If you’re fixated on healthy feeding, you would most likely have heard of the ketogenic (keto), Whole30, and Atkins diets. Let’s compare the dietary differences between the keto, Atkins®, and Whole30® diets, to determine the most appropriate diet for your needs and preferences.
Ketogenic Diet
The idea of the keto diet is that one could achieve ketosis, which is a swerve from using carbohydrates as body fuel to using fats. This is achieved by taking in specific amounts of macronutrients. The keto macronutrient breakdown to be followed is;
- Calories from fats – 70%
- Calories from proteins – 20%
- Calories from carbs – 10%
By limiting your carbohydrate intake and then increasing your fat intake, the body begins the ketosis process, producing ketone bodies from the breakdown of fats in the liver. The keto diet lifestyle involves eating nonstarchy vegetables, eggs, low-glycemic fruits like berries, meats and poultry, and seafood, heart-healthy fats, and full-fat dairy options. Therefore one would avoid processed foods, gluten, grains, starchy vegetables, legumes, and sugars.
Atkins diet
The Atkins diet promotes weight loss by tracking their net carbs, which is the difference between the carb content and fibre content of an item. A low net carb amount is key in the Atkins diet. The categorization of net carbs isn’t structured, and the term is used rather loosely, not fixed. The Atkins program diet consists of four phases
- Induction
- Balancing
- Premaintenance
- Lifetime maintenance
The chief difference between Atkins and keto is that while they both encourage a low-carbohydrate diet, Atkins doesn’t restrict protein consumption nor promote more fat intake. While the Atkins diet is regarded as a solution for weight-loss, keto is intended to make key, long term changes in metabolism.
Whole30 Diet
This program consists of cutting out certain food groups for 30 days. Whole30 dieters avoid added sugars, alcohol, grains, legumes, natural sweeteners, and dairy. Sulphite and carrageenan should also be avoided, even baked goods and processed foods. Slipping up means restarting the food plan from day one.
The exceptions to the rule include clarified butter, natural fruit juices, legumes like green beans, and snow peas, vinegar, coconut aminos, and salt.
The foods recommended include meats and poultry, seafood, eggs, high quantities of vegetables, some fruits, natural fats, and plenty of herbs and spices.
Comparison between these Diet Plans
Now let’s compare these diets, looking at their similarities and differences. All of these diet plans contain low-carbs. Keto and Atkins employ an intentionally low-carb method to eating, but Atkins does not limit the amount of protein, while keto’s protein amount ranges from low to moderate. Another difference is that while Atkins is commonly flaunted as a short-term solution to weight loss, keto dieting is regarded as a lifestyle. Also, the Whole30 diets involve the exclusion of processed foods and grains, well known for their high carbohydrate amount. Atkins® is a registered trademark of Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. while Whole30® is a registered trademark of Thirty & Co, LLC.