Milly Gaines
The Atkins and keto diets are two of the best-known low-carb diets. They are similar in that they both drastically reduce carb intake and encourage weight loss. However, there are some key differences between the two. The keto diet is more restrictive and focuses on the body being in ketosis for the entire period of the diet, while the Atkins diet is more flexible and reintroduces carbs in phases. The keto diet also places more emphasis on carb elimination and restricts protein sources, whereas the Atkins diet allows for moderate protein intake.
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What You'll Learn
Phases
The Atkins and keto diets are both low-carb diets that aim to induce ketosis, a metabolic state where the body burns fat instead of glucose as its primary energy source. However, they differ in their approach to achieving this state. While the keto diet focuses on strict carb restriction to maintain ketosis throughout the entire diet, the Atkins diet is divided into multiple phases that gradually reintroduce carbs.
The original version of the Atkins diet, now called Atkins 20, consists of four phases:
Phase 1 (Induction): This is the most restrictive phase, with a daily carb allowance of 20-25 grams of net carbs. This phase continues until you are 15 pounds away from your goal weight. During this phase, the body enters ketosis, similar to the keto diet.
Phase 2 (Ongoing Weight Loss): In this phase, you can gradually introduce more carbs, with a daily intake of 25-50 grams. This carb intake may still be low enough for some individuals to remain in ketosis.
Phase 3: You can increase your carb intake to 50-80 grams in this phase while monitoring your weight to find the perfect balance. This phase focuses on finding the maximum number of carbs you can consume without hindering weight loss.
Phase 4 (Lifetime Maintenance): The final phase allows for up to 80-100 grams of carbs per day. This phase emphasizes maintaining the habits developed in the previous phase to sustain your goal weight.
The Atkins diet becomes more flexible in its later phases, allowing for a gradual increase in carb intake. In contrast, the keto diet maintains a strict restriction on carbs to ensure the body remains in ketosis throughout the entire diet. This makes the Atkins diet more sustainable for some individuals as it is not as restrictive as keto in the long term.
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Carbohydrates
Both the Atkins and keto diets are low-carb diets, but they differ in their approaches to carbohydrate restriction. The Atkins diet is a phased approach, with four distinct phases, gradually increasing the number of carbohydrates allowed. The first phase restricts carbohydrates to 20-25 grams per day, while the second phase allows 25-50 grams, the third phase allows up to 80 grams, and the final phase allows up to 100 grams of carbohydrates per day. This gradual reintroduction of carbohydrates makes the Atkins diet more flexible and sustainable for some people.
On the other hand, the keto diet is more restrictive and prescribes a strict limit of 20-50 grams of carbohydrates per day, with the aim of keeping the body in a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This state of ketosis is maintained throughout the keto diet, whereas in the Atkins diet, ketosis is only achieved in the first phase and possibly the second phase.
The difference in carbohydrate restriction between the two diets is due to their different goals and mechanisms. The Atkins diet focuses on weight loss and improving health, allowing for moderate protein intake and high amounts of fat. In contrast, the keto diet aims to achieve weight loss, enhance mental clarity, and boost energy levels by drastically limiting carbohydrates and emphasising high-fat consumption.
It is important to note that both diets are considered restrictive and can be challenging to follow. The long-term effects of these diets are not yet fully understood, and it is always advisable to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new diet, especially restrictive ones like the keto and Atkins diets.
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Protein
The Atkins and keto diets are separate diets that both take a low-carb, high-fat approach to dieting. However, there are some differences in the ways that they treat protein.
The Atkins diet is a low-carb, moderate protein, and high-fat diet. The original version, now called Atkins 20, is still the most popular. It is broken down into four phases, which are based on your daily allowance of net carbs. In the first phase, you can eat 20-25 grams of net carbs per day until you are 15 pounds from your goal weight. In the second phase, you can eat 25-50 grams of net carbs per day. In the third phase, you can eat 50-80 grams of net carbs per day. In the fourth and final phase, you can eat up to 100 grams of net carbs per day. The Atkins diet has no cap on protein intake. During the induction phase, the protein recommendation is around 110 to 155 grams of protein as part of an 1800-calorie daily diet. In the maintenance phase, the protein recommendation remains the same.
The keto diet is a low-carb, moderate protein, and high-fat diet. It was first used to treat children with seizures, but researchers found that it may benefit other people as well. The goal of the keto diet is to get your body into the metabolic state of ketosis, during which it uses fat instead of sugar from carbs as its main energy source. To reach and maintain ketosis, most people need to limit their total carb intake to 20-50 grams per day. The keto diet restricts protein sources, as the body may break down proteins into glucose for energy. The keto diet limits protein to about 20% of your daily calories, or 65 to 110 grams of protein per day as part of an 1800-calorie daily diet.
In summary, the main difference between the Atkins and keto diets when it comes to protein is that the Atkins diet allows for a higher protein intake, while the keto diet restricts protein sources to maintain ketosis.
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Sustainability
The Keto diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that requires strict monitoring and sometimes medical supervision. It is designed to induce ketosis, a metabolic state where the body burns fat instead of glucose as its primary energy source. To maintain this state, people must limit their net carb intake to 20-50 grams per day, which is significantly less than the recommended amount of 300 grams. This level of restriction can be challenging to maintain and may not be suitable for everyone.
On the other hand, the Atkins diet is more flexible and may be more sustainable in the long run. While it also restricts carbohydrates, it does so in phases, allowing for a gradual increase in carb intake as one progresses toward their goal weight. The original version of the diet, now called Atkins 20, is divided into four phases based on daily net carb allowances. In the first phase, the most restrictive, people are allowed 20-25 grams of net carbs per day. The second phase allows for 25-50 grams, the third phase allows for up to 80 grams, and the final phase allows for up to 100 grams of carbs per day. This gradual reintroduction of carbohydrates makes the Atkins diet less restrictive than Keto and may be easier to sustain.
Additionally, the Atkins diet allows for moderate protein intake, while the Keto diet restricts protein sources as the body can break down proteins into glucose for energy. This restriction on protein, in addition to the strict limitation on carbohydrates, makes the Keto diet more challenging to adhere to.
While both diets can lead to ketosis, the Atkins diet only induces ketosis in the first and sometimes second phases. As people reintroduce carbs in the later phases, they eventually transition out of ketosis. This means that the Atkins diet is not solely focused on maintaining ketosis, providing more flexibility and potentially improving its sustainability.
In conclusion, when considering the sustainability of these diets, the Atkins diet may be more suitable for long-term adherence due to its phased approach, gradual reintroduction of carbohydrates, and allowance for moderate protein intake. The Keto diet's strict restrictions on both carbohydrates and protein sources make it more challenging to sustain over an extended period.
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Health Risks
The Atkins and keto diets are both low-carb diets that can lead to ketosis and weight loss. However, there are important differences in their approaches, and these differences carry health risks that should be carefully considered.
Firstly, the Atkins diet is less restrictive than the keto diet. While the keto diet requires continuous ketosis, the Atkins diet only requires ketosis in the first and sometimes second phases. In the later phases of the Atkins diet, carbs are reintroduced, and the diet becomes more relaxed, allowing for more carbs and a greater variety of foods. This makes the Atkins diet more sustainable in the long run.
The keto diet is more restrictive and difficult to stick to. It requires strict monitoring and sometimes medical supervision. The body is in a constant state of ketosis, burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This can lead to uncomfortable side effects, and there is a risk of serious health complications in extreme cases. For example, ketosis can cause ketoacidosis, where the blood becomes dangerously acidic, leading to electrolyte imbalances and kidney failure.
The keto diet also restricts protein sources, as the body may break down proteins into glucose for energy. This means that the vast majority of calories in the keto diet come from fat. The high-fat content of the keto diet may be unhealthy, especially when these fats are from animal sources. The Lancet Public Health found in 2018 that there was an increased risk of mortality among people following low-carbohydrate diets rich in animal protein and fat.
The Atkins diet, on the other hand, allows for moderate protein intake and does not restrict fat intake. In fact, the Atkins diet encourages the consumption of fat and protein. This may also carry health risks, especially if the fats and proteins are from unhealthy sources. However, some research has found that a low-carbohydrate, Atkins-like diet with lower saturated fat and high protein can help with weight maintenance and lower the risk of heart disease.
Both diets are restrictive and can be challenging to follow. They may not be suitable for everyone, and it is always advisable to check with your doctor before starting any new diet.
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Frequently asked questions
The main difference is that while the keto diet requires the body to be in a constant state of ketosis, the Atkins diet only requires ketosis in the first phase and sometimes the second phase. The Atkins diet also allows for more protein and is less restrictive overall.
Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body burns fat instead of glucose as its primary energy source.
This depends on your goals and what works best for your body. Both diets are restrictive and difficult to stick to, but the Atkins diet is considered slightly easier to follow. The keto diet is more restrictive and may be better for those who want to avoid carbs altogether, while the Atkins diet may be more sustainable in the long run as it allows for more food options.
