Keto Diet Vs Atkins Diet: Which Is Better?

Looking to lose weight quickly? 

The Low Carbohydrate High Fat (LCHF) diet may be your answer!

The best way to lose weight quickly is to stay away from carbohydrates and include a lot of fat in your meals.

Keto and Atkins are two such LCHF diets that will help you shed off the extra calories quite easily.

These diet forms look the same on the surface but you will be surprised to see how different they are from one another in so many ways.

Keep reading and by the end of the article, you will know which diet form to pick and the secret to effective weight loss.

Atkins Diet: A History

Dr. Robert C. Atkins was a doctor who was researching weight loss methods.

Dr. Atkins experimented with carbohydrate restriction as a weight loss technique and achieved significant results with it.

He later published a book called ‘Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution’ in 1972 which spoke about the effects of a low-carb diet on weight loss. 

This diet was later termed the Atkins Diet and is popular and in existence to date. The diet is segmented into four phases depending on the amount of carbohydrates allowed.

You keep progressing through the stages as you get closer to your goal weight.

Keto Diet: A History

There are different versions of the keto diet that are popular right now, however, the classic ketogenic diet was created in the year 1923 by a doctor named Russell Wilder.

This low carbohydrate high fat diet was initially created as a solution for epilepsy. 

For a 2000 calorie classic ketogenic diet, your macros are segmented this way.

• 1400-1500 calories of fat
• 400-500 calories of proteins
• <100 calories of carbohydrates

The classic keto diet lost its popularity after medications for epilepsy were invented around the 1930s. 

The similarities between Atkins and Keto

Here is a list of commonly noted similarities of the Atkins and the keto diet.

• Both diets help lose weight
• The diets are both generally beneficial for the body
• Both Atkins and keto improve your energy levels
• The diets help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases
• These diets both ask people to stay away from sugars and carbohydrates

The differences between Atkins and Keto

The similarities between the diets stop here. When you look closely, there are a lot of subtle, yet important differences between these diets that make them distinct.

The dietary approach

Atkins – The Atkins has a more flexible dietary approach. During phase I or the starting of the diet, you will be asked to consume just 20 grams of carbs for the whole day.

The rest of your macros will be split between fats and proteins.

As you continue the diet and move closer towards your goal, you are allowed to slightly increase your carbs intake. By phase IV which aims at weight maintenance, you can consume up to 100 grams of carbohydrates in a day.

Keto – The keto diet is more restricted when it comes to carbs consumption. This diet also starts with 20 grams of carbohydrates a day.

However, even after you move closer to your goal weight, you will not be allowed to increase your carbs intake. You will have to stick to 20 grams a day.

Protein consumption

Though both the diets allow moderate amounts of protein intake, the Atkins gives you a slightly bigger bandwidth for protein consumption.

Atkins – You can consume anywhere from 100-170 grams of proteins in a day when you are on an Atkins diet. This value does not change as your diet progresses.

Keto – On a keto diet, you should be aiming to eat 1.2-1.7 grams of proteins per every kg of your body weight. This means that for an average adult weighing 80 kg, you have to restrict your proteins to a maximum of 135 grams. This value also remains constant throughout your diet.

Inclusion of fruits and vegetables

Since the flexibility of the Atkins diet, you get a little more choice when it comes to picking fruits and vegetables when compared to Keto.

Atkins – While the phase I and phase II of the diet still restricts you from eating most fruits and starchy vegetables, as you move closer to your weight goal, you can start including small amounts of all vegetables and most of the fruits. 

Keto – You start by eliminating most fruits except berries and avocadoes and all starchy vegetables and this is how you will maintain your diet until the end.

Handling type II diabetes

While both diets restrict the intake of carbohydrates, keto definitely does a better job handling blood sugar levels as it is a very low-carbohydrate diet plan.

There are clinical studies that prove a very low carb diet like keto is better for diabetic people when compared to other diets like Atkins.

The extent of weight loss

In the starting, both Atkins and keto help you lose weight consistently.

However, as you start including more carbohydrates in your meals in the Atkins’ diet, you will start noticing a slight stagnation in the weight loss curve.

During phase IV of the diet, you will only be maintaining your weight and not losing any.

A keto diet puts your body in ketosis with the production of ketones. The ketones burn the stored fat in your body.

As long as you are in ketosis, you will keep losing weight. The weight loss graph is consistent here without any dips or straight lines. 

The ease of handling the diet

The Atkins’ diet wins hands down here. You just have to restrict all your favorite food during the initial few months. After losing considerable weight, maintenance is easier. You can eat small portions of carbs throughout the day or cheat with a sweet or some junk food once in a while. 

Do remember that 100 grams of carbohydrates a day is almost half of what you are used to consuming before the diet.

Keto is quite stringent in allowances and choosing the right ingredients is important. You will also have to be consistent in the macros you consume to ensure you eat enough fats to keep you in ketosis. 

Choosing Atkins Over Keto

If you want to lose less than 15 kg and you do not have any restricted timeline by which you want to achieve this, Atkins is an easier choice.

For individuals who still want to consume fruits, vegetables, and at least limited grains and pulses, Atkins again works better.

Atkins is easier to follow as a lifestyle. All you need to do is consciously cut back on carbs.

Choosing Keto Over Atkins

If you are struggling to handle your blood sugar levels and your HbA1c is high, then keto will give you better results.

For people who are obese or for those wanting to lose more than 20 kg, the keto diet again helps more effectively.

A keto diet also ensures you experience rapid weight loss in a shorter span of time.

Choose the diet you prefer based on your body’s needs. Both diets are equally beneficial and will bring positive changes to your physical and mental health.