Low Carb or Keto?
Low-carb and Ketogenic (Keto) diets are two ways of intentionally focusing your diet on restricting carbs. This kind of diet induces weight loss, which can have varying knock-on health benefits such as improved blood pressure and cardiovascular performance. This is not to mention t
he bonus benefit of a leaner physique. Many also claim a more stable, sustained energy level without heavy carbs and the visceral fat reduction can help improve or maintain organ health and function! Both diets also have their own specific benefits. But, you may wonder, if both types of diet focus on reduced carbohydrate intake then what, if anything, sets them apart? The main difference between these diets is carbohydrate intake. On a low carb diet, you typically eat 50–150 grams of carbs per day, but on the keto diet, daily carb intake is restricted to fewer than 50 grams. Another main difference is protein intake. With low carb diets, protein intake may be high, but with keto diets, protein intake should be moderate at around 20% of total calories. This is because excessive protein intake can prevent ketosis.
Additionally, fat intake tends to be significantly higher on the keto diet, as fats replace carbs and protein. The goal is to reach nutritional ketosis. In this state, your body produces ketones from fat in your liver and uses fat as its main fuel source instead of carbs. This induces significant weight loss. While Keto provides more rapid and extreme results, it is extremely restrictive a
nd may not be beneficial for long periods due to common cases of constipation and fatigue, with an extreme adjustment period. On the other hand, a low-carb diet is much easier to maintain, and has a much less extreme adaptation period. The less restrictive nature also makes it easier to adhere to long term in a practical sense. For most people, these benefits far outweigh the slower rate of weight loss. These pro
s and cons should always be considered before trying one of these diets. One should also take into consideration any health problems, as both diets affect insulin sensitivity and the reduced fibre intake can have repercussions on the digestive system. In any case, switching between short term keto periods and long term low carb periods seems like the answer for anyone looking to seriously change their weight. However, for a more healthy long term diet, the Low Carb diet with a higher protein intake and lower fats would make for a great lifestyle change for most people.
