What is the Carnivore Diet?
The carnivore diet, often referred to as an “all-meat diet”, is an eating plan that involves consuming only animal foods and eliminating all plant foods. People on a carnivore diet eat just meat, fish, eggs, and other animal products like butter or cheese.
Foods Allowed on the Carnivore Diet
Here are examples of foods allowed on a carnivore diet:
- Red meat: Beef, lamb, bison, veal
- Poultry: Chicken, turkey, duck
- Pork
- Fish and seafood
- Eggs
- Dairy products: Cheese, butter, heavy cream
- Animal fats: Lard, tallow
All fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and plant-based foods are eliminated.
Purpose of the Carnivore Diet
Proponents claim there are several potential benefits to removing plant foods and only eating animal products. These include:
- Weight loss
- Reduced inflammation
- Improved mental clarity
- Increased energy
- Better digestive health
For some people this very restrictive diet helps alleviate autoimmune symptoms related to conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, thyroid disorders, and more.
Breakfast on the Carnivore Diet
As the carnivore diet excludes common breakfast items like cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, fruit and pancakes, followers must get creative with high protein meat-centric morning meals. Here are some tasty carnivore-approved breakfast ideas to try.
Carnivore Diet Breakfast Meats
Getting sufficient protein is the priority for breakfast on a carnivore eating plan. Great high protein meat choices include:
- Bacon or sausage
- Ham, prosciutto or salami
- Scrambled, fried or poached eggs
- Breakfast sausage patties
- Ground beef or turkey
- Deli meats like roast beef or turkey
- Smoked salmon or sardines
- Chorizo or meatballs
Quick and Easy Carnivore Breakfasts
If you don’t have much time in the morning, these carnivore compliant breakfasts are fast and simple:
- Bacon or sausage with eggs
- Deli meat roll-ups
- Leftover meat from the night before
- Canned fish like sardines or tuna
- Ground beef sautéed with eggs
- Smoked salmon and cream cheese
More Elaborate Carnivore Breakfast Recipes
These recipes take a bit more time but provide delicious and satisfying breakfast meals:
- Steak and eggs: Grilled ribeye or NY strip topped with fried eggs
- Breakfast burger: Beef patty with bacon, egg, and cheese
- Meat lover’s omelette: Filled with sausage, bacon and ham
- Breakfast meatballs: Homemade meatballs in tomato or cream sauce
- Chorizo scramble: Chorizo sausage sautéed with eggs and cheese
Carnivore Diet Compliant Add-Ins
To add variety or creaminess to all-meat breakfasts, incorporate these permissible foods:
- Butter or ghee
- Heavy cream or half and half
- Cheese like cheddar, mozzarella or Swiss
- Sour cream
- Bone broth
- Avocado oil, lard or bacon fat for cooking
Potential Benefits of the Carnivore Diet
There are several touted benefits to adopting an all-meat carnivore way of eating, although more research is still needed on the long-term effects.
Weight Loss
Many people report losing a significant amount of weight on the carnivore diet. Possible reasons include:
- High protein intake promotes fullness
- Lack of carbs leads body to burn fat for fuel
- Reduced appetite due to elimination of cravings for sweets
Inflammation Reduction
For those suffering from autoimmune issues, carnivore may decrease inflammatory markers. Potential mechanisms:
- Avoidance of common allergens found in plant foods
- Higher omega-3 intake from fatty fish consumption
- Increased glutathione production in the absence of dietary antioxidants
Improved Digestion
Some find relief from IBS symptoms and leaky gut from abstaining from fiber and other gut irritating compounds found in plants. Going carnivore may help heal intestinal permeability.
Increased Mental Clarity
Lack of carbs can lead to steady energy and elevated ketone production, resulting in enhanced mental focus for some following a carnivore diet.
Higher Nutrient Density
Animal foods contain highly bioavailable forms of vitamins A, B12, D, iron, zinc and selenium lacking in a conventional diet.
Potential Downsides and Considerations
Before jumping into an all-meat regimen, understand that the carnivore diet is extremely restrictive and comes with health risks to weigh.
Lacking in Fiber
The complete removal of plants means zero dietary fiber, associated with poor gut and heart health. Lack of fiber also contributes to low microbiome diversity.
May Aggravate Kidney Issues
Excess protein places strain on the kidneys to filter out waste products. Those with kidney disease should avoid carnivore due to preexisting vulnerability.
Nutrient Deficiencies
As vitamin C and other antioxidants only originate from plant foods, prolonged carnivore adherence can lead to deficiency over time.
Disrupts Social Eating
The extreme restrictions make dining out and eating with friends challenging. Bringing “safe” foods gets tiring.
Expensive to Follow
As all supermarket shelves with veggies, fruit, grains and more get eliminated, the cost of buying only animal source foods really adds up.
Work closely with your healthcare provider to ensure carnivore aligns with your health background before removing all plants long-term.
Expert Opinions on the Carnivore Diet
Due to how extremely limiting the carnivore diet is, many health professionals have weighed in with words of caution.
Lacks Scientific Evidence
So far research on the carnivore diet is very limited. Without quality clinical trials, possible long term risks remain unknown.
Nutritionally Inadequate
While meat and other animal foods provide complete protein and various vitamins and minerals, eliminating plants makes achieving micronutrient sufficiency impossible.
Not a Sustainable Eating Pattern
Strictly avoiding all plant foods, carbohydrates, and fiber long-term counters principles of basic good nutrition supported by science.
May Exacerbate Disordered Eating
The restrictive nature, complicated rules, and focus on elimination tend to encourage unhealthy habits for those predisposed to eating disorders.
Work with an experienced dietitian to ensure nutritional adequacy if choosing to try this very limiting diet.
Trying Carnivore While Limiting Risk
Those interested in attempting an all-meat diet should implement strategies to support health:
Consult Your Healthcare Provider
Discuss carnivore with your doctor, outlining your goals and plan, to spot any contraindicated conditions.
Supplement Wisely
Consider targeted supplementation like probiotics, magnesium, vitamin C and zinc to help counter nutrient gaps.
Include Organ Meats
Incorporate nutritious organ meats like liver a couple times a week to boost vitamin and mineral intake.
Focus on Diversity
Vary your protein sources instead of just eating steak each day. Include fish, eggs, bison etc.
Keep It Time-Bound
Rather than dove in forever, start with 30-90 days to see if you achieve intended benefits while minimizing risk.
Pay close attention to signs of micronutrient deficiency and get bloodwork checked periodically.
Transitioning Off the Carnivore Diet
For those looking to reincorporate limited plant foods after a carnivore experiment, follow these tips:
Take It Slowly
Add back each food group step-by-step instead of all at once to detect problematic items.
Pay Attention to Symptoms
Note digestive changes, energy shifts, cravings, etc to hone in on well-tolerated foods.
Emphasize Nutrient-Dense Plants
Focus produce picks on greens, berries, avocado, tomatoes, mushrooms for vitamins.
Consider Supplementation
Continue probiotics, magnesium and other isolated nutrients to ease transition.
Don’t Fear Carbs
Incorporate starchy plants like potatoes, rice, winter squash to support workouts.
Making careful adjustments back to a more balanced plate that includes fruits, veggies, whole grains and legumes supports lasting wellness.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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