What Are Keto and Paleo Diets?

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Keto and paleo are two of the most common words you’re probably hearing in the health and nutrition space right now, but what’s the difference between these two diets? And which one, if either, is right for you? These diets may seem similar at first, but there are a few key differences you’ll want to keep in mind. Read on below to learn everything you need to know about the keto and paleo diets.

Keto

Keto is a diet focused on eating low-carb and high-fats. The goal is to help the body go through ketogenesis, a process in which the body breaks down fats and produces what are called “ketone bodies.” These compounds help provide a high supply of energy to the brain and muscles, helping the body burn fat without losing energy or getting hungry. 

When shopping for healthy groceries for your new Keto diet, look for meat, cheese, vegetables, eggs, and natural fats. The most important factor is your carbs – most professionals recommend eating under 50 grams per day. Most keto meals will involve meat, so when planning meals, choose your meat or protein source first, then build the rest of your meal around it.

Paleo

The paleo diet is a philosophy of eating as humans did during the Paleolithic era, hence the name. Many of the common health problems people experience are related to the heavily processed foods we eat nowadays, and by eating what humans ate thousands of years ago, these problems can potentially be avoided.

An easy way to think of this is that the paleo diet includes only foods that would be available to hunter-gatherers. This includes meat, nuts, berries, eggs, fish, fruit, vegetables, herbs, and healthy fats like butter and olive oil. Try to avoid any processed products whenever possible, and stay away from dairy and grains. This diet is thought to help with many digestive problems, so you might find that you just feel better when eating paleo!

Which one is right for you?

Now that you know some of the differences between the keto and paleo diets, which one is right for you? That depends on your goals. Keto can be a great diet to gain muscle and burn fat quickly, while paleo is more of a lifestyle choice and a long-term philosophy. If you want to focus more on the quality of the food you eat and less on counting carbs and fats, paleo might be your best option. But to drastically cut carbs out of your diet, keto is a better choice.

A word of warning: The fundamentals of paleo and keto only work when all the rules are followed together. Many meals designed for paleo or keto diets are very high in fat, which works when all the other rules are followed but can be detrimental otherwise. If you want to go paleo or keto, don’t try to pick and choose which parts of the diet you want to follow – just commit to the whole thing! And if you don’t like it down the road, you can always switch things up.