The carnivore diet, a restrictive dietary approach that eliminates all plant-based foods, focuses solely on animal products like meat, fish, eggs, and some dairy. This way of eating aims to shift the body's primary fuel source from carbohydrates to fats, potentially leading to weight loss, improved blood sugar control, and reduced inflammation. While the carnivore diet shares similarities with the ketogenic (keto) and Atkins diets, it's more restrictive, cutting out all carbohydrates and other food groups, including fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
This guide delves into the role of fats in the carnivore diet, focusing on cooking fats like butter and tallow, and how to incorporate them effectively for optimal health and culinary enjoyment.
Understanding the Carnivore Diet
The Basics
On the carnivore diet, you cut carbohydrates and eat nothing but meat and other animal products, like beef, chicken, pork, fish, and eggs. The idea is that by cutting all carbs, your body will burn fat for energy and you’ll lose weight. Other claims of this diet are that it can fight inflammation, lower blood sugar in people with diabetes, and improve mental health.
Historical Context
Eating a carb-free diet isn’t a new idea. Scottish military surgeon John Rollo, MD, first used a meat-only diet to treat patients with diabetes in the late 1700s. Cutting carbs helped lower his patients’ blood sugar levels. Former orthopedic surgeon Shawn Baker, MD, popularized this way of eating with the release of his 2019 book The Carnivore Diet. An endorsement from comedian and podcast host Joe Rogan gave the diet even more exposure. In 2019, Rogan ate nothing but meat for 30 days and claimed that he “lost 12 pounds and gained a lot of energy.”
Foods Allowed and to Avoid
The list of approved foods is short because it only includes animal products. You can eat red meat like steak, burgers, and chuck roast. Chicken, lamb, and pork are also ok. Fish like salmon and trout, and seafood such as oysters and clams are on the list. And if you like organ meats such as liver and oxtail, feel free to eat them too. Eggs are OK in small amounts.
Read also: The Carnivore Diet: An Autoimmune Solution?
Any foods that aren’t animal-based are off the table. You can’t eat fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, or seeds. This diet does allow cheese, as well as other dairy foods like milk and yogurt. You’re supposed to limit these foods, though, because of their effects on inflammation.
Potential Benefits and Risks
The carnivore diet claims to promote weight loss. Its other supposed benefits are for improving heart health, autoimmune issues, blood sugar control, and mood. Yet Baker only links to “success stories,” not medical research, to confirm these benefits.
The carnivore diet doesn’t align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommends that adults get 45% to 65% of their daily calories from carbohydrates. By cutting out entire food groups, this diet could leave you short on important vitamins and minerals. For example, vegetables are sources of fiber, potassium, vitamins A and C, and folate.
The Importance of Fats on the Carnivore Diet
Why Fat Matters
Fat is going to be your body’s main source of energy on a high-fat carnivore diet where carbs are no longer on the menu. That’s why we believe the best meat for carnivore diet tends to be fattier cuts like ribeye or pork belly. Beyond fuel, fat also promotes satiety - helping you feel fuller for longer, which is especially important if you’re trying to lose weight.
How Much Fat to Consume
Most carnivore eaters aim for a diet that consists of 70-80% fat. We generally see a protein to fat ratio on carnivore diet of 1:1 for fat to protein by weight recommended. This is generally a sweet spot that supports ample energy production without overwhelming your digestive system. Of course, your lifestyle and activity level play a role here as well.
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Consequences of Insufficient Fat Intake
The most obvious issue is energy depletion. A low-fat intake may also interfere with ketosis, the metabolic state where the body burns fat for fuel. In the longer term you might find that inadequate fat intake affects your hormone balance. This nutrient plays an important role in regulating stress, mood, and energy. Physically, low fat intake may result in poor skin health and brittle nails, as fats support cell membrane health.
Addressing Low-Fat Intake
Ribeye steaks, pork belly, and fatty ground beef (around 70-80% lean) are all excellent choices. These meats naturally have a higher fat-to-protein ratio, meaning you’re getting more energy-dense meals without needing to add extra fat. If you need carnivore diet meal ideas, we encourage you to browse our blog - from carnivore diet chicken recipes to pork on carnivore diet, there are so many options at your disposal. You can’t always fall back on fatty cuts of meat, but you can find plenty of ways to add extra fat to lean cuts like chicken or sirloin steak. The simplest way is add fat directly to these cuts during cooking, such as by basting or finishing with butter or ghee. For lean ground meats, blending with ground beef or pork that’s higher in fat is an easy way to boost the fat content. Speaking of cooking, we highly suggest you start using butter, beef tallow, and pork lard as you transition over to carnivore diet. These fats can be used to cook, fry, or even drizzle over dishes to add energy without much volume.
Cooking Fats on the Carnivore Diet
Primary Cooking Fats
Butter and tallow serve as staple fats in carnivore cooking, providing flavor, essential nutrients, and supporting overall wellness.
Butter: A Carnivore Diet Staple
Butter is packed with essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K2. Because the carnivore diet excludes carbohydrates, fats become the body’s primary source of energy, helping maintain satiety and reducing the need for constant snacking. Butter’s fat also helps your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins better, which are vital for everything from bone health to immune function. Butter is going to be your best friend for cooking on the carnivore diet. It has a low to moderate smoke point that makes it ideal for low to medium-heat cooking. However, clarified butter (ghee) is often preferred for high-heat cooking since it has a higher smoke point. Butter isn’t just used to streamline your cooking, though. It’s frequently added to meals as an ingredient for flavor.
Types of Butter
Just like with eating cheese on carnivore diet, it’s important that you’re aware of the nuances across all the different types of butter you have at your disposal. The biggest battle in the butter realm is between grass-fed and grain-fed. Grass-fed butter is made from the milk of cows that have been primarily fed grass. It has more omega-3 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory and beneficial for heart and brain health. In contrast, grain-fed butter comes from cows that have been fed a diet primarily made up of grains like corn and soy.
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Given that many people on the carnivore diet need to replenish their electrolytes (particularly sodium), salted butter can be a better choice. On the other hand, unsalted butter is pure butterfat without any additives. Unsalted butter also works better in recipes where you want the flavors of the food to shine without being overpowered by salt. This is a good time to touch on butter additives and why they must be avoided like the plague. These introduce inflammatory ingredients that go against the principles of the carnivore diet and will hold you back from your goals. As with anything on your 30-day carnivore diet meal plan, look for as few ingredients as possible.
While you’ll pay a bit more for it, grass-fed butter is well worth the price. It’s rich in healthy fats like omega-3s and fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K2. Brands like Kerrygold are well-known for providing high-quality grass-fed butter that carnivore dieters often rely on for nutrient-rich fat intake. The rich flavor and creamy texture of grass-fed butter also make it a favorite for cooking, frying, and adding to meals.
Ghee
Maybe you’re lactose-intolerant or sensitive to dairy but still want to be able to cook with butter. It’s made by heating butter and removing the milk solids, which contain lactose and casein, making it nearly free of these common allergens. It’s easier on the digestive system since it’s free of lactose, making it perfect for those who may have trouble tolerating regular butter.
Raw Butter
Raw butter retains more of its natural enzymes, vitamins, and beneficial bacteria since it hasn’t been heat-treated. For example, those with compromised immune systems, pregnant women, or young children may be exposing themselves to harmful bacteria like E.
Homemade Butter
All you need is heavy cream (preferably grass-fed for added nutrients) and a mixer or food processor. You’ll get whipped cream at first but continue pushing through. Drain the buttermilk and rinse the butter with cold water to remove any leftover liquid. Knead it a bit to squeeze out excess moisture, and voilà - you have homemade butter!
Tallow: The Old-Fashioned Fat
Tallow is pure fat (also known as suet) rendered from various fatty meat cuts from animals, typically beef or sheep. Fat that is rendered from animals such as pig is commonly referred to as lard. The fatty cuts are known as suet and are melted down to an oil to allow for the removal of all impurities. This process is also known as rendering. Once the impurities are strained and removed, the fat is then left at room temperature to thicken and harden.
Tallow will not only stay shelf-stable, but it is also conducive to the ancestral way of eating during the winter months for North Americans, as animals were the only sources of fat during the winter.
Benefits of Tallow
If you had to choose from all sources of fat, tallow and animal fat, especially from ruminant animals such as beef and bison, will be the best for your health. Tallow is compatible and optimal for those on a carnivorous, keto, and animal based diet.
Using Tallow for Cooking
You can use it to replace all other cooking oils, including butter, ghee, olive oil, seed oils, and coconut oil. It’s ideal for cooking not only due to its impressive nutrient profile, but also for its incredibly high smoke point of 420 degrees Fahrenheit. Tallow can also be used to reach your goals for weight loss.
Other Uses for Tallow
Stepping away from the obvious uses tallow has in cooking, it can also be used in your health and wellness routine by creating a body butter from whipped tallow, face/body lotion, makeup remover, a base for candles mixed with essential oils.
What Is Beef Tallow?
Beef tallow is rendered beef fat, usually sourced from the suet (the hard fat around the kidneys and loins of cattle) or other fatty trimmings. When this fat is slowly cooked and melted, it transforms into a golden, shelf-stable oil that solidifies at room temperature.
What Is Tallow Used For?
Beef tallow has many different use cases and can be used for:
- High-heat cooking
- Greasing cast-iron pans
- Making savory pie crusts and biscuits
- Non-food uses: candles, soaps, moisturizers
High-Heat Cooking with Tallow
Beef tallow has a high smoke point, around 400°F (204°C), which makes it suitable for cooking at high temperatures without breaking down or producing harmful compounds. So, it can be used for:
- Deep frying, especially French fries and fried meats
- Pan searing, especially steaks, burgers, and lamb chops
- Roasting, especially for coating meats like chicken or pork before roasting
Greasing Cast-Iron Pans with Tallow
Tallow can be used for maintaining cast-iron cookware due to its:
- Natural non-stick features
- Seasoning the surface, forming a protective layer that resists rust
Unlike some oils that become sticky or go rancid, tallow remains solid at room temperature and helps keep pans in good condition.
Making Savory Pie Crusts and Biscuits with Tallow
Traditionally, tallow was used in place of butter or lard in baking savory recipes due to its:
- Flaky texture it gives the dough
- Rich, umami-like flavor, good for meat pies, pot pies, or biscuits
- Consistency at room temperature, which helps with the dough structure
Non-Food Uses of Tallow
Tallow isn’t just for the kitchen. It is a versatile product that can be used for making candles, soaps, and tallow balm skincare products.
Beef Tallow Nutrition Facts
Tallow is made almost entirely of fat, with no carbohydrates or protein. While beef tallow is calorie-dense, it contains no trans fats when properly rendered and contains beneficial compounds like Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) and stearic acid.
Beef Tallow Benefits
The most common beef tallow benefits include:
- High smoke point (420-480°F): Suitable for frying without producing harmful free radicals.
- Rich in CLA and stearic acid: These fatty acids can support metabolic health and reduce inflammation.
- No trans fats or artificial additives: When homemade or sourced cleanly.
- Supports fat-soluble vitamin absorption: Enhances the absorption of A, D, E, and K vitamins.
- Nutrient-dense and satiating: Helps with appetite control on low-carb or Carnivore diets.
How to Use Beef Tallow for Cooking
No matter if you are following a Carnivore Diet or not, you can use beef tallow for cooking in different ways, including:
- Frying: French fries, chicken, fritters
- Searing: Steaks, burgers, pork chops
- Roasting: Vegetables, potatoes, meats
- Sautéing: Onions, garlic, greens
- Baking: Biscuits, meat pies (savory crusts)
How to Make Beef Tallow at Home
Learning how to make beef tallow at home is simple and cost-effective, especially if you can source raw beef fat (suet or trimmings) from a local butcher.
Stovetop Method for Making Tallow
Chop beef fat into small chunks. Place it in a heavy-bottomed pot over low heat. Cook slowly for 1-2 hours and stir occasionally. Strain the rendered fat through cheesecloth into a glass jar. Cool and store in the fridge or freezer.
Buying Beef Tallow
If you prefer not to render tallow yourself, several brands offer high-quality, ready-to-use versions.
Beef Tallow vs Other Fats
Beef tallow is a healthier, more stable, and more natural fat source, especially for those on Keto and Carnivore diets who look for metabolic health, inflammation control, and clean, nutrient-dense eating.
Why Is Beef Tallow Better for Keto and Carnivore?
Beef tallow can be a better fat source, especially for those on a Carnivore or Keto diet, because of its following features:
- Supporting Fat-based Metabolism: It is a reliable energy source for those relying on fat as a primary fuel source, like in Keto or Carnivore diets.
- Not Having Carbohydrates or Seed Toxins: Unlike processed oils, tallow has no carbohydrates or plant-based toxins, so it aligns with the ancestral, whole-food eating style.
- Reducing Inflammation: Low omega-6 levels help maintain hormonal balance and joint health.
- Boosting Nutrient Absorption: The saturated fats in tallow improve absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, which are crucial when avoiding plant-based foods.
- Longer Satiety: Beef tallow keeps you full longer with stable energy, unlike the blood sugar spikes linked to consuming vegetable oils.
Practical Carnivore Cooking Tips
Sample Carnivore Diet Menu
A typical carnivore diet menu might look like this:
- Breakfast: Eggs and bacon
- Lunch: Burger patties
- Dinner: Salmon
Carnivore Diet Recipes
- Scrambled eggs with turkey: Cut 1/2 pound turkey breast into small pieces. Cook in a skillet until browned. Whisk three large eggs in a bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Move the turkey to one side of the skillet and pour the eggs onto the other side. Scramble the eggs and mix them with the turkey until the mixture is cooked through.
- Salmon patties: Cook three slices of turkey bacon and crumble. Mix bacon, two cans of salmon, 1 teaspoon of salt, and two whisked eggs in a bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon of dill. Form into burger-sized patties. Cook in butter until browned.
- Carnivore chicken casserole: Put 1 pound of cubed rotisserie chicken into a food processor and process until chopped very fine. Add 8 ounces of cream cheese, 1 cup of sour cream, and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Process until fully combined. Add 1 tablespoon of taco or Cajun seasoning and mix again. Put the mixture into a baking dish and bake at 350 F for about 45 minutes
Air Fryer Recipes
With a design tailored for ease and effectiveness, the Tastee Air Fryer helps you elevate your carnivore cooking. First, take each of the four chicken thighs that are boneless but still have skin on them and wrap them with two pieces of bacon. Using a Tastee Air Fryer, set it to 400°F and proceed to place the bacon-wrapped chicken thighs in the fryer basket. Cook for approximately 15-18 minutes, turning the chips once halfway through to ensure browning on both sides. Adding 3 tbsp ghee in the last 5 minutes of cooking adds flavor and contributes to the crisping process.
To prepare it, start with a 1 to 1.5-inch-thick ribeye steak, seasoned with salt. Make sure to take the steak out of the fridge an hour before cooking for better results. Preheat your Tastee Air Fryer, then place the steak inside. Set the temperature to high heat and cook for a few minutes on each side to achieve a perfectly even sear. For extra flavor, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and pour it over the steak during the cooking process.
To cook this nutrient-rich meal, simply melt 1.5 tablespoons of grass-fed butter in a non-stick pan over low heat. Meanwhile, beat 3 to 4 pastured eggs to blend them well. Gradually slip the eggs into the pan and stir the contents gently, maintaining a low heat in order to achieve a velvety consistency. Season with salt to taste.
Considerations and Precautions
Who Should Avoid the Carnivore Diet?
This diet isn’t safe during pregnancy or while breastfeeding because it will leave you short on the nutrients that both you and your growing baby need. If you have kidney disease, the high protein content may be too much for your kidneys to process, Zelman says. Also avoid this diet if you have diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure because of the high saturated fat and sodium content. Fad diets are never a good idea for people who have had eating disorders. Such a restrictive diet could trigger unhealthy eating patterns, Zelman says.
Potential Side Effects
By cutting out entire food groups, this diet could leave you short on important vitamins and minerals. For example, vegetables are sources of fiber, potassium, vitamins A and C, and folate. Not getting enough fiber from your diet could cause constipation. Interestingly, people who have tried this diet reported the opposite side effect: diarrhea. A high-fat, high-protein diet may cause loose poop because it changes the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut. People who eat this way also complain of headaches, nausea, and a lack of energy. Animal-based diets are high in saturated fat, which can raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. That’s the unhealthy kind of cholesterol that increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. And processed meats, which the diet allows, are high in salt, which can raise blood pressure.
Consulting a Healthcare Professional
Talk to your doctor before starting any new diet, especially one that cuts out entire food groups. It could leave you low in certain nutrients.