18 Sep The Perfect Keto and Paleo Superfood Supplement
Keto and Paleo fans know that whenever they share the basics of their diets with other people, at least one out of 5 people inevitably asks “But, what do you actually eat? Is that enough of everything? What about calcium?” Don’t get us wrong. These are legitimate questions. However, this doesn’t mean that only people on a diet should have to answer them. Taking a step back, the state of the matter is that for the better part of the US population, nutritional supplementation is a necessity, not a dieting fad.
In addition, the food quality has been constantly decreasing due to destructive agricultural practices. That leaves us poor in nutrition, compared to the one our predecessors enjoyed.
Having said that, let’s talk about people who are on these diets.
The answer to the age-old question “To use supplements or not to use supplements?” was already covered. The tricky part lies in selecting the right addition that will complement your Keto or Paleo diet.
Keto Diet
For those of you unfamiliar with Keto; Keto diet is an intake plan that relies on eating lots of healthful fat, some protein, and minimal carbohydrates, or more precisely:
- 70–80% fat
- 20–25% protein
- 5–10% carbohydrates
Our bodies usually use carbohydrates (carbs) as fuel for energy. When they don’t get enough carbs, they start burning fat and some protein stores. True ketosis is reached when the liver takes stored fat and turns it into ketones, which are then used as body energy.
Reaching this state of ketosis is the essence of this diet.
There are a lot of studies showing that short term ketosis is an efficient way of losing excess fat and reducing risk of diabetes and heart disease.
The keto diet encourages and excludes specific food types. For example, a person on keto cannot get their carbohydrates from grains or vegetables. The very little carb allowance must come from keto-friendly foods.
Keto Food List
Here is a brief list of keto-friendly foods:
- Meat
- Fish and seafood (especially fish rich in Omega 3 and 6 like salmon, sardines,)
- Eggs
- Avocados
- Natural fat, such as organic butter and ghee, olive oil, sesame oil
- Green and leafy Vegetables
- Green salad
- High-fat dairy
- Red Berries and blackberries
Paleo Diet
A paleo diet follows a plan based on foods similar to what was eaten during the Paleolithic era.
Just a reminder, the Paleolithic era dates from approximately 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago.
So, naturally, the alternative names for this diet include the Paleolithic diet, Stone Age diet, hunter-gatherer diet, and caveman diet. It includes lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
A paleo diet limits foods that became common when farming emerged about 10,000 years ago.
These foods include:
- Dairy products
- Grains
Why people are skeptical about supplements
The reality is that the aisles of stores for healthy food are packed with different varieties and brands of supplements. You can find supplements for everything, from supplements for hair growth, to boosting athletic performance. Vitamins, herbal blends, hormones, minerals, spices of different kinds, probiotics, prebiotics, antioxidants… People are used to supplements being marketed as the shortest road to better health. However, most products out there don’t fulfill their promise and don’t comply with the rules of the Ketogenic and the Paleolithic diet.
Bone Broth Is The Perfect Keto and Paleo Superfood
When you look at a bone, you may think that it has anything to offer in terms of nutrition. It looks so empty; what kind of useful nutrients could possibly be in there?
Answer: A lot.
Accumulated under the hard shell is a wealth of essential nutrients. Gut-healing and anti-inflammatory proteins, healthy fats and a wealth of minerals just waiting to be discovered. Unlike animals, who go for the bones every time they have a meal and crack open the bones with their teeth, we have to cook the bones to get the goodness inside. Even though the process takes long hours, it’s most definitely worth it.
5 Reasons to consume Bone broth while on Keto and Paleo diet
Bone broth contains key nutrients such as collagen, glucosamine, and gelatin that are relatively non-existent in modern western diets. These nutrients are essential for maintaining a healthy gut. Individuals suffering from digestive problems such as leaky gut, IBS, SIBO, or flora imbalance can help their healing by regularly consuming bone broth.
Besides the huge plethora of benefits that bone broth offers, here are the top 5 reasons for drinking bone broth as a supplement to your Keto and Paleo Diet.
1. Bone broth contains electrolytes
By consuming bone broth, you take in a natural source of all four important electrolytes: potassium, magnesium, sodium, and calcium.
2. Bone broth is rich in collagen
Because of the way bone broth is made, the collagen is released from the bones, joints, and ligaments and into the broth itself. When you consume bone broth, you consume a natural, bio-produced form of collagen.
3. Bone broth is low in carbs
As long as you consume the right kind of bone broth (we’ll get to that in a moment)
4. Bone broth has a moderate amount of protein
Same as the former one. Even though too much protein on a keto diet can knock you out of ketosis, the right bone broth has only about 10 grams of protein per serving. It packs enough protein to keep you satisfied without being overwhelming.
5. Bone broth can improve your sleep
Some people on these diets regularly suffer from insomnia. The main reason is the reduction in carbs. It’s a fact that carb-rich diet can cause insomnia. Bone broth, on the other hand, is rich in glycine, which helps improve sleep quality.
Nutritionists recommended drinking generous servings of bone broth on a keto or paleo diet. One of the reasons is the prevention of keto flu. When a person starts their keto diet, their body adjusts to the new demands of turning fat into ketones to be used for energy, rather than getting its fuel from sugar, their electrolytes go off-balance. Usually, the first several days of the keto flu may present symptoms like headaches and nausea. (Some people get so put off by the flu, they never make it to the benefits part.)
Another benefit is the way it recharges essential electrolytes in the body and helps retain lean mass (muscle) due to its collagen and amino acid contents. The collagen contained in a bone broth can do wonders, like skin elasticity and weight loss and limiting the loose and saggy skin.
Summary
Both the keto and paleo diets have specific guidelines that include and exclude certain types of food. Both may have health benefits related to eliminating highly processed foods, which can help with weight loss. For most people, these diets require a drastic shift from previous eating habits. Some people may find eliminating all grains and legumes and increasing fat content difficult to sustain long term.
People following these diets must also make sure they still meet their nutritional requirements. We aren’t saying that bone broth is the be-all and end-all supplement that fulfills all nutritive deficiencies of keto and paleo, but that it can pose as a great substitute for most of the supplements on the market.
