Keto Diet vs Intermittent Fasting: Difference and Comparison

Today there exist several forms of concepts and practices that are followed by people for losing weight. There are several types of diet plans and routines that dieticians suggest people for help them to stay fit and other purposes.

However, these concepts differ from the traditional definitions of what a balanced diet is.

The traditional definitions of a balanced diet include the intake of nutrition in proportion. Several concepts of dietary plans have altered the food elements and other factors like calorie intake, carbs intake, etc.

Some of the popular forms of diet plans are 1. Keto diet and 2. Intermittent Fasting.

Key Takeaways

1. The Keto diet and intermittent fasting are popular dietary approaches that can lead to weight loss and other health benefits, but their principles and methods differ.
2. The Keto diet involves restricting carbohydrate intake and increasing fat intake to promote ketosis, a metabolic state where the body burns fat for energy.
3. Intermittent fasting involves alternating periods of eating and fasting, such as eating for 8 hours and fasting for 16 hours, to promote fat burning and improve insulin sensitivity.

Keto Diet vs Intermittent Fasting

The difference between the keto diet and intermittent fasting is that the keto diet or ketogenic diet means having food that has low carbs and a high fat count. On the other hand, intermittent fasting means eating food at a specific interval time or not eating fold at all and fasting.

A keto diet is a type of diet plan or practice followed by people who consume low carb levels. These carbs include sugar, soda, white bread, pastries, etc. The entire diet plan is based on the process of ketosis that takes place in the human body.

Intermittent fasting is one of the world’s most popular trends that are followed by people mainly for weight loss. This trend includes consuming food at alternate intervals of time.

One has to do fasting at decided intervals of time and has to eat food in the decided time itself. Many studies have concluded that intermittent fasting helps in weight loss, and it also helps in improving metabolic health.

Comparison Table

Parameters Of Comparison	Keto Diet	Intermittent Fasting
Meaning/ Definition	A keto diet or a ketogenic diet is a type of diet plan or practice followed by people who consume low carb levels.	The trend that includes consuming food at alternate intervals of time is known as intermittent fasting.
Types	The standard straightforward type of ketogenic diet, cyclical ketogenic diet, focused ketogenic diet, High-Protein ketogenic diet.	16/8 Method, Eat and then stop and then again eat a certain type of food method, 5:2 method.
Results	The body is brought into a metabolic state which is also known as the ketosis process. This process enables the body to burn fats easily and produce energy efficiently. Further, the fats are converted into ketones in the liver.	The level of human growth hormones is increased, insulin sensitivity improves the fat that is stored in the body more accessible, thereby the cellular repair processes are experienced by the body.
Weight loss	The diet plan helps with weight loss and it helps with chronic diseases, it also helps with lowering blood sugar levels, enhancing insulin sensitivity, etc.	The diet includes fasting and thereby it makes us eat food with fewer calories, hormone levels are increased and specifically the norepinephrine hormone which helps in burning fat effectively.
Other benefits	The risk of heart diseases and cancer is reduced, symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are reduced, among children, epilepsy is reduced, it is effective for PCOS and acne problems, it helps in recovering from brain injuries.	Blood sugar levels are regulated, inflammation is reduced, heart health is improved, anti-aging properties are present in this diet plan, insulin resistance is reduced, which helps in improving brain health.

What is Keto Diet?

The Keto diet is a dietary plan that is mainly followed by people for losing weight. The human body is in a metabolic state is known as ketosis. In ketosis, the carbs present in the body are replaced with fats.

This process also can convert fats into ketones. Ketones supply energy to the brain as well. The ketogenic diet is one of the safest diet plans.

Other than improving brain health, ketones are released in the liver. Because of the safest nature of the diet, it is one of the most commonly practised diet plans.

In this dietary scheme, the emphasis is put on burning fat rather than burning other nutrients like carbohydrates. Other than that, the calorie intake, in this case, is deep.

In the standard ketogenic diet, the intake includes low carb levels, moderate protein levels and high-fat levels. In a cyclical ketogenic diet, cycles of diets are practised, 5 ketogenic days are practised with 2 days of high card intake days.

In the targeted ketogenic diet, one can add cards only during their workout sessions. The high-protein ketogenic diet is similar to the standard ketogenic diet but has a high protein intake in it.

The ratio has 60 per cent fats, 5 per cent carbs and 35 per cent proteins.

The ketogenic diet, if followed correctly, has several health benefits. Other than weight loss, it is also useful in PCOS and acne problems.

It is also helpful in reducing the risks of several diseases like cancer various heart diseases, works as an aid for brain injuries, reduces the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, it also reduces epilepsy in children. 

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is a type of diet trend that includes fasting. It is mostly used for curing obesity, but it also has several other benefits. People maintain a cycle, and alternatively, they decide when to eat and when to fast.

The most common cycle practised by people in intermittent fasting is they either practise fasting for 16 hours or 24 hours twice a week. The concept of intermittent fasting is derived from the ancient period when people had to fast for a long time since there were no electrical appliances like refrigerators to store the fridge. 

There are three main types of intermittent fasting. In the first type, one has to skip breakfast and then eat in the next eight hours and again fast for the next sixteen hours. One can also fast twice a week for 24 hours.

For instance, one can start fasting from one breakfast and continue until the next breakfast. In the 5:2 method, one can consume nearly 500-600 calories twice a week and then continue eating normally for the entire week.

The following processes occur in the body when we fast. There is an increase in the human growth hormone, which thereby increases insulin sensitivity. It helps to make the stored fat more accessible.

When a person is fasting, their body experiences cellular repair processes. It also helps the human body to protect itself from diseases. The gene functioning also promotes longevity.

By practising intermittent fasting at some intervals of time, blood sugar levels are regulated. It also helps in reducing insulin resistance. Other than that, it helps in reducing inflammation. Risks of various diseases like cancer are reduced.

However, intermittent fasting must be practised in a discontinued manner. Fasting for consecutive days can lead to serious health issues.

Main Differences Between Keto Diet and Intermittent Fasting

1. Keto diet or does not involve fasting. On the other hand, intermittent fasting includes fasting.
2. Keto diet includes intake of low calories diet. On the other hand, intermittent fasting includes fasting for a specific time.
3. Different types of keto diets include the main form of a ketogenic diet, ketogenic diet performed in cycles, ketogenic diet targetted on certain nutritions, ketogenic diet in which high-protein diet is consumed. On the other hand, different types of intermittent fasting include the 16/8 Method, 5:2 method etc.
4. A ketogenic diet helps in weight loss by performing the process of ketosis. On the other hand, intermittent fasting helps in weight loss by releasing the norepinephrine hormone.
5. Intermittent fasting does not benefit PCOS and acne problems. On the other hand, a ketogenic diet helps with PCOS and acne problems.

References

1. https://www.sochob.cl/web1/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/The-keto-diet-and-the-gut-cause-for-concern.pdf
2. https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-nutr-071816-064634

Last Updated : 23 July, 2023