Meat is great; it’s tasty, a great source of proteins, and part of most weight-loss diets. But there is something called the carnivore diet, where people eat only meat and animal products. It’s actually quite famous, so many may want to try it.
To me, a meat-only diet doesn’t sound appealing at all. But I was curious to see what experts say about how healthy such a weight loss plan is. Also, if people actually accomplished their goal following it or if there were some unwanted consequences.
This is what I found out.
What Is the Carnivore Diet?
The carnivore diet is an extreme elimination diet that relies exclusively on consuming meat, organs, and animal products, like eggs or butter. It’s quite controversial, and while some claim an all-meat diet can bring some health benefits, other experts consider it too restrictive and even dangerous.
The trend for this diet was initiated in 2018 by Shawn Baker, an orthopedic surgeon who wrote a book on this diet and started promoting it. It’s also known that he had his medical license revoked in 2017 and then reinstated in 2019.
The carnivore diet menu only includes protein and fat. You must give up carbs and processed food, but also fruits, vegetables, grains, and even dairy products in some diet versions. Some people try the carnivore diet plan to lose weight; others trust the promise made by people like Jordan Peterson or Joe Rogan. They claim an all-meat diet has impressive health benefits and even solves serious problems.
The so-called ‘Jordan Peterson diet’ became increasingly popular after Peterson praised it. He claimed that not only had he lost a lot of weight with it but that it had also cured his anxiety and depression. After discussing it on Rogan’s podcast, Peterson’s daughter, Mikhaila, started to make money from the diet. She is basically guiding people to eat nothing but meat and salt to get rid of serious conditions like rheumatoid arthritis – not that she is in any way qualified to offer medical advice.
Different versions of the carnivore diet surfaced as people felt tempted by a meal plan that seemed to avoid hunger and promised extraordinary results.
What Are Supposed to Be the Carnivore Diet Benefits?
The meat-only diet’s promoters have linked it to all sorts of health benefits, but let’s see what health experts think.
Will the carnivore diet lower blood pressure?
Carnivore diet promoters claim that it’s more than safe for people with high blood pressure. They don’t give a straightforward explanation on why that is, though. Instead, they just say that lowering blood pressure has been associated with the diet.
On the other hand, Cleveland Clinic warns that you should avoid this diet if you have high blood pressure. Omitting carbs altogether isn’t a good idea, not to mention avoiding the fibers and vitamins in fruits and vegetables. Also, protein and fat take longer to digest. And since the diet is high in sodium, it may cause kidney issues.
Will the carnivore diet put you in ketosis?
Eating only meat will probably put you in ketosis because you eliminate carbs. It may seem like an easier way to get there than by starving yourself. But the reality is different if you look at the bigger picture.
There are two much better ways of putting your body into ketosis: autophagy through intermittent fasting and the keto diet. Both are more balanced options and provide you with the necessary nutrients the all-meat diet lacks.
Will the carnivore diet lower triglycerides?
Studies have shown that a high meat diet was associated with lower triglycerides compared to low-meat diets. But there are other elements to consider along with triglycerides before deciding if it’s healthy to eat only meat.
Will the carnivore diet lower cholesterol?
Of course not. Despite many voices claiming that an all-meat diet causing cholesterol issues is a myth, experts made it very clear: a diet based entirely on protein and fat is not good for your cholesterol.
A study on 2029 adults who tried the carnivore diet revealed that LDL cholesterol – aka ‘bad cholesterol’ – was marked ‘elevated.’ The problem is these changes don’t show up in blood tests immediately. So even if you seem to be doing well on your meaty diet, unpleasant results may surface in the future.
Clearly, eliminating so many foods from your menu will bring some changes to your body. Some of them are positive, like lower blood sugar, less bloating, and less inflammation. Some carnivore diet enthusiasts even claim their minds felt sharper. And, of course, you will lose weight.
So, to be able to reach a fair conclusion, let’s see how the carnivore diet works, what and when to eat, and what to avoid.
The Carnivore Diet for Beginners
This isn’t the extreme diet with only meat and salt; I don’t think people should consider that version at all. It’s the slightly more acceptable one, where you are allowed a few more things – to get an idea of what you can eat if you really want to try the carnivore diet to lose weight.
You don’t need a complex guide on what foods to eat on the carnivore diet. It’s pretty simple, you focus on meat and animal products and eliminate all fruits, vegetables, cereals, and many things that are part of a regular diet.
Here’s what to put on your carnivore diet grocery list:
- Meat: beef, pork, chicken, turkey, lamb, game
- Organs
- Seafood: fish(salmon, mackerel, sardines), crab, shrimp, oysters, lobster
- Fat: butter, lard, duck & chicken fat, bone marrow
- Animal products: eggs, low-lactose dairy products – cheese, butter, cream, yogurt
In the carnivore diet, condiments are allowed, and they can help provide a little bit of taste diversification. You can use basil, cilantro, parsley, sage, and thyme.
What not to eat during this diet: fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, grains, bread, pasta, high-lactose dairy, sugar, alcohol, and drinks.
If you try the carnivore diet, electrolytes must be a serious concern. When you remove carbs entirely, your insulin levels are low, and your kidneys discharge more sodium, affecting your electrolytes.
A simple glance at the carnivore diet basics may reveal an offering list full of things that will keep you away from hunger. And it may even be o for a day or two. But after that, you’ll probably feel that it’s actually quite restrictive and counterintuitive.
One positive aspect is that there are no restrictions regarding when to eat on the carnivore diet. You can eat whenever you want until you feel full. Again, this seems tempting, but your digestive system may disagree.
Is the Carnivore Diet Safe?
Since eating only meat or mostly meat is so extreme, people have raised many concerns, wondering if the carnivore diet is dangerous. This is what specialists (meaning people with medical degrees, not podcasts) say:
Can the carnivore diet cause gout?
High uric acid levels can cause gout, and eating mostly meat and organs can lead to that. But to what extent? Dr. Christopher Labos, a cardiologist, explains that eating a lot of meat, especially organ meats, can increase your uric acid levels enough to cause gout and damage your kidneys.
Things are even worse if you only eat meat without animal products. A study from 2013 showed that the high purine content in meat and fish could increase the concentration of uric acid, but dairy products may lower it.
What are the carnivore diet’s side effects?
The short-term side effects are basically those of an extreme ketogenic: nausea, vomiting, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, heartburn, and trouble sleeping and exercising. The carnivore diet and constipation are also closely connected.
Note that in this case, the short-term can mean up to two years, so it’s not something to ignore.
How bad is the vitamin deficiency with carnivore meals?
Some claim that if you also consume organs during your meat-only diet, you cover most of the necessary nutrients. Still, even with liver and seafood, you still won’t provide the required amounts of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and antioxidants.
Can you have long-term effects from the all-meat diet?
Apart from the short-term side effects mentioned above, there are also possible long-term problems that you should seriously consider before having only carnivore meals:
- Hepatic steatosis, also known as fatty liver disease
- Hypoproteinemia
- Kidney stones
- Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
Of all the carnivore diet cons, these must carry significant weight in anyone’s decision. Although the risk is difficult to measure, it’s clear that the carnivore diet is dangerous. The risk increases if you plan to follow it for an extended period.
The Carnivore Diet versus Keto – Which Is Better?
The carnivore diet is keto taken to the extreme, so the ketogenic diet is definitely the better option. It’s more flexible and sustainable, especially in the long run. Unlike the carnivore diet, keto also includes foods like avocado, nuts, seeds, healthy oils, and berries. So you have fibers and vitamins along with protein and fat.
Even so, keto isn’t suitable for everyone, so you must ask your doctor if it’s safe to try it.
Carnivore Diet vs. Vegan
Humans are omnivores, so neither of these two options covers everything we are supposed to eat for a healthy life. If, for whatever reason, like weight loss, you have to choose between these extremes, here’s what you must consider:
With the carnivore diet, your LDL will probably increase, too much protein means you won’t maximize ketosis, it may affect your liver and kidneys, and you won’t get the necessary vitamins and fibers.
With the vegan diet, you will be at risk for Vitamin B12 deficiency and problems with Vitamin D, calcium, zinc, and fatty acids.
I don’t think any of these is a good option for me. But if I had to choose, I would probably opt for vegan, but with supplements covering the vitamins and minerals lacking in the diet. An even better option would be a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet.
Vegetables are extremely important – just take a look at what spinach alone can bring to your health: Is Spinach Good for Weight Loss?
Final Thoughts
- Not feeling hungry doesn’t mean it’s not a restrictive diet
- The body also needs macronutrients, not just a source of energy
- Just because someone who has recently started the carnivore lifestyle shows you normal blood test results, it’s not relevant. Many of the issues mentioned above take some time to manifest
- Not only is the carnivore diet unsustainable, but it can cause serious health issues, especially for certain people, like those at risk for eating disorders, people with cardiac problems, or following particular medical treatments
- Using the carnivore diet to lose weight is ok for a few days if you’re a meat-lover and don’t miss fruits and vegetables that much. But more prolonged than that may cause unpleasant consequences
My conclusion?
If it doesn’t sound healthy, there’s a good chance it really isn’t, so it’s worth checking twice. And this diet suggests fried chicken skins as a snack, so to me, it’s questionable, to say the least. I’m sure it works, in the sense that you will lose weight with it, but health is more important. And just the thought of those saturated fats makes me feel my liver swelling up.
I’m more than excited about the thought of a diet that contains tasty food, not broccoli and boiled meat, for instance. But with so many reasons why the carnivore diet is bad, I won’t consider it for my weight loss efforts.
Written by Mia Davis