Paleo vs. Keto: Which Diet is More Sustainable?

PUSHTHROUGH
Jul 10, 2017 · 9 min read

There are more gimmicky diets thrown at us than ever before.

Diet plans and programs that are downright silly, at best. Most, if not all of these diets are unsustainable and unrealistic. Take “The Five-Bite Diet,” where you skip breakfast and only allow yourself five bites of any forbidden food of your choice for lunch and dinner. As if this isn’t whacky enough, there’s the Cookie Diet, the Baby Food Diet, the Blood Type Diet, and The Werewolf Diet. Yep, the freaking Werewolf Diet!

Besides the fact that none of these diets are healthy, they aren’t sustainable. It’s difficult NOT to be dogmatic when speaking about this stuff. Many of these quick-fix solutions are discouraging people to the point of giving up — causing them to become permanently skeptical of any and all health advice!

The best diets are the ones that don’t feel like diets. Of course, any significant shift in your daily eating routine will be a challenge, but there’s no way around it if you want to see (and feel) long-term results.

“You can’t exercise your way out of a bad diet.” -Dr. Mark Hyman

If we want to look and feel our best (for as long as we can), then we need to adjust the way we look at food, and this is rarely a comfortable transition.

But this transition doesn’t have to be dreadful. In fact, it can be life-changing.

On this note, I want to share two of the most well-recognized diet programs in the world:

  • THE PALEO DIET
  • THE KETOGENIC DIET

These two powerhouses have stood the test of time and are attractive to people because of their astounding health and weight-loss benefits.

I’m going to provide a simple overview of both diets — including their history, structure, similarities, and differences. When you’re finished reading this post, you’ll have a somewhat good understanding of both diets and if one might work for you.

*NOTE, this article is not intended to sway you in either direction, but rather to give you some legitimate insight to both approaches.

Let’s dig in!

Paleo Introduction

The Paleo Diet is known as the only nutritional approach that works directly with genetics. It’s frequently adopted by people dealing with autoimmune conditions, digestive disorders, and even some neurological disorders.

The Paleo Diet is intended to mimic ancestral eating habits, which consisted primarily of unprocessed, whole foods.

Paleo History

It’s likely that you may have already heard of the Paleo (or Paleolithic) Diet. Paleo is well-established and recognized in the health and wellness space.

Paleolithic ideas and concepts were originally created by gastroenterologist, Walter Voegtlin in the mid-1970s, and further developed by Stanley Boyd Eaton and Melvin Konner in 1985. The Paleo Diet is sometimes referred to as the “caveman” or “primal” diet because of it’s connection to foods available to humans in prehistoric times.

The Paleo Diet is known as being one of the healthiest ways to eat because of its ability to rebuild digestive, heart, brain, bone, and (most importantly) mitochondria health. It’s also used as a tool to lose fat, gain muscle, boost immunity, and rejuvenate joint health.

Many functional medicine and holistic doctors are beginning to recommend a Paleo Diet to patients suffering from autoimmune diseases and syndromes such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, leaky gut, SIBO, bacterial dysbiosis, and candida.

What to Eat on Paleo

Foods to Avoid on Paleo

Limit Consumption

  • Coffee
  • Juice
  • Alchohol (including wine)

Paleo Benefits

  • Promotes Mitochondria Health
  • Rebuilds Digestive Health
  • Boosts Cognitive Health
  • Reduces Allergies
  • Reduces Inflammation
  • Increases Energy
  • Promotes Lean Muscle Mass
  • Reduces Body Fat
  • Improves Sleep Patterns
  • Enhances Skin Health
  • Increases Heart Health
  • Improves Health of Teeth
  • Can Lower Triglycerides (and Raise total HDL cholestrol)

“Worst-case scenario: You spend a month without some foods you like. Best-case scenario: You discover you are able to live healthier and better than you ever thought possible.” -Robb Wolf, The Paleo Solution

Paleo Precautions

Some “so-called experts” suggest that a Paleo Diet may cause a deficiency in essential vitamins and minerals because of it’s restricted dairy and grain intake, but these claims can be misleading.

What these (often biased individuals) forget to mention is that dairy causes inflammation (specifically in the intestinal lining), and there is relatively NO nutritional value in grains whatsoever.

Consuming 3–4 balanced, whole-food meals each day with healthy servings of organic vegetables, fruits, grass-fed animal products, and wild-caught fish will usually provide you with optimal vitamins and minerals, but this article suggests supplementing with specific vitamins and minerals (regardless of diet) such as:

  • Vitamin D (D3)
  • Magnesium
  • Vitamin K2 (MK-4)
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin A
  • Copper
  • B-12 (with Folinic Acid)
  • L-Tyrosine

*Remember, talk to your doctor when introducing a multitude of vitamins and minerals to your diet — especially if you have health conditions.

If you’re a health geek like me, then you can order a vitamin/mineral test through your family physician to be sure. This test will let you know if you’re deficient in any areas and then you can make adjustments through supplementation if necessary.

Keto Introduction

The Ketogenic Diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that lowers blood sugar and insulin levels by shifting the body’s metabolism to burn fat as fuel, rather than carbs.

Some studies have shown a Ketogenic Diet hekpful for treating, preventing, and sometimes even reversing Type 2 Diabetes, Parkinson’s Disease, and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Keto History

The Ketogenic Diet was developed in the 1920s to treat epilepsy in children. Some research suggests that fasting was used to treat epilepsy as early as 500 BCE.

The high-fat, super low-carbohydrate, and moderate-protein based diet has been used as a non-pharmacological option for reducing pain and inflammation for years.

Keto (short for ketosis) has been gaining popularity because of its effectiveness in tricking the body into thinking it’s fasting — resulting in rapid weight-loss.

Keto isn’t just a powerful weight-loss program. It’s been used as a protection against numerous diseases, including America’s #1 and #2 killers: cancer and heart disease.

The whole point of a Keto Diet is to eliminate most of the carbohydrates from your diet, which prevents too much insulin from being released following food consumption. This process is intended to lower blood glucose (sugar in your blood), which in turn, signals the body to switch from burning “sugar,” to burning stored “fat.” This is what is referred to as being in a “ketosis state.

What to Eat on Keto

  • Healthy Fats
  • Organic Vegetables
  • Low-Glycemic Fruits (mostly berries)
  • Some Dairy
  • Free-Range/Pastured Eggs
  • Grass-Fed Beef
  • Wild Caught Fish
  • Spices and Herbs

Foods to Avoid on Keto

  • Grains, Wheat, and Gluten
  • Processed Foods
  • Farm-Raised Fish
  • Conventional (Grain-Fed) Animal Products
  • GMO (genetically-modified organisms)
  • Artificial Sweeteners
  • Most Dairy
  • Refined Fats and Oils
  • Beer

Limit Consumption

Keto Benefits

  • Rapid Weight Loss
  • Possible Protection Against Cancer
  • Reduced Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
  • Protection Against Heart Disease
  • Can Lower Triglycerides (and Raise Good HDL)
  • Can Help Treat Metabolic Syndrome
  • Promotes Brain Health
  • Can Help Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Can Help Protect Against Parkinson’s Disease
  • Can Optimize Mitochondria Health

“Ketosis was crucial to our evolution. Given the relatively minor role of carbohydrate-rich foods (even the consumption of many tubers is thought to have come later with the advent of cooking practices), our bodies were fairly frequently operating in the arena of ketosis. Add to this the fasts and famines of primal living, and it’s clear that ketones served as an essential energy source.” -Mark Sisson, Renown Author, and Athlete

Keto Precautions

Some people complain of symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, headaches, constipation (or diarrhea), weakness, and sleep disorders. There could be numerous reasons for these symptoms that are outside the scope of this post. But the truth of the matter is that a majority of people that take on a Ketogenic Diet don’t do it correctly.

Of the two diets, my opinion is that Keto is a more disciplined diet and requires as much, or more forethought and meal-planning than most diets.

Often, when a beginner experiences a “crash” from a lack of carbohydrates, (often due to a lack of fat intake) — they give up. I know because I experienced it first-hand. That was before I understood the crucial role that fat plays when committing to a Keto (or Paleo) program. *When carbohydrates are low, the body relies on fat as fuel.

While I never committed to a long-term Ketogenic Diet, I do intermittent fasting 2–3 times a week (in Keto fashion).

It’s difficult to overlook Keto’s compelling (and proven) weight loss and health benefits.

Differences Between Paleo and Keto

CARBOHYDRATES:
This is where these two diets differ the most.

A Keto Diet aims for a very low carbohydrate intake. Typically around 30g-50g daily. Again, the goal is to send the body into a ketosis state — where it converts to burning fat as fuel, rather than glucose (sugar).

A Paleo Diet is much more forgiving when it comes to carbs. The average Paleo practitioner consumes around 100g-150g of carbs daily — which is still ridiculously lower than the Standard American Diet.

FATS:
Both diets recommend a moderate to high intake of fat, but the sources between the two are somewhat different. Keto allows some fat sources such as cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, grass-fed butter and some cheeses, while a Paleo regimen doesn’t allow any dairy-based fat.

Both diets share a love for MCT oil, coconut oil, ghee, olive oil, avocado oil, beef tallow, flax oil, krill oil, and macadamia nut oil, as well as wild-caught fatty fish and grass-fed beef.

PROTEINS:
Protein intake is typically moderate on a Keto diet, while moderate to high on Paleo. Both diets are relatively the same when it comes to protein sources: grass-fed meat, wild-caught fish, pastured eggs, nuts, and vegetables.

FRUITS:
Fruits are limited to mostly berries on a Keto Diet, while a Paleolithic approach allows for a wider variety — although still consumed moderately.

GRAINS:
While grains and wheat of all kinds are prohibited on both a Paleo and Keto diet, Paleo peeps seem to be a little stricter in this area. While this is debatable, it’s what I’ve seen and heard.

ADAPTATION:
The truth is that both of these diets take some getting used to. Training your body to rely on fat as fuel, rather than carbohydrates can be a challenge for some people. But here’s the thing to keep in mind. Once your body shifts to burning stored body fat instead of glucose, you’ll begin to notice amazing things happening to your body.

  • You will sleep better.
  • You’ll have more sustained energy.
  • Your body composition will begin to change in new ways.
  • You’ll experience more mental clarity and focus.
  • Your joints will feel amazing.
  • Your skin will look healthier.

Both Paleo and Keto diets can cause people to experience a “flu” type feeling in the first week. For me, the flu feeling never happened. I also went cold turkey — which is the hard way. I would suggest taking a more gradual approach to either diet.

For instance, remove only wheat and grains one week, but continue to consume dairy and legumes. Then, remove dairy in week two, and so on.

A slower approach may be easier for some people. I’m an all-or-nothing kind of guy, so I just went at it full force and never looked back!

Conclusion

As with any diet that begins to earn mainstream popularity, the integrity and structure can start to break down due to the inevitable rise of pessimists, bandwagoners, and self-proclaimed gurus — degrading foundational concepts by selling us inaccurate and misleading information.

My opinion (which might frustrate some people) is that Paleo and Keto are more than diets. They’re templates. Exceptional starting points for which you can expand upon in a way that works best for you.

Chris Kresser (functional medicine practitioner) said it perfectly: “It comes down to personalization.”

I don’t think we have to go FULL Paleo or FULL Keto or FULL anything. We just need to fully commit to eating habits that help us reach our full potential.

For instance, Dr. Mark Hyman (author of “Eat Fat, Get Thin”) has coined the term; “Pegan,” which is a mixture of Paleo and Vegan.

Then there’s Dave Asprey (renown biohacker and founder of Bulletproof Coffee). Dave created the Bulletproof Diet — which is basically a combination of Paleo, Keto, and his personal unique twist.

I’ve discovered that going full-blown Paleo works best for me, while my wife is more attracted to Keto concepts.

Regardless of the program you choose, as long as you limit grains and dairy (which cause inflammation), and consume extra healthy fats (which reduces inflammation — along with 100 other things!); you’ll be light years ahead of a majority of the US population.

My final thought on this topic is this :

  • Paleo reigns supreme when it comes to long-term health benefits, sustainability, and steady weight loss.
  • Keto wins the battle when it comes to fast weight loss results and cognitive enhancement.

Have questions, or something to contribute? Feel free to join the conversation on my Facebook page.

And if you found this article interesting or helpful, please share it. :-)

Lastly, visit www.push-through.com to learn more about me and my reason for creating PUSHTHROUGH.

Thanks for reading.

PUSHTHROUGH

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Empowering men to become what they were meant to be through self-mastery.

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