohydrate intake: The keto diet severely limits carbs to less than 50 grams per day. For reference, this amount is less than four slices of bread. You can only eat potatoes, rice, baked goods, and pasta in limited quantities.
• Moderate amounts of protein: Seafood is a great source of protein for the keto diet, but you can also incorporate lean meat, yogurt, nuts, and seeds. Protein helps you stay fuller for longer and is associated with weight loss and management. However, too much protein can limit the ability to achieve nutritional ketosis.
• High in fat: About 60% to 80% of daily calories should come from fat, but the type of fat matters. Unsaturated and omega-3 fats are the healthiest, which can be found in seafood, olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds.

“People should have a discussion with their doctors or dietitians to decide if the ketogenic diet is safe for them based on their individual health conditions,” Davis says. Fad diets without consulting medical professionals can lead to rapid fluctuation in weight loss (or yo-yo dieting), which is associated with increased mortality.

Is the keto or paleo diet better?

There is no conclusive answer on the healthiest diet as it depends on each individual.

“The ketogenic diet may help you lose weight faster than the Paleolithic diet, but as a way of life, the Paleolithic diet is easier to follow in the long term and therefore be successful in losing weight in the long term,” explains Davis. However, with the paleo diet, a person may not be getting enough calcium and fiber due to the limitation on dairy, legumes, and whole grains, she says.

Since the 1920s, the keto diet has been used for patients with epilepsy for its therapeutic benefits, and more recently, for type 2 diabetes, brain tumors and Alzheimer’s disease, Madsen says.

The keto diet is believed to help with weight loss because it can control appetite, hunger, and fullness, but research on the subject is limited. If the diet is not properly planned and monitored, it will not be sustainable. There may be a risk of micronutrient deficiencies, lack of fiber which can lead to constipation and other inconveniences.

Takeaway from the insider

The Paleolithic diet is a modern interpretation of the eating habits of ancient Paleolithic ancestors. Only foods that can be obtained by hunting and gathering are allowed, such as fruits, vegetables and lean meat, which limits the consumption of dairy products, legumes and grains.

Meanwhile, the ketogenic diet drastically restricts carbs and promotes fat to achieve ketosis, the metabolic state where the body gets its energy from fat. It is beneficial for people with certain health conditions and, if properly managed, planned, and monitored by a trained healthcare professional, can be followed for long periods of time.

“Committing to the ketogenic or paleo diet takes someone who is willing to learn, put in the effort, and adjust to these lifestyle changes,” says Madsen. Any long-term diet plan should be managed by a physician or registered dietitian to meet individualized macronutrient and micronutrient goals, she says.