The carnivore diet consists solely of animal products. It is the ultimate elimination diet. It is THE PROPER HUMAN DIET. Our ancestors long before Homo sapiens did eat fruit. But their diet changed to hunting for meat, eventually to woolly mammoths and reindeer. The mastering of fire made the meat easier to eat and more nutritious. As our diet evolved, our brain size increased. Homo sapiens are adapted to eat meat and saturated fat. They foraged for plant food, however, it was vastly different than it is today. Of the three macro nutrients, fats, protein and carbohydrates, carbs are the only one we do not need. The standard american diet is full of carbs and seed oils. We are one of the sickest peoples on the planet. Big Food, Big Sugar and Big Agra have poisoned us. Our diets were never meant to have the amount of carbs we have now. I advocate a low carb-diet lifestyle. I prefer carnivore because I just feel better. I eat until I am satiated and only eat when hungry. I don’t count calories. I have lost weight and kept if off. Here are the key aspects of this diet:

What is allowed

  • Meat (beef, pork, lamb, poultry, etc.)

  • Fish and seafood

  • Eggs

  • Small amounts of low-lactose dairy (butter, ghee, hard cheeses)

  • Animal fats

  • Organ meats

  • Water and bone broth

What is excluded

  • Fruits and vegetables

  • Grains and legumes

  • Nuts and seeds

  • Most dairy products

  • All plant-based beverages

How it works

The carnivore diet is considered a form of ketogenic diet, as it:

  • Is extremely low in carbohydrates

  • Is high in protein and fat

  • Aims to induce a state of ketosis, where the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates

Benefits

Proponents of the carnivore diet claim it can lead to:

  • Weight loss

  • Improved mood

  • Better blood sugar regulation

  • Reduced inflammation

What you will be told are potential risks

  • Nutrient deficiencies due to lack of plant-based foods. With the possible exception of vitamin C, it is just the opposite. Only meats have Vitamin B12. Plants have many anti nutrients that prevent the absorption of vitamins and minerals. The inorganic iron in plants is hard for the body to absorb. Heme iron in meat is much better taken up by the body. However, our bodies do not make Vitamin C. But, the Inuit and other native tribes that eat only meat and not plants, never get scurvy. Meat does have vitamin C, particularly organ meat. Another aspect of a very low carb diet is that glucose competes with the oxidized form of vitamin C for cell entry via the Glut1 and Glut4 transporters. The amount of vitamin C found in meat is enough to prevent scurvy, unless one eats a lot of glucose or carbohydrates. [1]

  • High saturated fat intake is bad for you and may raise cholesterol levels. FALSE. Saturated fat is good for you. It is the polyunsaturated fats (seed oils) that are bad. Cholesterol is a molecule which is vital to have. Lipoproteins are now referred to as “cholesterol” and are also necessary for the proper functioning of the body. Newer research has found that total cholesterol (TC, which is actually total lipoproteins) has shown that the proper levels are much higher than the guidelines and as you age TC should rise.[2]

  • Increased risk of heart disease. FALSE. Saturated fat does not cause CVD nor does it raise the molecular cholesterol in the body.[3][4]

  • Digestive issues due to lack of fiber. FALSE. A recent study demonstrated that the less fiber the better and for those with no fiber, they had better regularity.[5]

  • Potential kidney problems from high protein intake. FALSE. If your kidneys are working properly then they process protein normally. If your kidney function is reduced it is possible it may cause harm. But, a ketogenec or carnivore diet is high in saturated fats and only medium in protein.[6]

  • Increased risk of certain cancers associated with high red meat consumption. FALSE. Absorption of inorganic iron from plant sources is poor. Heme iron from red meat is readily taken up by our bodies. Heme Oygenase-1, an enzyme that breaks down heme iron, acts as an anti-oxidant. Both biliverdin and bilirubin, products of heme iron breakdown, are antioxidants as well.[7]

[1] Reest J van der, Gottlieb E. Anti-cancer effects of vitamin C revisited. Cell Res. 2016;26(3):269–270.

[2] Yi S-W, Yi J-J, Ohrr H. Total cholesterol and all-cause mortality by sex and age: a prospective cohort study among 12.8 million adults. Sci. Rep. 2019;9(1):1596.

[3] Siri-Tarino PW, Sun Q, Hu FB, et al. Meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies evaluating the association of saturated fat with cardiovascular disease. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2010;91(3):535–546.

[4] Malhotra A, Redberg RF, Meier P. Saturated fat does not clog the arteries: coronary heart disease is a chronic inflammatory condition, the risk of which can be effectively reduced from healthy lifestyle interventions. Br. J. Sports Med. 2017;51(15):1111.

[5] Ho K-S, Tan CYM, Daud MAM, et al. Stopping or reducing dietary fiber intake reduces constipation and its associated symptoms. World J. Gastroenterol. 2012;18(33):4593–4596.


[6] Juraschek SP, Appel LJ, Anderson CAM, et al. Effect of a High-Protein Diet on Kidney Function in Healthy Adults: Results From the OmniHeart Trial. Am. J. Kidney Dis. 2013;61(4):547–554.


[7] Seiwert N, Wecklein S, Demuth P, et al. Heme oxygenase 1 protects human colonocytes against ROS formation, oxidative DNA damage and cytotoxicity induced by heme iron, but not inorganic iron. Cell Death Dis. 2020;11(9):787.