Paleo Vs. Keto: Spot the Difference

We spend a lot of time working on our health but what does that work mean if we don’t know what we’re measuring. These two diets both target different parts of the human diet to provide cleaner eating habits and improved wellness overall. This article will focus on the differences between the Paleolithic and Ketogenic diets and whether or not these lifestyles are the right fit for you.

Table of Contents
1. The Paleolithic Diet
2. The Ketogenic Diet
3. Similarities and Differences
4. Major Takeaways

The Paleolithic Diet

The Paleo diet stands for Paleolithic which refers to that period in time where humans relied on the hunter-gatherer social structure to survive the harsh environments. The idea is to recreate the nutrients and meals humans were eating in this period 10,000 years ago. By following a diet of whole foods and leading physically active lives, hunter-gatherers presumably had much lower rates of lifestyle diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

The Ketogenic Diet

The Keto or Ketogenic diet represents a lifestyle based on increasing fats and decreasing carbohydrates in the body. This process, known as ketosis, can lead to your body switching out the glucose necessary for energy production for ketones that are produced in the liver. This diet allows for increased weight loss at an incredible rate because your body relies on its secondary source of power, ketones. As a result, the fat in your body burns more efficiently than it otherwise would under normal circumstances.

Similarities and Differences

As you’ve probably noticed, there are some key similarities and differences between these two diets and we’re going to list out some of the key things to note. Here’s our deep dive.

Dairy

Dairy is available to individuals on the Keto diet in the form of select cheeses. However, yogurts and milks are usually high carb items and won’t be viable. As for Paleo individuals, dairy won’t work if you want the desired results.

Fruits and Veggies

Paleo prefers a variety of fruits while Keto needs fruits with low carbohydrate amounts like blackberries and melons. Fruits are fair game in most diets and these two are no exception. When it comes to vegetables, the Keto lifestyle is limited to low carb substitutes like spinach and mushrooms. Think of anything that comes from the ground as being safe for the Ketogenic lifestyle. Almost all vegetables work well with Paleo seeing as it’s a historically based diet from an era where most foods were naturally occurring. Exceptions include potatoes and corn.

Legumes

This one’s a big no for both diets. You’ve got to keep the beans to a minimum to stay true to your lifestyle goals. Foods like lentils, beans, peanuts and peas must be avoided.

Meats

This one is pretty straight forward. Both diets allow for most meats and seafood, however, Paleo meats need to be free-range, wild-caught, or grass-fed.

Grains

Simply put, no. There are ways to get creative, but most grains will put you outside the scope of these two lifestyles.

Major Takeaways

For most, paleo is about more than just a diet. There is also a strong focus on lifestyle practices, the environmental impact of food choices and total body wellness within the framework of the paleo philosophy. Paleo focuses on the mentality of hunter-gatherers during the Paleolithic era and the stock they put into foods that would benefit the tribe for staying alive from one winter to the next. Keto spends a lot of time focusing on macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) which make up the largest portion of our energy providing foods. Targeting these ingredients helps to increase the way our body breaks down nutrition and distributes it throughout our body. Because both diets eliminate whole food groups, dietitians generally don’t recommend either for long-term health, but both can be useful to help get a handle on carb cravings and increase the number of veggies you consume. These diets aren’t for everyone and they often serve different roles for the phases of life you are in. It is important to do your own research and consult with your doctor to ensure the steps you take to live a cleaner lifestyle are right for you. We hope this article gives you more clarity on the differences between the Paleo and Keto diets and how committing to either one would put you one step further down your path to becoming WellFed. To learn more about these diets, please visit wellfed.us.