The carnivore diet has emerged as a very restrictive dietary approach, sparking both enthusiasm and concern. This diet centers on the consumption of animal products, excluding all plant-based foods. Proponents, including Dr. Shawn Baker, claim various health benefits, while health professionals caution against its potential risks. This article delves into the carnivore diet, examining its principles, purported benefits, potential risks, and expert opinions.
What is the Carnivore Diet?
The carnivore diet is an extreme approach to nutrition that eliminates all plant-based foods, focusing entirely on meat, fish, eggs, and some dairy. Unlike the ketogenic diet, which allows for some plant-based foods, the carnivore diet eliminates all carbohydrates and fiber sources. This diet consists mainly of beef, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, organ meats, and some dairy products like cheese and heavy cream.
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. Other popular low-carb diets, like the keto and paleo diets, limit but don’t exclude carb intake. However, the carnivore diet aims for zero carbs.
Foods Included
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.
Read also: The Carnivore Diet: An Autoimmune Solution?
Foods Excluded
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.
Purported Benefits of the Carnivore Diet
Advocates of the carnivore diet claim it offers several health benefits, including:
- Improved energy
- Better mental clarity
- Reduced joint pain
- Better digestion
- Clearer skin
- Significant weight loss
- Reduced inflammation
- Stabilized blood sugar
A primary reason people adopt the carnivore diet is for weight loss. Since protein and fat are highly satiating, individuals often eat fewer calories overall. Research on low-carb, high-protein diets suggests that consuming 0.4-0.6 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day can significantly enhance weight loss compared to diets with lower protein intake.
Additionally, those with diabetes have reported positive effects. In a survey, individuals with diabetes saw an average reduction of 0.4% in their HbA1c levels, indicating better blood sugar control. Many carnivore diet followers report relief from inflammation-related conditions, including autoimmune disorders, allergies, and skin issues. About 60% of surveyed individuals began the diet to address these concerns, and many reported symptom improvements. Since the diet eliminates processed carbohydrates, sugar, and plant-based irritants, some people may experience a reduction in inflammatory responses.
Read also: The Carnivore Diet's Impact on Sleep
Potential for 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.
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. However, you don’t need to cut all carbs from your diet to see results. Other more well studied diets, like the keto diet and low carbohydrate diet, have been shown to decrease weight gain. In the keto diet, high fat foods replace carbohydrates as an anergy source and contribute to both satiety and weight loss.
Plus, the highly restrictive nature of the carnivore diet makes it difficult to follow long term.
Elimination of Processed Foods
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.
Read also: Troubleshooting Carnivore Diet Diarrhea
However, the complete elimination of carbs on the carnivore diet is not recommended or necessary for diabetes management. Instead, eating smaller amounts of wholesome, high-fiber carbs that don’t cause spikes in blood sugar is recommended.
Potential Risks and Concerns
While the carnivore diet has passionate supporters, health professionals express concerns about its long-term effects. Eliminating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains removes essential nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, folate, and antioxidants. Fiber is crucial for gut health, and a lack of it can lead to constipation, microbiome imbalances, and poor digestion. Interestingly, some individuals report diarrhea instead of constipation, likely due to shifts in gut bacteria. While organ meats provide many nutrients absent in muscle meat, few people regularly consume them.
Heart Health
A major concern with the carnivore diet is its effect on heart health. The diet is high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which may raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. A survey of 2,029 carnivore diet followers found that their median LDL levels were 172 mg/dL, a significant increase that could contribute to cardiovascular disease risk. While some individuals see improvements in triglycerides and HDL (good) cholesterol, long-term data on heart health risks is lacking.
Kidney Strain
High-protein diets can strain kidney function, especially in individuals with preexisting kidney disease.
Hormone Imbalance
A lesser-known risk of the carnivore diet is its potential effect on hormone balance. Since the diet eliminates carbohydrates completely, it can lower thyroid hormone levels, which play a key role in metabolism and energy production. Research shows that low-carb diets may reduce T3, the active thyroid hormone, leading to fatigue, sluggishness, and difficulty maintaining body temperature. Additionally, women following extremely low-carb diets have reported irregular menstrual cycles, likely due to hormonal shifts that impact reproductive health. Another concern is cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, which may increase when carbohydrates are too low. Chronically elevated cortisol can lead to sleep disturbances, anxiety, and even muscle loss over time.
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. Red and processed meat intake has also been linked to higher rates of certain types of cancer, including colon and rectal cancer.
Lack of 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.
Absence of 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.
Unsuitability for Certain 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.
Dr. Shawn Baker's Perspective
Dr. Shawn Baker, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon, the best-selling author of The Carnivore Diet, world champion athlete, and the Chief Medical Office of Revero, which provides personalized care for metabolic and autoimmune conditions. He is a leading authority on nutritional therapy and raising awareness about how it affects chronic disease and speaks internationally on the subject.
Baker views the carnivore diet primarily as a therapeutic tool. He states, "My goal is to take care of sick people and make them better." While acknowledging that humans are opportunistic omnivores, he believes the carnivore diet can be particularly beneficial for individuals with food addictions, binge-eating disorders, autoimmune diseases, mental health disorders, and gut issues.
He shares the story of a woman who weighed 800lbs and overcame her binge eating by adopting the carnivore diet, losing 500lbs in 22 months. Baker argues that even if the diet raises certain risk factors, it's essential to give people a choice, especially when it significantly improves their quality of life by alleviating suffering from conditions like Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
Baker also emphasizes the importance of individualizing dietary approaches. He encourages people to "take it upon yourself to figure out what’s working." He criticizes the quality of nutritional science, particularly population-based studies, and suggests focusing on tangible improvements in health, such as reduced pain, improved mood, and weight loss.
He notes that meat is a vital part of that metric. For many people that have these severe medical issues with real bad sensitivities like auto-immune and GI diseases, a pure meat diet seems to work wonderfully to get out of this illness stage. Most people end up eating what we call carnivore-ish, so they eat meat about 90 percent of the time and they have other foods they enjoy the other 10 percent, and it works pretty well.
Baker acknowledges that in the beginning people thought he was absolutely crazy. Now as more people have tried it and experienced great results, it’s sounding less crazy. People often think I’m saying everyone should only eat meat, but I’m not dogmatic about it. If there’s anything I’m dogmatic about it, it’s about finding what’s going to work for you.
Sample Carnivore Diet Meal Plan
The carnivore diet is difficult to follow long term and does not offer much variety. 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
Survey Findings on Carnivore Dieters
A social media survey was conducted 30 March-24 June, 2020 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.