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It is undeniable that the ketogenic diet and the Paleo diet are two of the most popular diets in the world.

However, because both diets espouse healthy eating habits and the exclusion of certain types of food, many people still confuse one diet for the other.

For the benefit of those who are still unaware of their key differences, here’s a quick guide for the two diets:

What is the Paleo diet all about?

A diet that espouses the consumption of foods the early humans ate during the Stone Age, experts trace the development of the Paleo diet to Emmet Densmore, a physician and natural hygiene advocate who, in the 1880s, promoted the benefits of a fruit and meat diet, which he believed was the natural food of early man.

This idea was then expanded on in 1985 by researchers Stanley Boyd Eaton and Melvin Konner, who wrote a controversial article proposing that modern humans were biologically very similar to their primitive ancestors, and thus were “genetically programmed” to consume pre-agricultural foods.

According to Eaton and Konner, the mismatch between a modern diet and human biology is the reason behind the emergence of lifestyle diseases, such as obesity and diabetes.

The principles behind the Paleo diet were further popularized by health scientist Loren Cordain, who, in 2002, wrote a book detailing the importance of adhering to a diet similar to that of our paleolithic ancestors.

According to some studies, the Paleo diet may offer substantial benefits, such as preventing metabolic syndrome and improving cholesterol levels. However, scientists need to carry out more research to verify these.

What foods am I allowed to eat while on the Paleo Diet?

The Paleo diet does not promote the consumption of foods made by modern food processing and farming methods, so people on this diet only eat foods that can obtained by hunting or gathering, such as vegetables, fruits, lean meats and wild-caught fish.

Some of the food products that you’re allowed to eat while on the Paleo diet include:

• Free-range or wild-caught lean meat and fish
• Organic, free-range eggs
• Organic nuts and seeds
• Organic fruits
• Most vegetables except potatoes, grains and legumes
• Healthy and natural fats and oils, such as coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, lard and tallow
• Natural, unprocessed sweeteners, such as raw honey, raw maple syrup, coconut sugar and raw stevia

Some of the foods that the diet’s adherents are restricted from eating include:

• Pasta
• Baked goods like bread
• Grains, such as rice, oats, quinoa and corn
• Beans, lentils, and peanuts
• Milk and other dairy products
• Refined vegetable oils
• Refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup and candy
• Artificial sweeteners and processed agave and stevia
• Soybeans and soy products
• Potatoes
• Refined and processed foods, such as frozen dinners, packaged foods, processed meats and snacks
• Salty foods like chips
• Soda, juice mixes and drinks sweetened with artificial sweeteners
• Alcoholic beverages, such as wine and beer

What should I know about the ketogenic diet?

Originally developed in the 1920s to help children with epilepsy, the ketogenic diet has increased in popularity in recent years as a popular weight management method.

A popular diet among athletes, the ketogenic diet strictly regulates carbohydrate intake in order to trigger the body to enter a state of ketosis, a metabolic state in which stored fats are used as primary energy source instead of glucose from carbs. According to health experts, weight loss is a direct result of the body going into ketosis.

Someone who’s on a keto diet should consume approximately 70 percent fat, 25 percent protein and 5 percent carbohydrates. This makes it similar in composition to the Paleo diet.

Some of the foods allowed on the ketogenic diet are:

• Wild-caught oily or fatty fish and shellfish
• Low-carbohydrate vegetables
• Cheese
• Avocados
• Wild-caught and free-range chicken and other poultry
• Free-range meats
• Free-range eggs
• Healthy oils like coconut oil
• Plain Greek yogurt
• Extra-virgin organic olive oil
• Organic nuts and seeds
• Organic berries
• Organic olives
• Unsweetened organic tea and coffee

Meanwhile, some of the foods keto dieters are barred from eating include:

• Apples
• Black beans
• Sweet potatoes
• Oranges
• Squash
• Chickpeas
• Pasta
• Baked goods like bread
• Grains, such as rice, oats, quinoa and corn
• Sugary beverages
• Refined sugar
• Trans fats and hydrogenated fats

What are the similarities between the keto diet and the Paleo diet?

The Paleo diet and the ketogenic diet are similar in that they encourage the consumption of nutritious whole foods instead of their highly processed counterparts. Both diets also promote low carbohydrate intake and restrict the intake of grains and legumes.

Both diets also emphasize the consumption of protein in the form of free-range and wild-caught meat and seafood, as well as the addition of healthy fats and vegetables to your daily meals.

What differentiates the keto diet from the Paleo diet?

While the keto and paleo diets share similarities in terms of the foods they allow, they have different rules when it comes to the foods they restrict.

The keto diet, for instance, excludes foods with a high sugar content, including most fruits. This is in stark contrast to the Paleo diet, which allows more fruits and even some natural sweeteners.

Whereas the Paleo diet normally excludes processed meats, such as bacon and ham, due to their being products of modern food processing techniques, the same items are welcomed in the ketogenic diet, provided, of course, that they do not contain sugar or carbohydrates, which could interfere with the body’s ability to reach ketosis.

The same goes for sweeteners. As noted by experts, while the Paleo diet allows “natural” sweeteners, such as honey and maple syrup, it does not allow the use of artificial sweeteners, such as sugar alcohols, because they are products of modern technology. The keto diet, on the other hand, allows some artificial sweeteners but not their natural counterparts.

When it comes to starchy vegetables, the keto diet does not allow squash, potatoes and legumes simply because they could interrupt ketosis, but these veggies are allowed on the Paleo diet, albeit in moderation.

Choosing fruits, meanwhile, is a tricky business for people on either diet. According to nutritionists, this is mainly because fruits — in addition to having large amounts of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants — contain plenty of natural sugars and carbohydrates.

A person following the Paleo diet can eat all fruits, provided that they concentrate on those with low sugar content. This is in stark contrast to the keto diet, which is more strict when it comes to fruits due to their sugar content.

Dairy is another complicated topic. According to adherents of the Paleo diet, milk and other dairy products are excluded from the Paleo diet because there is no proof that they were an integral part of the Paleolithic human diet. But those on the Paleo diet can drink unsweetened nut milks, such as organic coconut milk, as long as they do not contain any artificial sweeteners, thickeners and other additives.

The keto diet, on the other hand, allows only a few dairy products, especially those that are high in fat and protein, as long as they are not sweetened.

Do the keto and Paleo diets have side effects?

According to nutritionists, people who follow the keto diet may experience several side effects, all of which are related to ketosis. These side effects include metallic-tasting “keto breath,” as well as keto skin rash and the so-called “keto flu.”

Keto flu is a collection of symptoms associated with the body adapting to a ketogenic diet. These include headaches, lethargy, nausea, mental slowness, insomnia, decreased exercise performance, constipation and low libido.

People on the Paleo diet do not experience these symptoms, given that their diet does not cause the body to go into a state of ketosis.

As with any other diet, those who follow the keto diet or the Paleo diet must make sure to meet their daily nutritional requirements. They can take certain nutritional supplements, such as calcium and iodine, to avoid potentially dangerous deficiencies.

While the keto diet and the Paleo diet can help with weight management, when combined with a healthy lifestyle, they can help prevent disease and boost your overall health and well-being.

Sources:

MedicalNewsToday.com

Health.USNews.com

Health.Harvard.edu