Carnivore Plus Fruit Diet: Overview, Tips and Considerations

Understanding the Carnivore Plus Fruit Diet

The carnivore diet has surged in popularity over recent years. This extreme meat-based regimen excludes all other foods, even vegetables, grains and dairy. More recently, some fans of high-protein diets have explored integrating limited fruit alongside carnivore tenets.

What is the Carnivore Diet?

As the name implies, the carnivore diet involves eating only animal-derived products. Generally included are:

• Red meat
• Poultry
• Fish and other seafood
• Eggs
• Dairy like cheese if tolerated

All fruits, vegetables, grains, beans/legumes, nuts/seeds, processed foods, sweets and beverages besides water are eliminated.

Integrating Some Fruit - The "Carnivore Plus" Approach

While pure carnivore dieters avoid fruit due to its carbohydrate content, some adopt more of a "carnivore plus" fruit diet. This entails adhering mostly to carnivore principles while also consuming limited whole fruit.

Fans of this approach believe small fruit servings still keep total carbs low enough to maintain benefits like blood sugar control. Some also feel incorporating antioxidant and vitamin-rich fruits can enhance nutrition.

Typical Meals and Approved Foods

Those sticking strictly to meat consume meals featuring:

• Steak, ground beef or lamb
• Roasts, ribs or organ meats like liver
• Bacon, sausage and cured meats
• Chicken, turkey or other fowl
• Fish like salmon or shellfish
• Eggs

"Carnivore plus" followers generally stick to the same meat-focused meal plan but also allow some fruit like:

• Berries - small portions of blackberries, raspberries or blueberries
• Avocado - rich in healthy fats
• Coconut - also high in beneficial fats
• Melons - watermelon, honeydew, etc.
• Stone fruits - peaches, plums, cherries

Beyond these concessions little else is permitted aside from water, black coffee and plain tea.

Claimed Benefits

Proposed Benefits of the Carnivore Diet

Suggested benefits associated exclusively with the all-meat carnivore approach include:

• Weight loss - high protein and fat keeps hunger low
• Reduced inflammation - cutting out foods some find pro-inflammatory
• Improved mental clarity - enters state of ketosis burning fat for fuel
• Increased testosterone - although evidence is still limited

Anecdotally some true carnivores also report improvements in conditions like diabetes, autoimmune disorders, heart disease, chronic fatigue, skin conditions and more.

"Carnivore Plus" Potential Benefits

Those allowing occasional fruit cite benefits like:

• Most weight loss and satiety benefits of carnivore
• Possibly fewer cravings - the sweet taste of fruit satisfies urges
• More sustainable long term - extreme restriction can be hard to sustain
• Added antioxidants, vitamins and minerals from fruit

Few long term studies exist, however, looking at either version of the diet.

What Does the Evidence Say?

Lacking Evidence on Carnivore Diets

Currently little direct research exists specifically on the carnivore diet:

• No major clinical trials have evaluated health impacts
• Only anecdotal self-reports from followers documenting effects
• A few small studies look at related areas like high protein or ketogenic diets

So while some carnivores cite big gains from pursuing the extreme diet, robust research confirming benefits or guiding safe parameters is still absent.

Potential Drawbacks and Safety Concerns

In the absence of sound data, most mainstream dietitians and health organizations point to several areas of concern, including:

• Nutrient deficiencies over time without vitamin-rich plants
• Higher risk of certain cancers, heart disease from heavy red meat intake
• Kidney problems or gout risk from high protein load
• Microbiome disruption - lack of plant fiber alters gut bacteria
• Sustainability issues - environmental toll of meat-only regimen

Adding a few fruit servings as in the "carnivore plus" approach may help mitigate some vitamin and mineral deficiencies. But the diet still warrants caution and medical guidance.

Tips for Following the Diets

Adapting to Very Low Carb Carnivore Eating

Transitioning to the very low carbohydrate carnivore way of eating often brings notable adverse symptoms. Tips to adapt include:

• Expect effects like headache, fatigue, cravings, "keto flu" - usually resolve in a week or so
• Address electrolyte needs with mineral supplements or bone broth
• Drink adequate water and watch salt intake if prone to hypertension
• Get sufficient calories with fattier cuts of meat and egg yolks to fuel energy needs

Incorporating Limited Fruit

Those allowing occasional fruit can minimize carb intake and still benefit by:

• Sticking to just 1-2 fruit servings max per day
• Keeping fruit lower sugar and higher fiber - favor berries over bananas
• Pairing fruit with fat or protein to curb blood sugar spikes
• Using fruit to ward off cravings rather than adding on top of carnivore meals

Paying attention to individual tolerance and continuing to meet other carnivore baseline needs can allow some fruit without derailing progress.

Sustainability Considerations

Restrictiveness Challenges Success Rate

Like any ultra-restrictive regimen, the carnivore diet poses sustainability issues for many:

• Social or travel hurdles not sharing meals others eat
• Missing flavor and satisfaction from favorite plant-based foods
• Difficulty committing to zero-tolerance approach long term

Allowing occasional fruit and more flexibility as in the carnivore plus method may support longer term compliance.

Environmental Impact

The carnivore diet's heavy reliance on animal products also raises ecological considerations regarding:

• Water usage - beef has one of the highest water footprints of common foods
• Land usage - extensive land clearance often required for livestock grazing
• Feed production - significant water, land and emissions footprint
• beef and lamb production major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions

Sourcing meat consciously from regenerative or ethical small farms can help mitigate impact. But sustainability costs remain given such singular focus on animal foods.

The Takeaway

Anecdotes suggest both the carnivore diet and carnivore plus fruit approach can offer health gains for some. But uncertainty around long term safety and nutrient status means most experts recommend these non-mainstream diets only with medical guidance and monitoring.

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.