Carnivore Diet Review: Benefits, Downsides, and Menu

Many people favor the chiefly meat-eating diet despite strong global trends towards vegetarianism and non-killing. Buddhists support such approaches because of the sanctity of all life. The carnivores have a range of reasons to support meat, like the abundance of protein. Besides, the original human diet mainly was meat in the days of hunting and gathering. Yet, in these advanced times of mighty research, red meat is not considered healthy anymore. Carnivores would prefer something other than lean meats like chicken. Also, dairy products and farm produce should be regarded as a part of the carnivore diet since they derive from birds and animals.

Avoid Drowning in Controversy

Tasty and claimed to be healthy, meat-eating is easy to practice and follow. Regarding the mystery and its merits, a nutritionist or dietitian would have arguments for and against it. Meat eaters say that the practice results in reduced blood sugar, with no gas and bloating in the tummy. They claim that shedding weight is more accessible with less inflammation and mental sharpness increases. They usually do not suffer many ailments, and autoimmune diseases are some when the body attacks its cells by mistake.

Start on the Carnivore Diet

Willing supporters of the carnivore plan should be mentally prepared for a diet consisting of meat and animal products. Many other foods, like plant-based products, are off the menu. Research backing needs to include the benefits claimed by followers, like mood enhancement, protection from infection, and lowered blood sugar included.

A well-rounded diet is the most effective health-wise, but carnivores give up lots of nutrients like fiber. Consuming meat excessively, perhaps daily, would be intensely high in protein and fat. Carbohydrates are missing.

Include meat, fish, eggs, and some dairy products in the carnivore diet. Leave out vegetables and fruits, grains, nuts, and seeds. Dairy products to be consumed should have low lactose. Lactose is a sugar found in butter and cheese. Believers insist that human ancestors mostly consumed meat and fish. They say that excessive carbohydrates cause serious diseases that prevail nowadays. While the carnivore thinking wishes for zero carbs, the popular keto and paleo diets reduce the intake of carbs too.

What to Eat as a Carnivore?

Beef, pork, lamb, and chicken, omega-3 rich fish like trout, salmon, and tuna, eggs, bone soup, and animal fats

What Must Carnivores not Eat?

Avoid vegetables and fruits, grains and nuts, and don’t eat even bread and rice. Say goodbye to cakes and cookies. Don’t consume high-lactose dairy products like butter. Don’t take ice cream, low-fat milk, and low-fat yogurt. Off the menu are alcohol and fruit juices—no more energy drinks and soda. Non-alcoholic beverages supply energy and decrease stress without the health risks of alcohol and tobacco.

Comparing Carnivore vs. Ketogenic Diets

A keto diet aims for diminished carbohydrates. Ketosis indicates that the body burns fat to sustain energy, not glucose. A diet of increased fat is thus necessary. Carnivore and ketogenic diets are similar because both require protein and fat with reduced carbs. The difference is that the keto diet does not specify the plant or animal origins of foods and does not restrict any foods. According to keto, avoid excessive protein intake because the body will turn it into sugar and will not follow ketosis. Keto requires controlled protein, fat, and carbohydrate consumption. The carnivore diet imposes many restrictions on foods consumed but does not require calorie counting.

Carnivore Diet Advantages

A lot more research would be required to clarify the arguments. Claims are made that energy levels increase with elevated moods and better digestive health.

• A sharper mind comes from B12, Iron and Zinc contained in meat, and improved mental health could result.

• Enhancing heart health results from Vitamin K2, which lessens the calcification of arteries. A study suggests that high-protein diets reduce LDL or bad cholesterol. Some witness high cholesterol because of meat and fat but Inflammation and glucose decrease.

• Weight reduction could result from the carnivore diet, and research supports the idea, but long-term studies still need to be done. Ketosis does help with weight loss. Proteins keep appetites satisfied, and food consumption is less.

• Chronic disease is kept in check, and autoimmune diseases are controlled.

• Developed societies have common obesity and high carbohydrates that lead to high sugar levels. Carnivores avoid sugar, and energy becomes stable with meat intake.

• The stomach is at peace without fiber which causes bloating and lectins that upset the tummy. Phytochemicals found in fruits also disturb the tummy.

• Removing sugar and processed food from the diet reduces inflammation. A study suggests that low-carb diets prevent fatty acids that cause inflammation.

Carnivore Diet Downsides

One would think that meat supplies all the nutrients, but supplements will still be required. Check to determine if optimum body vitamin levels are maintained on the carnivore diet. Vitamin C deficiency will probably not arise. Vitamin D3 supplement will be required, whatever the diet might be. Omega-3 fatty acids are crucially needed, too, for brain development.

• Foodies would find the carnivore diet too restricted and repetitive. An extended carnivore diet would get tedious with little variety to eat.

• An extended carnivore diet turns out to be quite costly with so much meat.

• It is often claimed that high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart disease result from excessive meat. Iron may increase too.

• It may disrupt bowel habits with constipation or diarrhea during the adjustment phase. Without fiber, constipation may result, and a magnesium supplement would help.

Sample 5-day Carnivore Diet Menu Suggestions

First day

Breakfast − eggs along with bacon

Lunch − turkey burger, salmon fry, beef slice

Dinner − sardine fry and chicken liver

Snacks − cheese in moderation

Second day

Breakfast − eggs and shrimp, along with little cream

Lunch − tuna fry and beef slices

Dinner − lamb chops and beef liver

Snacks − cheese and bone soup

Third day

Breakfast − eggs and salmon

Lunch − pork chops and fried mackerel

Dinner − fried shrimp along with bone soup

Snacks − cheese slices

Fourth day

Breakfast − trout along with bacon

Lunch − beef meatballs with salmon

Dinner − grilled sardines and fried chicken

Snacks − sardines and cheese

Fifth day

Breakfast − chicken and turkey sausage

Lunch − roasted lamb along with pork chops

Dinner − beef steak along with eggs cooked in butter

Snacks − bone soup and cheese slices

Like almost everything else, carnivore diets have good and bad aspects. To understand it, one must experience it first-hand for a few weeks or months. Avoid overdoing it. A frugal well-rounded diet is the most beneficial compromise.