Paleo Diet Plan Vs A Low Carb Diet Plan

If you’re trying to lose weight through dieting, you’ve probably heard of low carb diets and you’ve probably heard of the Paleo Diet.

You’ve also probably thought that the Paleo Diet plan is just another low carb diet like the Atkins Diet. There are subtle differences, however, that make the Paleo Diet easier to stick to and healthier for you.

The Difference Between a Paleo Diet Plan and a Low Carb Diet

Similarity: No Grains

It’s easy to see why people think that the Paleo Diet is a low carb diet. After all, it’s a lower carb diet than many of us are currently eating. That’s largely because the Paleo Diet and low carb diets both heavily restrict grains, though for different reasons.

Grains are found in breads, pastas, baked goods, breakfast cereal, and a whole lot of other foods, and they’re a major source of carbohydrates, as well as fiber and minerals – if you’re eating whole grain. While whole grain is better for you than processed grains, both are high in carbs and both are entirely forbidden by the Paleo Diet and virtually off the table for low carb diets.

Difference: Carbs

The first area in which the Paleo Diet differs from low carb diets is that the Paleo Diet isn’t exactly a low carb diet, though it might seem like one at first. Low carb diets try to help you to lose weight by restricting carbohydrates – natural starches and sugars that your body uses for energy. There are a couple of problems with this approach, however.

The first is that carbohydrates are good for you, especially if you get them in moderation and if you’re also exercising to lose weight – which you should be.

The second big problem with low carb diets is that carbs aren’t only in junk food, they’re also in healthy foods like fruits and some vegetables that also contain other important nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The end result is that many people on low carb diets can run into problems with nutrient deficiencies, gastrointestinal problems, and other illnesses because they’re basically eating nothing but meat and some vegetables.

How Is The Paleo Diet Plan Different?

The Paleo Diet plan exists on the premise that carbs aren’t the problem. It’s refined foods, processed foods, and grains are the problem. This opens up all kinds of menu items, especially fruits and vegetables. This means that it’s easier for your body to get the carbohydrates that it needs to exercise without getting too many carbohydrates, and you can get a lot more of the vitamins and minerals that are in fruits and vegetables that you can’t eat on low carb diets.

Difference: Artificial and Processed Foods

Another key difference between the Paleo Diet and low carb diets is that because the Paleo Diet sees refined foods and processed foods as the problem rather than carbs, there are fewer loopholes in the Paleo Diet than in low carb diets.

The best example of this is probably diet soda. Diet soda has all of the sugar removed meaning that it doesn’t have carbs. That sugar is replaced with artificial sweeteners and diet soda is still full of artificial colors, flavors and preservatives that might make it just as bad as regular soda. Because diet soda has no carbs, it is allowed on low carb diets, even though it’s bad for you. Because diet soda is artificial, it’s not allowed on the Paleo Diet.

Try The 30 Day Paleo Diet Plan

In the end, the Paleo Diet restricts carbohydrates, but it’s not a low carb diet at heart. The idea of low carb diets is merely to reduce carbs, while the idea of the Paleo Diet is to return your diet to that of humans prior to the agricultural revolution. The most significant difference between the two is that it is hard to live without carbs and the Paleo Diet doesn’t ask you to, it merely forces you to consider where those carbs are coming from.

The 30 Day Guide to Paleo is a fool-proof meal plan and guidebook for anyone that wishes to give the Paleo Diet an honest try for 30 days. Adopting a new way of eating can be challenging, but this vastly simplified guide provides instant access to over 180 delicious, easy-to-make Paleo recipes!