Lions, tigers, bears and... you? The list of carnivorous animals is long, and it's clear from our sharp canines and primitive battle tools that humans have been eating meat for millennia. Meat provides your body with proteins and sufficient micronutrients such as iron, zinc and vitamin B12. For centuries it has been the cornerstone of meals in many cultures.
Because of the nutritional value of meat - and perhaps in response to the current emphasis on plant-based eating - it's no surprise that some people are now turning to a carnivore diet. This eating plan is exactly what it sounds like.
While there are no gold standard parameters around it, people who are carnivores generally focus exclusively on animal-based foods, explains Julie Pace, RDN, a registered dietitian and owner of Core Nutrition Health and Wellness. "The carnivore diet includes only animal products such as meat, fish, eggs and some dairy products, and excludes all fruits, vegetables and grains. It contains a lot of proteins and fats, without carbohydrates."
While eating this way can provide short-term benefits such as weight loss - and it may sound kind of tough to just eat meat - experts say it's a meat- a fad that most people shouldn't try. This is why.
This is what the carnivore diet entails
Again, a carnivore diet involves a steady stream of animal foods, hence the nickname: the "carb-free diet." All meats, including beef, pork, lamb, poultry and organ meats, are allowed, as are all seafood and eggs.
Some dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt are usually also allowed. What are you not going to eat? Grains, fruits, vegetables or sweets. Most supporters say alcohol is also off the table. In other words, it's a limited (and very meaty) menu.
What you can and cannot eat on the carnivore diet
Because of its emphasis on animal products, which often require a certain internal temperature to be safe to eat, a carnivore diet also involves a lot of home cooking. For example, you could scramble some eggs for breakfast, pan-fry a salmon fillet for lunch, and roast an herb-crusted pork tenderloin for dinner. If you follow the diet, be prepared to spend time in the kitchen.
How it compares to other low-carb diets
So... is a carnivore diet an "ancestral" eating plan, as some proponents say - or is it just the latest take on the low-carb trend? It might be a bit of both.
"The carnivore diet is a variation of a keto diet," says Anne Danahy, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian and owner of Craving Something Healthy. "However, it is much more restrictive than a keto, low-carb or Atkins diet because it only consists of meat, poultry, fish/seafood, animal products such as eggs and small amounts of high-fat dairy products such as cream and butter. "
According to Danahy, the extreme restriction of the carnivore diet means it isn't as accessible or customizable as many other low-carb options. "The other diets (low-carb, keto, Atkins) allow some room for low-carb plant foods like berries, leafy greens, nuts and seeds, making those diets easier to follow, tastier and healthier because plant foods contain essential nutrients that animal foods lack ."
Potential short-term benefits of a carnivore diet
If you believe what you see on Tiktok, you may be convinced that a carnivore diet can stabilize your blood sugar, balance your hormones, and help you slim down for swimsuit season. But according to experts and current research, any benefits from eating all animal products are likely modest and short-lived.
Take blood sugar levels, for example. Some research shows that very low-carb diets are associated with better blood sugar control. However, the American Heart Association reports that while a low-carb diet high in plant foods might lower blood sugar levels, a low-carb diet focused on animal foods is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
As for weight loss, a 2021 study of more than 2,000 people following a carnivore diet found that most were satisfied with its weight-reducing effects. However, the authors noted that more research is needed on its long-term weight loss potential. It's also unclear whether low-carb, high-protein carnivore diets lead to weight loss or whether people consume fewer calories because of restricting so many foods.
"In the short term, the carnivore diet can lead to rapid weight loss and better blood sugar control for some people," says Pace. "However, these benefits are often temporary." After all, eating meat (and nothing else) at every meal is not easy. Many people find the monotony unbearable.
The (many) disadvantages of a carnivore diet
In addition to growing tired of surf and turf, you may also experience other, more serious drawbacks to a carnivore diet. Nutrient deficiencies are a major problem.
If you eliminate plants from your diet, you'll miss out on important antioxidants that help maintain a healthy immune system and suppress inflammation, Pace says. And one more important nutrient you'll be woefully deficient in? Fiber. For reference, women need 25 grams of fiber daily and men need 38 grams. A true carnivore diet can provide as little as 0 grams.
Disadvantages of a carnivore diet
"The carnivore diet is remarkably low in fiber, which negatively impacts your gut," says Danahy. "Not only are you more likely to have constipation, but low-fiber, high-meat diets have also been linked to a higher risk of colorectal cancer."
Meanwhile, carbohydrates are the body's preferred source of energy. Taking them out of your diet can cause mental fog and fatigue. Older research found that when people completely restricted their carbohydrate intake, they performed worse on memory-based tests.
In the long term, a carnivore diet can negatively impact your heart health. "I would be concerned about increased cholesterol and inflammation levels," says Danahy. The high fat, salt and cholesterol content of meat and other animal products can also raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease, Pace says.
A carnivore diet isn't something you should sink your teeth into for better health, says Danahy. "This is just another ultra-restrictive fad diet that is not based on scientific evidence and could be harmful in the long term." If you want to eat low-carb, consider a more balanced approach that allows for other nutrient-dense foods. .
