Ketovore Diet: A Comprehensive Meal Plan Example and Guide

The ketovore diet is a powerful synthesis of the keto and carnivore diets. For people looking for ways to shed body fat, boost mental clarity, and improve other aspects of their overall health, the ketogenic (keto) and carnivore diets are popular approaches. These two low-carb diets share many of the same principles and have advocates and unique benefits. The "ketovore diet" is a hybrid eating style that integrates the high-fat, low-carb principles of keto with the entirely animal-based focus of the carnivore diet.

The ketovore way of eating is basically a modified diet that combines the basic principles of the keto diet with the animal product-heavy carnivore diet while still allowing a few extras like low-carb plants, spices, coconut oil, and non-nutritive sweeteners. It’s a slightly more relaxed way of eating that allows you the ease of meal prepping mostly animal foods but gives you a few extras. Some might even call it a modified carnivore diet.

Understanding the Ketovore Diet

As its name suggests, the ketovore diet is a mix of the ketogenic (keto) and the carnivore diets and includes features from both these dietary approaches. The ketovore diet offers significant health benefits, including weight loss, reduced risk for insulin resistance, and improved mental clarity. It helps you enjoy the fat-burning benefits of ketosis while eating mostly animal-based foods.

Ketovore can also be a transition from keto to carnivore. Individuals who go on a Primal Diet from high-carbohydrate diets can start with a Low-Carb Diet to get used to reducing carbohydrates, then move to Keto to induce ketosis. Then, go for Ketovore to get ready for minimizing carbohydrates and increasing fat and protein, and finally go Carnivore, remove carbohydrates, and maximize health results.

The ketogenic diet aims to induce and maintain ketosis by decreasing the intake of carbohydrates and increasing the fat intake, so the body uses fat instead of carbohydrates to provide energy. To induce ketosis, Keto dieters consume healthy fats, meat, moderate protein, and low-carbohydrate vegetables. The carnivore diet excludes plant-based foods and allows only animal products, including meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, animal fats, and other animal-based foods.

Read also: The Hoxsey Diet

Combining the best features of these two diets, the ketovore diet tries to create ketosis by following the keto diet’s rules while consuming mainly animal products rather than plant-based foods like most fruits and vegetables. The Ketovore Diet provides the dieters’ macronutrient needs from fats and proteins while minimizing carbs. "The Ketovore Diet combines the metabolic benefits of ketosis with the nutrient density of animal foods.

Ketovore vs. Keto Diet

The main difference between a Keto Diet and a Ketovore Diet is that Ketovore prioritizes animal products and includes fewer vegetables than Keto. The ketovore diet incorporates some low-carb plant foods, unlike the carnivore diet, which excludes all plant-based foods. The Ketovore Diet tries to induce ketosis by consuming animal products and minimizing carbohydrates and plant-based foods.

A Ketovore Diet includes meat, fish, eggs, and other animal-based foods while excluding or limiting carbohydrates and plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. While a Keto Diet allows many foods and provides protein and fat from various sources, a Ketovore Diet provides daily macros from animal products and removes most or all plant-based foods. Simply put, the Ketovore Diet takes the concept of ketosis from the Ketogenic Diet and merges it with the animal-based approach of the Carnivore Diet.

Ketovore vs. Carnivore Diet

The main difference between a Carnivore diet and a Ketovore diet is that Ketovore allows minimal carbohydrates, while Carnivore is almost zero-carb and provides the daily macros from only the animal-based foods. A Carnivore Diet excludes plant-based foods and focuses on increasing fat and protein intake and avoiding carbohydrates.

The Ketovore Diet, as a mix of the Ketogenic and Carnivore diets, tries to create ketosis to burn fat instead of carbohydrates, but also small carbohydrates, which helps those who are not yet ready to omit carbohydrates.

Read also: Walnut Keto Guide

Ketovore vs. Paleo Diet

Both emphasize whole foods, but the ketovore diet restricts carbohydrate intake more significantly and emphasizes animal proteins more.

Ketovore OMAD

Ketovore OMAD is a mix of the Ketovore Diet with the OMAD (One Meal a Day) method. In the OMAD approach, you eat only a single meal every day and fast before and after the meal. Mixing the rules of the Ketovore Diet with OMAD means that you go on a Ketovore Diet and eat only one meal each day. On that meal, you can get all your daily calorie and nutrient needs from the foods allowed in the Ketovore Diet.

Ketovore OMAD is a more restrictive version of the Ketovore Diet, including longer fasting periods to improve insulin sensitivity and burn fat.

Getting Started with the Ketovore Diet

Starting a Ketovore Diet is easy. People usually go on a Ketovore Diet after trying Low-Carb and Keto and use it as a transition phase to enter zero-carb Carnivore.

How to Start

Here are the main steps you need to take when you want to start a Ketovore Diet.

Read also: Weight Loss with Low-FODMAP

1. Learn about Ketovore: Find the right balance of macronutrient ratios and learn about foods allowed and the potential benefits and risks of the diet.
2. Set Realistic Goals: Decide what health and fitness goals you want to achieve and plan accordingly. Your Ketovore goals can include weight loss, improved energy levels, or better metabolic health.
3. Get a Meal Plan: Use different sources and plan meals according to your goals and favorite foods, but based on the foods allowed in the Ketovore Diet. Keep carbohydrates to a minimum, include various foods, and consume moderate protein and high fat to have a balanced diet.
4. Gradual Transition: If your current eating habits are different, you need to enter Ketovore gradually. Study the rules of the Primal, Keto, Carnivore, and Ketovore diets to start from the most suitable level. You should start by decreasing carbohydrate intake over a few days or weeks to let your body adapt to changes and minimize side effects.
5. Track Your Macronutrients: Use this free Carnivore Diet Macro Calculator to find the right ratio of macros based on your age, gender, and activity level. You can also get a GKI Blood Glucose and Ketone Meter with a special discount for the 5MB community to track your daily macronutrient intake.
6. Drink Plenty of Water: Staying hydrated is essential, as the Ketovore diet can have diuretic effects. Also, keep your electrolytes in balance.

Key Principles

To adhere to the ketovore diet effectively, consider these guidelines:

1. Increase animal fats and proteins: Compensate for the reduced carbohydrate intake by increasing your consumption of high-quality animal fats and proteins.
2. Daily carbohydrate limit: Once you're acclimated to the diet, keep your daily carbohydrate intake below 20 grams (aiming for about 10 to 15 grams per day, ideally) to ensure you stay in ketosis. This is crucial as exceeding this limit can disrupt the metabolic state that the ketovore diet aims to achieve.
3. Protein and fat intake: Protein should be moderate, as high levels can convert to glucose and potentially kick you out of ketosis. Aim for about 1.0 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight, depending on your activity level.
4. Monitor Ketone Levels: Regularly use ketone testing strips to confirm that you are in ketosis. If you're not in ketosis, adjust your carb intake downward and increase your fat intake.
5. Adaptation Period: Ketosis can make some people feel lethargic or weak, especially when first following a very low-carb diet, during which your body needs time to adjust. Give your body time to adapt to a higher fat intake by starting slowly and increasing gradually.
6. Plan Ahead: It helps to plan ahead when eating out, such as by checking menus and making sure you'll have some low-carb options available.
7. Nutrient Diversity: Each of these foods provides different levels of essential nutrients-for example, organ meats like liver are very high in iron and vitamin A, eggs are rich in choline, and oily fish like salmon provide omega-3 fats.
8. Flexibility: You don't necessarily need to follow the ketovore diet every single day.

Keto Carnivore Rules

Generally, the rules of Keto, Ketovore, and Carnivore are similar. However, the macronutrient ratio and the foods allowed make all the difference. Here are the main rules of the Keto-Carnivore or Ketovore Diet:

1. Consume Animal Products: Eat high-quality, nutrient-dense meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy.
2. Avoid Carbohydrates: To minimize carbs, you need to limit or exclude grains, legumes, fruits, and starchy vegetables.
3. Eat Healthy Fats: Consume high amounts of healthy animal fats to create a state of ketosis and provide enough energy.
4. Consume Protein in Moderation: Consuming too much protein can hinder ketosis. Consider the daily macros and keep the balance between fat and protein.
5. Drink Enough Water: It is necessary to drink plenty of water during the day to avoid dehydration and keep your electrolytes balanced.
6. Consider Supplementation: Consult a healthcare professional and take supplements to meet your body’s needs if needed.

Is the Ketovore Diet Healthy? Benefits and Risks

The Ketovore Diet combines the rules of the Keto and Carnivore diets, so its benefits and side effects somehow include the pros and cons of these two diets.

Benefits of the Ketovore Diet

Individuals have reported the effectiveness of the Ketovore Diet on weight loss and health, but limited research has been conducted on this diet, and most of the evidence is related to the Ketogenic and Carnivore diets.

1. Ketosis and Weight Loss: Limiting carbohydrates and using fat for energy can help create ketosis, which is linked to reduced appetite, better fat burning, and weight loss. A high-protein, high-fat ketovore diet is also very filling and tends to curb hunger.
2. Blood Sugar Control: Lowering carbohydrate intake can help stabilize blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity, which helps patients with type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, or similar conditions. In one study involving more than 250 respondents with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes, after adopting a carnivore diet, many with diabetes saw significant reductions in BMI and blood sugar levels, with many also reducing or discontinuing their diabetes medications.
3. Reduced Inflammation: A study published in Frontiers in Nutrition also found that ketogenic and carnivore diets hold promise for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including UC and Crohn's disease. Additionally, a ketovore approach may benefit those suffering from chronic pain and inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. As you consume less processed and inflammatory foods on the Ketovore Diet, you can be relieved from inflammatory symptoms.
4. Better Brain Function and Mental Clarity: Some individuals report that the Ketovore Diet can boost mental clarity and performance and help with epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease.
5. Decreased Food Cravings: Minimizing carbs and sugar in the Ketovore Diet can help reduce cravings for these foods, resulting in better control over food consumption.
6. Cancer Treatment: A Ketovore diet may help treat cancer by slowing down tumor growth.
7. Simplified Meal Planning: The streamlined approach of the diet simplifies meal planning, shopping, and preparation, reducing the daily hassle of choosing what to eat.

Potential Side Effects

As the Ketovore Diet contains some benefits of the Keto and Carnivore diets, it can include some of the temporary side effects of these two diets, such as:

1. Keto Flu: Many dieters have reported flu-like symptoms in the first days or weeks of going on the Ketovore Diet, including fatigue, headache, brain fog, irritability, and nausea, which is known as Keto or Carnivore Flu.
2. Digestive Problems: Overconsuming animal products can cause digestive issues, including constipation, diarrhea, or changes in bowel movements in sensitive individuals.
3. Nutrient Deficiencies: Excluding some plant-based foods can result in nutrient deficiencies in individuals with underlying health issues.
4. Increased Cholesterol: Going on a high-fat diet like the Ketovore can raise the risk of temporary high cholesterol levels. But these changes are often due to a boost in HDL (the good cholesterol) and become normal gradually.
5. Other Side Effects: When side effects did occur in study participants, which was in less than 6% of people, they included diarrhea, constipation, weight gain, muscle cramps, hair loss or thinning, trouble sleeping, and dry skin. On the other hand, following a strict carnivore diet long-term may pose risks for heart health in some susceptible people.

Ketovore Diet Food List and Grocery Shopping List

Here are the main foods we can eat and must avoid on a Ketovore Diet, and a full Ketovore grocery shopping list.

Foods to Eat

• Meat: Beef, pork, lamb, veal, organ meats, etc.
• Poultry: Chicken, turkey, duck, etc.
• Fish and seafood: Salmon, trout, sardines, shrimp, crab, etc.
• Eggs: Including whole eggs and egg yolks
• Dairy: High-fat dairy products like butter, ghee, cheese, and heavy cream
• Fats and oils: Animal fats like lard, tallow, duck fat, etc.
• Bone broth: Made from animal bones and connective tissues
• Fruits: Low-carb fruits and veggies like berries.

Foods to Avoid

• Carbohydrates: Grains (wheat, rice, oats, etc.), legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.), and high-carbohydrate fruits (bananas, grapes, mangoes, etc.)
• Sugary foods and beverages: Soda, fruit juices, candies, cakes, etc.
• Starchy vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, etc.
• Processed foods: Processed and packaged foods with additives, preservatives, and added sugars
• Sauces: Ketchup, barbecue sauce, honey mustard, etc.
• High-carbohydrate snacks: Chips, crackers, cookies, etc.

Ketovore Grocery Shopping List

• Beef: (steaks, ground beef, roasts)
• Pork: (chops, bacon, sausage)
• Lamb: (chops, ground lamb)
• Chicken: (breasts, thighs, wings)
• Turkey: (breasts, ground turkey)
• Duck
• Organ meats: (liver, heart, kidney)
• Salmon
• Trout
• Sardines
• Shrimp
• Crab
• Tuna
• Mackerel
• Eggs
• Butter
• Ghee
• Cheese: (cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, etc.)
• Heavy cream
• Tallow
• Lard
• Bacon fat
• Low-carbohydrate vegetables and fruits
• Bone broth
• Bone marrow

Ketovore Diet Meal Plan Examples

To get started, you also need a Ketovore Diet meal plan. You can tweak the following sample meal plans with the foods you like, but ensure you choose from among the foods allowed in Ketovore.

Ketovore 1-Day Meal Plan

• Breakfast:
  • 3-4 scrambled eggs cooked in butter or ghee
  • 2-3 slices of bacon
  • Bulletproof coffee: Coffee blended with 1-2 tablespoons of butter
• Lunch:
  • Grilled steak (6-8 oz.) seasoned with salt
  • Water
  • Hard-boiled eggs
• Dinner:
  • Baked salmon (6-8 oz.)
  • 2 small chicken thighs
• Snack:
  • Cheese slices or cubes

Ketovore 7-Day Meal Plan

• Day 1
  • Breakfast: Scrambled eggs cooked in butter with bacon
  • Lunch: Grilled chicken thighs
  • Dinner: Ribeye steak
  • Snack: Cheese slices or cubes
• Day 2
  • Breakfast: Omelette with diced ham and cheese
  • Lunch: Baked salmon with butter sauce
  • Dinner: Ground beef
  • Snack: Hard-boiled eggs
• Day 3
  • Breakfast: Sausage links with fried eggs
  • Lunch: Turkey breast slices
  • Dinner: Pork chops
  • Snack: Beef jerky
• Day 4
  • Breakfast: Bacon-wrapped chicken thighs
  • Lunch: Tuna salad
  • Dinner: Grilled lamb chops
  • Snack: Ketovore cheesecake
• Day 5
  • Breakfast: Steak and eggs cooked in ghee
  • Lunch: Roast beef slices
  • Dinner: Pan-seared halibut with lemon herb butter and roasted cauliflower
  • Snack: Pork rinds
• Day 6
  • Breakfast: Ham and cheese roll-ups
  • Lunch: Chicken drumsticks with roasted broccoli
  • Dinner: Bison burger
  • Snack: Ketovore waffles
• Day 7
  • Breakfast: Egg salad
  • Lunch: Shrimp skewers
  • Dinner: Prime rib roast
  • Snack: Cheese slices or cubes

Ketovore Recipes

Here are the essential foods that form the backbone of the ketovore lifestyle. The key is to keep it mostly animal products but allow minimal extras like leafy greens, seasonings, oils, coffee, and sweeteners like stevia and Monk fruit.

Breakfast

1. Chaffle - The answer to your waffle cravings. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, they’re perfect for piling on your favorite toppings or using as a bread substitute.
2. Breakfast Fat Bombs - Imagine your favorite breakfast elements-bacon, eggs, onions, and cheese - all in a convenient little bite-sized form.
3. Keto Egg Bites - Soft, custardy, and packed with your choice of fillings, these keto egg bites are like having your own personal mini quiches.
4. 3 Ingredient Pancakes - Simplicity meets deliciousness with these pancakes.

Lunch

1. Italian Sub in a Bowl | Low Carb Nomad - Ditch the bread but keep all the flavors of your favorite sub in this bowl.
2. 3 Ingredient Chicken Nuggets - Crispy, tender, and utterly dip-worthy, these chicken nuggets are a keto-friendly twist on a childhood favorite.
3. Ham Pinwheels - Thick sliced ham and Swiss cheese rolled up with a creamy, cheesy filling and cut into bite-sized pieces.
4. Pork Belly Bites | Low Carb Yum - Bite into these pork belly bites and experience a perfect mix of crispy skin and tender, flavorful meat.
5. Sheet Pan Burgers | I Breathe I’m Hungry - This isn’t just any burger-it’s a ketovore dream come true.

Dinner

1. Keto Chili - Hearty, meaty, and full of robust flavors, this keto chili takes the chill out of any evening.
2. Lemon Garlic Chicken - Zesty lemon and aromatic garlic bring this chicken dish to life.
3. Keto Korean - Get ready for a flavor explosion with this keto Korean BBQ.
4. Keto Tacos | Low Carb Maven - Taco night is back on the menu!
5. Keto Meatballs | All Day I Dream About Food - These aren’t your average meatballs.

Snacks

1. Deviled Eggs - Classic deviled eggs are the perfect snack for any time of day.
2. Cheese Crisps | Big Man’s World - Say goodbye to carb-heavy snacks and hello to these cheese crisps.
3. Brown Butter Bites -These little bites are rich, caramel-like, and packed with flavor thanks to the magic of browned butter.
4. Keto Sausage Balls - Packed with protein and bursting with flavor, these sausage balls are the ideal snack to keep you going.
5. Keto Chicken Taquitos - Rolled up, filled with spicy chicken, and baked until crispy, these taquitos are a ketovore’s dream.

Desserts

1. Chocolate Mousse - This chocolate mousse is rich, creamy, and utterly indulgent.
2. Lemon Cheesecake Fluff | Our Paleo Life - Light, fluffy, and with a zesty lemon twist, this cheesecake fluff is the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth without the carbs.
3. Keto No-Bake Cheesecake - This no-bake cheesecake is a dream come true for dessert lovers.
4. No Churn Ice Cream | All Day I Dream About Food - Yes, you can still enjoy ice cream on a ketovore diet! This homemade version is creamy, delicious, and comes together without the need for an ice cream maker.

Best Ketovore Snacks

• Cheese slices or cubes
• Beef jerky
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Pork rinds
• Sliced deli meats (turkey, ham, roast beef, etc.)
• Bacon strips or bacon-wrapped bites
• Pepperoni slices or sticks
• Salami or other cured meats
• Beef or turkey sticks
• Canned sardines or tuna
• Deviled eggs
• Bone broth

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