The carnivore diet, a highly restrictive eating plan, has garnered attention for its purported benefits, including weight loss and improvements in various health conditions. This diet centers around the consumption of animal products, excluding all plant-based foods. While proponents claim numerous advantages, it's crucial to examine the scientific evidence and potential risks associated with this approach.
What is the Carnivore Diet?
The carnivore diet involves eliminating all foods except meat and animal products. Someone on the carnivore diet can eat meat: beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, pork, etc. Organ meats: Liver, kidney, sweatbread, 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.
This way of eating 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. It 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. Its proponents also recommend eliminating or limiting dairy intake to foods that are low in lactose - a sugar found in milk and dairy products - such as butter and hard cheeses.
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.
Foods to Include
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. Foods to eat include beef, chicken, pork, lamb, turkey, organ meats, salmon, sardines, white fish, and small amounts of heavy cream and hard cheese. Butter, lard, and bone marrow are also allowed. Proponents of the diet emphasize eating fatty cuts of meat to reach your daily energy needs, and organ meats such as liver, to ensure intake of vitamins low in other cuts of meat such as vitamin C. The carnivore diet encourages drinking water and bone broth but discourages drinking tea, coffee, and other drinks made from plants. Carnivore diet plans may offer little guidance regarding calorie intake, serving sizes, or how many meals or snacks to eat per day. Most proponents of the diet suggest eating as often as you desire.
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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
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- 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
Foods to Avoid
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.
Potential Benefits of the Carnivore Diet
Avid fans of the carnivore diet say it has a range of benefits.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.
For instance, since the carnivore diet excludes carbs, it eliminates cookies, cakes, candy, sodas, pastries, and similar high-carb foods. These foods are low in beneficial nutrients and often high in calories. Thus, they should be limited in a healthy, balanced diet. 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.
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Weight Loss
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. Other studies show similar results, suggesting that increasing protein and dietary fat intake may lead to weight loss and help reduce the amount of weight regained over time.
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. 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 benefits for individuals with autoimmune conditions
Some supporters of the carnivore diet suggest that eliminating plant-based foods may benefit individuals with autoimmune conditions by reducing exposure to potential dietary triggers, such as lectins and oxalates.
Risks and 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. 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.
Increased risk of certain types of cancer
Red and processed meat intake has also been linked to higher rates of certain types of cancer, including colon and rectal cancer.
Lacks 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.
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.
Other Risks
Other longer-term concerns about keto diets, especially the carnivore diet, include the increased risk of kidney stones, gout, and osteoporosis. Consuming a large amount of animal protein can lead to unwanted stress on the kidneys, especially if you already experience kidney issues. The lack of key nutrients in a meat-based diet can lead to electrolyte imbalances that cause muscle cramps, as well as dizziness, fatigue and general weakness.
Research and Studies on the Carnivore Diet
Research on the carnivore diet is limited, with most evidence being anecdotal or derived from broader studies on ketogenic and low-carbohydrate diets.
One study promoted by Baker asked followers of the diet to fill out a survey on their eating habits and health. The respondents reported satisfaction and beneficial effects. However, nutrition experts raised concerns about the study’s health claims. For example, the study did not include any way to check the accuracy of the health information submitted by the respondents. The results should be interpreted with caution.
Lennerz, B. S., Mey, J. T., Henn, O. H., & Ludwig, D. S. (2021) conducted a social media survey among adults self-identifying as consuming a carnivore diet for ≥6 mo. A total of 2029 respondents (median age: 44 y, 67% male) reported consuming a carnivore diet for 14 mo (IQR: 9-20 mo), motivated primarily by health reasons (93%). Red meat consumption was reported as daily or more often by 85%. Under 10% reported consuming vegetables, fruits, or grains more often than monthly, and 37% denied vitamin supplement use. Prevalence of adverse symptoms was low (<1% to 5.5%). Symptoms included gastrointestinal (3.1%-5.5%), muscular (0.3%-4.0%), and dermatologic (0.1%-1.9%). Participants reported high levels of satisfaction and improvements in overall health (95%), well-being (66%-91%), various medical conditions (48%-98%), and median [IQR] BMI (in kg/m2) (from 27.2 [23.5-31.9] to 24.3 [22.1-27.0]). Among a subset reporting current lipids, LDL-cholesterol was markedly elevated (172 mg/dL), whereas HDL-cholesterol (68 mg/dL) and triglycerides (68 mg/dL) were optimal. Contrary to common expectations, adults consuming a carnivore diet experienced few adverse effects and instead reported health benefits and high satisfaction. Cardiovascular disease risk factors were variably affected.