The carnivore diet, a highly restrictive dietary regimen revolving around animal products, has gained considerable attention. It involves consuming meat, fish, eggs, and certain dairy products like cheese and butter, while eliminating all plant-based foods. Proponents claim this approach removes potential allergens, inflammatory compounds, and excess carbohydrates, leading to stable blood sugar levels, reduced cravings, and benefits like mental clarity, better digestion, increased energy, and reduced inflammation.
Understanding the Carnivore Diet
The carnivore diet is similar to the ketogenic (keto) and Atkins diets. The difference is that the keto and Atkins diets only limit carbs. The carnivore diet cuts out all carbohydrates and other food groups, including fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds, and legumes. This diet doesn’t require much prep work other than grocery shopping. To start, you might want to rid your pantry and refrigerator of any foods that contain carbs, so you won’t be tempted to eat them. Then make a shopping list. You’ll do most of your shopping in the meat, poultry, and seafood sections of the grocery store since those are the only foods that you can eat on the carnivore diet.
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. (Baker lost his medical license in 2017 for incompetence. It was reinstated in 2019 with the restriction that he had to be supervised.) 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 Avoided
Animal-based foods like meat, chicken, and fish make up the whole carnivore diet. 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. To cook your foods, you’ll use butter, fat tallow, or ghee (a type of clarified butter). Seasonings are about the only part of the diet that allows some variety. Spices like salt, pepper, chili paste, cumin, paprika, and garlic are all allowed. 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.
Pork's Place in the Carnivore Diet
With so many meats for carnivore diet you can choose from, ranging from the classics like steak and carnivore diet chicken to obscure organ meats, fish, and more. Pork falls under the umbrella of animal-based foods, yet, some say it’s best to avoid it. First things first, can you eat pork on carnivore diet? Absolutely. But as with many things in life, there’s a difference between whether you can do something and whether you should. So, is pork good for carnivore diet? Let’s talk about the good first. Why is pork good for carnivore diet? Plus, it’s a super versatile type of meat that can easily be integrated into a carnivore diet meal plan for beginners.
Read also: The Carnivore Diet: An Autoimmune Solution?
The Good and the Bad
Pork has gotten a bad name, perhaps unfairly. Factory-farmed pork comes from animals raised in poor conditions and fed a diet of grains and soy, which may lead to lower-quality meat. But for what it’s worth, you could make this same claim for beef, poultry, and any other animal. Choose pasture-raised or heritage-breed pork, which comes from animals that were allowed to forage and eat a natural diet. Part of what may have attracted you to this regimen was the link between carnivore diet and inflammation. Pork has been a subject of concern in this regard, especially when it comes to processed pork products like bacon, ham, and sausages. The good news is you can avoid this issue altogether by choosing unprocessed cuts of pork and cooking it yourself.
Diversity is Key
If you choose to eat pork on carnivore diet, great - just remember that it’s only one of many meats you should be consuming on a regular basis. Beef, lamb, poultry, fish, and organ meats all offer different vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that are beneficial for overall health.
Carnivore Diet Pork Chops: A Closer Look
Pork chops can be a satisfying and nutritious addition to a carnivore diet. They provide a good source of protein and fat, essential for energy and satiety on this restrictive diet.
Choosing the Right Cut
When selecting pork chops for the carnivore diet, opt for bone-in, fattier cuts. Chops with the bone left in, tend to be higher in fat because of the layer of fat between the meat and the bone. These cuts offer more fat, which is crucial for meeting your energy needs on a low-carb diet.
Cooking Methods
Pork chops are incredibly versatile and can be sauteed, grilled, baked, or even air-fried. Finish them off in the oven at 400°F for an additional 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness.
Read also: The Carnivore Diet's Impact on Sleep
Nutrient Profile
The nutrition facts of pork depend on the cut. For example, Bacon will have different nutrients than pork chops. Pork is also a good source of selenium, B vitamins, phosphorus, zinc, iron, and essential amino acids.
Incorporating Pork into Your Carnivore Diet
From carnivore diet pork rinds to pork belly, bacon, and more, there are so many delicious and nutritious ways to incorporate pork in the carnivore diet! Part of what makes the carnivore diet so challenging is finding healthy snacks that align with the diet and still satisfy your cravings.
Pork Rinds
Plus, making them at home is simple and allows you to control the quality of the pork skin you use. Start by cutting pork skin into bite-sized pieces, then season with salt. At this point, you can crank up the heat to 450°F for 10-15 minutes until they puff up and get crispy.
Pork Belly
Pork belly is a high-fat, energy-packed option worth including in your diet as well. Score the skin and rub it generously with salt. You’ll be left with a juicy, flavorful cut of pork that has a crispy crackling on top.
Bacon
Nothing says weekend mornings quite like the aroma of bacon wafting through the house. You need to be especially careful when selecting bacon, though. There are a number of ways you can prepare it.
Read also: Troubleshooting Carnivore Diet Diarrhea
Pulled Pork
One of our ultimate carnivore diet pork recipes is pulled pork, and not just because it’s delicious. Use a pork shoulder or butt, season it with salt, and slow-cook it in a crockpot on low for 8-10 hours. Pulled pork is great on its own or paired with some pork rinds for added crunch.
Organ Meats
Before you turn up your nose, hear us out - organ meats are an essential part of the carnivore diet for their rich content of vitamins A, B12, and iron. Simply pan-fry it with butter or ghee until browned on both sides. While the flavor is more intense, it’s a great way to diversify your nutrient intake and round out your carnivore diet.
Potential Benefits of the Carnivore Diet
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. It’s hard to know if or how this diet might improve health, since there’s been very little research on the subject.
One study surveyed more than 2,000 people who said they’d followed a carnivore diet for nine to 20 months. People in the study reported improvements like:
- Lower body mass index (BMI)
- More energy
- Better sleep
- More strength and endurance
- Improved memory and focus
Most people with diabetes in the study were able to lower the dose of their diabetes medicine or go off it entirely. Overall, they said they were happy with this way of eating. One problem with this study was that the researchers didn’t know exactly what people ate. They also didn’t measure their nutrient levels or check their health. They based their results on survey answers alone. The authors say we need more research to better understand the carnivore diet.
Weight Loss
Certain aspects of the carnivore diet may lead to weight loss. Specifically, some studies have shown that high-protein and low-carb diets can promote weight loss. This is mostly because protein, as well as 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.
Therefore, following the carnivore diet would likely cause you to feel fuller and eat fewer calories overall - at least in the short term. One 3-month study in 132 adults with excess weight or obesity compared the weight loss effects of 4 energy-restricted diets containing varying amounts of carbs and protein. Those who ate high-protein diets with 0.4-0.6 grams of protein per pound (0.9-1.3 grams per kilogram) of body weight per day lost significantly more weight and fat mass than those who ate 0.2-0.4 grams of protein per pound (0.5-0.9 grams per kilogram) of body weight per day.
Blood Sugar Management
The carnivore diet can stabilize blood sugar (glucose) levels by preventing the blood sugar spikes after you chow down on carbs or sugary foods. High-sugar foods can also be problematic for people with diabetes, as they can spike blood sugar levels. In fact, 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. Whether these benefits are lasting, however, is less clear.
Potential Risks and Downsides
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. 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.
While this diet can probably help you lose weight, it also can lead to nutrient deficiencies and is not sustainable, says Kathleen Zelman, MPH, a registered dietitian nutritionist. “You just can’t stay on it very long.” The carnivore diet is too restrictive - and too boring - to follow long-term. Eventually food cravings are going to kick in. “You’re going to want a sandwich. You’re going to want a piece of whole-grain bread. And you’re going to want to have some cereal, some fruit, or a salad,” she says.
High 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. However, recent studies have shown that the link between saturated fat intake and heart disease risk may not be as strong as previously believed.
Still, consuming high amounts of saturated fat on the carnivore diet may be of concern. No research has analyzed the health effects of eating animal foods exclusively. Therefore, the effects of consuming such high levels of fat and cholesterol are unknown.
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.
Lack of Micronutrients and Fiber
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.
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.
Not Suitable for Everyone
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.
Sample Carnivore Diet Menu
Here’s a five-day sample menu for the carnivore diet:
Day 1
- 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 Right for You?
So, can you eat pork on carnivore diet? More importantly, is pork GOOD for carnivore diet? You just have to be meticulous in choosing the pork products you consume to reap the benefits and avoid the downside. The carnivore diet is extremely restrictive, consisting entirely of meat, fish, eggs, and small amounts of low-lactose dairy. Overall, the carnivore diet is unnecessarily restrictive.
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