The difference between paleo and keto
You’d be hard-pressed to read a magazine or newspaper without hearing something about paleo and ketogenic diets and their benefits. But what’s the difference and which is better for overall health?
What is the paleo diet?
The paleo diet, sometimes referred to as “the caveman diet,” is based on the principle that only eating foods that were available to early humans will promote optimal health. It also has a lifestyle component that focuses on wellness practices and exercise.
One of the fundamental theories behind the paleo diet is that modern food systems, production and processing techniques are damaging to human health. Paleo therefore emphasises whole foods and eliminates grains, legumes, processed foods and most sources of dairy, focusing instead on meat and fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables, some fats and oils such as coconut oil and olive oil and minimally processed natural sweeteners including raw honey, maple syrup and coconut sugar.
What is the keto diet?
The keto diet focuses on controlling the macronutrient distribution of meals in order to shift the body’s dependence from carbohydrates to fat for energy. Like the paleo diet, the keto diet restricts grains, rice, and other high-carb foods, focusing instead on eating lots of healthy fats, some protein, and minimal carbs.
The body typically uses carbohydrates as fuel for energy, so when you don’t get enough carbs the body will start using up fat and some protein stores. In true ketosis, the liver takes stored fat and turns it into ketones, which the body then uses for energy. Reaching this state of ketosis is the goal of the keto diet. In general, a person on a keto diet should consume 70 - 80% fat, 20 - 25% protein and just 5 - 10% carbs.
Just like the paleo diet, the keto diet encourages and excludes specific foods. A person on keto cannot get their carbohydrates from grains or legumes so their carbs must come from non-starchy vegetables, such as leafy greens or a small group of fruits, primarily berries. Meat and fish, nuts, seeds, eggs and healthy fats are allowed, as is diary. Natural sweeteners such as honey are replaced by sugar free-sweeteners such as stevia.
Key similarities
Both paleo and keto emphasise consuming whole foods versus processed foods, as well as healthy fats. Fat is the cornerstone of the keto diet in order to keep the body in ketosis, while the paleo diet recommends healthy fats to support overall health.
Both diets eliminate grains and legumes, but for different reasons. For the paleo diet, this elimination is based on the fact that grains and legumes were not part of early human diets. For the keto diet, it's because grains and legumes are high in carbohydrates so they're limited or eliminated. Keto also discourages the intake of added sugars due to the high carb count. But on paleo unrefined sugar sources like honey and maple syrup are okay.
So which one is better?
Both diets have proven effective for short-term weight loss, glucose control, and cholesterol and blood pressure reduction. In a side-by-side comparison, the paleo diet is probably the healthier option for most people as it allows for more flexibility of food choices and more options for obtaining the wide array of nutrients your body needs on a daily basis. It also encourages an overall healthy lifestyle.
But long-term studies are lacking and the best diet to follow is usually the one you can maintain long term. Research continues to support a diet high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, lean meat and healthy fats, and limited in added sugars, alcohol, unhealthy fats and processed foods.