A keto diet is one of the most searched for diet plans on the internet. People often turn to this as an effective way of weight loss. While most people start with a traditional ketogenic plan, others are interested in combining the power of ketosis with other eating styles, like paleo.
A paleo keto diet plan gathers the best of both worlds. You get a low-carb meal plan focusing on the foods that you are allowed in a paleo eating plan.
In this article, we discuss the benefits, drawbacks, foods to eat and avoid, and a sample one-day paleo ketogenic meal plan to get you started on the right foot.
A paleo ketogenic plan is a low-carb, moderate protein, and high-fat approach that includes only those foods you can eat on the paleolithic diet. It has the following macronutrient breakdown: 5-10% carbs, 20% proteins, and 70-80% fats.
While paleo keto macros are the same as a traditional ketogenic approach, the main focus is on the type of foods you can or cannot eat, based on the foods that our ancestors apparently ate when they were hunters and gatherers. Thus, foods like dairy, legumes, or sugars are avoided.
This type of eating pattern is not suitable for insulin-dependent people, or those who are pregnant or lactating. Always check with your doctor before changing your diet.
Both the paleo and keto diets have several health benefits. Here is a list of the most common health benefits you can obtain when combining the two:
While there are several benefits to following a low-carb paleo program, there are also some drawbacks that you might want to consider. Here is a list of the most common:
Whenever you consider making a drastic change in your diet, make sure that you consult with your healthcare providers to ensure that you are suitable to follow this type of meal plan. Once they give you the go-ahead, you can begin to:
The foods that are allowed need to be both keto-friendly and paleo. First, let’s talk about those foods that you can eat.
Since it is a paleo ketogenic plan, it’s important to consume high-fat products to ensure that you are getting enough energy during the day. Most fats are allowed, including nuts, seeds, some oils, and avocado.
Fats made by humans, like hydrogenated oil (like margarine) are not allowed in this eating plan. Other types of fats not allowed are soybean oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, and corn oil.
Legumes and grains are also restricted in this meal plan. Both because they are high in carbs, and also because they are also foods that our ancestors didn’t have. Thus, things made with wheat, barley, rye, spelt, beans, lentils, and chickpeas are not allowed. Anything made from pasta, bread, or pastries is also not allowed.
Carbs allowed are potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, turnips, fruits, and vegetables. Make sure that you include a diverse selection. Choose different colored fruits and veggies to have different nutrients and avoid deficiencies.
Most protein sources are allowed. This means that you can eat chicken, meat, fish, seafood, and eggs. The only protein source that you need to avoid is anything from dairy products (yogurt, cheese, butter, cream cheese).
You can have any herb or spice that is natural and without any added sugar. These allow you to give your foods an extra boost of flavor and allow you to have variety throughout the week.
Finally, sugars and artificial sweeteners are not allowed. You cannot have stevia, monk fruit, sucralose, or sugar alcohol. Sugars, honey, and syrups are not allowed either.
Highly processed or industrialized foods are not allowed, since our ancestors did not have access to these while hunting or gathering. Therefore, you want to focus on eating whole, natural foods.
Now that we know which foods we can consume and which ones we need to avoid. It is time to restock our fridge and pantry. Here is a shopping list to help you in this process.
Produce
Fats
Proteins
Condiments
To help you get started, here is a one-day paleo keto meal plan. You can adjust the portions according to your goals or make any changes in the ingredients according to your taste.
1,966 calories | Macros: 43.9 g net carbs – 100.4 g protein – 142.8 g fats
If you have any more questions about this lifestyle, take a look and see what other people are asking, and click to see the answers.
Yes, you can lose weight, but you need to be in a caloric deficit. This means eating less than your body needs to maintain. Following this plan can help since you are eating lots of healthy fats and moderate amounts of protein, both of which can keep you feeling full for longer.
Yes, they are a great quick breakfast. Simply whisk up some eggs, add the veggies of your choice, and pour the mixture into a muffin tin (don’t fill them all the way up because the egg will expand). Pop them in the oven for about 20 minutes and they are ready to go!
Mix several nuts (almonds, walnuts) and seeds (pumpkin, chia, hemp). Just remember that sugars are not allowed in this eating plan.
Yes, you can mix both strategies. Making a meal plan is recommended to ensure that you get a variety of healthy nutrients every time you eat. Also, don’t forget to drink water throughout the day, even when fasting.
No. While it is good for keto because it offers no significant calories or carb content, it is not considered paleo.
No, dairy products are not allowed due to the paleo guidelines. This means no cheese, yogurt, butter, sour cream, cream cheese, milk, cream, or any other product that comes from dairy.
Clean keto
Low-carb and dairy-free
Plant-based ketogenic eating