Paleo and Atkins Diets: Low-Carb for Different Reasons

Atkins and Paleo both emphasize the importance of low-starch produce and protein.

Loading up on vegetables and protein are key to adhering to the Atkins diet.
The Atkins diet is divided into four phases, which get progressively more flexible over time: it starts with Phase one, which limits carbohydrates, including starchy fruits and vegetables to 20 grams per day for about two weeks. It also eliminates processed oils, sugars, and alcohol. Phase Two brings back limited amounts of starchy fruits and vegetables, allowing for about 50 grams of carbohydrates. This lasts until the dieter has made it to at least 10 pounds until meeting their goal weight.
Phase Three allows for up to 80 grams of carbohydrates, allowing for starchy vegetables and whole grains until the person meets their goal weight. And finally, Phase Four allows for up to 100 grams of carbohydrates per day, encouraging healthy habits “for life.” During each phase, 30 minutes of daily exercise and eight glasses of water per day are highly encouraged.
Short-term, many see weight loss (mostly in first two phases)
The most results from Atkins tend to take place during the first two phases, or the first four weeks.
The early stages of Atkins are generally when dieters see the most results. While this may be encouraging for some to continue the diet, many speculate that it’s due to the loss of water weight. According to Atkins Facts, the quick weight loss generally stems from removing carbohydrates from the diet.
“The diuretic effect of low carb diets can result in people losing a gallon of water in pounds the first week,” the article reads. “This precipitous early weight loss encourages dieters to continue the diet even though they have lost mostly water weight… If one wanted to try to lose water weight, sweating it away in a sauna may be a more healthful way.”
Some experience unpleasant short-term side effects
Short-term, many dieters adhering to the Atkins diet tend to experience the keto or low-carb flu, which results from lowering their carbohydrate intake. The Atkins brand lists a number of possible low-carb flu symptoms, including moodiness, constipation, headache, nausea, dizziness, sleep issues and brain fog.
To remedy these symptoms, Atkins recommends adding light movement to your day, consistently hydrating, increasing electrolytes and loading up on vegetables and healthy fats.
Studies find positive long-term impacts from Atkins
Weight loss with Atkins comes can boost heart health.<
The benefits that come with losing weight on diets such as Atkins come with long-term benefits. A Stanford study looked at the impacts of Atkins long-term (more than six months). And over the course of a year, found that participants not only lost weight — but also decreased their risk of hypertension, increased HDL (good) cholesterol and lowered blood sugar levels.
“After 12 months, women following the Atkins diet, relative to at least one of the other groups, had larger decreases in body mass index, triglycerides and blood pressure; their high-density lipoprotein, the good kind of cholesterol, increased more than the women on the other diets,” the results read.
Weight loss may plateau
And while the initial weight loss may be fast, dieters often see a plateau after the first few weeks. A Healthline article explains this is due to the fact that people are mostly losing water weight.
“Many people lose a lot of weight in the first week on a low carb diet, but this is mostly water weight. Weight loss will slow down significantly after this initial phase,” says Healthline. “Also, losing weight is not the same as losing fat.”
A surplus of fat and protein can be detrimental to your health
More fat and protein can also lead to cardiovascular issues.
Despite the initial benefits, low-carb diets may be linked to a number of health issues in the long run. Neal Barnard, MD, explains via WebMD that people who adhere to the diet long-term can face colon cancer, kidney issues and osteoporosis
They aren’t designed to work on an oil slick of fat
“The reason for the health worries is in large part due to red meat,” he tells WebMD. “People who eat meat every day have three times greater risk of developing colon cancer. And then there is the problem of the kidneys. They aren’t designed to work on an oil slick of fat.”
Atkins may be unsustainable
Atkins eliminates entire food groups, and restrictions come with disadvantages. Aside from the fact that such restriction can lead disordered eating habits and yo-yo dieting, Barbara Rolls, PhD, tells MedicineNet the carbs aren’t even what helps with weight loss: it’s calorie restriction.
You can lose weight on anything that helps you to eat less, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for you
“No one has shown, in any studies, that anything magical is going on with Atkins other than calorie restriction. The diet is very prescriptive, very restrictive, and limits half of the foods we normally eat,” Rolls tells MedicineNet. “In the end it’s not fat, it’s not protein, it’s not carbs, it’s calories. You can lose weight on anything that helps you to eat less, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for you.”

Paleo only includes foods accessible by hunting and gathering.
The point of paleo is to eliminate whatever hunter-gatherers couldn’t get — anything that has become a diet staple as the result of “modern farming.” While allowing for fruits, veggies, meats, fish, eggs, and oils derived from fruits or nuts, it restricts grains, processed sugars and oils, dairy and alcohol.
Short-term, some see weight loss
Similar to Atkins, dieters are likely to see some sort of weight loss in the first few weeks — and possibly even the first few months — of adhering to the paleo diet. This may mostly be due to water weight, but it also helps decrease BMI and fat stores.
The low-carb flu may strike in the first week
The low-carb flu is less likely on a paleo diet — just don’t cut out starches.
An article from Paleo Leap warns dieters that early side effects may include flu-like symptoms. Similar to the keto or Atkins diets, lowering one’s carbohydrate intake can trigger symptoms such as dizziness, moodiness, fatigue, headaches, nausea, constipation and indigestion.
Increasing water and electrolyte intake, and eating more healthy fats, may help avoid this unpleasant ailment. Also, eliminating starchy fruits and veggies unnecessarily will also prevent the low-carb flu, because the goal isn’t to enter ketosis. So, making sure to eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables is incredibly important.
Paleo may have negative long-term impacts
Long-term, paleo isn’t necessarily the best diet option. UC Davis explains that such a high-fat, high-protein diet can lead to high cholesterol and heart disease. Low dairy intake may also trigger osteoporosis and bone fractures.
Paleo is highly restrictive
Restrictive diets like paleo can lead to yo-yo dieting and restrictive eating habits.
Because the diet is so restrictive, it can be very hard to stick to. This can make consistent weight loss difficult, and therefore, may lead to people yo-yo dieting. Such restrictions can also lead to disordered eating habits, so those with a history of eating disorders should speak to a professional before trying the diet.

Filling your pantry with processed foods may be less healthy, but it’s certainly financially cheaper than cutting them out. That said, opting for meat, less carbs and sugars, and more produce is going to be more expensive than the average American diet. For example, Atkins costs about 17 percent more than the average American diet. And meanwhile, adhering to the paleo diet would require a 9 percent increase in income for low-income shoppers. Lowering the cost on both diets is possible, however, by buying frozen over fresh, shopping seasonally and opting for cheaper proteins.

Paleo doesn’t eliminate all carbohydrates, making for a more nutrient-rich diet with more variations. Both paleo and Atkins diets are quite restrictive, with Atkins eliminating carbohydrates altogether, and paleo eliminating all “modern farming ingredients.” And although paleo inherently restricts grains, it doesn’t eliminate all carbohydrates, keeping more nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables in dieter’s regiments. “When it comes to lifelong health, I don’t typically recommend Atkins or Paleo since both are very restrictive and difficult to follow long-term,” Christine Byrne admits. “While I do like the paleo diet’s emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables, it’s possible to eat more of these whole foods without totally eliminating other foods.”

Weight Loss

The Mediterranean Diet vs. Atkins — Which Is Healthier, and Why?

Although the Atkins and Mediterranean diets both aid in weight loss, the two regimens are extremely different.