Unless you’ve been living on the moon recently, you’ve likely encountered or even tried the Paleo or Keto diet, whether for shedding some kilos or other health reasons. And if you’re now shifting uncomfortably in your seat because you still don’t understand the actual difference between the two, rest assured—you’re not alone.
These two diets have gained momentum in popularity and promise to lead to weight loss, each in its own unique way. While they may seem like two sisters from the same family, advocating meat consumption and limiting carbohydrates, significant differences can affect the speed and effectiveness of weight loss. To better understand which one might deliver quicker results and which is more suitable for you, let’s first delve into the essence of the Paleo vs. Keto diets. From there, we can move forward and decide:
Paleo vs. Keto: Which Diet Leads to Faster Weight Loss?
What is the Paleo Diet?
Let’s take a moment to travel back in time, far back to an era when our ancient ancestors lived close to nature, hunting and foraging for everything they needed to survive. In those days, terms like “added sugars” and “preservatives” were completely absent from the lexicon! This is precisely the concept behind the Paleo diet—to return to living in harmony with nature through a simple and nourishing diet, where food was free of preservatives, sweeteners, and other additives found in processed foods—factors that may naturally lead to weight loss. And I know you’re waiting for the catch… Paleo vs. Keto—which aids weight loss more? Don’t worry, a little patience and we’ll get there.
So, what do we eat on the Paleo diet, aptly named “the caveman diet”? Well, the Paleo menu invites us to venture into the forests to hunt the leanest meat available, or the freshest fish from the nearest river, to roam the fields and gather fresh vegetables and fruits. To be more specific, I’ve prepared a list of foods that are part of the Paleo diet.
In the Paleo diet, it is recommended to consume:
Meat, poultry, fish – Prefer lean meats and ensure they are not overly processed.
Eggs – Although there is generally no absolute restriction, some protocols limit the daily amount of eggs.
Vegetables – Most fresh vegetables are allowed, but there are restrictions on certain types such as cruciferous vegetables. The reason is that cruciferous vegetables contain goitrogens, which inhibit iodine absorption, potentially harming and slowing thyroid gland activity. In the prehistoric environment, when these substances were needed for body health, their effect was necessary; however, today, with a diverse and complete diet, the Paleo approach allows us to avoid them without concern.
Fruits – Fresh fruits are allowed, but it is advisable to avoid dried fruits that have been processed, which obviously increases their concentrated sugar content.
Nuts and almonds – What I call “nature’s candy” are allowed, but in moderation, and their consumption should be measured.
Why are calories restricted in the Paleo diet?
Today, our refrigerator seems to be one of the most coveted and comforting places. But in ancient humans, there were no refrigerators, and searching for food was a matter of hunting and foraging based on our actual sensations of hunger and satiety. The people who lived in ancient times couldn’t just open a refrigerator door and choose from various sausages and chocolates. They consumed what nature offered, and only when the body demanded energy.
The Paleo diet restricts food intake based on a simple and wise idea. The idea is not to eat until we explode and can’t move from the couch but to eat until we feel a pleasant fullness in our stomach, to consume what the body needs and when it needs it. As logical as it sounds, in the 21st century, this idea is almost a nutritional revolution.
Therefore, the restriction on nuts and almonds in this diet is not just because they are calorie-dense but also because they are so tasty and easy to overeat, even when we are not truly hungry. The difference between eating because it is available and eating because it is necessary because we are starving is the key to understanding a balanced and healthy diet.
Just as ancient humans wouldn’t have posted reels on Instagram while hunting, we shouldn’t snack while watching Netflix. The Paleo diet invites us to reconsider what, when, and how much we eat—not out of habit but out of real need and physical health.
In the Paleo diet, it is recommended to avoid:
Processed food – All types of food that have undergone extensive chemical or physical processing, which of course includes sweetened beverages and confections.
Sugar – Sugar should not be added to foods or beverages.
Grains and legumes – These two food types were unavailable to ancient humans and are not part of the diet. Before the agricultural revolution, the grains and legumes that existed in ancient times were wild versions of the plants we know today and were likely harder to process and consume in large quantities, if at all.
Dairy products – Most Paleo diet protocols prohibit the consumption of dairy products, although some allow consuming fatty dairy products in small amounts, such as butter or ghee.
What is the Ketogenic Diet?
The ketogenic diet, or “keto” for short, is based on a fundamental principle that harks back to the days of early humans—only this time, they would have relied on fats as their primary energy source. Like the Paleo approach, the goal is to return to a more natural diet, but keto emphasizes minimal carbohydrates and maximum fats. To understand the foundation of the keto diet, it’s important to know that our body has two types of fuels—the first, glucose, found in carbohydrates, and the second—fat, with the preferred fuel for the body being glucose, simply because it is easier for the body to burn glucose than fat. In other words, as long as the body has glucose, it will use it to generate energy, not fat.
Therefore, the aim of this diet is to bring the body into a state of ketosis, a metabolic state where the body operates on burning fats instead of glucose. This is a process in which the body produces ketone bodies from accumulated fat and uses them as the primary fuel. Ketone bodies are chemical compounds that the body produces when it consumes very low amounts of carbohydrates and begins to burn fats as the main energy source instead of glucose. Practically speaking, similar to the Paleo diet, weight loss is experienced. The big question is—Paleo vs. Keto—which will help us lose more weight? The answer is just around the corner…
In the ketogenic diet, consumption focuses on:
Fats and oils – Butter, ghee, olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil.
Proteins – Fatty meats, fish, poultry, and eggs. These serve as the main sources of protein and also provide healthy fats.
Non-starchy vegetables, which means low in carbohydrates – All types of greens, herbs, leafy vegetables such as spinach and arugula, as well as mushrooms, green beans, zucchinis, and cruciferous vegetables. What else? Onions, garlic, asparagus, sprouts, and artichokes. Other vegetables like cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and peppers in all colors, although they contain more carbohydrates than other vegetables on the list, can be consumed in moderation as long as you do not overdo the quantities.
Why are starchy vegetables avoided in the ketogenic diet?
Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, beets, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, and corn, contain higher amounts of starch, a type of complex carbohydrate. Starch breaks down into glucose in the body; hence, these vegetables are not included in the ketogenic diet.
In the ketogenic diet, the following are avoided:
Carbohydrates – All types of bread, cereals, rice, pasta, and of course, sugars of any kind.
Dairy products – Especially cheeses and milk, contain high amounts of carbohydrates and sugar.
Fruits – Most fruits are forbidden due to their high sugar content, except for low-carbohydrate fruits like avocados and berries.
It is crucial to understand that the ketogenic diet is very “strict”; it requires precise and sophisticated accuracy, as any deviation from the allowed amount of carbohydrates (typically less than 20 to 50 grams per day) can remove the body from a state of ketosis, which negates the main advantage of the diet – fat burning and weight loss.
Paleo vs. Keto: Which Diet is Better for Weight Loss?
At last, we’ve reached the most intriguing part of our discussion—comparing Paleo vs. Keto diets, particularly in how each influences weight loss. Both the Paleo and Keto diets are nutritional approaches that have gained significant popularity in recent years, with each aiming to alter the way we think about food and energy. Each focuses on enhancing health and facilitating weight loss through targeted diets, yet they emphasize entirely different aspects.
I’ve organized the key points into various categories to clarify the differences and simplify understanding. This will allow you to quickly see the unique features of each diet. Let’s begin:
The inception of the Diets:
Paleo Diet
The Paleo diet became more widely known in the 1970s but gained substantial popularity with the publication of “The Paleo Diet” by Loren Cordain in 2002. The diet is based on the premise that our ancient ancestors consumed certain foods available to them before the agricultural revolution and that our bodies are optimized for this diet. However, it spread primarily as more people sought more natural ways to eat and avoid processed foods, as part of a broader holistic health approach.
Keto Diet
The ketogenic diet began in the 1920s as a treatment for children with epilepsy who did not respond to medications. The diet became widely known in the 1990s with the Atkins Diet, which emphasized low carbohydrate intake. The modern Keto diet has gained immense popularity recently as part of a growing trend to enable weight loss and improve control over diabetes and other metabolic diseases while maintaining high energy levels and sustained satiety.
One significant difference is that the modern Keto diet was initially designed to aid in weight loss, whereas Paleo was intended to improve general health, not necessarily weight loss, although it certainly helps with that, too.
Structure of the Diets:
Paleo Diet mimics the historical diet of ancient humans, focusing on foods that were accessible through hunting, gathering, and foraging. It encourages eating meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds, while restricting grains, legumes, dairy products, processed foods, and added sugars.
Keto Diet insists on a low intake of carbohydrates — less than 50 grams per day—to induce a state of ketosis where the body burns fat instead of glucose for energy. The diet is rich in fats and moderate in proteins, and very restrictive in carbohydrate consumption.
Allowed and Forbidden Foods:
While both diets restrict grains and processed foods, there are differences in the lists of allowed and forbidden foods. Paleo does not allow legumes and dairy products, whereas the Keto diet may include fatty dairy products like cheeses and cream. Fruits are unrestricted in Paleo, but in Keto, only low-carbohydrate fruits such as berries are permitted in limited quantities.
Carbohydrates and Fats:
The most significant difference is in the approach to carbohydrates and fats: Paleo does not permanently restrict carbohydrates but cleans the diet of processed carbohydrates, whereas Keto requires deficient carbohydrate intake and high-fat consumption to maintain ketosis.
Okay, we’ve understood the differences but still haven’t received a definitive answer. So, what’s the verdict? Paleo vs. Keto: Which diet is the best for weight loss?
Maximizing Weight Loss: Paleo vs. Keto Compared
Weight Loss with the Paleo Diet
The Paleo Diet focuses on consuming whole, natural foods while avoiding grains, processed sugars, and processed foods. The idea is that a nutrient-rich diet low in processed carbohydrates will lead to greater satiety and lower calorie consumption. Studies have found that this diet can lead to weight loss by improving metabolism and insulin sensitivity. The Paleolithic diet is known for its ability to induce both short-term and long-term weight loss, mainly when consistent adherence is maintained and a high satiety level is achieved.
In 2014, a study titled “Long-term effects of a Palaeolithic-type diet in obese postmenopausal women: a 2-year randomized trial” was published in the “European Journal of Clinical Nutrition”. The study examined the effects of the Paleo diet on postmenopausal women. The findings showed that women who adhered to this diet experienced significant weight loss and improved lipid profiles. Here is a more detailed breakdown of the study:
The study involved 70 obese postmenopausal women (average age 60). The participants were randomly assigned to follow either the Paleo diet or the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR) for two years. The NNRs are dietary guidelines designed to promote a healthy lifestyle in the Nordic countries. The primary outcome measured was the change in fat mass.
Study results:
Both groups showed a significant reduction in fat mass after six months – the first group, which adhered to the Paleo diet, showed a fat mass reduction of 6.5 kg. The second group, which followed the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations, showed a less significant reduction of 2.6 kg in fat mass, and similarly after 24 months (-4.6 and -2.9 kg respectively), with a more pronounced reduction in the Paleo group after six months. Waist circumference decreased in both groups, with a more significant decrease in the Paleo group after six months. Triglyceride levels decreased more significantly in the Paleo group at both the 6 and 24-month measurements.
Weight Loss with the Ketogenic Diet
The ketogenic diet, or “keto” for short, focuses on reducing carbohydrate intake in favor of increasing fat consumption, which leads the body into a state of ketosis. In this state, the body burns fat as its primary energy source. Studies examining the effects of the keto diet on weight loss have found it to be very effective in the short term for reducing weight, including improvements in lipid profiles and insulin levels.
In 2004, a well-known study published in the journal “Experimental & Clinical Cardiology” titled “Long-term effects of a ketogenic diet in obese patients” examined the impacts of the keto diet on obese patients over 24 weeks. The study included 83 subjects with high body fat (BMI over 35), including men and women of various ages. Here are the details of the study:
Participants adhered to a diet that limited carbohydrate intake to about 30 grams per day, focusing on high fat and protein consumption to achieve a state of ketosis, where the body burns fat as the primary energy source instead of carbohydrates.
Study results:
After 24 weeks, the subjects following the ketogenic diet showed significant weight loss and reductions in BMI measures. There were also improvements in triglyceride levels, HDL (the “good” cholesterol), and blood pressure.
In Summary – Exploring Weight Loss Benefits: Paleo vs. Keto
Comparing the two diets – paleo vs. keto, the ketogenic diet is considered more effective for rapid weight loss in the short term, primarily due to the ketosis state where the body produces ketone bodies and burns fats. However, it’s important to remember that this diet requires persistence and precise management of food intake and can be challenging to maintain over time. On the other hand, the Paleo diet is considered healthier and more effective for long-term weight management because it encourages a more balanced eating of whole foods. The idea is to maintain a lifestyle in the long run, which is what we are ultimately seeking. Therefore, in my humble opinion, for those to whom these diets are suitable and match their lifestyle, there is no reason not to start with the ketogenic diet short-term to boost weight loss and then transition to the Paleo diet, which is easier to sustain over time.
