Whole30 vs Paleo vs Keto: What’s the Difference?

Maybe you are looking at Whole30, Paleo, and Keto diet plans and trying to decide which is right for you. It might be a good idea just to know the basics of each to understand what the differences are between Whole30 vs Paleo vs Keto and how it might fit into your life.

When finding a healthy diet that is right for you, it’s important to compare Whole30, Paleo, and Keto diets so you feel as great as you look. There are many different diet plans, but three of the most popular are currently the Whole30 diet, the Paleo diet, and the Keto diet.

Each operates with one goal in mind: to help you lose weight and eat healthy every single day. Taking a look at each one (Whole30 vs. Paleo vs. Keto), you start to see the differences, and that can help you make a decision.

That decision will always lead to weight loss goals and a healthier lifestyle, but it’s important that you get there the right way. 

Whole30 vs Paleo vs Keto: What’s the Difference?

Whole30 was developed as a short-term reset of your metabolism in order to help you reset your body, lose fat, rid yourself of cravings and encourage long-term change in your health and habits. 

The goal of Whole30 is to eliminate all inflammatory foods from your diet for a full 30 days. This includes all sugar, fruit, grains, dairy, legumes, alcohol, and corn/seed oils.

The emphasis in Whole30 is on lean proteins and non-starchy vegetables. It also advises against attempting to recreate favorite foods, like muffins or fried chicken, in a Whole30-compliant form.

Alcohol is not permitted since the body turns it into sugar. This is the strictest of the three plans detailed here, but it’s “just” for 30 days. The creators of Whole30 claim that certain foods could negatively impact your health without you even realizing it.

Symptoms such as digestive problems, allergies, chronic illness and aches, and pains can be directly related to the food you eat. They propose that eliminating these inflammatory and illness-causing foods from your diet for a full 30 days will not just help you lose weight but have the potential to change your life.

As its name suggests, this is a strict 30-day eating plan designed to cleanse your body, improve gut health, and give you a long-term path to wellness. If you slip up, even on accident, the program’s rules state that you must start again from Day 1.

This makes it much more rigid than the Keto and Paleo plans.

Whole30 vs Paleo vs Keto | Paleo

Going paleo, rather than Whole30, for the short-term won’t do as much good. The Paleo approach isn’t meant to be a quick cleanse or diet. It’s a lifestyle change that requires continuous commitment.

If you want to maintain a healthy diet and overall wellness with some flexibility, or if you are dealing with autoimmune or gut health issues, a Paleo plan might be a good choice.

Paleo, like Whole30, eliminates grains, legumes, and dairy (with the exception of grass-fed butter and ghee). It is heavy on lean proteins and healthy fats and allows for fruits and vegetables.

Refined sugars are not allowed; however, alternative sweeteners, such as raw honey, can be used in minimal amounts. There is a big emphasis in Paleo on the quality of your food.

Grass-fed, pasture-raised, organic-fed meats and wild-caught fish, are more similar in nature to how our ancestors ate and therefore healthier and easier for our bodies to recognize as food.

This is not something that is stressed in Whole30 or in the Keto diet. Also, unlike Whole30, Paleo will allow you to recreate some of your favorite “processed” foods.

You have to do it in a Paleo-friendly form. Alcohol is permitted in small amounts (as long as it is a gluten-free choice because of the no-grains rule).

Whole30 vs Paleo vs Keto | Keto

If you want to lose weight, increase energy and focus, and deal with blood sugar issues that can cause brain fog and energy crashes, the Keto diet may be the answer.

Keto is the lowest in carbs and the highest-fat diet of the three. There is an emphasis on raising Ketones in your body with low carb diets. Keto can be followed short-term, like Whole30, but in many ways is more similar to following a Paleo plan.

The Ketogenic diet’s premise is that you restrict carb intake until the body achieves Ketosis, a natural metabolic state the body enters when food intake is low, like during a fast.

During Ketosis, the body turns to fat as its main fuel source. This results in burning fat quicker and without having to fast. Only the Keto diet focuses on raising the level of Ketones in the body to achieve the desired result.

Keto Continued

Eating Keto basically means following a low carb version of the Paleo diet. There is less emphasis on food quality or sustainability and more on avoiding all carbohydrates.

Keto does allow for no-carb sugar substitutes like Stevia, which would be a no-no on Paleo. Fats are a big part of Keto. It is arguably the highest-fat diet of the three and includes saturated fats (animal fat, butter, and coconut oil), monounsaturated fats (avocado and olive oil), and polyunsaturated fats from animal sources, including seafood. And cheese lovers, rejoice!  

Keto allows for moderate amounts of full-fat cheese. Similar to Paleo, some alcohol is permitted, including vodka, tequila, gin, whiskey, rum, and scotch. You need to avoid beer, wine, and sugary cocktail mixes.

Having a clear idea of the differences in the length of the plan, the commitment involved, and your specific health and nutrition goals is the first step in determining which of these diets to follow.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to weight loss. However, you should always follow the rules of the plan you are following. But never forget to listen to what your body is telling you.

Only you will know what makes you feel great and helps you live your best life!

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