This might seem like a no-brainer, but defining the carnivore diet can get messy. There are so many offshoots and different branches of the diet that it can be hard to keep up with.
So what is carnivore? What are the benefits of the carnivore way-of-eating, and how does it stack against other low-carbohydrate options like Atkins, paleo, or keto?
What Is Carnivore?
A carnivore diet is not just a meat-based diet, but a animal-based diet, particularly one focused on red meat. Depending on which goal you have when trying it, or how strict you want to be, other types of meat and foods by animals can be included with it.
Carnivore Is Meat-Centric
Traditional carnivore is about 90% meat, and includes game meat (like elk, deer, and bison) as well as traditional meats such as beef, chicken, fish, and pork. Organ meats are also staples if you want the rich nutrients within them, but are completely optional.
Red meat is widely accepted as the foundation of carnivore, with the other meats serving to diversify flavors in between.
Meat is packed with Vitamins B and D, Iron, cholesterol, DHA, and critical amino acids not found in any plants. They are also extremely bioavailable (meaning how much the body can absorb).
- In general, the body absorbs egg protein the best, followed by red meat and other meat sources, followed by cheese & dairy, followed by whey, with vegetable sources in last place.
It can also include eggs and dairy.
Eggs should always be included (being the superfood and source of complete protein that they are), but both eggs and dairy can cause issues in certain individuals. If you’re using the carnivore way of eating as an elimination diet, than wait a few weeks before reintroducing these foods in.
Carnivore Is Fat-Centric (But Less So Than Keto)
Carnivore is animal-based even when it comes to dealing with fats and cooking oils. While keto operates at a higher level of fat (60-80 percent), carnivore operates at a higher protein to moderate fat level.
Remember, if you consume too much fat, it can still lead to obesity, which is why the keto diet is less ideal than carnivore. (Note: you don’t need any calories or fats to go into ketosis, you just need to not have any glucose/carbohydrates in your system).
The pro-inflammatory, popular cooking oils on the Standard American Diet (SAD), like corn, soybean, safflower, and canola oil can lead to a host of problems, including aggravating autoimmune issues and insulin resistance.
Instead, those eating a carnivore-based diet utilize salted butter, lard, and tallow, which offer both flavor to the meats being cooked, as well as having beneficial nutrients within them (while also lacking the harmful oxidized omega-6 fats found in the other non-animal oils.
A study published by the Life Science Alliance Journal stated, “Oxidized omega-6 fatty acids activate the FOXO transducers of the Insulin signaling pathway potentially linking changes in dietary fatty acid balance and proinflammatory states with insulin resistance… both insulin resistance and meta-inflammation—a chronic, low-grade inflammatory response in metabolic tissues—are speculated to be consequences of the increased uptake of dietary fatty acids and changes in the dietary balance of fatty acids that accompany obesity.”
Carnivore Is Salt-Centric
While many spices can be used while eating animal-based, some may opt to hone in on carnivore as an elimination diet and not use any spices in order to treat autoimmune issues.
However, salt is widely accepted and used, especially because most low-carb diets are low in sodium. Because salt is an important electrolyte that is often missing in these cases (sodium regulates many body functions), it should be regularly included. Plus, it helps to enhance the meat with flavor.
How Can Carnivore Help Me?
There are many uses for the carnivore way of eating, depending on your goal. The four major reasons for adopting the carnivore diet are: autoimmune healing, weight loss, malnutrition healing, and accessibility.
- Autoimmune Healing
- As mentioned before, carnivore is considered to be the ultimate elimination diet. Not only can it help improve against inflammatory responses of certain foods, but many have found success in helping or having their autoimmune issues go in complete remission, including: vitiligo, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, IBS, Chron’s disease, multiple sclerosis, PCOS, and other issues.
- A Harvard 2021 study on the carnivore diet found that more than half of its 2,029 participants were involved because of their autoimmune issues. Six months later, 89% of those participants reported improving or resolving their autoimmune issues.
- Popular figures and celebrities such as Joe Rogan have commented on the carnivore diet helping and healing their autoimmune issues (In Joe’s case, his vitiligo).
- Weight Loss
- Because carnivore is a ketogenic diet (due to the carb restriction and ketosis), insulin and blood sugar levels are improved and the body transitions into burning fat for fuel.
- Carnivore is high protein and protein overfeeding does not result in fat storage (thermogenesis takes place instead, where the body temperate increases to burn metabolize protein). Therefore, only fats and carbohydrates are stored as fat, not excess protein. Because it differs from keto in fat and protein distribution, carnivore is an excellent way to lose weight.
- Malnutrition Healing
- Low protein intake followed by high carbohydrate intake on the standard American diet often causes widespread malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies. By eating a high-protein, animal-based diet, most deficiencies can be easily improved.
- Carbohydrates and fiber are not necessary for life, whereas protein and fats are. By focusing only on intaking proteins and fats, the body can heal and move vitamins and nutrients to needed areas.
- Accessibility
- Meal prep and planning on carnivore is much easier. Choosing an animal-based protein to consume is all that is needed. In general, the natural fats from the animal will be sufficient, so no new fat sources need to be added.
- Groceries and grocery bills are also simpler and smaller. Avoiding the massive amounts of vegetables, fruits, and starches generally consumed in any given week on the standard American diet, and buying only meats, can often cut the grocery bills in half.
- Some meat cuts are pricier than others, but can be bought in bulk or frozen at home to cut costs. Ground beef can also be used in place of steaks, and generally, the costs of chicken, pork, and fish are low.
Is Carnivore Safe For Everyone?
Yes. Children, pregnant women, the elderly, and the general population can all massively benefit from the high protein, moderate fat animal-based carnivore diet.
Not only is neither red, processed, or white meat consumption associated with all-cause mortality, but cholesterol is very important for adequate brain, testosterone, and hormonal health. There have also been no conclusive studies showing high protein consumption damages kidneys. The fact that doctors and nurses withhold higher protein sources from children and the elderly is a travesty.
The current Western diet is almost 70 percent plant-based. Yet, especially in the U.S., the population is sicker and fatter than ever. Obesity is on epidemic levels. How would further pushing the population to a plant-based system help?
In actuality, the push for more vegan and vegetarian eating is harming the population, keeping us sick, and making us fatter. Almost everyone’s health would be improved with an adoption of an animal-based diet such as carnivore. Or, at the very least, adopting a low-carb diet with higher protein intakes.
How Can I Implement this In My Life?
If the idea of trying this alone is overwhelming, I understand. The nuances of the carnivore diet, along with the mainstream portrayal of it, can cause doubts or nervousness.
I created the Military Macros Protocol to help with this, which is a 6 month 1-on-1 coaching program designed to help you improve autoimmune issues (if any) as well as lose 30 pounds or more (if you need that). Click the link to watch the free training.