Paleo vs. Keto

Paleo diet

This diet is also known as the caveman, stone-age or ancient diet. This diet has been followed by our ancestors and it is said that the human body from our ancestral times' to now, has been accustomed to follow a paleo diet. The basic logic behind following a paleo diet is: if our ancestors did not eat it, why should we?

Following a paleo diet eliminates all processed and refined foods that have become our staple food of sorts.

Foods to be consumed while following a paleo diet:

*    Meat

*    Eggs

*    Fruits

*    Vegetables

*    Fish

*    Nuts and seeds

*    Tubers

Foods that cannot be consumed while following a paleo diet:

*    Artificial sweeteners

*    Trans fats

*    Sugar

*    Grains

*    Legumes

*    Dairy products that have been labeled as 'low-fat'

Benefits of following a paleo diet:

*    Weight loss

*    Reduced triglyceride levels

*    Improved blood pressure

*    Improved fasting blood sugar

Risk factors that are associated with following a paleo diet are:

*    Missing out on key nutrients

*    Reduced levels of calcium and vitamin D in the body

*    Increase in the chances of developing cardiovascular diseases

*    Increased chances of developing osteoporosis

*    Increased cholesterol levels

*    Increase in the chances of developing heart diseases

Paleo diet can be followed by:

*    Those who need to count the number of calories and macronutrients

*    To help manage type 2 diabetes

Keto diet

The ketogenic diet was first defined to help treat epilepsy. It is a very strict diet of low-carbs and high-fats. Following this diet has many health benefits. Out of the 4 types under the ketogenic diet, 2 are followed to aid in losing weight and 2 are followed by bodybuilders and athletes.

Types of keto diet:

*    Standard ketogenic diet: consists of 5% of fats, 20% of moderate-proteins, and 75% of high-fats.

*    Cyclic ketogenic diet: Here higher-carbs are reefed for a certain number days in the week and replaced with high-carbs for a few days in a week. As in, 5 days of higher-carbs are consumed and 2 days of high-carbs are consumed.

*    Targeted ketogenic diet: In this type of diet carbs are added without any workouts.

*    High-protein ketogenic diet: This diet is rather similar to that of standard ketogenic diet, except that this diet consists of more proteins. Consisting of 60% of fats, 35% of proteins, and 5% of carbs.

Of these 4 diets that come under a keto diet, the standard ketogenic diet and high-protein ketogenic diet is followed by those who want to lose weight. Whereas, cyclic ketogenic diet and targeted ketogenic diet are followed by bodybuilders and athletes.

Foods that are keto-friendly:

*    Seafood

*    Meat and poultry

*    Plain Greek yogurt and cottage cheese

*    Berries

Foods that do not come under a keto diet:

*    Sugar

*    Grains

*    Trans fats

*    Fruits

Benefits of following a keto diet:

*    Weight loss.

*    A steady supply of energy.

*    Fewer hunger pangs, once the body has become used to the diet.

Health benefits of following the keto diet:

*    Reduce the symptoms of progression of Alzheimer's diseases.

*    Managing the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

*    Can reduce concussions and speed up brain injury recovery.

*    The keto diet is prescribed to help treat some kinds of cancers.

*    Following a keto diet can help in reducing the frequency of seizures in epileptic patients.

Side effects of following the keto diet:

*    Keto flu

*    Dehydration

Risk factors associated with following a keto diet:

*    Feeling hungrier in the initial stages of the diet or if the diet does not suit an individual.

*    Several vitamins and mineral deviancy.

*    Risk of consuming unhealthy trans and saturated fats.

*    Kidney stones.

Who is the keto diet suitable for:

*    The keto diet is suitable for those who wish to reduce their weight.

Who is not suitable to follow a keto diet:

*    Those who have any kind of kidney damage.

*    Those who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

*    For those who have a higher risk of developing heart diseases.

*    For those who have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.