Permanent link for Keto vs Fruitarian: All about those Carbs on March 17, 2023

Keto versus Fruitarian 

One moment we hear “Cut out all carbs!” and then the next we hear “Avoid all forms of fats!” It gets hard to believe what any of these diets are trying to promote. New diet fads are being created and spread constantly, but what do they even mean? Do they have any benefits? Or is it just all a scam to try to fit into unrealistic body standards or even to buy someone’s book or program regime. Carbs in the diet world today are a hot topic and the debate on whether to have them or not is at an all time high. We’ll look into two diets that are almost exactly opposite of each other; the keto diet and the fruitarian diet.

What’s a carb?

First, let’s dive in to make sure we’re all on the same page on what a carb even is. A carbohydrate is one of the three macronutrients. Macronutrients are essential for the human body, meaning we need all three in our diets. The other two macronutrients include fats and proteins (in addition to carbohydrates). Carbohydrates come in the forms of starches, fiber and sugars (Mayo Clinic). Sugars are the simplest form of carbohydrates, starches are more complex, and fiber is the indigestible part of the carbohydrate. The simple sugars in carbohydrates should be eaten in moderation, while starches and especially fibers have the best health effects, like improved digestion and benefiting heart health. In comparison to the other macronutrients, it is recommended that carbohydrates take up 45-65% of total calories. Fats are recommended to be 20-35% of calories and protein are recommended to be 10-35% of calories. Carbs are the main source of energy for the body and the preferred source of energy for the brain (Mergenthaler). Now that there’s some basic background information on carbs, let’s look into the keto diet, where the carbs are limited, and the fruitarian diet, where it is almost completely carbs.

Keto Diet: Get Rid of Carbs

The keto diet focuses on limiting the amount of carbs consumed and instead eating more foods high in fat and protein. The keto diet has the body switch from running on carbohydrates to using ketones as an energy source, by entering ketosis (to learn more about this, check out this link). In ketosis, the liver produces energy from stored fat which is in turn used as the main energy source for the body. People using this diet typically have the goal of losing fat and weight. In addition to losing fat, the keto diet can have possible benefits of managing epilepsy, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome (Mayo Clinic). The keto diet might also increase risk for heart disease as it’s typically high in LDL cholesterol (which is linked to heart disease) and low in fiber (which is helpful against heart disease). The keto diet can also increase risk for nutrient deficiencies, since certain food groups are usually avoided, liver issues, constipation, mood swings and brain fog (Harvard).

Fruitarian Diet: Get Lots of Carbs

The fruitarian diet is almost the polar opposite of the keto diet, in which the majority of calories come from raw fruits, followed by some nuts, seeds, whole grains or vegetables. The fruitarian is typically a raw diet, meaning cooking should be limited or restricted and that it is typically plant-based as well. Fruits are loaded with vitamins and other nutrients in addition to fiber which are all beneficial to one’s health. These can help decrease the risk of certain diseases or cancer (Mayo Clinic). Since this diet is high in fiber, it may decrease cholesterol (Healthline) and as a result lower risk of heart disease. The fruitarian diet may also help someone lose weight, as these foods are naturally low in calories but high in volume, meaning they are not as calorically dense. Of course, there is a list of risks associated with this diet as well. The risks include nutrient deficiencies, such as calcium, omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins, or just overall malnourishment due to lack of calories from fats and proteins (Healthline).

So, What Do You Do?

By examining these two diets, it can be determined that restricting and cutting out food groups can come with some benefits as well as many risks. It’s important to remember that everything is important and plays it part and moderation should be emphasized. As always when it comes to your own health: if you want specific and safe recommendations for you, talk to the Laker Food Co. dietitian Alyssa.

By: Claire Latourell, WIT Peer Educator

Categories: Nutrition
Posted on Permanent link for Keto vs Fruitarian: All about those Carbs on March 17, 2023.