The carnivore diet, consisting exclusively of animal products, has gained popularity due to anecdotal evidence suggesting benefits for inflammatory conditions. However, one of the main concerns about the carnivore diet is the potential for nutrient deficiencies, especially Vitamin C, which is mainly found in plant-based foods. This article provides an ultimate guide on how to obtain enough Vitamin C on a carnivore diet, identify deficiency symptoms, and avoid scurvy.
Why Vitamin C is Important on a Carnivore Diet
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a crucial nutrient that performs several vital functions in the human body:
- Boosting the Immune System: Vitamin C aids in the production of white blood cells, immune system soldiers that combat infections and diseases. It is also essential for wound healing.
- Antioxidant Properties: As a powerful antioxidant, Vitamin C protects body cells from free radicals, unstable molecules that cause oxidative stress and chronic diseases.
- Collagen Synthesis: Vitamin C is essential for synthesizing collagen, a protein necessary for healthy skin, bones, and connective tissue.
- Increasing Iron Absorption: Vitamin C can increase iron absorption from foods.
- Reducing Chronic Diseases: Vitamin C protects the body against chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease.
Vitamin C Deficiency Symptoms on the Carnivore Diet
Vitamin C is abundant in fruits and vegetables, including citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes), berries (strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries), kiwi, pineapple, mango, papaya, melons (watermelon and cantaloupe), tomatoes, peppers (red, green, yellow), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, spinach, kale, and cabbage.
However, the carnivore diet excludes these plant-based sources, potentially leading to Vitamin C deficiency. One of the primary concerns for carnivore dieters is developing scurvy due to inadequate Vitamin C intake.
Scurvy results from the body's inability to produce sufficient collagen due to Vitamin C deficiency. Symptoms of scurvy or Vitamin C deficiency may appear within a few weeks to months of insufficient Vitamin C intake.
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How Much Vitamin C is Needed on a Carnivore Diet?
The general recommendation for adults is a daily intake of 75-90 mg of Vitamin C. However, this recommendation is based on a diet that includes plant-based foods. The carnivore diet, consisting exclusively of animal products, has gained attention, anecdotally, for imparting benefit for inflammatory conditions beyond that possible by other restrictive dietary approaches. Whether the metabolic contexts from consuming such a diet facilitates a lower requirement of certain nutrients, or whether it poses risks of micronutrient inadequacies remains to be determined.
Vitamin C Content in Animal Products
While animal products are not typically known for high Vitamin C content, some sources contain measurable amounts of this essential nutrient.
Vitamin C in Seafood
Here’s the Vitamin C content per 100 grams of various seafood options:
- Clam (canned): 22.1 mg
- Fish roe (cooked): 16.4 mg
- Fish roe: 16.0 mg
- Clam: 13.0 mg
- Crab (cooked): 7.6 mg
- Crab: 7.0 mg
- Octopus: 5.0 mg
- Oyster: 4.7 mg
- Atlantic salmon: 3.9 mg
- Trout: 2.9 mg
- Shrimp: 2.2 mg
- Mackerel: 2.0 mg
- Herring: 1.0 mg
- Mackerel: 0.4 mg
Vitamin C in Milk and Cheese
The Vitamin C content in 100 ml of different types of milk is as follows:
- Raw milk: 2.2 mg
- Reconstituted whole milk from powder: 1.3 mg
- Pasteurized milk: 0.6 mg
- Reconstituted evaporated milk: 0.2 mg
Other kinds of milk and cheese contain minimal amounts of Vitamin C, up to 1mg at a maximum. These include ricotta cheese (part-skim cow's milk), feta cheese (goat and sheep's milk), whole goat's milk, reduced-fat goat's milk, skim goat's milk, whole sheep's milk, reduced-fat sheep's milk, and skim sheep's milk.
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Vitamin C in Eggs
Eggs contain very little Vitamin C, with large eggs containing less than 0.5 mg.
Best Sources of Vitamin C on the Carnivore Diet
To ensure adequate Vitamin C intake on a carnivore diet, prioritize these animal-based sources:
- Veal thymus: 49.2 mg
- Beef spleen: 45.5 mg
- Veal spleen: 41.0 mg
- Veal lungs: 39.0 mg
- Beef lungs: 38.5 mg
- Lamb lungs: 31.0 mg
- Pork spleen: 28.5 mg
- Pork liver: 25.3 mg
- Turkey liver: 24.5 mg
- Lamb spleen: 23.0 mg
- Capon giblet: 18.4 mg
- Chicken liver: 17.9 mg
- Chicken giblet: 16.2 mg
- Lamb brain: 16.0 mg
- Veal pancreas: 16.0 mg
- Fish roe: 16.0 mg
- Beef pancreas: 13.7 mg
- Pork brain: 13.5 mg
- Pork kidney: 13.3 mg
- Chicken giblet: 13.1 mg
- Clam: 13.0 mg
- Pork lung: 12.3 mg
- Lamb kidney: 11.0 mg
- Beef brain: 10.7 mg
- Beef kidney: 9.4 mg
- Goose meat: 7.2 mg
- Quail meat: 7.2 mg
- Crab: 7.0 mg
- Wild duck meat: 6.2 mg
- Pork heart: 5.3 mg
The Carnivore Diet: Benefits, Risks, and Considerations
The carnivore diet is a restrictive diet that includes only 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. Its proponents recommend eliminating or limiting dairy intake to foods that are low in lactose, such as butter and hard cheeses.
The carnivore diet 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.
Potential Benefits
Some people report weight loss, mood improvements, and better blood sugar regulation while on the carnivore diet. These potential benefits are often attributed to the diet's high protein and fat content, which can promote satiety and reduce calorie intake. The elimination of processed, high-sugar foods may also contribute to improved blood sugar control.
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Risks and Downsides
The carnivore diet has several potential downsides due to its restrictive nature:
- High in Fat, Cholesterol, and Sodium: Since the carnivore diet consists solely of animal foods, it can be high in saturated fat and cholesterol, potentially increasing the risk of heart disease. Processed meats can also lead to excessive sodium intake, increasing the risk of high blood pressure and kidney disease.
- May Lack Certain Micronutrients and Beneficial Plant Compounds: The carnivore diet eliminates highly nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, which contain beneficial vitamins, minerals, plant compounds, and antioxidants.
- Does Not Provide Fiber: As fiber is found only in plant foods, the carnivore diet contains no fiber, which may lead to constipation and negatively impact gut health.
- May Not Be Suited for Some Populations: The carnivore diet may be problematic for individuals who need to limit their protein intake, those sensitive to cholesterol, and populations with special nutrient needs, such as children and pregnant or lactating women.
Micronutrient Adequacy on the Carnivore Diet
A study assessed the nutrient adequacy of four versions of the carnivore diet against national nutrient reference values (NRVs). The study found that the carnivore diet met several NRV thresholds for nutrients such as riboflavin, niacin, phosphorus, zinc, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, selenium, and Vitamin A, and exceeded the sodium threshold. However, it fell short in thiamin, magnesium, calcium, and Vitamin C, and in iron, folate, iodine and potassium in some cases. Fiber intake was significantly below recommended levels.
Addressing Vitamin C Deficiency on the Carnivore Diet
Vitamin C is particularly interesting to discuss in the context of a carnivore diet. Despite being a poor source of Vitamin C, meat is recognised for having antiscorbutic (scurvy-preventing) properties. It is suggested that scurvy may develop due to a lack of carnitine, which can be derived endogenously using Vitamin C, but is also available abundantly in meat. Thus, the large quantities of carnitine available in an animal-based diet may provide Vitamin C sparing effects. However, research is still needed to confirm whether this theory is true, or whether some versions of the carnivore diet require Vitamin C supplementation.
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