High protein diets like the Carnivore Diet are not new (Atkins, Keto, Paleo), and there is a lot of science that backs up the health benefits of increasing protein in your diet. It’s important to remember, though, that the Carnivore Diet may not be the perfect fit for everyone and educating yourself before trying it is a good idea. This is especially true if you have unique dietary needs. If you are concerned about your diet or the impacts on your body from eating habits, you should always consult a licensed dietitian and your primary physician. They are your trusted partners in optimizing your health, and together, you can create a personalized plan that aligns perfectly with your goals.
What is the Carnivore Diet?
At first glance, the Carnivore Diet may seem refreshingly straightforward-just enjoy delicious meat! However, when it comes to crafting a truly healthy and balanced diet, it tends to be much more complicated. Unlike other high-protein, low-carb diets, the Carnivore Diet eliminates all carbs. The Carnivore diet approach is pretty much a “meat-only” diet and includes animal products like eggs, butter, as well as poultry, beef, pork, and fish. This can also include bone broth and lard, and for those who find that too strict, some other foods that are acceptable include milk, yogurt and cheese. It’s worth noting that there are diverse interpretations of the Carnivore diet, each offering its own twist, but essentially this is the basic approach.
What does the Carnivore Diet cut out?
It completely cuts out vegetables, fruits, breads, pasta, nuts, alcohol, and essentially anything overly processed. That is a significant portion of foods and food categories. Anything that isn’t derived from meat, poultry or fish is eliminated from the diet.
Why choose the Carnivore Diet?
Some individuals may be motivated to choose this diet because of other similar diets that reduce carb intake and gained the benefits of lower blood glucose levels, therefore, they may assume that if low carb diets worked well, a no carb diet may work better. In addition, high protein diets assist in muscle growth, weight management, and can help in some additional health issues potentially helping with inflammation. Let’s face it, it’s also a diet that is very enticing for people who don’t like vegetables and fruits but want to lose weight. It’s also fun to think about the exciting cuts of meat you can explore with the new recipe restrictions. Sometimes limitations breed creativity and new experiences.
Considering how restrictive the Carnivore Diet is, there is a higher chance of reducing calorie intake because you are eliminating so many other food groups you would have previously eaten, and it most likely would result in weight loss. More on that below.
Living with the Carnivore Diet
The list of authorized foods on the diet is short so it seems simple when you think about it. Change your meal routine over to beef with eggs in the morning, it’s like a breakfast taco without the tortilla. For lunch and dinner, cook chicken in butter with salt and pepper and you’re good to go. You can even take paleo or keto recipes and remove the additional ingredients for a whole host of recipe options. It can be a delicious diet which is one reason it’s very popular.
What this also means, no eating out, no frozen meals, no processed foods really at all. That is a tough pill to swallow for anyone and especially busy people who barely have time to meal prep as it is. Cutting out fast food and processed foods can make a huge difference on your diet though. Those tend to be fatty, unhealthy, and a convenient go-to option for many of us. So the Carnivore Diet can make a significant impact on your weight and how you feel just from cutting out these foods.
Is the Carnivore diet right for you
This comes down to the individual. In some cases for individuals with chronic conditions or food intolerances, this diet may be beneficial as a short-term elimination diet that can determine common food triggers that cause inflammation or don’t agree with your system. The approach would be to eliminate common triggers such as gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, shellfish, and tree nuts and slowly reintroduce new foods slowly to see what causes any inflammation or intolerances.
However, extreme diets like this are not meant to be lifelong changes. They’re meant to help jumpstart your metabolism, get you motivated and moving in the right direction but living your life without vegetables and fruits is unhealthy. Fruits and vegetables and other food groups provide your body with necessary nutrients such as potassium, dietary fiber, folate, vitamin A and C. These are very important to a balanced nutritional diet that your body needs to function. You may not feel the loss with a short term dietary journey through the Carnivore Diet, but your body will feel the stress of not having these nutrients after a short while.
The Carnivore Diet is trendy and sounds tasty. Steak and chicken for every meal is a dream for a lot of us. While it’s tempting to dive right in, it’s important to remember that optimal health involves thoughtful consideration. Consult with a licensed dietitian and your primary physician to create an appropriate nutritional plan that aligns with your health goals. You should also consider a well balanced diet that meets the nutrient and caloric needs for your body. There are plenty of ways to increase the protein in your diet without consuming only meat and animal products. By doing so, you’ll enhance and protect your body in the long term.
