Keto, Paleo, Vegan: Which diet works for you?
Do you want better health? Longevity? More energy? Searching hard for the world’s most perfect diet?
Paleo. Vegan. Ketogenic. In recent years these diets have grown exponentially in popularity, spinning off a new variety of supplements and products catering to those who follow them. They have become buzzwords constantly being thrown around in the media, all of them promising to provide you with the best health results possible.
People’s heads swim while they try to discern correct information about these diets. Some commonly asked questions include:
What are each diet’s strengths and weaknesses?
Are there any health risks associated with them?
Which supplements should I take with them?
Could one of these diets be right for you? We have done our own research and here are the results we have parsed out.
Ketogenic Diet: Where Fat Is Fabulous
This diet is defined by its commitment to fat: dietary fats, that is. In fact, followers of a ketogenic diet eat about 80 percent fat, compared to about 15 percent protein, and 5 percent carbohydrates. This is what separates it from other high protein/low-carbohydrate diets. The reason why ketogenic followers eat all this fat is because it puts you in a state called “ketosis”. In ketosis your liver starts using all of that fat for making ketones, an alternate fuel source, rather than having your body use its usual fuel source, glucose. According to followers this is what keeps you slim and trim while on the diet.
Strengths
Recognized since the 1920’s as a way to help prevent seizures, the keto diet is known for its strong therapeutic benefits. It also has been proposed as a tool to help people with issues as diverse as Alzheimer's to managing Type 2 diabetes, with some promising research showing its potential to manage various health conditions. Followers report impressive weight loss results.
Weaknesses
Although there is plenty of anecdotal information on the web about its weight loss benefits, studies have shown mixed results. Some studies showed dramatic weight loss in participants, while others showed strong weight loss in the beginning that tapers off later. People on this diet in the long term can suffer from other complications, too: kidney stones, constipation, and bone fractures among them.
If You're Going Keto, Buy This
Garden of Life MCT Oil. MCT stands for medium chain triglycerides, a type of fat that makes it easier for your body to maintain ketosis. Another great option one can try is Enzymedica Lypo-Gold, the perfect enzyme to help with fat metabolism.
Paleo Diet: Eating Like Our Ancestors
This diet is defined by its caveman mentality. While most folk are concerned with the diet of the future, paleo folk are obsessed with the diet of the past. That is the very, very distant past: approximately 2 million years ago.
The term Paleo is used to refer to a group of foodies who eat according to how they believe our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate before the dawn of modern agriculture. Paleo enthusiasts believe when farming was introduced and societies became more agrarian, many gut-destroying foods were introduced into our diets.
Since none of us were alive during this time period, there is no consensus on how people ate back then. Considering this, it is not surprising to see there is some variation in practice among enthusiasts. However, most will agree that grass-fed meats and organic veggies are in; while grains, dairy and legumes are out.
The reason these food groups have been singled out by the paleo community is not only because practitioners believe this is how ancient paleo-folk really ate, but that the real-time nutrients (or, antinutrients in the case of grains, dairy, and legumes) in these foods affect how our bodies process them today.
Paleo peeps also forgo most modern processing methods with their foods; preferring to make almost everything they eat in their kitchen completely from scratch, from mayonnaise to bone broths.
Strengths
Studies have shown paleo to improve both blood pressure measurements and blood sugar scores. Anecdotal evidence points to improvement for autoimmune conditions, and many have found it helpful to lose weight.
Weaknesses
Get used to spending a lot of time in your kitchen; everything is made from scratch in the paleo diet, á la the Stone Age era. Seriously though, how can you hate on some mortar and pestle bump and grind? Also, there are a lot of food groups missing in this diet plan, so scientists worry about long-term nutrient deficiencies.
If You're Going Paleo, Buy This
Ancient Nutrition Pure Bone Broth Protein, which is a type of protein powder you can reconstitute into an ever so popular bone broth, and Nature’s Plus Paleo Protein, a paleo lover’s idea of a quick meal.
Vegan Diet: Plants Only
The vegan diet eschews animal protein of all stripes. When followed properly, a vegan avoids not just meat, but eliminates eggs, honey, dairy products AND anything containing these byproducts as well.
Vegans shed meat for a variety of reasons. Some choose it to protest against what they perceive to be the unfair treatment of animals by the modern-day meat industry, which by many accounts can often be callous and cruel, and sometimes even unsanitary. Yet others choose it strictly on the basis of improving their health.
In place of meat most vegans create a space on their plates for all varieties of vegetables, legumes and grains. Infinitely creative, vegans are also not afraid to experiment with a variety of items from the plant kingdom to recreate the comfort foods from their childhood that they may crave. Favorite recipes I’ve stumbled upon include vegetable lasagna with cashew cheese, pureéd walnut “meat” balls, and macaroni and “cheese”, with nutritional yeast served up as a cheese substitute.
Strengths
The vegan diet ranks very highly in terms of health statistics. It is a diet where there has been an extensive amount of research done. A 2009 study in the The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded, “Vegans tend to be thinner, have lower serum cholesterol, and lower blood pressure, reducing their risk of heart disease.” Another 2017 meta-analysis featured in Critical Reviews of Food Science and Nutrition reports a reduced risk of cancer in those following a vegan diet.
Weaknesses
According to that same 2009 study, it is lacking in B12, iron, zinc and calcium. One can close the nutritional gaps with the right supplements. Some also find the diet too restrictive. With the vegan diet, it may require superhuman strength just to stay on the diet.
If You're Going Vegan, Buy This
Country Life’s Methyl B12, a B12 that’s methylated for better absorption, and also certified vegan by the American Vegetarian Association (AVA). Garden of Life “My Kind” Organics Plant Calcium. These vegan supplements can replace much needed nutrients.
Find What Works For You
Vegan is tops for being the most widely studied, but it’s generally agreed upon that one cannot remain healthy for long on this diet without supplementation. The paleo diet has not been studied for a long period of time and may lack the nutrients that we need, but scientists are seeing a big bump up in health statistics from the practitioners of this diet. Keto has great therapeutic benefits too, but can create health difficulties when followed long term such as constipation and kidney stones.
History has show us that humans are infinitely adaptable and can survive a variety of eating arrangements. Just think about how different the diets of the Inuit in the Canadian Arctic and the Yanomami of the Venezuelan rainforest are. According to a variety of sources, all of these diets have pros and cons. Maybe there is simply no such thing as a perfect diet. As with everything else, do your research and find what works best for you and your body.
The information in this article is for general educational purposes only, and should not be construed or interpreted as medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical condition or treatment, and before undertaking a new heathcare regimen. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article or any linked materials.