If the most popular low-carb diets were ranked, the ketogenic diet and the Atkins diet would be neck and neck. “They both follow carbohydrate restriction,” says Erin Dolinski, RD, a clinical dietitian specialist at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan.
We’re not just talking about cutting back on the bad-for-you carbs — the donuts, cupcakes, and cookies — but even things like fruit and some veggies. Limiting carbs as much as these diets require puts the body into ketosis, which means the body turns to fat for fuel once its glucose stores are depleted. Ketosis plays a role in each of the diets but in different ways, which could affect how sustainable the diet is in the long run.
Keto vs. Atkins: What’s the Difference?
If you been reading all about the ketogenic diet and feeling a little déjà vu, you’re not alone. The high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet sounds a lot like the Atkins Diet, which was developed by the late cardiologist Robert Atkins in the ’70s and took off again in the early 2000s. There are some fundamental differences between the two, however. Let the keto vs Atkins diet showdown begin.
The Similarities Between Keto Vs. Atkins
“The most obvious similarity is they’re both about carb restriction,” says Kelly McGrane, M.S., R.D., founder of The Healthy Toast in Denver. Another similarity is that you’re not counting calories on either one; it’s more about macronutrient distribution. And for most people, consuming very little carbs is drastically different than their typical diet, so both can lead to weight loss.
“Both diets advocate for impressive weight loss quickly,” says McGrane, “but there are really no good studies showing that long-term weight loss sticks with either one of them.”
When you’re just starting out, there’s a good chance either diet will make you feel less than stellar at first. “If you’ve been eating a lot of carbs, you’re likely to feel sluggish and even shaky when you dramatically lower them,” says McGrane.
Keto and Atkins each recommend eating as many whole foods as possible (i.e., not falling into the trap of “dirty keto,”), yet technically, they can both be followed by eating indulgent foods like bacon, full-fat cheese, and processed low-carb packaged snacks, so “it really depends on how the individual is doing it,” says McGrane. There are ways to make eating on either diet healthier, such as swapping in salmon for ribeye, which will give you more vitamins. “Anything—even if it’s healthy—in excess, can be too much for the body,” she says.
The Differences Between Keto Vs. Atkins
While you’re not sticking to a specific caloric intake on either program, following keto does require precisely calculating where your calories are coming from, which is 70-80 percent from fat, followed by 15-20 percent protein and just 5 percent from carbohydrates, says McGrane. A key difference between keto vs. Atkins here is that on keto, you can’t eat too much protein because it can be broken down into glucose, which is typically the body’s source of fuel, “and the whole point is you have to be breaking down fat to get energy” to be in ketosis, she notes.
Atkins doesn’t restrict protein. The classic Atkins 20 Diet is broken into four stages. The initial phase—which is basically a ketogenic diet—includes meat, fish, chicken and shellfish; eggs; fats like butter and olive oil; cheese; and low-carb vegetables. As you progress through the diet and reach stage four, however, you’re able to introduce more foods back in, such as fruit, starchy vegetables (sweet potatoes, corn, beets) and whole grains (quinoa, whole-wheat bread, oatmeal), gradually increasing your daily carb intake.
Keto, on the other hand, eliminates any fruits, and you don’t get to add complex carbs (like sweet potatoes) back in—ever—like you can on Atkins, says McGrane. Overall, keto ends up feeling a lot more restrictive as your food choices remain limited as long as you’re on the diet.
Keto Vs. Atkins: Beyond Weight Loss
While keto and Atkins are touted as weight-loss diets, both have been advertised as treatments for a wide range of diseases, including type 2 diabetes.
A claim of the Atkins diet is that low-carb diets can dramatically improve blood glucose control and insulin resistance, which makes it a good choice for patients who need this; yet a study published in Nutrition & Metabolism found that a ketogenic diet actually led to greater improvements in glycemic control than a low-glycemic diet (like Atkins). Another published review found that very low-carb diets, such as keto, resulted in better improvements in blood sugar control, weight loss, and medication reliance compared with other diets.
The Bottom Line On Keto Vs. Atkins
McGrane doesn’t recommend either diet in the long term, because they require cutting out major food groups. She says women following keto or Atkins can face “very real nutrient deficiencies,” and that keto isn’t the best diet for building muscle “because if you’re truly following it, you’re likely to have lower energy levels,” at least in the beginning.
However, if you’re someone who tends to reach for a lot of sugary, processed snacks, following one of these can be a good *short-term* solution to clean up your diet, says McGrane. In the long term, it comes down to choosing a diet that can become a lifestyle for you, rather than looking for a quick fix.
Top 15 Natural Foods That Curb Hunger and Fight Cravings
Do you get hungry when you’re trying to lose weight? Many of us do. But smart eaters know that if you get enough fiber in your diet the hunger is more likely to go away. And healthy eaters also know that natural foods are a great source of fiber.
But dieters beware. Some high fiber foods are also high in fat and high in calories. If you want to curb your hunger and lose weight, use this list of natural foods for weight loss that are high in fiber but low in calories and low in fat. You’ll find all of them at your local grocery store and they are easy to carry with you for a quick, diet-friendly snack when you’re on the go. (All nutrition information values are rounded to a near value confirmed current through the USDA FoodData Central database1 or the MyFitnessPal app.2)
1. Radishes
Radishes are a dieter’s friend because they are crunchy, packed with flavor and very low in calories. The fat-free veggie is also easy to store in the refrigerator and easy to pack when you need a snack on the go.
Radishes aren’t the highest fiber vegetable, but you get 2-3 grams of fiber for every 20 calories (about 9 radishes) that you consume. If you don’t like to eat radishes alone, chop them up and add them to your salad to give it a spicy pop of flavor. You can even cook radishes and eat them as a healthy side dish.
2. Chickpeas
Chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, are one of the most versatile high-fiber foods. A half cup of the hearty bean provides about 140 calories and almost 6 grams of fiber.
If you love the nutty taste of chickpeas, you can eat them alone or as a side dish. But many cooks like to use them in recipes. I use them to make low-calorie hummus (without the tahini). You can also add garbanzo beans to soups and salads or make chickpea poppers as a snack.
3. Guava
Guava is a delicious tropical fruit that provides up to 45 calories and up to five grams of fiber per medium fruit. Guavas can be eaten raw but many people who are trying to lose weight use them to make a healthy smoothie.
To make a smoothie with guava, combine any part of the fruit (all of it is edible!) with berries or citrus fruit. Strawberries and pineapple pair well with guava. Add dairy like skim milk or yogurt if you want, but you don’t have to. You can even add spinach for a healthy dose of protein and even more fiber!
4. Pears
Got a sweet tooth? A pear will satisfy your craving and deliver a healthy dose of fiber. A small ripe pear only has 85 calories but provides 5 grams of fiber.
Some shoppers avoid pears because they are tricky to store. And if you end up throwing them in the trash, then the cost isn’t worth it. But if you pick and store pears properly they can actually keep for months.
5. Celery
Celery has a well-worn reputation as a diet staple. But there is a reason that smart dieters keep this veggie in the crisper. It’s cheap, it’s versatile, and it’s super low in calories. Celery is also a good source of dietary fiber.
A medium stalk of celery has just 6 calories and one gram of fiber. That doesn’t sound like a lot of fiber, but if you consider all the ways you can use celery, those fiber grams can add up quickly.
Chop up celery and add it to a veggie omelet in the morning for breakfast. Pack two or three stalks to munch on at lunch. You can even make cream of celery soup for dinner. Use white beans (more fiber!) instead of heavy cream to cut the calories and keep the soup smooth.
6. Hearts of Palm
This crisp vegetable is new to many healthy eaters. At the grocery store, you’re more likely to find them in the canned vegetable aisle than in the produce department. Although if you can find and prepare the fresh variety, you’ll probably be able to decrease the sodium content and get a cleaner taste.
A full cup of hearts of palm (canned) has only 41 calories and provides about 4 grams of fiber. Many people compare the taste to asparagus or artichokes so they are easy to chop up and add to salads. They can also be cooked with lemon as a side dish. To keep the calories in control, use chicken stock instead of butter when you cook them.
7. Frozen Berries
If you’re on a budget while you’re trying to lose weight, you might avoid the high-priced packages of fresh berries in the produce department. But you can still keep berries in your diet. Just buy them in the freezer aisle instead.
Frozen berries are a great source of fiber as well as other healthy nutrients. Frozen unsweetened blackberries, for example, have 97 calories per cup and 8 grams of fiber. Frozen raspberries contain just 64 calories and 8 grams of fiber.
So what’s the best way to eat frozen berries? Make a low calorie, high fiber smoothie! This Berry Orange Smoothie recipe is from The Shred Diet Cookbook.
- 2 large oranges, peeled, chopped
- 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
- 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
- 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
- 6 ice cubes
The recipe serves 2 and contains only 134 calories per serving and 8 grams of fiber.
8. White Beans
Smart cooks and savvy dieters keep white beans on hand in the kitchen. Of course, almost all beans are healthy sources of fiber, but I like white beans because they are more versatile.
A half-cup serving of white beans provides 150 calories and 6 grams of fiber. You also get up to 10 grams of protein in that serving of beans.
You can throw whole white beans into soups and salads, but you may wish to puree white beans and add them to your soup recipes. Most cream soup recipes (like the cream of celery soup mentioned earlier) have heavy cream or butter added to get the smooth texture. Skip the high-fat dairy products and use pureed white beans instead. It’s easy to do and delicious.
9. Rye Crackers with Veggies
Many smart eaters choose whole grain bread to increase their fiber intake. But did you know that you can get more fiber and fewer calories with crackers? It’s true, but you have to choose the right crackers.
A single slice of homemade or artisan whole grain bread provides about 130-150 calories, 2 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber. But a single serving of Light Rye Crackers from Ry Krisp provides only 46 calories, 2 grams of fiber and zero fat.
For a fiber-rich lunch, grab 4 crackers (2 servings) to get 4 grams of fiber. Then layer on sliced red peppers (also a good source of dietary fiber) low-calorie hummus, and herbs for a fiber-packed meal.
10. Peas
Frozen peas aren’t the fanciest vegetable, but they are packed with fiber; they’re cheap and they are super easy to store in the freezer and use in a pinch.
A single half-cup serving of peas provides 62 calories and 4.4 grams of fiber. You’ll also benefit from over 4 grams of protein when you eat a serving of peas.
Add peas to salads or other recipes, even when they aren’t on the ingredients list. Peas have a soft flavor that blends well with everything. And they’re tasty on their own!
11. Jicama
Have you heard of jicama? It’s popular in some parts of the country and hard to find in others. But this crunchy sweet root vegetable is worth finding if you’re trying to lose weight with fiber. One small raw jicama provides 140 calories, 3 grams of protein, and a whopping 18 grams of fiber.
Not sure what to do with jicama? You can peel and slice the veggie and eat it just like you would eat a carrot. It also makes a great addition to spring and summer salads.
12. Spinach
Spinach is a diet superfood for many reasons. This leafy green vegetable is so versatile and packed with nutrition. A one-cup serving of cooked spinach provides about 65 calories, 7 grams of fiber, and almost 8 grams of protein. If you’re serious about losing weight, you should always keep a bag of spinach on hand.
13. Acorn Squash
Many squash varieties provide fiber, but acorn squash is a favorite because it is easy to find in the produce section, and it’s generally inexpensive and easy to prepare.
One half acorn squash provides about 85 calories, 3.25 grams of fiber and even 1.75 grams of protein.
Acorn squash is great for dieters who love comfort food. This naturally sweet warm food is a great replacement for other high starch foods like potatoes or pasta.
What the best way to prepare acorn squash? Many people love to roast it, but you can experiment by using acorn squash in soups, casseroles, and even in baked goods.
14. Cauliflower
Looking for a cheap and easy way to add fiber to your diet? It doesn’t get any easier than cauliflower. A serving of this versatile vegetable provides about 2.5 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, and only about 25 calories!
Because cauliflower has increased in popularity, you’ll find plenty of online recipes for new and interesting ways to use the vegetable. It’s still a great crunchy vegetable to eat raw, but you can also use mashed cauliflower the same way you would use mashed potatoes. Some people even make pizza crust with cauliflower and it really tastes good.3
15. Broccoli
Everyone knows that broccoli is good for weight loss, but do you know why? One cup provides 31 calories, 2.4 grams of fiber and 2.5 grams of protein. That means you can fill up on broccoli and still have room in your diet for a small portion-controlled treat.
If you don’t like the texture of broccoli, use it in a cream soup. You’ll get the flavor and nutrition of this healthy veggie without the texture that many dieters don’t like.
Sources: Shape , Verywellfit
