The Carnivore Diet for Women Over 50: Benefits and Risks

The carnivore diet, an extremely restrictive eating plan consisting entirely of meat and animal products, has gained popularity in recent years. Proponents claim it aids weight loss, improves mood, and regulates blood sugar, among other benefits. However, due to its restrictive nature, the carnivore diet raises many questions and concerns, especially for women over 50. This article explores the potential benefits and risks of the carnivore diet for this specific demographic.

What is the Carnivore Diet?

The carnivore diet is a type of "keto," or ketogenic, diet, which means that the contents of the diet do not provide enough calories from glucose and other forms of sugar. To compensate, the body burns fat that creates ketones as an energy source. It involves eliminating all foods except meat and animal products. Thus, it’s low in vitamin C, folate, has no fiber, and is difficult to maintain.

The carnivore diet meal plan only allows consumption of meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, fish, some dairy products, and water. You need to exclude all vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts. The carnivore diet is the most ketogenic diet because it allows for almost no carbs. While some keto diets can emphasize the intake of healthier mono- and polyunsaturated fats, that's not the case with carnivore diets.

It stems from the controversial 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 Allowed and Restricted

Following the diet involves eliminating all plant foods from your diet and exclusively eating meat, fish, eggs, and small amounts of low-lactose dairy products.

Read also: The Carnivore Diet: An Autoimmune Solution?

Specifically, someone on the carnivore diet can eat:

• 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

According to some proponents of the diet, salt, pepper, and seasonings with no carbs are allowed. In addition, some people choose to eat yogurt, milk, and soft cheese, but these foods are typically not included due to their carb contents.

All foods that do not come from animals are excluded from the carnivore diet.

Restricted foods include:

• 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.

While some people incorporate some of these foods, a strict carnivore diet does not permit them.

Read also: The Carnivore Diet's Impact on Sleep

Potential Benefits for Women Over 50

Women over 50 often face special health challenges like perimenopause, thyroid issues, insulin resistance, and increased inflammation. The Carnivore Diet can help reduce these effects by managing blood sugar fluctuations and stabilizing hormones.

Here are some potential benefits of the carnivore diet for women over 50:

• Hormonal Balance: Animal fats and cholesterol are essential building blocks for hormones. Eating nutrient-rich, animal-based foods, many women experience menstrual regularity, reduced PMS, and a more stable mood. By eliminating carbohydrates and plant-based phytoestrogens, the Carnivore Diet makes insulin levels more stable and improves adrenal function. Eating protein and saturated fats, especially cholesterol, a precursor to sex hormones, helps optimize hormone synthesis. Also, as women eat fewer plant-based foods, the endocrine-disrupting compounds, commonly found in processed and plant-based foods, are reduced and help hormone production.
• Weight Loss: Consuming enough fat and protein on a Carnivore Diet keeps you full for longer, naturally reducing calorie intake without the need for tracking. This satiety, together with stable blood sugar, helps reduce cravings and supports sustainable fat loss. Also, excess weight gain in midlife usually results from hormonal shifts, reduced insulin sensitivity, and decreased muscle mass. Consuming enough protein on the Carnivore Diet can boost thermogenesis and preserve lean body mass, which helps maintain a higher metabolic rate. As your metabolic rate increases and you enter ketosis, fat oxidation increases and insulin levels reduce, making the body burn stored fat. Many women experience a reduction in stubborn belly fat and improved waist-to-hip ratios after going on a Carnivore Diet, especially during and after perimenopause.
• Reducing Insulin Resistance: Insulin resistance occurs when cells no longer respond effectively to insulin, leading to higher blood glucose levels and increased fat storage. The Carnivore Diet helps reverse this by eliminating carbohydrates, the macronutrient that causes insulin spikes. When you eat meat and minimize dietary glucose, the body switches to using fat to produce energy (ketosis), which means your body needs a lot less insulin. Animal proteins like beef, lamb, and organ meats have small impacts on insulin secretion. Also, healthy saturated fats from these animal sources can improve cellular membrane function, allowing insulin receptors to respond more efficiently. The result is improved glycemic control, better energy levels, and a reduction in metabolic syndrome risk.
• Anti-Aging Effects: Some of the main causes of aging are oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and chronic inflammation. The meat you eat in a Carnivore Diet contains essential nutrients like zinc, vitamin A, collagen, carnosine, and B vitamins that help with cellular repair, skin health, and mitochondrial energy production. These nutrients can also help skin elasticity, joint function, and cellular repair, which is why women on a Carnivore Diet notice fewer wrinkles, improved skin texture, and more energy. Additionally, Carnosine has anti-glycation effects, which protect tissues from the damaging effects of excess sugar. The absence of plant-based antinutrients (e.g., oxalates, lectins, and phytates) also reduces systemic inflammation and promotes gut integrity, which helps slow aging, especially in women. Also, consuming more bioavailable proteins helps muscle retention, which is especially important for aging women at risk of sarcopenia.
• Improving Mental Health and Depression: Mental health is influenced by blood sugar stability, inflammation, and neurotransmitter production. The Carnivore Diet can help stabilize mood by eliminating blood sugar crashes and reducing neuroinflammation. Nutrients found in meat, such as vitamin B12, zinc, DHA, and iron, are crucial for serotonin and dopamine (happy hormones) synthesis. Meat is also rich in tryptophan (a precursor to serotonin). Additionally, eliminating gluten and other potential allergens found in grains and legumes can significantly improve mood and reduce brain fog. Meat is also a good source of brain-supportive nutrients, such as omega-3s, B vitamins, and creatine, which can improve mood and reduce anxiety or depression.
• Easing Menopausal Symptoms: Menopause changes estrogen, progesterone, and metabolic function. The fat and protein we consume on a Carnivore Diet help hormone production and regulate insulin, which can rise during menopause. Women usually experience reduced hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings after switching to the Carnivore Diet. The diet also helps maintain muscle and bone density, which are at greater risk of decline after menopause. Nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and K2 from animal products directly support skeletal health during this life stage.
• Improving Metabolic and Digestive Function: Women are more prone to digestive issues and metabolic syndrome compared to men, due to differences in hormones, body composition, and life stages such as menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. Women have slower gastrointestinal transit times, probably influenced by estrogen and progesterone, which can lead to bloating, constipation, and IBS. Hormonal fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle also affect gut motility and microbiome composition. Women, especially after menopause, experience a natural decline in estrogen, which impacts fat distribution, insulin sensitivity, and lipid metabolism. This increases their risk of central obesity, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance, which are core components of metabolic syndrome. The Carnivore Diet can help with different issues related to metabolic syndrome, including central obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL, and elevated fasting glucose. The diet’s high-protein, zero-carb nature helps improve lipid profiles, reduce blood pressure, and improve glucose metabolism.

Potential Risks and Downsides

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. Saturated fat 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. Extreme diets high in saturated fat and low in fibre are known to raise cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. The carnivore diet is an extremely restrictive diet that’s grown in popularity mostly via social media as a quick way to lose weight over the last few years. One of the main issues is that it’s high in saturated fats due to its high amounts of red meat and dairy. Too much saturated fat can increase levels of bad cholesterol (known as non-HDL cholesterol) in the blood. Both high cholesterol and high blood pressure raise the risk of developing coronary heart disease and having a heart attack or stroke.
• 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. While meat is nutritious and provides many micronutrients, it should not be the only part of your diet. Following a restrictive diet like the carnivore diet may lead to deficiencies in some nutrients and the overconsumption of others. 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. The carnivore diet does not contain these compounds and has not been associated with any long-term health benefits.
• 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, suboptimal gut health can lead to a number of issues and may even be linked to colon cancer. In fact, one review found that a high-protein, low-carb diet may increase your risk for gut inflammation. When your body digests large amounts of protein, it creates potentially harmful byproducts in your gut. These byproducts may have a negative effect on the health of your bowels. Overall, following the carnivore diet may harm your gut health. For example, the diet contains virtually no fibre, which is a type of carbohydrate only found in plant-based foods that cannot be completely digested.
• 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.
• Difficult to Maintain: The carnivore diet is difficult to follow long term and does not offer much variety. The carnivore diet is too restrictive - and too boring - to follow long-term. Eventually food cravings are going to kick in.

Sample Menu

Here’s a five-day sample menu for the carnivore diet:

• Day 1

  Read also: Troubleshooting Carnivore Diet Diarrhea

  • Breakfast: Eggs, bacon, sardines
  • Lunch: Turkey burger patty, salmon jerky, beef tips
  • Dinner: Filet mignon, crab, chicken liver
  • Snacks: A small amount of Parmesan cheese, jerky

• Day 2

  • Breakfast: Shrimp, eggs, a small glass of heavy cream
  • Lunch: Strip steak, tuna fish, beef jerky
  • Dinner: Lamb chops, scallops, beef liver
  • Snacks: A small amount of hard Cheddar cheese, bone broth

• Day 3

  • Breakfast: Eggs, salmon, turkey sausage
  • Lunch: Sweetbreads, pork chops, mackerel
  • Dinner: Turkey burger patty, a small amount of Parmesan cheese, bone marrow
  • Snacks: Hard-boiled eggs, shrimp

• Day 4

  • Breakfast: Trout, shredded chicken, bacon
  • Lunch: Beef meatballs, small amount Cheddar cheese, salmon jerky
  • Dinner: Crab cooked in lard, filet mignon
  • Snacks: Sardines, beef jerky

• Day 5

  • Breakfast: Eggs, chicken and turkey sausage links
  • Lunch: Lamb roast, chicken liver, pork chop
  • Dinner: Flank steak, scallops cooked in butter, a small glass of heavy cream
  • Snacks: Bone broth, turkey jerky

Is the Carnivore Diet Safe?

This diet probably won’t hurt you if you’re healthy and you go on it for a short period of time. But it’s not recommended. It’s certainly not a plan that dietitians or health professionals advocate. It’s very restrictive, and it concerns me that there’s so little fiber. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and American Heart Association both recommend eating plant-based foods. That’s because of the nutritional goodness, the phytochemicals, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients found in plants. You don’t get all of those in animal products.

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. Such a restrictive diet could trigger unhealthy eating patterns, Zelman says.

tags: #carnivore #diet #for #women #over #50