One diet that’s been getting a lot of attention lately is the carnivore diet. Many of my patients, especially those struggling with autoimmune issues, want to know how it works, what foods to eat and not to eat while on it, health benefits, and risks.
Learn the science behind this diet and if it may be a good addition to your lifestyle.
What Is The Carnivore Diet?
The carnivore diet is very low in carbohydrates, but unlike other popular low-carb diets, a carnivore diet takes out all carb-containing foods instead of just limiting them.
When going “full carnivore,” you eat only animal-based foods and get no vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, or anything else that is not an animal product.
If the thought of cutting out all fruits and veggies gives you pause, you’re not alone. I’m a huge fan of a veggie-centric way of eating. That said, after looking into the carnivore diet, I think it merits a second look, even from a plant lover like me.
If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of a veggie-centric ketogenic diet, check out my plant-based keto diet book Ketotarian.
I have no tribalism to food groups, other than finding out what works for my patients to aid them along their health journey. Each body is different, which is why it’s important to take a bioindividualized approach to health.
Health Benefits Of The Carnivore Diet
The carnivore diet is relatively new and hasn’t been studied extensively. However, the research for similar, very low-carb diets highlights a few interesting health benefits, many that have to do with metabolic health. I’ve observed many of the same in my patients!
These benefits include:
- Weight loss: Many individuals report significant weight loss due to the diet's low carbohydrate content, leading to decreased insulin levels, stabilized glucose levels, and increased fat burning. (1) This may also be caused by entering ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body uses ketones, rather than glucose, for energy.
- Improved mental clarity and energy: Proponents often experience enhanced focus and mental clarity, possibly due to stable blood sugar levels from a diet free of sugars and starches. I’ve heard this from several patients on the carnivore diet — they have more energy and less brain fog when they’re not trying to escape the sugar crash from a carb-heavy diet.
- Simplified dieting: With its straightforward approach of consuming only animal products, meal planning becomes less complicated, potentially leading to better adherence.
- Nutrient-rich foods only: Going carnivore might help provide essential nutrients that the standard American diet often lacks, as long as you eat high-quality meat products. The most notable of these are vitamin A, K2, D, B vitamins, and bioavailable forms of iron. However, the lack of fiber on the carnivore diet is one of its primary drawbacks (I’ll touch on that later).
- Potential reduction in inflammation: The elimination of plant-based foods, which can be inflammatory for some people, may result in reduced symptoms of chronic inflammation.
- Autoimmune disease management: Anecdotal evidence suggests that the carnivore diet may help alleviate symptoms of autoimmune conditions by removing potential dietary irritants.
- Better heart health markers: Research shows that very low carbohydrate diets like carnivore help reduce overall and LDL cholesterol levels. Patients often see decreases in triglycerides, particularly if they were very high before starting the diet.
- Increased muscle mass: Some of my patients reported increased muscle mass and weight-lifting capabilities, likely due to a higher protein intake associated with high-protein diets like the carnivore diet.
- Fewer cravings: When you get rid of sugar from your diet, your body eventually stops craving it so strongly. That’s not to say you’ll never want a sugary treat again, but you’re very likely to notice a decrease in cravings for sugar.
When compared to moderately low-carb diets, zero-carb diets like the carnivore diet lead to greater improvements in metabolic markers (1).
Think you have chronic inflammation, but aren’t sure? Take my quiz to find out.
What To Eat: Foods On The Carnivore Diet
Followers of the carnivore diet believe that the increase in carb-heavy processed foods in our modern diets has contributed to the rise of health problems like diabetes and obesity.
Their solution is to eat mostly animal products similar to our ancestors, including foods like:
- Meats: Any cuts of meat, including red meat, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, and organ meats like liver and kidneys.
- Fish and seafood: Salmon, mackerel, sardines, shrimp, lobster, and other fatty fish high in omega-3 fatty acids.
- Animal products*: Eggs, lard, bone marrow, bone broth, ghee, and raw honey.
- Dairy*: Hard cheeses, heavy cream, and butter, preferably from grass-fed animals.
- Water and bone broth: Pure water and bone broth are the main sources of hydration, with bone broth providing essential minerals.
*Depending on the variation of this diet that you follow, some people don’t eat eggs, ghee, honey, or dairy products.
What Not To Eat: Foods To Avoid On The Carnivore Diet
As you can see from the list above, the carnivore diet isn’t just about meat — any animal product is on the table. All of the following foods must be avoided:
- All plant-based foods: Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and legumes (beans, lentils, peanuts, etc.).
- Processed foods: Anything that contains additives, preservatives, or artificial ingredients.
- Sugars and sweeteners: All forms of sugar, syrups, and artificial sweeteners.
- Dairy products (for strict carnivores): Milk, soft cheeses, and yogurts, which contain lactose and may disrupt digestion for some individuals.
- Alcoholic beverages: Beer, wine, and spirits, especially those high in sugars and carbohydrates.
- Other beverages: Coffee, tea, juice, and soda.
When it comes to herbs and spices, including salt and pepper, there is a grey area as to what’s acceptable. While extremely strict followers of the carnivore diet eliminate these completely, others use herbs sparingly or stick to salt to enhance flavor and ensure electrolyte balance.
The Carnivore Diet Meal Plan
Now that you know what you can eat, let's talk about what a day in the life of a carnivore dieter might look like. The great thing about the carnivore diet is that it’s packed with comfort foods.
Here’s a sample meal plan to get started.
Breakfast: Bacon And Egg Omelet
Cook up a couple of cage-free eggs with nitrate and sugar-free bacon for a classic breakfast that’s also carnivore-friendly. If you include cheese in your carnivore plan, add some in for a salty zing.
Lunch: Buttered Salmon
Wild-caught salmon is a delicious source of healthy fats essential for hormone and brain health. Line a pan with foil, place the salmon skin side down, top with a slice of butter, and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Snack: Jerky
Any type of jerky — salmon, beef, or turkey — is a great snack choice on the carnivore diet. It’s portable, packed with protein to keep you full, and has a long shelf-life.
Dinner: Bone Broth Chicken Soup And Liver Pate
End your day with a gut-soothing soup made with nourishing bone broth. Throw some chicken breasts in a crockpot with the bone broth and seasonings (if you choose). Once cooked, shred the chicken, and save any leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day.
Serve with a side of liver pate. Bringing in organ meats like grass-fed organic liver is a great idea from a mineral and nutrient density standpoint.
Risks Associated With The Carnivore Diet
I hope it’s no surprise that the carnivore diet comes with some drawbacks you should discuss with your healthcare professional before getting started.
Here are some of the potential risks associated with this meat-centric approach, including nutritional deficiencies, heart health concerns, and other challenges worth considering:
- Nutrient deficiencies: Exclusive consumption of animal products can lead to shortages in essential micronutrients such as fiber, vitamins C and E, and certain minerals.
- Increased risk of heart disease: The increase in saturated fat associated with high meat consumption can cause elevated LDL (bad cholesterol) and may contribute to higher levels of heart disease in susceptible individuals. While short-term studies show an improvement in cholesterol levels, there’s also research to suggest that red meat consumption (specifically, non-organic red meats) aren’t great for heart health.
- Potential for kidney damage: Excessive protein consumption over a long period could strain the kidneys, especially in those with pre-existing kidney conditions.
- Impact on gut health: The lack of dietary fiber may negatively affect the gut microbiome, potentially leading to constipation and other digestive issues.
- Social and practical limitations: Strict dietary restrictions can make social dining challenging and may increase food preparation time. Eating a balanced diet is the most socially sustainable and likely comes with more health benefits.
- Changes in bowel movements: The carnivore diet may lead to watery stool or constipation.
The carnivore diet may not be safe for certain people, including:
- Those with chronic diseases like diabetes and kidney disease
- People with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or any history of stroke or cardiovascular disease
- Individuals with gut issues who need a large amount of fiber to sustain healthy bowel movements
If you do choose to try a carnivore diet, the type of meat and animal products you consume matters a lot. For example, conventional processed meats have been linked to cancer when consumed in high amounts (2).
Conventional dairy products are also at the top of most people’s food intolerances due to the extremely inflammatory nature of genetic modification, cross-breeding, and hormone and antibiotic overuse.
So if you are going to try the carnivore diet, it’s really important to go for high-quality organic, grass-fed, and wild-caught animal products. They typically taste better, have lower health risks, and their beneficial nutrients are more bioavailable to your body.
My Thoughts On Carnivore As A Healthcare Provider
Overall, I think the carnivore diet can be a great tool in the short term. I often suggest it as an elimination diet for patients with health issues due to multiple food sensitivities or those in active autoimmune-inflammatory flare-ups.
While they follow the carnivore diet, I work with my patients to heal their gut, rebalance their immune systems, and reduce chronic inflammation.
The carnivore diet does two things at once: It infuses the gut with bone broth's gut-healing benefits while eliminating harder-to-digest vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds.
In other words, it still allows a person to get beneficial nutrients while giving the gut a break from working so hard.
Emerging research shows what I have seen firsthand with my patients. This 2021 study found that men who ate a high-fat, high-protein carnivore diet for 14 months experienced significant improvement in their overall health and wellbeing with very little side effects (3).
That said, the research surrounding the carnivore diet is still extremely limited on its immediate effects, let alone how it holds up long-term as a sustainable diet. Therefore, once my patient’s symptoms improve, I still work with them to slowly reintroduce plant-based foods.
With what we know now about nutrition and our biochemistry, I don’t believe anyone should cut out plant foods from their diet long term because of their content of polyphenols, antioxidants, and fiber that just isn’t available in animal foods.
After all, studies have shown time and time again that a diet rich in plants has intensive detoxification properties, can help fight cancer, and also keep blood sugar under control (4, 5, 6).
FAQs
Is The Carnivore Diet Right For You?
There are so many diets in the world, and each seems to promise to be the solution to all of our health problems. At the end of the day, I’ve learned that there isn’t just one diet that works for everyone — and not everyone should follow the same diet for their whole lives.
Sometimes, switching things up for a short period can be extremely beneficial, especially if done under professional guidance.
The real strength of the carnivore diet is to eliminate plant foods that may be triggering autoimmune diseases. Slowly adding plant-based foods back into your diet one at a time can help pinpoint your triggers.
At the end of the day, you need to choose what is best for you and your health. I would love to assist you in making an individualized plan for your optimal health.
Schedule a health consultation with our professionals today. They are here to help you on your health journey. With them, you can learn even more about the carnivore diet, its benefits, and if you should implement it into your life.
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