Embracing a Paleo diet is a lifestyle shift towards embracing whole, unprocessed foods that mirror the diet of our ancestors. This guide is your roadmap to the world of Paleo, offering practical insights to transform your eating habits into ones that support and nourish your body whilst avoiding some common pitfalls of an overly-strict Paleo diet.

What is the Paleo Diet?

The Paleo Diet, short for Paleolithic Diet, is a diet plan based on foods similar to what might have been eaten during the Paleolithic era, which dates from approximately 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago. 

Obviously, we don’t know exactlyIn recent years, two diets have been gaining in popularity for their potential health benefits: the Paleo diet and the Keto diet. In the article, we’ll explain the similarities and differences between these two diets and help you to decide which, if either, of these diets would suit your nutritional goals.

The Keto Diet

The keto diet simply means eating fat instead of carbs for energy.  Keto is short for ketogenic, which means the genesis of ketones. When we eat carbs, we break them down into sugar. When we eat fats, we break them down into ketones. If we are burning primarily fat for energy, our body is in a state of ketosis.

The keto diet focuses on eating a very specific balance of macronutrients, with the goal of entering into ketosis. 

In terms of nutrition, a keto diet means limiting carbs to less than 50 grams per day, which translates to roughly 10% of calories from carbs, 20% from protein, and 70% from fat. Consuming foods with this macronutrient ratio causes our bodies to burn fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates, meaning it’s a simple, though not necessarily easy, way to burn body fat more efficiently.

The Paleo Diet

The Paleo Diet, short for Paleolithic Diet, is a diet plan based on foods similar to what might have been eaten during the Paleolithic era, which dates from approximately 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago.

Obviously, we don’t know exactly what our paleolithic ancestors ate on a daily basis. It is likely that they thrived on various diets, depending on seasonality, where in the world they lived and a host of other factors.

For that reason, the Paleo diet is generally not seen as a strict diet with highly specific rules that must be followed. However, it is generally agreed that the Paleo formula focuses on unprocessed foods such as meat, seafood, eggs, veggies, fruits, potatoes, nuts, healthy fats, and spices while avoiding refined sugar. Many people following a Paleo diet will also include other healthy, natural foods like grass-fed butter and gluten-free grains.

The idea behind the Paleo Diet is that eating unprocessed foods that are closer to those consumed by early humans may lead to improved health and weight loss.

What do the Keto and Paleo diets have in common?

Both of these eating plans share several similarities, including:

• Both emphasize whole foods: Both diets encourage eating natural, unprocessed foods that are closer to their original form, avoiding heavily processed products. While processed foods are outright banned in a paleo diet, they are technically allowed in a keto diet as long as they do not contain sugar or carbohydrates, which could interfere with the body’s ability to reach ketosis.
• Both eliminate grains and legumes: Both diets promote the complete elimination of all grains and legumes. The rationale from a paleo perspective is that this food type was unlikely part of our ancestors’ diet, while from a keto perspective, they are excluded due to their high carbohydrate content.
• Both emphasize healthy fats: Healthy fats are another shared feature of both diets. Each one highlights the importance of incorporating fats like those found in avocados, nuts, seeds, and animal-based products.
• Both frown upon added sugar: The intake of added sugars is restricted in both diets. In the keto diet, sugar is not allowed, except for non-caloric sweeteners. The paleo diet is, again, slightly less restrictive allowing some natural sugars, like honey or maple syrup.
• Both promote similar protein sources: Typically, the primary sources of protein on a keto diet are animal proteins like eggs, beef, pork, poultry, and seafood as they are low in carbs. A typical paleo diet focuses on those same protein sources as well as some nuts and seeds.

From a health benefit perspective, people tend to follow each diet for similar reasons, including:

• Managing weight
• Regulation of blood sugar levels
• Reducing inflammation
• Boosting general health

The flip-side of all of these potential benefits is that both Ketogenic and Paleo diets can be very difficult to sustain for long periods of time given their restrictive nature.

Key differences between keto and paleo diets

Despite their similarities, the two diets are not the same. They differ in their goals and execution in some key ways, for example:

• Outlook: The Paleo diet is built around an ideology of eating as close as possible to what our ancestors did, focusing on whole, unprocessed foods. Keto, on the other hand, is focused on specific macronutrient ratios to achieve and maintain ketosis.
• Macronutrient Ratios: Keto is strict with its macronutrient ratios. The bulk of your daily calories comes from fats, with a moderate amount of protein and very low carbohydrates. Paleo doesn’t specify ratios but allows a broader intake of certain food types like fruits and vegetables.
• Carbohydrates: Keto restricts carbohydrate intake to as low as 20-50 grams per day, while Paleo is less restrictive, allowing for a moderate level of carbs.
• Fruits and Vegetables: While both diets encourage consuming vegetables, Keto is more restrictive, focusing on non-starchy vegetables like leafy greens. Paleo encourages a variety of vegetables and fruits, including those higher in natural sugars and starches.
• Dairy: In a keto diet, dairy can be consumed, especially high-fat dairy products such as butter, cream, and cheese (if tolerated). The Paleo diet, however, does not allow dairy products as they were not available during the Paleolithic era.

Side by Side Comparison: Keto vs Paleo Diet

Keto vs Paleo – Which is Most Suitable for You?

Hopefully the information above has helped to give you an overview of the differences and similarities of both diets. When it comes to choosing between Keto and Paleo, the choice really depends on your personal goals and lifestyle preferences.

• If your main goal is weight loss through fat burning, Keto may be more suitable as its focus on ketosis can help accelerate fat loss for some people.
• If you prefer a more flexible approach focused on whole foods and don't want to track macronutrients or enter ketosis, Paleo could be the better choice. It offers more variety, particularly in terms of fruits and vegetables.
• Consider your activity level -  those who engage in high-intensity workouts may find the Paleo diet provides better fuel due to its allowance of more carbohydrates, while the low-carb nature of Keto might not support intense exercise as well.

Ultimately, both diets can lead to health benefits, but the best option depends on your individual needs, goals, and how you want to structure your eating habits. 

Want to know more about Keto or Paleo?

Browse more diet insights and tips in our diet hubs below:

• Keto diet hub 
• Paleo diet hub

Or check out our range of chef-prepared keto and paleo meals.

Note: Before making a significant dietary change, it’s important to consult a dietitian or nutritionist to receive guidance on maintaining a balanced diet and address any specific health concerns you may have.