Keto vs Paleo How Are the Diets Different Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Diet & Nutrition Keto vs Paleo How Are the Diets Different By Jessica MigalaMedically Reviewed by Kelly Kennedy, RDNReviewed: October 3, 2022Medically ReviewedKeto is a high-fat, low-carb diet (left), whereas paleo is supposed to be inspired by what our stone-age ancestors ate (right).Shutterstock; iStockThere’s no shortage of people shouting that their diet is better than yours. Two of-the-moment diets right now — keto and paleo — share similarly fierce followers who claim that their plan is best for weight loss and fighting disease. If you’re thinking about trying either, here’s how to choose the diet that will give you the best shot at success and health. What Is the Ketogenic or Keto Diet The most buzzed-about diet of the last few years is keto, which is high in fat (70 to 80 percent of calories), moderate in protein, and very low in carbs (20 to 50 grams [g] per day). While it may seem like it’s new, it’s been used as a medical diet for over a century, having traditionally been used for children with epilepsy. A keto diet shifts your body from a carb-burning one into a fat-burning one, a process called ketosis that produces ketone bodies. It’s these ketones that are thought to act on the brain to prevent seizures, and it’s been shown to control episodes in almost a third of epileptic children, according to Boston Children’s Hospital’s Epilepsy Center. (1) (The medical version of the diet requires an even higher percentage of calories from fat, around 90 percent.)More on Low-Carb Diets for Diabetes Which Low-Carb Diet Is Best for Blood Sugar Management Today, keto is used as a popular weight loss diet. Reducing carbs low enough to hit 20 to 50 g per day means that followers are eating the majority of their calories from fat (avocado, olive oil, cheese, cream, butter, nuts, seeds) and some protein (eggs, meat, fish, seafood) and avoiding most sources of carbs, including grains, legumes, fruit, starchy vegetables, and any sugar. Carbs are eaten in the form of nonstarchy vegetables, like broccoli, leafy greens, and zucchini. As the Harvard Health Blog points out, some people with type 2 diabetes are also using it for blood sugar control. (2) What Is the Paleo or Caveman Diet Approach People who follow paleo opt for foods that some say Paleolithic-era people ate, says Amy Kubal, RDN, a registered dietitian specializing in the paleo diet in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Once eaten in a hunter-gatherer society, a paleo menu consists of “very simple foods like meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and roots and tubers,” she says. On the other hand, you do not eat legumes, grains, most dairy, and refined sugar. Over time, the diet has become less strict, and some groups have expanded it to include foods like honey, maple syrup, or grass-fed butter. “When you focus on whole foods, you’re definitely getting more nutrients, but the real benefit is the processed foods you’re cutting out — something that likely helps you cut calories. As long as this is well planned, you will likely lose weight,” says Kubal. Advocates for paleo also say that by adhering to the diet, you can avoid modern diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, explains U.S. News & World Report, which employs a team of experts to analyze popular diets. (3) That said, the studies that analyze paleo’s cardiovascular or diabetes-prevention benefits are extremely small. More research is needed to verify the diet’s claims. Most Recent in Diet and Nutrition Later Meals Increase Hunger Decrease Calories Burned Zinc 101 Uses Dosage Foods Supplements Risks and More 6 Bugs You Can Eat and Their Health Benefits Whole Grains 101 Health Benefits Nutrition Facts Recipes and More How the Keto Diet and the Paleo Diet Are SimilarWhile they are very different diets, “both use food-group elimination to help guide the overall premise of the diet,” says Jennifer McDaniel, RDN, the owner and founder of McDaniel Nutrition Therapy in Clayton, Missouri. Grains and legumes are off-limits on both diets. Whether keto or paleo, you’ll cut out grains (including whole grains) like bread and pasta, as well as legumes (meaning beans, lentils, peas). Both use fear as an incentive. Then there is the mental aspect, which is hugely important in any diet. “These both use fear messaging,” says McDaniel. Keto teaches you to fear carbs out of the worry that high glucose or insulin levels drive weight gain. Paleo followers will tell you to eat like a caveman because they didn’t have the health issues we do today. “These diets were launched by playing on fears of certain foods and food groups,” she says. The diets eliminate certain foods known to be unhealthy. One positive is that both urge avoidance of processed foods, refined carbs, and large intakes of sugar — something that, when eaten in abundance, can contribute to health problems. 8 Steps Beginners Should Take Before Trying the Keto Diet Before trying the high-fat, low-carb plan, follow these critical steps to set yourself up for success.Article The Main Differences Between the Paleo Diet and the Keto DietHow much fat you eat differs. This is the biggest difference between the diets. “Fat is a condiment in paleo. It is an entrée in keto,” says Kubal. Paleo doesn’t allow dairy and soy, while keto does. But even on the keto diet, certain types of dairy are better than others. For example, flavored yogurt is off-limits, but full-fat plain Greek yogurt is okay occasionally. Meanwhile, you can eat as much high-fat cheese like feta and cheddar as you want. Compared with keto, paleo allows more veggie variety. That means you may do better on paleo if you enjoy eating fruit and starchy vegetables. Before you choose, think about which foods you are okay with giving up. Editor s Picks on Popular Diets A Detailed Paleo Diet Food List of What to Eat and Avoid 11 Health Conditions Keto May Help and 6 It Won t What Are the Benefits and Risks of the Paleo Diet 11 Keto Diet Dangers You Need to Know How Many Carbs Do You Eat on Keto vs Paleo The success of the entire keto diet rests on sticking to a very strict number of carbs per day. Most people put that at 20 to 50 grams of carbs per day. (2) (Note, some people use “net carbs,” which is total carbs minus fiber grams.) Paleo doesn’t have a set guideline. Generally, you will likely be eating fewer carbs than you were before on a standard diet. “When people cut out breads, cookies, crackers, and grains, they may end up eating fewer carbohydrates,” says McDaniel.More on Trying the Keto Diet Keto Made Me Thinner — Here s Why I Quit the Diet On paleo, “carb intake differs for everyone,” says Kubal. In general, Kubal advises clients on paleo to fill half their plate with nonstarchy vegetables, one-quarter with lean protein, and one-quarter with starchy carbs, like sweet potatoes. Which Diet Plan Is Healthier Keto or Paleo First: a disclaimer. “I’ve always said that I don’t think either one will be the diet to solve obesity,” says McDaniel. While she doesn’t endorse either for clients in her private practice, she says that paleo wins out over keto. “It’s easier to follow, and you don’t need to keep your body in a state of ketosis,” she says. As an article on the challenges of the keto diet explains, it’s difficult for adults to reach a true state of “deep ketosis.” (4) Not to mention, as your body adjusts to being in ketosis, you’ll experience unpleasant symptoms such as nausea, headache, fatigue, and constipation — a phenomenon folks call the “keto flu.” McDaniel also says that on paleo, there’s more of an emphasis on a healthy lifestyle, including exercise (especially high-intensity interval training), sleep, and stress reduction, all things that are healthy to focus on.More on the Ketogenic Diet Intermittent Fasting on Keto 101That said, you may be someone with a medical condition whose healthcare team has recommended the keto diet. In that case, working with them to plan the diet and cover any potential nutrient gaps may be exactly what your body needs. “Keto absolutely has a place, but it needs to be less of a quick fix for weight loss and more of a therapeutic diet,” says Kubal. For therapeutic keto programs to help treat type 2 diabetes, Virta Health offers a paid-for service that your health insurance may cover, and the Cleveland Clinic has a similar therapeutic ketogenic program for type 2 diabetes, for instance. Most Popular in Diet and Nutrition 10 Best and Worst Oils for Your Health What Is the 3-Day Military Diet for Weight Loss 10 Healthy Foods That Are Great Sources of Iron 5 Reasons You Should Eat Oatmeal Every Day What to Know When Choosing Between Keto and PaleoTake stock of your lifestyle, personality, and food preferences. “Keto is not easy, and you’re going to eat a lot of fat,” says Kubal. If you are not comfortable essentially slathering your food in fat, the keto diet is not for you. Also, there is no flexibility on keto. While some people do practice ‘cheat days’ on keto, “for some, it can take a long time to get back into ketosis, depending on your body,” says Kubal. You also have to watch protein intake on keto because your body can break down excess protein into glucose, kicking you out of ketosis. If you are going keto, you really have to go all in and commit. At least in the beginning, food should be weighed and measured, and every bite monitored, adds McDaniel. Because of that focus on portions and macros, keto is not recommended for anyone with a personal history of eating disorders, including binge eating disorder. As with any restrictive diet, there’s a risk of gaining weight after. “When you restrict to such a large degree, there’s potential for more of a boomerang in weight compared to when diet changes were done in a more moderate way,” says McDaniel. Restricting often leads to overeating or even bingeing, and this is something to be aware of before you start. Foods Allowed on Keto and PaleoAsparagusAvocadoBroccoliChickenCoconut OilEggsKaleOlive Oil A High-Fat Low-Carb Caveman Diet How to Combine Keto and PaleoPiggybacking off the success of both, an emerging trend combines keto and paleo. And while it naturally features even more restriction (you now avoid soy, dairy, starchy vegetables, and fruit), there is an upside: You’ll likely eat a more nutritious diet by applying paleo principles to a keto diet, says Kubal. A keto-paleo diet is made up of mostly nonstarchy vegetables, protein (meat, fish, eggs), and oil-based fats (olive oil, for example). Another plus is that paleo also emphasizes more grass-fed or free-range meats, or wild fish, and fusing paleo into a keto diet may encourage a dieter to eat higher quality sources of protein, says McDaniel. A Beginner s Guide to a Standard Low-Carb Diet Want to give low-carb eating a whirl? Ease into this eating approach by following this detailed article.Article The Bottom Line on How Keto and Paleo CompareThe decision to go keto or paleo shouldn’t be taken lightly — especially keto, where you may run into problems like the keto flu. It’s worth mentioning also that because both keto and paleo cut out whole food groups, you run the risk of developing nutrient deficiencies on both diets, experts warn. The reality is that when the diet industry sees a trend, it tries to monetize it, says Kubal. “Unfortunately, our society has totally changed both. You can now buy keto bars and shakes, fat bombs, and have paleo brownies. Eating these things on the diet will not get you the results you want,” she explains. Talk to a registered dietitian who is knowledgeable in the diet you choose so that you can ensure you choose foods to maximize nutrient intake in the context of one of these plans. NEWSLETTERS Sign up for our Diet and Nutrition Newsletter SubscribeBy subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking Epilepsy in Children. Boston Children’s Hospital.Ketogenic Diet: Is the Ultimate Low-Carb Diet Good for You? Harvard Health Publishing. August 9, 2022.Castaneda R, Urban A. A Guide to the Paleo Diet. U.S. News & World Report. September 16, 2022.Chodosh S. Sorry, Keto Fans, You’re Probably Not in Ketosis. Popular Science. 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