The keto and Atkin diet are very famous for eating diet plans. These diets restrict the carb intakes and with the goal of weight loss and improving overall health. It is recommended to eat 200 to 300 grams of carbs for adults.
Both diets involve a significant reduction in the consumption of carbs. And both have the same effects on the body. But there are some differences in the eating plans—the disputes involved in the timing and extent of carbs intake and specific impact on the body.
This article will look at the similarities, differences, and potential benefits or adverse effects or foods involved.
Table of Contents
What are The Keto and Atkins Diet?
The Keto Diet
The keto diet is a trendy eating diet plan with low-carb, high fat, and moderate protein. The person who follows the keto diet must need to eat a low amount of carbs, moderate protein, and high-fat foods.
First, this diet is used to treat children who experienced epilepsy and seizures. But then some researches discovered that the keto diet is also beneficial for others.
The actual goal of the keto diet is to put your body into the state of ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state where your body burns fat instead of carbs. The body runs on the ketones in this position, forming the breakdown of fat in your food or the stored fat in the body.
Below the proportion of daily macronutrient intake in the keto diet:
- 70% to 80% fat
- 20% to 25% protein
- 5% to 10% carbohydrates
While the keto diet, carbs are the source of fuel. The keto diet significantly reduces the amount of carbs daily intakes. So the body can no longer use the carbs for fuel of the body. To achieve and maintain your ketosis goal, people need to restrict their carbs 20 to 50 grams daily. People also monitor their ketones level by breath, urine, and blood test. This diet eliminates grains and legumes.
The Atkins Diet
Like the keto diet, the Atkins diet allows for some carbs, moderate protein, and high-fat meals. Atkins diet is another worldwide famous diet plan. It’s also low carb, high fat, and average protein diet.
However, the Atkins diet evolved to offer a variety of plans. The original version of this diet is Atkins 20 is still a popular diet plan. It divided into four phases distinguished by the number of carbs that a person can eat in a day:
Phase 1: In this phase, only 20 to 25 grams of carbs allowed for the whole day. Until you lose 15 pounds of your goal weight.
Phase 2: This phase allows you to consume 25 to 50 grams of net carbs each day until you lose 10 pounds of your goal weight.
Phase 3: This phase allows you to eat 50 to 80 grams of net carbs throughout the day until you achieve your goal weight and maintain it for one month.
Phase 4: It’s the final phase; you can consume 80 to 100 grams of net carbs in a day for ongoing weight management.
As you get your weight goals while these phases, your carb intakes increase and allow you to consume a greater variety of foods.
Differences in Keto and Atkins Diet
The keto and Atkins both diets have some similarities and also have differences in some respects.
Restrictions
Generally, the keto diet is a more restrictive diet than the Atkins diet.
The keto diet is more emphasis on the elimination of carbohydrates. It restricts the protein sources as the body breaks the protein into glucose for energy. The extensive amount of calories comes from fat.
At first, the Atkins diet restricts the carbs intake and allow for moderate protein intakes. As the person goes through the phases, the Atkins diet becomes a more relaxed diet. Slowly it allows for a great variety of foods and more carbs.
Ketosis
Both diets linked to the state of ketosis.
Therefore, first or sometimes, the second stage involves the carbs restriction, which requires to maintain ketosis state.
If a person follow keto diet strictly, it involves continuous ketosis.
Long Term Viability
There are no suggestions and long term studies that show that restrictive and low carbs diets are healthy for an extended time period. But the opposite may be right.
Research published in 2018 shows the increased risk of mortality among people who follow low carb diets in animal protein and fat.
On the other side, the researchers found that people who follow low carb diets rich in plant sources of fat and protein had a low risk of mortality.
Grains, legumes, nut butter, and plant sources are high in carbohydrates. Therefore, these things are highly restricted in low carb diets. It is dangerous to remain in ketosis for an extended period. Many people are not able to maintain high-fat intakes or extreme carb restriction for the long term.
Origins
Doctors develop the keto diet to treat the child patients of epilepsy. More researches suggest that the keto diet has more benefits since the mid-1990s.
Dr. Robert develops the Atkins diet as a simple low carb approach to nutrition. This diet changed over the year to take it on its four phases.
Similarities
Bothe diet similarities are:
Weight Loss
Most people follow Atkins or keto diet for weight loss. Many studies have shown that both diets can result in weight loss as the body burns fat and puts it into ketosis.
Many relevant studies specify that a low carb diet produces more weight loss instead of the low-fat diet. Both foods produce the same weight loss results. A published study shows that ketosis may help manage obesity and metabolic risk factors that are the forerunner of type 2 diabetes.
Potential Health Benefits
A published study suggests that keto diet protects your body from a certain illness, like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The reduction of carbs in highly processed, high, and excess sugar in the diet may result in these benefits.
There is a come up evidence that these diets may help to treat other issues—these issues such as acne and neurological disorders. But to confirm it requires more research.
Focus on Natural Foods
Both diets do not allow a person to eat processed food. Highly processed foods are the cause of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other health conditions.
Which Diet is Better?
Both diets have numerous benefits and some downsides.
The keto diet is restrictive, and it may difficult to stick to. Limit your protein intake to 20% calories to maintain the low carb and high-fat intakes. It can be challenging, especially for a long time.
Low carb diets are healthy and safe for many people. It is essential to note that high carb diets can focus on whole foods that are only beneficial for health as low carb or high-fat diets.
