The carnivore diet, a highly restrictive regimen centered around animal products, has gained traction for its purported benefits in weight loss, mood enhancement, and blood sugar regulation. Conversely, the "rice diet," developed by Walter Kempner, was historically used to treat malignant hypertension. This article delves into the carnivore diet, its potential benefits and drawbacks, and the role, if any, that rice might play within it.
Understanding the Carnivore Diet
The carnivore diet is a restrictive diet that only includes meat, fish, and other animal foods like eggs and certain dairy products. It excludes all other foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds. Proponents recommend limiting dairy intake to foods low in lactose, such as butter and hard cheeses.
The carnivore diet stems from the belief that human ancestral populations ate mostly meat and fish and that high-carb diets are to blame for today’s high rates of chronic disease.
Foods Included
- Meat: Beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, pork, etc.
- Organ Meats: Liver, kidney, sweetbread, tripe, heart, brain
- Fish: Salmon, mackerel, sardines, crab, lobster, tilapia, herring, etc.
- Other Animal Products: Eggs, lard, bone marrow, bone broth, etc.
- Low-Lactose Dairy (in small amounts): Heavy cream, hard cheese, butter, etc.
- Water
Some proponents allow salt, pepper, and seasonings with no carbs. Some people choose to eat yogurt, milk, and soft cheese, but these foods are typically not included due to their carb contents.
Foods Excluded
- Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, green beans, peppers, etc.
- Fruits: Apples, berries, bananas, kiwi, oranges, etc.
- High-Lactose Dairy: Milk, yogurt, soft cheese, etc.
- Legumes: Beans, lentils, etc.
- Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, etc.
- Grains: Rice, wheat, bread, quinoa, pasta, etc.
- Alcohol: Beer, wine, liquor, etc.
- Sugars: Table sugar, maple syrup, brown sugar, etc.
- Beverages Other Than Water: Soda, coffee, tea, fruit juice, etc.
Potential Benefits of the Carnivore Diet
Certain aspects of the carnivore diet may lead to weight loss. High-protein and low-carb diets can promote weight loss because protein and fat can help you feel more full after meals, which may lead to reduced calorie intake and subsequent weight loss. Protein can also increase your metabolic rate, helping you burn more calories.
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Limited Research
Due to the limited research on the carnivore diet, it is difficult to state the diet’s benefits. They can only be assumed based on the knowledge we have about other diet and macro nutrients.
Since the carnivore diet excludes carbs, it eliminates cookies, cakes, candy, sodas, pastries, and similar high-carb foods that are low in beneficial nutrients and often high in calories. Limiting refined carbs and sugary foods is often recommended to control diabetes.
Due to the removal of highly processed carbohydrates in the carnivore diet, you might see some early benefits such as improved blood pressure, reduced belly fat, and improved cardiovascular health.
Downsides of the Carnivore Diet
Due to its highly restrictive nature and complete elimination of the majority of food groups, there are many downsides to the carnivore diet.
High in Fat, Cholesterol, and Sodium
Given that the carnivore diet consists solely of animal foods, it can be high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which may raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol, which may increase your risk of heart disease. Moreover, some processed meats, especially bacon and breakfast meats, also contain high amounts of sodium. Eating a lot of these foods on the carnivore diet can lead to excessive sodium intake, which has been linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, kidney disease, and other negative health outcomes. Red and processed meat intake has also been linked to higher rates of certain types of cancer, including colon and rectal cancer.
Read also: Troubleshooting Carnivore Diet Diarrhea
May Lack Certain Micronutrients and Beneficial Plant Compounds
The carnivore diet eliminates highly nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, all of which contain beneficial vitamins and minerals. What’s more, diets that are rich in plant-based foods have been associated with a lower risk of certain long-term conditions like heart disease, certain cancers, Alzheimer’s, and type 2 diabetes. This is not only due to the high vitamin, fiber, and mineral contents of plant foods but also their beneficial plant compounds and antioxidants.
Does Not Provide Fiber
Fiber, a non-digestible carb that promotes gut health and healthy bowel movements, is only found in plant foods. Thus, the carnivore diet contains no fiber, which may lead to constipation as a side effect. Additionally, fiber is incredibly important for the proper balance of bacteria in your gut. In fact, one review found that a high-protein, low-carb diet may increase your risk for gut inflammation. Overall, following the carnivore diet may harm your gut health.
May Not Be Suited for Some Populations
The carnivore diet may be especially problematic for certain populations. For example, those who need to limit their protein intake, including people with chronic kidney disease, should not follow the diet. Also, those who are more sensitive to the cholesterol in foods, or cholesterol hyper-responders, should be cautious about consuming so many high-cholesterol foods. Furthermore, certain populations with special nutrient needs would likely not meet them on the carnivore diet. This includes children and people who are pregnant or lactating. Lastly, those who have anxiety about food or a history of disordered eating should not try this diet.
Rice and the Carnivore Diet: A Contradiction?
The carnivore diet excludes all foods that do not come from animals, including grains like rice. Rice is a carbohydrate bomb. One cup of cooked white rice has about 45 grams of carbs. That’s a big red flag for anyone aiming for ketosis or metabolic flexibility through a zero-carb carnivore plan. Rice contains anti-nutrients, like lectins and phytic acid, which some argue cause gut inflammation or interfere with mineral absorption.
Strict vs. Modified Carnivore Diets
Some people follow strict carnivore diets where not even a sprinkle of herbs is allowed. Others follow more flexible animal-based or ketovore versions. If you’re doing it for blood sugar control or autoimmune relief, rice may be best left off your plate. While it’s far from “approved,” modified carnivore paths leave the door open to strategic carb reintroductions.
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Nutritional Comparison
Rice is loaded with carbs and lacks the fats, protein, and micronutrient punch that animal products deliver.
The "No" to Rice
Strict carnivore is savage about its rules. Rice is not just frowned upon; it’s completely banned because it’s not an animal-based food. Eating rice breaks the sacred rules, leading to the consumption of anti-nutrients, plant chemicals, and glucose-spiking carbs. If your primary goal is healing inflammation, repairing your gut lining, or avoiding autoimmune triggers, rice simply doesn’t belong.
The Gray Area: Modified Carnivore Diets
Not all carnivore followers are chasing strict purity. Some lean toward flexibility and personalization. These modified plans don’t outright ban rice, but they don’t really promote it either.
Potential Exceptions
- Cultural necessity: In certain traditional households, rice is central to every meal.
- Rice is considered a “safe starch” by some health professionals because it’s gluten-free and easy to digest (when properly prepared).
Reasons to Avoid Rice
- Disrupts Ketosis: Just one serving of white rice (even ¼ cup) contains enough carbs to kick you out of a fat-burning state.
- Triggers Cravings: Adding rice may spark old carb cravings, making it harder to stick with the carnivore diet.
- Digestive Reactions: After weeks or months of strict carnivore, your gut microbiome shifts.
Rice Alternatives for the Carnivore Diet
- Finely chop or pulse cooked ground beef until it reaches a crumbly texture.
- Lightly scramble egg whites until they resemble thin shreds or noodles.
- Chilled beef bone broth forms a jelly-like texture.
- Cooked chicken breast or thigh can be finely chopped or pulled into short strands.
- Soft, flaky white fish-like cod or haddock-can be sautéed and broken into bits.
These swaps offer complete proteins, zero plant toxins, and keep your metabolism in fat-burning mode.
Addressing Common Questions
What happens if you eat rice on a carnivore diet?
Eating rice on a carnivore diet can lead to several outcomes depending on your body. For some, it may result in bloating, digestive discomfort, or sugar cravings. For others, it can kick them out of ketosis, leading to fatigue or brain fog.
Is brown rice OK on a carnivore diet?
Brown rice contains more fiber and anti-nutrients like phytic acid, which can interfere with mineral absorption and irritate the gut. It’s the opposite of what the carnivore diet promotes: gut healing, anti-inflammation, and nutrient density from animal foods.
Can you eat rice on a ketovore diet?
Possibly, but tread carefully. The ketovore or keto-carnivore approach allows some flexibility with low-carb plant foods, but rice-being high in carbs-is rarely part of the plan. If included, it should be minimal (think 1-2 tablespoons post-workout) and used strategically.
Can rice kick you out of ketosis?
Yes, it absolutely can. A single serving of rice contains enough carbs to spike insulin and shut down ketone production. If you’ve worked hard to get into ketosis, even a few spoonfuls of rice can undo that effort. And for those trying to stay fat-adapted, it only takes one carb-heavy slip to derail your progress.
The Rice Diet: A Historical Perspective
Walter Kempner developed the rice diet to treat malignant hypertension. The diet consisted of white rice, sugar, fruit, fruit juices, vitamins and iron. Total calories were 2,000 with 20 grams of protein and 150 mg of sodium.
However, the rice diet is for historical purposes only. The Mediterranean Diet is a far superior and more balanced diet.