Paleo Vs Keto Diet: Which One Is Right For You?
When it comes to burning fat more efficiently, accelerating weight loss, and living an all-around healthier lifestyle, two diets have been on the radar of health enthusiasts: the Paleo diet and the Ketogenic diet. While both diets include many of the same foods and have overlapping similarities and benefits, each has a different purpose. Let’s take a look at how the Paleo vs Keto diets measure up against one another, which one is right for you, and why. Paleo vs Keto: Here’s What You Need to Know Before we compare the similarities and differences of the Paleo vs Keto diets, it’s helpful to know why a person may choose to follow each one. What is the Paleo Diet? When it comes to the Paleo diet — which is based on eliminating grains and legumes due to their phytic acid content — it’s more of a lifestyle choice to focus on eating quality foods that support digestive health (1). Most dairy products are also off limits on the Paleo diet because they contain lactose, which is hard for most people to digest (although some people do include ghee or grass-fed butter). By removing the most difficult foods to digest, the Paleo diet can be therapeutic for gut health, autoimmune conditions, blood sugar balance, and weight loss (2)(3). What is the Keto Diet? On the other hand, the Keto diet is targeted primarily towards those who want to experience dramatic weight loss. However, the Keto diet can also help improve medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (4). In fact, the initial purpose of the Keto diet was to prevent and treat seizures, when it was first discovered in the 1920s (5). But today, the Keto diet is best known as a rapid weight loss and fat burning strategy. The reason the Keto diet promotes accelerated Continue reading >>
Keto Vs. Paleo: Which Diet Is Better?
Diet trends come and go, but there are two eating styles that have grabbed hold of the fitness community with vigor. The ketogenic diet, also known as a “keto” diet, and the Paleo diet, often referred to as the “caveman” diet. But if you’re looking to clean up your kitchen, which one is better: keto or paleo? Unfortunately, there is no single answer that works for everyone. The best eating program for you is the one you can stick to for life! So if you want to find out which is better for you, read on to explore the main differences between keto and Paleo to choose for yourself. What is a Keto Diet? A keto—or ketogenic—diet is one made up primarily of fat. Yep, that’s right…fat. If you follow a keto meal plan you’ll consume roughly 70-90 percent of your calories from fat. According to most keto diet plans, you’ll divide the other 10-30 percent of your calories between carbohydrates and protein. Fat loss occurs on a ketogenic diet when your body is forced to burn fat for fuel. When you eliminate most carbohydrates from your diet, your body doesn’t have access to its preferred energy source: glucose. In the absence of glucose, you burn fat for energy and produce ketones, or ketone bodies, as a byproduct. Many keto dieters test for the presence of ketones by using urine strips. When ketone levels are high enough, you are in state of “ketosis.” Will a Keto Diet Help You Lose Weight? While it might seem counterintuitive to eat fat for improved fitness, health or weight loss, the diet generally produces results if you can stay on it. And there is scientific evidence that it works. The eating plan was first developed in the 1920s to help patients with seizure disorders. Researchers found that not only did it help patients reduce symptoms, but many o Continue reading >>
Three Major Differences Between The Ketogenic And Paleo Diets
When I talk to people about the ketogenic diet and lifestyle, one of the most common questions I get asked is, “Is that like paleo?” My usual response is something along the lines of, “It’s like a modified paleo.” And I will typically leave it at that. However, I think it’s important for you to be able to identify the differences between the two, not because one is inherently better than the other, but because I think everyone should be aware of their options. While there are many similarities between paleo and keto, there are at least three major differences. Paleo isn’t necessarily low carb In theory, the idea behind paleo is to tap into the ancient ways of eating, the ways that our ancestors ate. Because several thousand years ago, there were no such things as processed foods and sugar wasn’t readily or widely accessible, people didn’t eat those things. Because people also didn’t have the ability to go buy their food, they had to find it for themselves. That meant hunting and gathering. For pure energy, nothing beats eating fat. It has more energy per gram than carbs or protein. So that means finding and eating fatty animals. So a paleo diet, just like a keto diet, focuses on getting fat and protein as a primary source of energy. However, the big difference is paleo doesn’t avoid potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and other tubers and root vegetables. These particular vegetables fit completely within the paleo framework, but they should be avoided in a keto diet. Paleo’s focus is on tapping into the ancient ways. Keto’s focus is on keeping insulin levels very low and ketone levels really high. So avoiding foods like potatoes and the like is a big difference for keto folks. Paleo isn’t necessarily high fat Wait, didn’t I just say that pal Continue reading >>
Most People Shouldn't Attempt Low-carb Diets Like Keto Or Paleo
Sustainable health change occurs not by finding a "perfect" diet — finding is fairly passive — but rather through creating an individualized health "mix." Creating is active, and health is an active process. To create an individualized health mix, you have to learn about the various nutrition options available and parse out the nutritional guidelines that will work for YOU. My personal mix is built upon being aware of what I put in my body, as well as pillars "stolen" from a variety of sources. I limit snacking and aim for a substantial gap between dinner and breakfast — thanks, intermittent fasting. I eat almost exclusively from the "outside of the grocery store" — meaning fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and good-quality fats — thanks, Paleo, and habits formed while being vegetarian. Plus, I eat what I love in moderation. I call this my "love it rule" — thanks, Weight Watchers for the balanced approach. I use what works for me and ignore what doesn't. Curious what your "mix" is? Earlier, I covered the pros and cons of high-protein diets. Then, I examined the vegetarian versus vegan versus high-protein debate. I've also tackled "low-fat" diets, the Mediterranean diet, and Weight Watchers. Today a smorgasbord of smaller analyses (I only have so much space and the material for analysis is endless): the ketogenic diet, Paleo, intermittent fasting, and meal delivery services. Ketogenic diet The ketogenic diet advocates extremely low-carbohydrate (10-15 grams daily) and high-fat (75 per cent of diet) consumption. The goal is to put your body into ketosis so that it uses ketones as energy. The rationale is that the diet gives you the benefits of fasting — such as fat loss — without actually having to fast. I know I am supposed to be "Switzerland," Continue reading >>
Keto Vs Paleo Diets: 4 Huge Differences (+ Which Is Best)
Keto and Paleo are two of the most popular diets of the 21st century. But what’s the difference between them? Which one will help you lose weight? Which one will help you heal your health? A Quick Summary of The Differences Between Keto And Paleo: Focus on Ketone Levels: A Keto diet focuses on raising your body’s ketone levels by altering your food choices so you enter a metabolic state called nutritional ketosis. A Paleo diet doesn’t pay attention to ketone levels. Focus on Food Quality: A Paleo diet focuses strongly on choosing whole foods that are nutrient-dense, high-quality, and free from toxins. A healthy Keto diet should also include high quality food, but this isn’t the emphasis. Amount of Carbs: A Keto diet has a very low carbohydrate intake. While a Paleo diet is certainly lower in carbs than many other diets out there, it typically still has a higher carb intake than a Keto diet. Amount of Fat: A Keto diet puts far greater emphasis on increasing your fat intake than a Paleo diet. Although Paleo does encourage eating healthy fats, it’s not typically as high fat as a Keto diet. This is a very brief explanation of the differences between Keto and Paleo, so please keep reading to discover more about both diets. Want to figure out which diet is best for you? We’ll cover that below… The 4 Main Differences Between A Keto And Paleo Diet: Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the key differences between Keto and Paleo: Keto vs Paleo – Difference #1 – A Keto diet focuses on raising your ketone levels. The Keto diet has one main aim: raising your ketone levels so you reach nutritional ketosis. If you’re new to all this, then ketosis might be a bit confusing. So let me explain… What are ketones? Ketones (or ketone bodies) are naturally produced by y Continue reading >>
The Keto Diet Vs The Paleo Diet: Is Ketosis Better Than Paleo?
If you’re someone interested in improving their health or losing weight, you’ve likely heard of the ketogenic diet and the Paleo Diet at some point. It’s not uncommon for both of these dietary plans to be used in the same sentence and often lumped together as the same diet. While they do have similarities, they aren’t the same. So, what is the difference, exactly? Are they alike in many ways, or are they very different from one another? Let’s take a closer look at both plans and discuss the main differences between them to help you make a decision about which of the two best suits your needs. Most people aren’t aware the ketogenic diet was never originally developed for mainstream use like it’s implemented today. It was actually created to help people control and diminish the effects of epilepsy. There is a proven proven link between fasting and successfully mitigating the risk of seizures in those with epilepsy, and the ketogenic diet has been shown to alter the internal chemistry of the body by vastly reducing the dietary elements associated with making epilepsy worse without the individual having to fast. Today, the ketogenic diet is more popularly used in other ways: Losing body fat at a rapid rate Competing in bodybuilding contests Reducing their reliance on carbohydrates as a fuel source Keto for Fat Loss As a fat loss tool, the ketogenic diet is certainly one of the most popular nutrition programs available. The reason it has such a dramatic effect on the body for weight loss is due to the reduction of carbohydrates to such a low percentage. For most people, this shocks the system dramatically, in the short term at least, and forces it to scramble for an alternative energy source in the form of fat. Plus, carbohydrates can also lead to a great deal Continue reading >>
Paleo Vs Keto Diet: What’s The Difference?
Paleo vs Keto: What’s the difference between the diets? Everyone is always looking for the quickest way to lose weight. Whether it be low-fat, low-carb, high-fat or high protein, there can be something valuable in whichever diet you choose. I’d just like to quickly say, I don’t believe that there is one diet that’s right for everyone. Those who are trying to sell you one diet as the be-all-end-all are a little too one sided in my opinion. That said, there are some very effective ways to drop weight fast using the Paleo Diet or the Ketogenic Diet. “Paleo vs Keto” …often, these diets get lumped together in the same category. While they have a lot of similarities, they also have a lot of differences. If you’re stumbling upon this blog via a google search marathon on how to lose weight fast, I completely understand why you might be confused right now. Let me help you understand the difference between the Paleo Diet and the Ketogenic Diet. The Paleo Diet (Quick Background) When thinking whether to go Paleo vs Keto, you’ll need to know a little history of both. The Paleo Diet was originally introduced into mainstream culture back in 2002 by Dr. Loren Cordain. Dr. Cordain did decades of extensive research around the diets of our Paleolithic Ancestors after reading an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, back in1987. This article struck a nerve with Dr. Cordain. This triggered an obsession around knowing more about the Paleolithic people and how they ate. His book, The Paleo Diet was the first of it’s kind, failing miserably for the first seven years in book stores. However, in 2009, the book started to take on a cult like following. This caused the book to skyrocket in sales and quickly become a trending diet in mainstream media. You might have a Continue reading >>
7-day Grab & Go Keto/paleo Diet Plan
This ketogenic and paleo-friendly diet plan is perfect for those who have a busy life style! Here is what I focused on when putting it together: Very simple meal ideas with very little or no cooking required Meals you can easily take to eat at work Net carbs per each meal, not just the daily overview My progress so far - How about you? Some of you know that I've been on a low-carb ketogenic diet for the last 2 years, mostly for health reasons. Before this challenge, my net carbs intake was mostly between 40-60 grams per day, which is a level that helps me maintain my weight. After all the delicious festive meals I've had in December, I knew I need to shed a few pounds. That's how this challenge started! Although Ketostix may not be the most accurate, I used them and measured medium to high level of ketones every single day since the challenge. Before this challenge, I had low readings (light pink colour). Keep in mind you won't see the high readings I did, as I was already in ketosis. If you want to get rid of glycogen in order to quickly get in ketosis, eat no more that 20-25 grams of net carbs a day. What also helps is to include moderate exercise during the initial phase to help your body release even more glycogen and start producing ketones. Remember, if you've just recently started following the ketogenic diet, it is very important to have sufficient intake of electrolytes, otherwise you may experience bad "keto-flu" symptoms. You can use lite salt for potassium, take magnesium supplements and drink bone broth to boost your sodium intake. Now, back to my challenge… Many people ask me why I don't allow dairy and low-carb sweets in this diet plan. The reason is that both of these may impair weight loss and if you are stuck at the same weight for a long time, skipp Continue reading >>
Keto Diet Guide
Both my Apps and my first Cookbook include a complete guide to the Ketogenic Diet amongst many other features. Since I get frequently asked about it on my Facebook page, I have decided to share a brief overview of this guide with all of you! What is the Ketogenic Diet? Contrary to general dietary recommendations which have proven to be false, the ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carb diet. It's a diet that causes ketones to be produced by the liver, shifting the body's metabolism away from glucose and towards fat utilization. The ketogenic diet is an effective weight loss tool and has been shown to improve several health conditions such Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, epilepsy and even cancer. Healthy cells can use ketones for energy, but cancer cells cannot and they literally starve to death. If you want to learn more about the health benefits of the ketogenic diet, my good friend Franziska Spritzler, who also happens to be a qualified dietitian specialising on low-carb nutrition, has written a great article for my blog. How does it work? Very simply said, when you eat food high in carbs, your body produces glucose and insulin. While glucose is used as the main source of energy, insulin secretion is produced to down regulate your glucose levels in the blood stream. Insulin is also responsible for storing fat in our body and if your body produces too much of it, you put on weight. Excessive carbs, typical in modern diets, combined with lack of physical activity will likely result in weight gain. Based on a comparison of several scientific trials, low-carb diets outperform calorie-restricted diets in terms of long-term weight loss and health effects. A common misconception is that our body, especially our brain, needs glucose. Although glucose is known to be Continue reading >>
What’s The Difference Between “keto” And Whole 30?
It’s that time of year again. That time, which comes 3 times a year for us at Rocket CrossFit, when dozens of us will band together for a Nutritional Challenge. We used to always do a Whole 30 Challenge, but for the last year, we’ve had several members – Brady and I included – do a Low-Carb, High-Fat plan instead, which is commonly called “keto.” In fact, since doing my first keto challenge 9 months ago, I’ve not gone back. I take vacations off, but other than that, I’ve felt so good, and found it so easy, that I’ve not stopped. But, what is the difference between Whole 30 (and “paleo”) and a ketogenic diet? Carbs. Carbs are the difference. Which translates also into: Sugar. Sugar is the difference. So, as we start this next Rocket Nutritional Challenge, let’s first lay out a few ground rules, and also explore the difference between Whole 30 and Keto, so that you can make an informed decision about what feels best for you, at this moment in time, for your body. (And, not to complicate things, but you can do both. That’s how I did my first round of keto.) KNOW WHY YOU ARE DOING THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE I will never advocate a strict plan of either nutrition or exercise unless you know why you are doing it and it is good for you both physically and emotionally. I will ask “why” until we get to the kernel. Are you doing it to lose weight? Why do you want to lose weight? If it is because someone called you fat, or you don’t fit into society’s little plan for us, or you think that being thinner will make you happier, I’ll ask “why” again. Why do you believe that? Is it based on facts and opinions of someone who has both knowledge and the right to tell you what to do with your body? (Hint, you’re the only person who has that right.) Ar Continue reading >>
Switching From Low-carb Or Keto To Paleo
Disclaimer: some people do perfectly fine on very low-carb or ketogenic diets for years and years. If that’s you, great! But if that’s not you, then you might find something useful here. Frustrated by low-carb? Did it stop working for you, or maybe you’re just tired of the intense restriction on everything from carrots to kale? It might be time to try a different tack: instead of focusing only on carbs, try a more rounded Paleo approach. What’s the Difference? On a low-carb diet, the goal is exactly that: to minimize carbs, usually for the purpose of weight loss (although sometimes it’s for other reasons – for example, people who try a ketogenic diet to control epilepsy). On a Paleo diet, the goal is to make appropriate nutritional choices considering your evolutionary history. You can do a low-carb version of Paleo, but just cutting carbs does not automatically make a diet Paleo, and Paleo is about a whole set of food choices, not just carbs. Here’s a chart comparing some key differences: Generic low-carb/keto Paleo Carbohydrate level Low Variable; low to medium. Ultimate goal Typically weight loss (although there are exceptions) Better health (sometimes this includes weight loss) Is soy sauce (containing wheat) allowed? Yes, since the tiny amount of carbohydrate is negligible. No, since wheat is a gut irritant. Is canola oil (containing lots of Omega-6 fats) allowed? Yes, since it has no carbs. No, since Omega-6 fats are inflammatory and unhealthy. Are sweet potatoes (containing significant amounts of carbohydrate) allowed? No, since they have carbs. Yes, since they are full of nutrients and do not contain any toxins or gut irritants. Is tofu (containing soy) allowed? Yes, since it has few carbs. No; soy is full of inflammatory Omega-6 fats and other pro Continue reading >>
What Is The Ketogenic Diet And Is Ketosis Safe?
Any diet, by definition, is a group of foods consumed for a certain period of time. A “diet” can be as simple as an average daily meal or it can also be part of a treatment program for specific medical conditions. The ketogenic diet, which allows someone to enter a state of nutritional “ketosis”, has long been used in the treatment of epilepsy in children – but its benefits go way beyond this. As you’ll learn, recent studies show that a ketogenic diet can have many uses and benefits – including weight loss, reduced inflammation, cancer-prevention, as more. History of Ketogenic Diets The ketogenic diet was first introduced in 1924 at the Mayo clinic by Dr. Russel Wilder who started the diet to treat epileptic patients. He put his patients on a “fast” and found that epileptic symptoms became less frequent. The popularity of this diet as a means of controlling epilepsy has decreased since this time since powerful anticonvulsant drugs have been invented, but this doesn’t mean that ketogenic diets are not promoted for better health any longer. Since its introduction in the 1920s, the ketogenic diet and entering ketosis remains controversial until today. Although it has many benefits and is a natural approach to controlling disease in some cases, many doctors and patients often find it easier to administer pills than to adhere to a ketogenic diet that they find “strict’ and restrictive. The exact mechanism by which the ketogenic diet works still isn’t 100% known, but the results of ketosis that have been researched for years are staggering. What is A Ketogenic Diet? Today ketogenic diets get the most attention when it comes to weight loss and blood sugar control. “Burn fat by eating more fat” is one simple way to describe the approach that allows Continue reading >>
Adverse Reactions To Ketogenic Diets: Caution Advised
As the ketogenic diet gains popularity, it’s important to have a balanced discussion regarding the merits of this diet. Let me emphasize right out of the gate that this is not a diet without merits (excuse the double negative); in fact, it has significant therapeutic potential for some clinical pathologies. However, it is also a diet with inherent risk, as evidenced by the extensive list of adverse reactions reported in the scientific literature—and this has not yet been a thorough enough part of the public discussion on ketogenic diets. The AIP Lecture Series is a 6-week video-based, self-directed online course that will teach you the scientific foundation for the diet and lifestyle tenets of the Autoimmune Protocol. This is the first of a series of articles discussing various facets of a ketogenic diet with an inclination toward balancing the discussion of the pros and cons of this high-fat, low-carb, low/moderate-protein diet. My interest in this topic stems from concerns I have over its general applicability and safety, simultaneous with its growing popularity. I feel a moral and social obligation to share what I understand of these diets, from my perspective as a medical researcher. The dangers of a ketogenic diet was, in fact, the topic of my keynote presentation at Paleo F(x) this year (links to video will be provided once available). This series of articles will share the extensive research that I did in preparation for this presentation, including all of the topics covered during my talk as well as several topics that I didn’t have time to discuss (also see the free PDF Literature Review at the bottom of this post). For every anecdotal story of someone who has regained their health with a ketogenic diet, there’s a counterpoint story of someone who derai Continue reading >>
{primal Lessons} Paleo? Keto? Primal?
What’s it all about? In the last nine months, you’ve read my various posts on aspects of primal eating, perhaps tried a recipe of mine (or two), and drooled through one of many What I Ate Wednesday posts. While all’s fine and dandy, I realise from a not-so-primal informed person that three terms (and other vocabulary associated with these terms) pop up again and again on my blog: paleo, primal and keto. While all three fall officially under the realm of ‘low-carb’ eating, they differ in more ways than one. This post is dedicated to explaining the differences, and similarities, between these ways of eating. First, one point I need to get out of the way: the term ‘low-carb’ eating. The impression I get from non-low-carbers – and the assumption I had before I myself went low-carb – was that people following this way of eating ate no carbs at all. This is simply not the case. We eat carbs, and depending on our physical activity levels, plenty of them, but they don’t come from grain-based sources. The amount of carbs low-carbers eat in a day in grams can seem significantly lower (like under 100g if for weight loss) than conventional grain-based, carbohydrate consumption (which many recreational endurance athletes seem to think are vital…they’re not). Instead this way of eating should be called lower-carb because we rely on vegetables, fruit and tubers (potatoes, sweet potatoes, rutabaga, Jerusalem artichoke) for carbs, which happen to be lower in carbohydrates than your grain-based counterparts. As you read through the rest of the post, please note that the use of the word diet is in the context of what one eats on a daily basis, not the context in which deprivation in the name of weight loss occurs – I really hate how this word has two very differe Continue reading >>
Ketogenic Diet Vs. Paleo Diet: How They Differ
Ketogenic Diet vs. Paleo Diet: How They Differ: They are two of the most popular diets today—and not just for their weight loss benefits. Both the ketogenic and Paleo diet help with reducing inflammation, the culprit for chronic diseases. They have been shown to boost immunity and to aid recovery from autoimmune disorders, and they have been linked to improved mental clarity and higher energy levels. And yes, there is some overlap in their principles, but the ketogenic and Paleo diets are still distinct in a number of ways. Learning and understanding those differences could be the key to finding the right diet for you. I have used both diets as part of a healing plan in my Hashimoto’s healing and recovery since 2010 and they have been very helpful. I find that I combine ideas from both diets while keeping my carbs and sugar intake under control to feel my best. These approaches are a great start for gut healing and weight loss and the principles can be used for a lifetime to maintain good health. If you hot roadblocks work with a practitioner to figure out what other changes you need to make. Purpose For starters, the ketogenic diet aims to push the body into ketosis, a state in which your body burns fat. To get to that point, you’ll need to stick with a program that’s generally low in carbohydrates, moderate in protein and high in fat. It’s also worth noting that this diet was originally developed for disease management and to this day is being used for conditions such as epilepsy. The Paleo diet’s premise: eating the way our ancestors did thousands of years ago—when chronic diseases weren’t as prevalent as they are today— is the key to better health. Thus the diet is focused on making food choices that reflect the fact that people back then hunted an Continue reading >>
