Carnivore Diet 101: Complete Meal Plan and Food List for Success

What Is the Carnivore Diet?

The carnivore diet focuses on eliminating carbohydrates entirely, emphasizing the consumption of only animal products such as meat, fish, eggs, and poultry. By cutting out carbs, proponents believe the body shifts to burning fat for energy, leading to weight loss. Additionally, it’s claimed that the diet can reduce inflammation, stabilize blood sugar in people with diabetes, and improve mental health. While similar to keto and Atkins diets, which limit carbs, the carnivore diet goes further by excluding all carbs and other food groups like fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.

The concept of a carb-free diet isn’t new. In the late 1700s, Scottish military surgeon Dr. John Rollo used a meat-based diet to help diabetic patients lower their blood sugar levels.

More recently, the carnivore diet gained attention through former orthopedic surgeon Dr. Shawn Baker, who published The Carnivore Diet in 2019. Baker’s promotion of the diet, along with endorsements from figures like comedian Joe Rogan, brought it into the spotlight. Rogan followed the diet for 30 days in 2019, claiming it resulted in significant weight loss and increased energy.

The carnivore diet is highly restrictive and differs from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which suggest a balanced intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean animal proteins. By eliminating entire food groups, this diet may lead to nutrient deficiencies that are essential for maintaining good health.

How Does the Carnivore Diet Work?

Carbohydrates are typically your body’s primary fuel source. When consumed, they are converted into glucose (sugar) for energy. Excess glucose is stored in the liver and muscles, and any surplus beyond that is turned into fat.

In the absence of carbohydrates, your body switches to using fat, converting it into ketones for energy. Advocates of the carnivore diet claim that eliminating carbs accelerates fat burning and weight loss while also reducing hunger. It’s suggested that this carb-free approach may help manage blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. Additionally, cutting out carb-rich, inflammatory foods such as fries, pastries, and pasta is thought to lower inflammation (although red meat can also contribute to inflammation).

However, it’s important to recognize that individuals respond to diets in various ways. The claims surrounding the carnivore diet are not supported by WebMD. Always consult with your doctor before making significant dietary changes, especially those that exclude entire food groups, as they could lead to nutrient deficiencies.

How Do I Start the Carnivore Diet?

This diet involves minimal preparation beyond planning your meals. A good first step is to clear your pantry and fridge of any carbohydrate-containing foods to avoid temptation. Then, make a grocery list focused on protein sources. You’ll primarily shop in the meat, poultry, and seafood sections, as these are the core foods allowed on the carnivore diet.

Carnivore Diet Foods

The carnivore diet is entirely composed of animal-based products, with meat, poultry, and fish as the core elements.

Foods permitted on the carnivore diet

The list of allowed foods is simple, as it includes only animal products. You can enjoy red meats like steak, burgers, and chuck roast. Other options include chicken, lamb. Fish such as salmon and trout, as well as seafood like oysters and clams, are also part of the diet. Organ meats, like liver and oxtail, are encouraged if you enjoy them. Eggs can be consumed in moderation.

For cooking, you can use butter, tallow, or ghee (clarified butter). The only flexibility in the diet comes from seasonings. Spices like salt, pepper, chili paste, cumin, paprika, and garlic are allowed to enhance flavor.

Foods to avoid on the carnivore diet

All non-animal foods are excluded. This means no fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, or seeds are permitted.

Is cheese allowed on the carnivore diet?

Yes, dairy products like cheese, milk, and yogurt are allowed, but it’s recommended to consume them sparingly due to their potential to cause inflammation.

Carnivore Diet Food List

To make shopping easier, here’s a list of foods you can eat on the carnivore diet:

Beef:

• Brisket
• Chuck roast
• Ground beef
• Steaks (New York strip, ribeye, skirt, porterhouse, T-bone)

Chicken:

• Chicken breast, thighs, drumsticks, wings
• Rotisserie chicken
• Bacon

Lamb:

• Lamb chops
• Lamb shanks
• Ground lamb

Seafood:

• Fish (salmon, trout, mackerel)
• Clams
• Crabs
• Mussels
• Oysters
• Scallops
• Shrimp
• Lobster

Organ Meats:

• Liver
• Kidneys
• Tongue
• Oxtail
• Heart
• Feet
• Cheeks

Foods to eat in limited amounts:

• Cheese
• Eggs
• Heavy cream
• Milk
• Yogurt
• Bacon
• Sausage
• Cured meats

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Carnivore Diet

Every diet has its positives and negatives. Certain diets may suit different lifestyles or body types better than others. It’s crucial to consider your personal preferences and way of life when selecting a diet.

Benefits of the Carnivore Diet

The carnivore diet is said to aid in weight loss, and its advocates suggest it can improve heart health, help with autoimmune disorders, regulate blood sugar, and enhance mood. However, these claims are mainly supported by anecdotal stories, with no solid medical evidence backing them.

Given the limited research on this diet, it's difficult to determine how it might affect health. One survey of over 2,000 individuals who followed the carnivore diet for nine to twenty months revealed reported benefits such as:

• Reduced body mass index (BMI)
• Increased energy
• Better sleep
• Enhanced strength and endurance
• Improved memory and focus

In this study, many individuals with diabetes managed to reduce or eliminate their diabetes medication. Despite their overall satisfaction with the diet, the research was based solely on self-reported data, without verifying what participants ate or measuring their nutrient levels. The authors emphasize the need for further research to fully understand the diet's effects.

Drawbacks of the Carnivore Diet

The carnivore diet does not align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which advise that 45% to 65% of daily calories should come from carbohydrates. By cutting out entire food groups, the diet may cause deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals. For example, vegetables provide fiber, potassium, vitamins A and C, and folate.

A lack of fiber can result in constipation, but some people following this diet report diarrhea, likely due to its high fat and protein content disrupting gut bacteria. Other reported issues include headaches, nausea, and fatigue.

A meat-heavy diet is high in saturated fats, which can raise LDL cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Additionally, processed meats allowed in the diet are often high in salt, potentially leading to high blood pressure.

Expert Opinion on the Carnivore Diet

While the carnivore diet may aid in weight loss, it can also result in nutrient deficiencies and isn’t sustainable in the long run, according to Kathleen Zelman, MPH, a registered dietitian. She argues that the diet is too restrictive to maintain over time. Eventually, cravings for foods like bread, cereal, fruits, and salads are likely to set in.

Does the Carnivore Diet Work?

It’s hard to say due to a lack of research. Studies on low-carb diets like keto suggest that they can lead to rapid weight loss, primarily because they eliminate calorie-dense junk foods. The carnivore diet’s high protein and fat content should help prevent hunger, but any weight loss is likely temporary, as it's difficult to stick to such a strict plan.

Claims that the diet reduces inflammation and boosts energy lack scientific support. In fact, carbohydrates fuel the brain and stabilize blood sugar, so a lack of carbs might lead to reduced energy levels.

Is the Carnivore Diet Safe?

If followed for a short time, this diet probably won’t cause harm to healthy individuals, but it’s not generally recommended. Health experts advocate for diets rich in plant-based foods due to the wide range of nutrients, fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals they provide, which are absent from animal products.

For those looking to reduce carbs, diets like keto and paleo are slightly better options since they allow small amounts of carbohydrates.

Who Should Avoid the Carnivore Diet?

This diet is unsafe during pregnancy or breastfeeding, as it lacks critical nutrients needed for both mother and baby. Individuals with kidney disease, diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure should also avoid the carnivore diet due to its high protein, fat, and sodium content.

Additionally, those with a history of eating disorders should steer clear of extreme diets like this one, as they could trigger unhealthy eating patterns.

Carnivore Diet Meal Plan

A typical meal plan for the carnivore diet may include:

• Breakfast: Eggs and bacon
• Lunch: Burger patties
• Dinner: Salmon

Carnivore Diet Recipes

• Scrambled Eggs with Turkey: Cook 1/2 pound of diced turkey breast in a skillet. Whisk three eggs with salt and pepper, then scramble the eggs alongside the turkey until fully cooked.

• Salmon Patties: Combine crumbled turkey bacon, two cans of salmon, salt, eggs, and dill. Form into patties and cook in butter until browned.

• Carnivore Chicken Casserole: Blend rotisserie chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, shredded cheddar, and seasoning. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes.

Carnivore Diet Snacks

For snacks, you can try:

• Cheese sticks
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Salmon jerky
• Skinless chicken wings

Takeaways

Similar to other fad diets, the carnivore diet offers a temporary solution. It is highly restrictive and difficult to maintain long-term, with limited evidence supporting its claimed benefits. Additionally, it may result in nutritional deficiencies.

If you're in good health, you could try the carnivore diet for a short period—no more than a week to 10 days. To reduce saturated fat, opt for leaner protein sources such as skinless chicken instead of fattier cuts like steaks, lamb, or ground beef. Incorporate seafood for omega-3 fatty acids, and consider taking vitamin, mineral, and fiber supplements to compensate for missing nutrients. Always approach fad diets with caution, especially when promoted by non-experts.

Carnivore Diet FAQs

What can you eat on the carnivore diet?

The carnivore diet consists solely of animal-based products, including fish, chicken, poultry, lamb, beef, pork, eggs, and some dairy items.

Is the carnivore diet safe?

It is unsafe to follow this diet during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or if you have conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure.

Can you lose weight on a carnivore diet?

Weight loss may occur if you adhere to the diet, but its restrictive nature makes it hard to sustain. Once you stop, the weight is likely to return.

Is the carnivore diet healthy?

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend a balanced diet including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, dairy, and healthy oils. The carnivore diet excludes many essential nutrients by eliminating entire food groups.