Low Carb vs. Keto: Which One Is Right For You?
If you’re reading this blog post, I have a sneaking suspicion that your real question is: “which diet will help me lose weight faster?” Am I right?! Well, no matter why you’re here, I’m thinking the content below will help you make your decision. Keep reading to see what the main differences are between the two diets, including their benefits to you.
Keep in mind- both diets focus on carbohydrate restriction but differ in amounts. Proteins should always be moderate (not too high or too low), and fats will be higher for both. It’s ALWAYS recommended to eat as much fresh and whole food possible, always include green veggies, and always use the best ingredients possible when cooking. Download the free keto diet handout to see my food lists for best choices.
Ketogenic diet basics
Keto macro ranges can vary slightly, what’s important is to get in to ketosis
Why I love recommending keto: my favorite reasons are for weight loss, reversing diabetes and reducing hunger. Being in ketosis balances hunger hormones and seems to just turn off hunger. It’s definitely a strict diet because absolutely NO cheating is allowed, but if you’re an “all or nothing” person, it will work great for you. The “rules” are clear and somehow knowing that you can’t break them helps you stick to them. See the list of benefits below to learn more about why keto could be great for you.
What is keto: When you’re on a low carb diet like keto, carbohydrates are not available for fuel and your cells begin to "burn" fat instead. The byproducts of fat metabolism are ketones, hence the name of the diet. The body enters nutritional ketosis which is a safe state of metabolism to be in compared to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA is a dangerous state for diabetics and is often confused with nutritional ketosis. They are not the same, this research can explain.
Diet goals : 65-75% healthy fats, 20-25% quality proteins, & 5-10% carbohydrates.
Tracking what you eat every day in an app like Carb Manager is your best bet for understanding if you’re reaching your macro goals. Guessing doesn’t work!
If you want to learn exactly how to do keto, sign up for free keto diet instructions I wrote, just for you 💗.
Ketone goals: Measuring ketone levels confirms if you are in ketosis.
The most accurate test is a blood meter that measures beta-hydroxybutyrate (ketone bodies). Goal range = 1.5-3.0 mmol. Keto Mojo is affordable and popular.
A less accurate test is with urine strips. At first they will report ketosis but eventually the body uses ketones efficiently and reduces amount spilled into urine, thus giving false negative readings. Refer to the package instructions to see if you're in ketosis via the color strip reference.
Benefits: You will have an increase in mitochondrial function and therefore increase in:
Energy levels
Mental function/clarity
Weight loss & fat burning
Hunger hormones reset hence cravings are reduced
Decreased systemic inflammation
Normalize cholesterol levels (as long as you don’t have genetically high cholesterol)
Not for everyone. Ketosis is not for everybody, but really you won’t know unless you experiment with it. Definitely don't do this when you're pregnant or if you have an eating disorder. Also, not everyone can tolerate the high amount of fat (especially after gallbladder removal or pancreatic inefficiencies), so start low with the fat and increase slowly to test it. Digestive enzymes with lipase help break down fat. I will say, however, that many people who can’t tolerate unhealthy fats (like from fried or highly processed foods) still do fine with healthy fats. If you’re not sure, just email me and ask.
Low Carb Diet Basics
The macros for this food plan are still low in carbs, but not as low as the keto plan. There is more leniency for sure.
Why I love recommending low carb diets: This plan lets you have more carbs than the ketogenic diet, which is neither a good or bad thing. It’s an incredibly do-able “lifestyle diet” because it’s something that’s 100% safe to follow forever. This diet can help with weight loss, reduction in food cravings, reverse diabetes, reduce cholesterol levels and decrease inflammation.
Diet goals : 55-65% healthy fats, 20-25% quality proteins, & 15-20% carbohydrates.
Total carbohydrate goal is ~90 gms daily. You still want to eat moderate protein (like on keto) and slightly higher fats than normal.
This method requires tracking food using a tool like the Carb Manager app or a journal. This is really the only way to know what you’re consuming in a day and can therefore reach your goals.
Nutrients lacking on keto that you need to work on getting in your diet: fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, potassium-rich foods and adequate sodium.
Benefits:
Decrease in systemic inflammation
Weight loss
Increase in energy & brain function
Reduction in cravings
Increased feelings of satiety
It's a safe diet for just about anyone at any age aside from special circumstances or health conditions
Just about anyone can follow this diet. This food plan should really be thought of as a normal diet. Unless you have severe metabolic issues that require you to consume a lot of carbs in a day, watching carb intake is smart for anyone to follow! Humans consume WAY TOO MANY carbs in the form of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and grains. Carbohydrates turn into glucose in the bloodstream, and when blood glucose is too high for too long, our body has trouble fixing the problem. This is when diabetes, obesity, inflammation, high cholesterol, fatigue, hormonal imbalance and pain start to set in. Limiting carbs is the smartest thing anyone can do to prevent or start to reverse these issues, I see it happen with my patients all the time!!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Weight loss is 75% mental and 25% food choices. If you are deciding between keto and low-carb, check in with your mental state and see which plan makes the most sense for you. Pick what sounds easiest because you are more likely to stick with that! I’m serious!
If you’ve never done either diet, consider starting on a low carb plan and see how successful you are with that. Sometimes this is enough to get all the results you need without having to go keto.
Keto is not better than low-carb, you don’t have to do what everyone else is doing! lol. Keto is an amazing medical tool for the right people, but might not feel good to you. If you don’t feel well doing keto, you should stop it and talk to a dietitian that focuses on the ketogenic diet.
I can’t tell you enough, track your food if you’re just starting out on either of these diets. Everyone thinks they know how to guess at what they’re eating, but they are ALWAYS shocked at what they learn when they start tracking. Get your measuring cups and scales out….it’s what all the biggest losers do!
OK friends, that’s all I’ve got for you today. Thanks for reading! If you loved this BLOG, share it, yo 🫶🏽