The Paleolithic (Paleo) and ketogenic (keto) diets are two prevalent dietary management strategies in this age of ever-increasing understanding of how our food impacts our health and weight. So which one of these viral diets is actually better? Be sure to read the blog in its entirety to find out the difference between Paleo and Keto diets and which one is best for you! What is the Paleo Diet, and how does it work? The Paleo diet tries to return our eating patterns one million years ago to those of our hunter-gatherer cavemen ancestors. It is founded on the premise that the human body has not evolved at the same rate as the human diet has changed over the previous 10,000 years, and as a result, many of the foods we eat now are unsuitable for us. In addition, industrialization and agriculture (animals and food) have resulted in a larger availability of highly refined and processed foods laced with hormones and antibiotics. This imbalance is considered to have a role in the high prevalence of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity in the developed world. Dietary Advice Some of the things that commercial Paleo diets promote and exclude differ slightly. In general, they adhere to the following guidelines: What you should eat: Fruits/Vegetables Seeds and nuts Meat that is low in fat (especially grass-fed or wild animals) Fish (especially those high in omega-3 fatty acids, e.g., salmon) Nut oils are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids (e.g., olive) What to stay away from: Cereals (e.g., wheat, oats, barley) Legume is a kind of legume (beans, peas, lentils, and peanuts) Products derived from milk Sugar that has been refined Food that has been highly processed Salt Root veggies that aren’t supposed to be cooked (e.g., potatoes) Benefits The Paleo diet encourages nutritious, natural foods such as fruit, vegetables, and nuts, which promotes healthy eating. Unfortunately, no randomized clinical trials compare the Paleo diet to other diets. Early data shows, however, that the Paleo diet: It has similar weight-loss effects to the widely-studied Mediterranean diet, improves all-cause and cancer-related mortality, and lowers oxidative stress. In overweight, postmenopausal women, decreased lipogenesis, increased insulin sensitivity, and lower circulating triglycerides were found. More study is needed to comprehend the long-term health consequences of the paleo diet fully. Concerns The total prohibition of items typically seen as healthful is a big problem with the Paleo diet. For example, fiber is found in whole grains and legumes, vitamins and other minerals in fruits and vegetables, and protein and calcium are found in dairy products. Clinical research has not successfully demonstrated the impact of removing these nutrients from the diet. These items are also less expensive than the advised organic meat or nuts. As a result, some people may find the Paleo diet too costly to continue for a lengthy period of time. Researchers also wonder if the Paleo diet’s idea oversimplifies the link between people and their nutritional adaptation. Other factors to consider are: * Other variables, such as location, temperature, and food supply, have affected changes in human diets in addition to farming. * A recent anthropological study has revealed that our forefathers ate a predominantly plant-based (rather than meat-based) diet, contrary to conventional perception. * Up to 30,000 years ago, long before cultivation, early human diets may have included wild grains; * Beyond the Paleolithic era, humans have undergone evolutionary genetic changes, some of which appear to be tied to nutrition, such as a rise in the number of genes involved in the breakdown of dietary carbohydrates. What is the Keto Diet, and how does it work? A ketogenic diet is aimed to drive the body to transition from glucose to fat as its primary energy source. It has a high-fat content, a moderate protein content, and a shallow carbohydrate content. The body must move from glucose as its principal energy source by drastically lowering carbohydrate consumption. Significantly less insulin is released, and catabolism is promoted when the body gets less than 50g of carbohydrate each day. Once glycogen reserves are depleted, energy must be obtained by breaking down glucose from noncarbohydrate sources such as lactic acid, glycerol, alanine, and glutamine (gluconeogenesis). When these reserves are depleted, and the body can no longer meet glucose demands, the body turns to ketone bodies for energy. Fatty acids are converted to beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetone during ketogenesis, the fundamental ketone molecules required for energy during “nutritional ketosis.” As long as the body is deprived of carbs and other sources of glucose, it will stay in a ketotic condition. As a result, protein consumption must be restricted to avoid endogenous glucose synthesis via gluconeogenesis. There are no restrictions on fat or total daily calories, though. Because ketone bodies are created in modest amounts and do not affect blood pH, this is thought to be relatively safe. Therefore, it should not be confused with ketoacidosis, a life-threatening illness caused by the buildup of excessively high levels of ketone bodies in the blood, resulting in acidosis. Dietary Advice About 55 percent to 60 percent of the calories consumed are fat, 30 percent to 35 percent are protein, and 5 percent to 10% are carbs. So the most challenging thing is frequently getting adequate fat without going overboard on protein. What you should eat: * A daily carbohydrate intake of less than 50g is recommended. Many people limit themselves to 30 grams of carbs per day to increase their chances of staying in ketosis. * Protein in a moderate amount (40-50g for women, 50-60g for men) * An excess of fat * Leafy greens, tomatoes, asparagus, and broccoli are low-carb veggies. * Fatty meats with the skin on, such as pig belly, lamb, and fowl * Mackerel, salmon, tuna, sardines, trout, and herring are examples of fish. * Full-fat dairy products and cream * Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, flax seeds, walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts, but not cashews, have much greater carbohydrate content than other nuts and seeds. What to stay away from: * Potatoes, parsnips, beets, and sweetcorn are examples of starchy root vegetables. * Dairy products with low fat * Some dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, or cheese, have a high lactose or protein content. Benefits Ketone bodies have been found to aid weight reduction, lower blood glucose levels, and minimize people’s dependency on diabetic medication when used as a fuel source. In general, research has revealed: * Diabetic patients have lower blood glucose levels, which means they are less reliant on their diabetes medication. * High blood pressure can be treated by lowering your blood pressure. * Triglyceride levels are lower. * HDL cholesterol levels have risen (a good sign of heart health) * Mental performance has improved. Furthermore, ketone bodies: The heart, muscles, kidneys, and even the brain may use it to produce energy. More adenosine triphosphate (cell fuel) is produced than glucose. Reduce free radical damage while increasing antioxidant capability. Concerns Essential factors to consider, as well as potential negative consequences: * Ketones cannot be used for energy by red blood cells or the liver. * The basal metabolic rate, body mass index, and body fat percentage influence ketone body production. * The keto flu is a phrase used to describe a group of short-term adverse symptoms that generally go away within a few weeks. Nausea, vomiting, headaches, exhaustion, disorientation, sleeplessness, poor exercise tolerance, and constipation are symptoms. * While the ketogenic diet’s short-term effects (up to two years) are well-known, nothing is known regarding its long-term impacts. Hepatic steatosis, hypoproteinemia, kidney stones, and vitamin and mineral deficits are only a few. * Diabetes patients with severe hypoglycemia * Pancreatitis, liver failure, abnormalities of lipid metabolism, primary carnitine insufficiency, carnitine palmitoyl transferase deficiency, carnitine translocase deficiency, porphyrias, or pyruvate kinase deficiency are all contraindications to the ketogenic diet. * Acetone can be converted to isopropanol in the body, resulting in a false positive alcohol breath test result. In a Nutshell: Paleo vs. Keto The Paleo diet focuses on eating whole, unprocessed foods, whereas the keto diet focuses on keeping insulin levels low and ketones high. While each diet is based on a distinct belief, they all have a few things in common. Both diets emphasize consuming healthy, wholesome, natural foods while limiting sugar and processed carbohydrate consumption. Neither needs calorie restriction, and adherents have the opportunity to drink as much as they want of the suggested foods, within reason. On the other hand, the ketogenic diet necessitates more careful monitoring and dietary limitation to maintain the proper nutritional balance. Recent epidemiological studies have debunked traditional beliefs that high-fat diets induce obesity and other ailments (e.g., coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancer). Animal studies, on the other hand, often show the opposite. According to a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies, low-carbohydrate diets resulted in much more weight reduction than low-fat diets. Low-fat diets were also more effective in preserving a person’s basal metabolic rate. While these results are more closely linked with the ketogenic diet aims, they may also be applied to a paleo-focused diet. Both diets appear to offer health advantages that go beyond weight reduction and include diabetes, coronary heart disease, and hypertension, among other medical disorders. Their sudden growth in popularity is undoubtedly a consequence of adherents’ immediate improvements, but their long-term impacts have yet to be determined. What do you think about these viral diets, drop your thoughts in the comment section.
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