For years, people have been trying to find a way to lose weight, get fit, increase energy levels, and live a healthier lifestyle. There is always a new diet that promises to accomplish all of this, and in 2018 some of these new diets have become exceptionally popular. Because of the greater awareness of health and wellness in the past couple of years, people are more concerned than ever on what they are putting in their bodies. The Ketogenic (Keto) diet and the Paleo diet are popular diet trends that promise to help you live a healthier lifestyle, but do they really work?
The first diet, called the Ketogenic diet, is focused on a low carbohydrate and high-fat diet and is very similar to the Atkins diet. This diet involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. Cutting the carbs in your body allows you get into a metabolic state called ketosis. In this state, your body is able to burn fat for energy easily and fat is turned into ketones, which provides energy for the brain. This diet does not restrict your food choice too much, but you have to try eating foods with more fats and proteins. You can still eat most meats, fatty fish, eggs, butter, unprocessed cheese, nuts, berries, avocado, and low carb veggies, but you should avoid any bread, pasta, rice, candy, and alcohol. Studies by the Harvard Medical School, present evidence of faster weight loss in a ketogenic diet than in low-fat diets or a Mediterranean diet. Even though this diet is known to help you lose weight fast and can reduce insulin sensitivity, it is definitely not for everyone. It can cause poor energy, increased hunger, and sleep issues, so it is important to eat until you are full and take mineral supplements when first starting this diet.
The Paleo diet, also known as the ancestral diet, is a diet that is based on eating foods similar to what was eaten during the Paleolithic Age. This diet was first introduced because some scientists believed the human body is genetically mismatched to the modern diet that emerged with farming practices. This idea is called the discordance hypothesis. Many people who support the Paleo diet argue the modern farming and manufacturing is bad for human bodies. If following a Paleo diet, you should be eating protein filled foods and no dairy, grains, sugars, and processed foods. This diet mostly consists of grass-fed meat, seafood, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, eggs, nuts, and natural oils. In recent studies, following this diet resulted in eating almost 500 calories less than a control group (a group eating a normal diet), without intentionally counting calories. In addition, a study by the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found those following a Paleo diet had lower cholesterol levels, insulin levels, and blood pressure. Though there are benefits to eating this way, a restriction of some dairy and carbohydrates can cause some health issues.
Both of these diets do present many benefits and can help you lose weight and live healthier, although, they are not for everyone. It is important to try them and see what is best for you and your body. They are better than low-calorie diets because they do not restrict how much food you are eating. They instead restrict what you are eating. So if you want to try one of these diets, figure out what diet is best for you and keep in mind that it will work best if it becomes a healthy lifestyle habit!