The Similarities and Differences Between a Ketogenic Diet and a Paleolithic Diet

Both the keto diet and the paleolithic diet are very popular and have proven themselves to be effective in bringing about fat loss and providing an overall boost to human health.

However, they are not exactly the same, although there are definitely similarities between the two. In case you are trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle with any of the two diets, go through the following points to understand both the similarities and the differences that define these diets.

What is a Ketogenic Diet?

A ketogenic diet focuses on rapid weight loss by reducing one’s regular carb intake significantly and at times, almost completely.

Instead, the person is encouraged to eat a diet that primarily consists of healthy fats. Though it may seem counterintuitive, the objective is to reach ketosis; a transformation within the body that causes the system to break down fat cells for energy, instead of relying on carbohydrates as the primary source of energy.

What is a Paleolithic Diet?

A paleolithic or paleo diet is one which works on the principle that we should eat like our ancestors did millions of years ago. There was no processed food or refined sugar back then and almost everything they ate was fresh, unadulterated, and healthy.

The paleo diet is particularly focused on gut health, so it eliminates all legumes, grains, and most of the dairy products from the menu. The diet is centered around various types of organic fruits, vegetables, and meat.

The Similarities Between Ketogenic and Paleolithic Diet

The similarities between the keto diet and the paleo diet can be listed as the following:

• Both diets dvise against legumes and grains
• Healthy, unsaturated fats from animal sources are encouraged by both the diets
• Leafy greens and non-starchy veggies are part of them both
• Consumption of refined sugar and artificial sweeteners is discouraged

The Differences Between Ketogenic and Paleolithic Diet

While there are similarities, the number of differences is much greater, as you will see below.

• The ketogenic diet is focused on limiting carb intake, while the paleo diet has no such restrictions
• Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and squash are allowed in the paleo diet, unlike in the keto diet
• Natural sweeteners such as honey and maple syrup are part of the paleo diet, but not the keto diet
• The keto diet allows fatty, dairy products while the paleolithic diet mostly eliminates them
• The keto diet is more specific than the paleo diet in terms of maintaining a fat: protein: carb ratio in every meal
• The keto diet is a more focused and relatively short-term diet for rapid weight loss, while the paleo diet is more a long-term, healthy lifestyle choice

The best part of this comparison is that neither of the two diets is better than the other because they are not competing. You can simply adopt the paleo diet as a lifestyle choice and go on the keto diet for a few weeks every now and then to both lose weight and stay that way throughout the year.