Paleo VS Keto: Which One Is Best For You?
Contents
Introduction
Paleo VS Keto: Which One Is Best For You? well, When it comes to weight loss, today there are a number of Different Kinds Of Diets and a depthless pool of information that is supposed to help you shed the weight faster with minimal effort. But as dieticians and physicians say, weight loss is a complex process and takes time, more so if you already suffer from any kind of pre-existing health issues. Therefore, it is very important to understand the basics, benefits and all kinds of health risks associated with any kind of diet before starting it.
In light of that, today we take a look at two kinds of diets that promise drastic results – the keto diet and the paleo diet we explain before everything about Keto vs Atkins diet. and now we get through Keto vs paleo, we break down some of the basics of it, look at their positive and negative aspects, settle the paleo vs keto debate and finally try to understand which one is better for you and helps shed those pounds faster.
What is the Paleo diet?
As the name suggests, the Paleo diet basically entails that you eat all that the Paleo man or the caveman did during that particular era. On a simpler level, this means that you have to eat only what the hunter-gatherer of the prehistoric times managed to get his hands on and ate – meat that he could hunt, nuts, fruits, vegetables and seafood( like Tuna). As you can see, this diet basically excludes all kinds of grains and stuff that is agriculturally produced. As the doctors believe, the Paleo diet lowers the glycemic load, that is the ratio of the saturated to the unsaturated fat in the body.
What foods are you allowed to eat while on the Paleo diet?
The Paleo diet includes eating food that directly comes from the earth like vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, meat etc. Back then, grains were not a part of the caveman diet, which means if you are following the Paleo diet, they shouldn’t be a part of yours either. Grains like rye, barley and wheat contain large amounts of gluten, and as we can see around us, more and more people are turning out to be allergic to gluten. Some grains also contain trace amounts of lectins, which when consumed on a large scale, can interfere intensely in the healing of the damaged cells and tissues of your digestive system.
What is the science behind the Paleo diet?
Yes, as a species, we are dependent on grains and the carbohydrates that they contain. However, at the same time, it is the overconsumption of carbohydrates that leads to obesity, weight gain and so on, which is why the Paleo diet completely eliminates the grains section of the food pyramid. However, the first question that people have is what to eat and how to substitute for the carbs? Actually, humans do not need all of the carbs that we actually eat during the day, which is to say, a lot. When your body does not get the carb that it is used to, it starts to burn the fat stored in the tissue of your body, which is basically what leads to a great weight loss. Gradually, your body becomes used to the reduced carb diet.
Besides this, the carbs that you need, you automatically get from your consumption of vegetables, fruits and other stuff. These things contain natural carbs, and also happen to be more filling and contain way less number of calories than an average carb-rich food like bread.
What can you not eat as a part of the Paleo diet?
As mentioned earlier, the Paleo diet removes all kinds of grains from your diet, especially the ones which are processed and polished. When it comes to fruits and veggies, we suggest that you go for ones that are organic and contain as little pesticides and insecticides as possible. Any kind of modern food including processed, canned and packaged foods are also to be strictly avoided. The idea is to not eat anything that you can get in the modern world, which includes alcohol, nicotine as well as any other caffeinated drinks.
What is the Keto diet?
As the name suggests, the Keto diet is a diet that focuses on the increased production of keto levels in your blood, which in turn causes your body to break down all of the fat, carbs and protein in the body in order to sustain for the loss. The level of insulin drops, which is what causes your body to burn all of the fat. Thus, the basic idea of the Keto dies is to absolutely cut off the consumption of fat-containing products and lower the amount of carbohydrates and increase the amount of proteins, so that your body starts to burn the already present fat in your body. This can be done, fastest through fasting, which is impossible since nobody can fast forever, which is where the Keto diet comes in.
What are the health benefits of ketones?
The Keto diet talks about the increase of ketone levels in the blood, but what exactly are the health benefits of Ketone? Let us take a brief look:
- Firstly, it does what it was originally designed to do – control the symptoms and reoccurring issues related to epilepsy, especially in reducing seizures in children.
- Keto also helps in bringing down the levels of “bad” cholesterol in the blood as well as triglycerides, which is the reason for most heart-related issues as well as high cholesterol levels in the blood.
- Keto can also help to stabilize the high levels of glucose in the blood. The Keto can also help in reducing the chances of developing long-term coronary heart diseases and such related complications.
- Keto also helps in decreasing the levels of insulin in the blood, which is basically responsible for turning the glucose from the food into fat tissue in your body.
What is the science behind the Keto diet?
What a lot of people do not know about the Ketogenic diet is that was initially designed by a number of doctors and physicians, not to lose weight, but to help in managing a number of diseases, the focus of which was mainly to maintain the glycemic level of an individual’s blood. The idea behind the diet is that you train your body to live off on a certain amount of food so that your body is forced into a Ketogenic state wherein it starts to burn all of the fat that is stored in the tissue of your body, and thus, as you fast your body burns off all of that stored fat.
The Keto diet also promotes the production of Keto in your blood, which basically happens when you do not consume the amount of food that you are used to on a regular basis.
How efficient is the Keto diet in losing weight?
There have been studies that suggest that the Keto diet is very effective, and a large part of the population that has tried the Keto diet has actually sworn by it, but the major problem of this diet is that you have to resiliently stick to it, and that is where most people duck out. The problem with the Keto diet is that it is very restrictive and a lot of times when the food cravings hit and you cannot control yourself, you end up eating comfort food like ice-cream and French fries, which then throws off your entire diet.
Another reason why it is so difficult to remain on the Keto diet is that since the amount of food, especially comfort food that you are used to eating is so drastically reduced, the body reacts very strongly to it. Most often, the major problems that people suffer from include intense fatigue and lethargy, foggy mind and an inability to concentrate on anything especially at the early stages of the diet.
What are the differences between the Keto Diet and the Paleo Diet?
Now, you see the focus of both diets seem to be to manipulate the body into such a state that instead of carbohydrates, the body is forced to make use of its reserve of fat.
- However, the basic difference lies in the fact that the Paleo diet is all about making the right kind of food choices and eliminating all kinds of grains, processed foods and alcohol. The rest of the diet is completely up to you and can differ from person to person. On the other hand, the Keto diet is about managing the three main elements of your diet – fat, protein and carbs.
- The main purpose of the keto diet, as the name suggests, is to control the levels of ketone (ketones are products created in your body when you have not consumed your average intake of food) in your body, the increase of which is what actually causes your body to go into a state called the ketogenic state. However, the Paleo does not concern itself with the ketone levels in your blood at all.
- While both the Keto as well as the Paleo diet emphasize on lowering the amount of carbs that you consume as a part of your daily diet, the amount of carbs that you consume in a Paleo diet is much more than you do in a Keto diet. At the same time, a keto diet puts a greater emphasis on the consumption of fat than the Paleo diet does.
Paleo vs Keto for weight loss: which one is right for you?
If we are being completely honest, we have absolutely no idea. The thing about diet regimes and Exercise Routines is that no two of those things are ever the same for two different people. The diet that you should follow depends on a number of factors like your age, gender, height, the basic rate of metabolism of food, your family history and your overall physical fitness. Also, it is important to remember that just because you are following the same diet as someone else, does not mean that both of you will end up with the same kinds of results. Like we keep saying, everybody is built differently and therefore reacts differently to different diets.
Both Keto and Paleo diets are restrictive and require a lot of vigilance, willpower and effort on your part, and may also come with some associated risks, which is why you need to consult a doctor who has a knowledge of your medical history before you embark on either of these diets. Also, keep in mind your various kinds of food allergies before embarking on either of these diets.
Things to remember when you are on a diet:
Irrespective of whether you choose to do the Keto diet or the Paleo diet, there are some things that you need to religiously follow if you want to shed those extra pounds as fast as you can:
- Remember to move: Exercising gets your heart rate up, which in turn pumps blood through your system as well as increases your metabolism. That is why most athletes and people who work out swear by the one-hour window rule, that is your metabolism is at its highest during the one hour following your workout where you burn a large number of calories. Any diet, when combined with exercise, can work wonders.
- Remember to stay away from caffeinated drinks and all kinds of energy drinks. Lots of time, people drink such energy drinks thinking that it will give their system the boost of electrolytes that it needs, but in reality, they are high in sugar and sodium content, which not only contain lots of calories but also hamper with your natural blood pressure.
- Also stay away from all kinds of artificial sweeteners, because they are no better than normal sugar. When you are on either of these diets, your body sometimes has cravings, especially for sugar and can even go into withdrawal. Sugar substitutes work by activating the same centers of the brain as normal sugar does.
- Although the Keto diet does not necessarily ask you to remove all forms of dairy products from your diet, some dieticians suggest that you avoid them nonetheless. Apart from the fact that a large portion of the population happens to be lactose intolerant, dairy products, when overeaten, can cause dietary problems.
Is it possible to be on both the Keto diet and the Paleo diet at the same time?
Most dieters have suggested that the Paleo diet is a little more difficult to follow than the Keto, but honestly, if you are following the Paleo diet, it will not be all that difficult to follow the Keto diet as well. So maybe instead of paleo vs keto, try both. Take a look at what you need to do in order to do those two at the same time:
- You have to eat a lot of animal product, especially meat when you are on one of these diets. Just make sure that all of the animal products that you are consuming is 100% organic and fed on grass.
- A Keto calculator is a wonderful thing and can be a gift when you are trying to shed those extra pounds. With the help of a Keto calculator, you can make sure that you are tracking all of the macronutrients of your meals so that you can allow your body to be in a state of ketosis. You can find updated Keto calculators online or as virtual apps that you can download on your phone.
- One of the biggest mistakes that people make is to give in and eat dairy products because they think that it contains the good kind of fat, but the Paleo diet does not call for this. Thus, make sure to keep away from most dairy products, but you can choose to indulge in butter and ghee.
How to go dairy free and is it safe?
If you are choosing to replace the dairy products in your diet, you are right to think where the calcium in your diet will come from. Dieticians and physicians suggest that this has to be replaced by lots and lots of Leafy Green Vegetables like broccoli and sunflower. Raw pumpkin seeds and chia seeds also happen to be very good sources of calcium.
However, there are a few health drawbacks that can happen to you when you do decide to cut out all of the dairy products from your diet:
- Dairy is one of the best sources of calcium, which is the building block of bones. Thus, you stand at a risk of developing bone disorders and fragile bones, especially if you are over 30 if you decide to cut out dairy.
- Some studies have suggested that stopping taking dairy can suddenly cause bloating. This is because your body will suddenly crave dairy alternatives, the best of which is soy, and soy, as we know, is very difficult for the body to digest.
- Cutting dairy out also threatens oral health issues, especially dental problems since you are depriving your body of its primary source of calcium, which is also responsible for the maintenance of oral health and strong teeth.
- You can say goodbye to lactose intolerance or dairy sensitive, and all of its associated symptoms like stomach aches, cramps, gas formation and bloating.
Paleo and Ketogenic Diet Menu:
For the ones who still cannot settle the paleo vs Keto debate, we have built a list of recipes that you can whip up in a matter of minutes when you are on both. All of these recipes contain Low Carbs Foods and are heavy protein based:
Salmon Poppers:
Simple and quick, these make for a healthy snack with very low carbs.
Ingredients: ½avocado, ½ minced onion, 1 head endive, 4 ounces of smoked salmon, Salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Instructions: Simply separate the endive leaves after giving them a thorough wash.
Add a handful of smoked salmon and top it with some minced onions and avocado.
Sprinkle some salt, pepper and drizzle a few drops of olive oil on top of it.
Shrimp Rolls:
Packing in bite-sized protein, this recipe is perfect for the health nut.
Ingredients: a few nori sheets, coconut oil for cooking, 1 mango and 1 avocado diced, 1 pound of cleaned raw shrimp, salt and pepper, 1/4 cup diced red onion, Juice of 1/2 lime, 1 garlic clove,2 cups riced cauliflower
Instructions: Combine the mango, onion, avocado, garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper in a bowl.
Separately steam the cauliflower with some water and add salt and pepper to it.
Add a few drops of coconut oil in a skillet and lightly cook the shrimps using some salt and pepper.
Take the Nori sheets and add small quantities of each preparation.
Roll tightly with your hands and eat immediately.
Cinnamon and coconut balls
Ingredients:1 cup of coconut milk, 1 cup coconut butter, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, vanilla extract, nutmeg and cinnamon each, 1 cup coconut shreds and 1 teaspoon stevia powder for taste.
Instructions: Put some water in a steel bowl and let it come to boil.
In another bowl, add all of the ingredients except the shredded coconut and put it in the first bowl for indirect heating.
Gently mix all of the ingredients thoroughly and remove the bowl from heat.
Allow the mixture to cool until you can touch it.
Roll the mixture into small balls and sprinkle some coconut shreds over them.
Place the balls on a non-stick plate and let them refrigerate for at least an hour.
Take them out from the fridge and enjoy!
Cauliflower rice
Ingredients: 3 cups Cauliflower Florets, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon cumin powder and red chili powder, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 finely onion and jalapeno, 2 chopped Tomatoes, 3/4 cup diced Bell Peppers, 1 tablespoon chopped Coriander and Salt to taste.
Instructions: Put the cauliflower florets through a food processor until they have small chunks. Make sure to not turn them into a paste.
In a pan, sauté some onions and add the jalapenos and garlic. Stir for a few minutes.
To this add the tomatoes, bell peppers, chili powder, cumin powder and salt. When the tomatoes turn soft, add the processed cauliflower and cook till it is tender.
Take off the heat and add some toppings like jalapenos, lime juice and so on.
Further tips and ideas for faster weight loss:
- Like any diet, shedding the weight is a lot easier than keeping the weight off, which is the main issue that the people suffer from once the dieting period is over. They tend to go off the diet and put on all of the weight that they had worked so hard to shed, which is why it is important to stick to the diet.
- A diet is only a short-term solution for your obesity. The basic idea is to address, not just obesity, but the problems associated with it, like an unhealthy lifestyle, bad eating habits, bad posture and so on.
- There is no point in doing either a Keto or a Paleo diet if you are not going to make yourself sweat a little, that is to say, work out. A diet, any kind of diet for that matter, works so much faster and better once you combine with at least one kind of the 5 physical activity like running, gymming, swimming, walking and so on.
- It is not uncommon to get demotivated during the time that you are actually doing these diets. The best way to keep on track is to keep an account of your journey. Write down your weight, take pictures of yourself to prove that this is, in fact, working as it should.
- It is easy to give in to the urge to snack. In order to stop that, we suggest that you engage your mouth by chewing mint leaves or any kind of sugar-free chewing gum.
- A lot of time caught up in this diet and all the obsession with losing weight that they forget to hydrate themselves, which is why we urge you to hydrate as much as you possibly can. Also, from time to time try water challenge, the fuller you will feel and the lesser will be your need to fill yourself up with unhealthy and fattening snacks.
- In order to keep motivated and to keep going, we suggest that you try out one of these diets with a friend. That way, not only will you have someone to monitor your progress and vice versa, but both of you will be able to keep each other motivated.
Conclusion
Whenever it comes to any kind of diet, it is extremely, and we mean, extremely important to remember that not every single person’s body operates in the same way. This means that no two people’s bodies will shed the same amount of weight following the same diet. In fact, not two kinds of Keto or Paleo diet is the same or works the same way for two different people. Every single one of these diets is specifically tailored for individuals, which is why you need to consult specialist doctors before you can start these diets.
It is also to be mentioned that not everyone can do these diets. If you have any long-term and pre-existing medical conditions like Type 2 Diabetes, Hyperinosemia and so on, we strictly suggest that you do not undertake such diets.
Some Article Resources:
