If you’ve ever Googled the words “diet” or “lose weight”, you’ll likely have come across several dietary trends that are being touted as the diet that can make a difference.

The two names that keep popping up are the paleo and keto diet, the latter of which counts celebrities Kourtney Kardashian and Halle Berry as fans.

What do these diets entail, and more significantly, what can you eat?

The paleo diet

The paleo diet
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What is it?

The paleo diet advocates healthy, natural foods that have not been processed.

It’s also known as the “caveman” diet as it emulates the foods our ancestors ate during the Paleolithic era, before agriculture came along.

It stems from the belief that our digestive systems haven’t changed much since that time, so certain foods will put a strain on our gastrointestinal tract.

This means refined sugar and processed foods such as TV dinners, chips and breakfast cereal, are out.

Dairy, grains and legumes are also eliminated, along with root vegetables and alcohol.

What can you eat?

Lots of protein, so lean meat and fish will make up a major part of your meal, along with fruits, vegetables and healthy fats.

Is it effective?

A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that people on the paleo diet lost three times more weight compared to those who ate very little fat.

Naturally low in calories and carbohydrates, the diet will help with weight loss but there are potential health consequences.

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The keto diet

The keto diet
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What is it?

Keto is short for ketogenic or ketosis, which is the state your body enters when glucose isn’t available for energy, so your body has no choice but to burn fat instead.

The diet first came about in the 1920s to treat epilepsy as it was found that patients had fewer seizures when they were fasting.

The keto diet is used for rapid weight loss and fat burning.

In order for ketosis to kick in, you must cut down heavily on carbs (roughly 10 per cent of your diet) and protein (20 per cent) while increasing your fat intake to 70 per cent.

Say goodbye to rice, pasta and bread, as well as refined and natural sugar.

What can you eat?

You can have healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil, dairy, eggs, meat and seafood, and non-starchy vegetables, such as cauliflower and dark, leafy greens.

Is it effective?

While you will lose weight in the initial stages, dietitians say this is purely due to the loss of water.

There also hasn’t been any long-term study on the effectiveness and safety of the diet.

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