Paleo Versus Keto: Learning to Eat Better While Living Well Eating Well
For the past few years, in particular, the increase in popularity of Keto and Paleo Diets has given rise to the debate on which is better for your health. Both diets have captured the interest and attention of many people due to.
In this article, we explore the Keto and Paleo Diets to help you understand the pros, cons, differences, and potential health benefits of each to help you make better decisions regarding your food choices and eating habits.
What is a Paleo Diet?
Paleo Diets focus on what was eaten before modern food preparation processes that include additives, preservatives, and cooking methods that destroy nutrients you would typically benefit from.
Meat, fish, vegetables, and food prepared the way our ancestors did is the focus of a Paleo Diet with weight management only recently being another reason why more people are turning to it.
Adhering to a Paleo Diet can also lead to health benefits including alleviating symptoms associated with inflammation, bowel disorders as well as on blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
More than just a diet, Paleo is a way of life that gives you a renewed focus on your health, food, and lifestyle choices that help you live and feel better.
What is a Keto Diet?
Keto is a diet that is high in fat and low in carbohydrates and has a very low ratio of fat to caloric intake and can be
The Keto Diet was created by Dr. Robert D. West, a doctor specializing in endocrinology at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.
Its basis is that it's promoted as a low-carb diet that requires high levels of animal fats and very low amounts of carbohydrates and those from the other foods you eat.
Keto Diets can be suitable for people of all body types, and for those who have lost significant weight, the diet may provide an easier transition to a healthy lifestyle.
When a Keto Diet is adhered to, many have experienced weight loss and some other associated benefits.
How Are Keto and Paleo Diets Similar?
Most Keto diets are High-fat and ketogenic, while Paleo Diets focus on what was eaten before modern food preparation processes that include additives, preservatives, and cooking methods that destroy nutrients you would typically benefit from. While there are overlapping food choices, Paleo Diets emphasized ingredients, preparation methods, and natural ingredients.
What Can You Eat on a Keto Diet?
EatingWell has created a great article outlining the food choices you can have on a Keto Diet. Ketogenic Diets are high-fat, low-carb diets that allow you to consume fat while strictly limiting your carb intake. Foods you can eat on a Keto Diet include:
Fish and seafood
Low-carb veggies
Cheese
Avocados
Poultry & Eggs
Nuts, seeds, and healthful oils
Plain Greek yogurt and cottage cheese
Berries
Unsweetened coffee and tea
Dark chocolate and cocoa powder
Increased stress leads to the activation of your flight or flight hormones known as adrenaline and cortisol and when your body recognizes increased stress levels, these hormones are released into the bloodstream.
What Foods Can You Eat on a Paleo Diet?
This directly can lead to an increased heart rate, and redirects cortisol in your system which over the long term leads to memory and focus problems, increased weight gain or loss, anxiety, depression, and an increased risk of heart disease and other associated ailments.
What Foods Should You Avoid on a Paleo Diet?
You want the foods you eat to be as close to their natural state as possible. When you read the label on a product and don't know what it is, many people automatically assume it's good for you since it's been allowed to be an ingredient. You can't let this fool you. Foods to avoid on a Paleo Diet include:
Processed Foods
All Pasta (including whole-wheat and gluten-free)
Bread & Grains including wheat, oats, and barley
Beans and legumes, lentils, peas, and peanuts including peanut butter.
Refined sugars include: white & brown sugars, agave, corn, syrup, artificial sweeteners
Sweetened beverages including soda & drink mixes and additives
Products marketed as low-fat or diet
Refined vegetable oils, trans fats & hydrogenated oils
Refined sugars & salt
Dairy Products
Beer & Wine
Soy & Corn
Salty foods
Potatoes
Quinoa
Rice
What Are the Potential Advantages of a Paleo Diet?
Controlling Inflammation & Boosting Your Immune System
While paleo diets are gluten and lactose-free, they’re also rich in the minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants that combine to alleviate inflammation by eliminating the grains and other processed foods that have been shown to cause inflammation.
Eliminating unnatural food choices and giving it only what it needs directly correlates to a stronger body by giving it only what your immune system needs to thrive Alleviating Digestion Issues With a Paleo Diet The digestive and bowel conditions listed above can be directly linked to the food choices we eat.
The long-term health effects of grains, additives, and ingredients are the culprits for many of the digestive problems that people today have. Improving Heart Health With a Paleo Diet By incorporating lean proteins, healthy fats, and incorporating the right fruits and vegetables helps regulate blood pressure while maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.
A Focus on Weight Loss & Weight Management
On a Paleo Diet, you'll experience weight & fat loss, while loss while never feeling like you’re starving.
Enhanced Blood Sugar & Energy levels
Adhering to a Paleo Diet helps naturally balance your hormone levels which ultimately leads to better regulation of your overall health.
Cardiovascular, Blood Pressure & Cholesterol Benefits
Improvements in Cardiovascular health including lowered Cholesterol and Blood Pressure levels and conditions associated with autoimmune and inflammatory conditions
What Are the Potential Benefits of a Keto Diet?
Ketosis is a metabolic state in which your body uses stored fat to burn fat. When your body is in a state of Ketosis, your liver turns to fat instead of glucose to fuel itself allowing you to lose fat and potentially experience other health benefits.
Weight Loss
Keto Diets are based on a high-fat, low-carb diet with the main goal being to achieve Ketosis, which allows your body to use fat as its primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates leading to increased weight loss.
Potential Help with Chronic Conditions
While the primary goal of a keto diet is to lose weight, some have experienced a reduction in problems associated with chronic health conditions including diabetes and bowel issues, epilepsy, and others.
"Unlimited" Amounts of Fat
On a Keto Diet, technically you can
consume unlimited amounts of fat without worrying about weight gain however, as we'll discuss later, consuming larger amounts of fats can lead to higher Cholesterol and other associated problems.
Entering the State of Ketosis
Ketosis is a metabolic state in which your body uses stored fat to burn fat. During a state of ketosis, your liver turns to fat instead of glucose to fuel itself.
What is Ketosis?
Ketosis is the term used for the metabolic state experienced in the body that when started, burns fat instead of glucose.
As we mentioned above, during a state of Ketosis, your liver turns to fat instead of glucose to burn energy which can lead to tremendous weight loss.
Careful adherence to the Keto Diet is required to achieve it with a regimen of diet and exercise combined with high-fat, low-carb foods can begin the process.
What Are the Disadvantages of the Keto Diet
While it has a fair number of followers, there have been reports from those who've tried the diet long-term and achieved no success due to the high-level requirements necessary required to enter into a state of Ketosis or who have experienced unique side effects.
In theory, following a Keto Diet plan should help you to burn fat and improve your health but many people who start one, don't know how to follow a real Keto Diet. Incorrect diet plans, lack of meal plans, proper exercise, eliminating potentially harmful foods, and an overall misunderstanding of the diet can lead to weight gain instead of weight loss.
One of the biggest reasons for the Keto Diet is that it requires a very restrictive food regimen, additional dedication as well a higher level of discipline due to being limited to 50 grams of carbohydrates per day.
This is less than the number of carbohydrates most people can consume when eating any other typical healthy diet. Due to the restriction on carbohydrates, most people find that their food cravings increase throughout the day which leads to a higher number of people who leave the diet.
Ketogenic Diets have become very popular in recent years though as we mentioned previously, Keto Diet you eat as much fat as you want without worrying about weight gain.
While we all love fats and don't want to gain weight, consuming high amounts of fat, especially harmful ones whether on a Paleo or Keto Diet, can cause other health effects, and before starting either, you should always consult with your physician before making major nutritional changes.
What Are the Disadvantages of a Paleo Diet?
Starting a Paleo Diet requires a complete rethinking of your normal routines and like most people, you may have a fridge and cupboards full of food that’s certainly not Paleo-friendly. Additionally, changing your diet and purchasing fresh foods and snacks to adhere to your diet doesn’t automatically mean you can eat as much as you want.
While there are overall health benefits to starting and maintaining a Paleo lifestyle, it’s important to remember moderation, especially in your meat, snack, and other food choices.
Dieting Fatigue
Planning & preparing your meals and surrounding yourself with paleo-friendly food options helps you take more control of your health while helping you avoid dieting fatigue. It doesn’t matter what type of diet you’re on, if you get tired of the food choices that you eat, you’re more likely to cheat, or worse binge on something you shouldn’t.
Having plenty of alternatives for your meal and snack choices plays a large part in keeping a healthy mindset while being happy with your food choices
Food Addictions
It's not a conspiracy but a known unspoken truth that any of us can be guilty of binging, but combine that with purposeful ingredients designed to do just that, we keep eating them, no matter what this does to your health. These foods and their ingredients inside keep us eating. Not only food, but a lot of people are also addicted to coffee, soda, and "soft" drinks.
In many instances, people can get headaches if they haven't had their 'caffeine fix' and ultimately go away when you satisfy their body's craving for caffeine. Processed foods & drinks behave the same way by triggering an internal, subconscious response when you go without that item, you can experience severe cravings and physical effects. In a way, processed foods can be on the same addiction level as drugs simply because many are specifically created to keep you coming back for more.
Living a Healthier Lifestyle
Recognizing the food choices you make is the very first step you can take to living, eating, and feeling better, but a consistent effort to better yourself with better eating and fitness habits helps relieve the added burdens on your body that poor nutrition can cause.
We don't want to discourage anyone from making better health choices. At PALEO RANCH, we're committed to making Paleo Snacks & meal replacements that give you convenient and healthier food options that help keep you satisfied while helping guide you to your personal goals.
PALEO SNACKS & MEAL REPLACEMENTS
From great-tasting Paleo Protein Sticks, Jerky, and Chicken Bites to Paleo Diet Bars including Skinny Bars & MEGA BARS, we’re committed to providing the highest quality Paleo snacks & meal replacements that give you the essential nutrients you need.
Find the right Paleo snacks that fit your lifestyle, and your taste buds and keep you wanting to come back for more!
Blueberry & Banana Skinny Bars
Get the perfect balance of flavor with our Blueberry & Banana Skinny Bars.
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Mint Chocolate Chip
Skinny Bars
Mint & chocolate make a satisfying combo for your next break.
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Cherry, Apple & Cashew Skinny Bars
Cherry, Apple, Cashew, all the flavors you love for your next adventure!
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The rise of the use of additives, GMOs, complex ingredients, and processed foods consumed has coincided with the rise of numerous short-term & chronic illnesses. All of our products contain all-natural, non-GMO ingredients to help you make better snack choices throughout your day.
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