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What is the Carnivore Diet, and is it Healthy?

All Meat, No Plants: Is This Diet a Game Changer or a Risk

wet-aged-upper-choice-steak
Meats by Linz’s Wet-Aged Upper Choice Steak Sampler

What does a carnivore diet consist of?

You might remember learning in elementary school that carnivores are animals that mostly eat meat. No surprise then, that the Carnivore Diet is an all animal product diet. The diet includes meat, dairy, eggs, fish, and other animal products, but no fruits, vegetables, nuts, or grains. If it’s not an animal product, it’s not part of the diet. 

The diet stems from the belief that thousands of years ago early humans ate mostly meat and fish. Proponents of the diet say it helps with weight loss, blood sugar, and other issues, and that carbs contribute to disease and high blood pressure. In some ways it is similar to other diets, like keto and paleo, that also limit carbs, but is much more restrictive. 

Keto diets do not provide enough calories for the human body from glucose and other sugars, so the body has to burn fat to create ketones as an energy source, according to an article by Howard E LeWine, a chief medical editor at Harvard Health Publishing. So, some people on a keto diet will lose weight. But most keto diets still include some carbohydrates. The carnivore diet includes none. 

There have been no controlled studies to verify any of the positive claims about the carnivore diet. In fact, most doctors and dietitians argue that fiber and numerous vitamins are found in vegetables and fruits, and eliminating them from your diet can be harmful. 

What can’t you eat on a carnivore diet?

If it’s not an animal product, you can’t eat it. Water and black coffee are the only exceptions. Fruits, vegetables, sugar, alcohol, juices, nuts, and bread, rice, or carbs of any kind are not allowed on a carnivore diet. The diet says that salt is allowed for seasoning (which doctors say actually makes the diet even less healthy), but other ingredients for sauces are not. That means no barbecue, no dipping sauce for wings, no burnt ends, no burgers or meatballs or other delicious meat dishes, no spicing up your meat in any way. The diet is just plain meat with salt. Most meat you can purchase or eat in a restaurant will not qualify for the carnivore diet. If you are following the carnivore diet, it might be worth splurging on Wagyu beef or other prime cuts to make up for the lack of available seasoning. 

Heim Barbecue Bacon Burnt Ends
Heim Barbecue’s Bacon Burnt Ends
Southside Market Barbecue Pork Steaks
Southside Market Barbecue’s Pork Steaks

In some ways, this is good. Eliminating processed foods and sugary baked goods from your diet is a healthy thing to do. But most vegetables and fruits are good for you and provide necessary vitamins and minerals that you simply cannot get from eating only meat. 

Most doctors who have written on the topic or studied it say that meat is not bad for you, and is a great source of protein. Eating dairy and other animal products can also provide some vitamins. But, meat and dairy need to be supplemented with other food groups for a well-rounded, healthy diet. 

How did the carnivore diet get so popular?

There’s no one reason why the carnivore diet has become popular, but there are a few theories. Chronic diseases are on the rise in the U.S., and people are searching for solutions. Many see the carnivore diet as a relatively easy fix, and its advocates market it as a quick way to lose weight and get healthy fast. Several social media influencers with large followings adhere to the carnivore diet and promote it regularly, as well as amplify sometimes false health claims about it.

What are the negative effects of the carnivore diet?

On a carnivore diet you’re only consuming fat and protein, so you’re not getting many vitamins that your body needs. You’re also getting very little, if any, fiber. Animal fat is mostly saturated fat, which is the most unhealthy kind of fat. It raises LDL (bad) cholesterol, according to Harvard Medical School, which warns that the carnivore diet can lead to heart disease, kidney stones, gout, osteoporosis, and impaired kidney function. 

What vegetables can I eat on the carnivore diet?

You cannot eat any vegetables if you’re following the carnivore diet. This is not only a diet focused on meat and animal products, but a diet consisting of only those things. Things like carrots and broccoli, a side salad for your steak, sweet potatoes, fresh tomatoes, or any other fruit and vegetable, are not allowed. Vegetables are well-studied and known to be a good source of vitamin C, potassium, folate, and other beneficial vitamins and minerals. The carnivore diet has some celebrities and wellness influencers promoting its benefits, but those benefits are not proven. Vegetables, on the other hand, have been studied for years and have been proven to be good for human health.

Leave the carnivore diet to wild animals. We humans can love meat, but need more variety in what we eat.

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