Pros and Cons of the Carnivore Diet

Step aside, Keto, because there is a new diet in town and it is even crazier than the last!

Social media has been exploding with people eating sticks of butter and pounds of steak and I don’t know about you, but it has caught my attention. High protein diets and foods have become extremely popular and I'm not mad about it, I think protein is great! But I do think that some have taken it to the extreme.

What is the Carnivore Diet?

If you have any form of social media, you have probably heard of the Carnivore Diet. The Carnivore Diet is all about meat, meat, and more meat. Unlike the very low carb keto diet, the Carnivore Diet aims for ZERO carbs a day. The Carnivore Diet excludes food groups like vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. So, all you are left with is…. meat. I don’t know about you, but if a diet is telling me I can’t eat fruits and veggies, I'm running the other way, and if it’s telling me to avoid carbs completely, I'm SPRINTING the other way.

Not only is the restrictiveness of this diet a major red flag, but it can also come with some other serious health concerns. When you cut out these major food groups, there are going to be some consequences, and it starts in the bathroom. A diet with no fruits, veggies, grains, beans, or legumes is a diet that lacks fiber. Low fiber can cause a ton of constipation which can lead to further issues down the road.

Proteins also contain fats; some proteins contain more than others, and some contain different kinds of fats. One fat that we have a lot of research on is saturated fat. Saturated fat has been shown to be linked to heart diseases when eaten in excess or when eaten with a diet low in fiber. Saturated fat is found in butters, red meats, pork, and cheeses, among other things. These are all foods that we love and should NOT restrict in our diet, but we should incorporate them with other high fiber foods like grains and veggies (balance!).  The Carnivore Diet is very high in saturated fats because of the high protein consumption and, the lack of fiber in the diet poses a concern. High saturated fat diets can raise our LDL cholesterol which is the bad cholesterol. Fruits, veggies, and grains raise our HDL cholesterol, this is the good cholesterol. We want a balance of HDL and LDL to reduce our risk of heart disease. This means eating balanced throughout the day.

What are the Pros and Cons of the Carnivore Diet?

So what are the pros and cons of the Carnivore Diet? Let’s talk about it…

Pros of the Carnivore Diet:

• Honestly, none.

Cons of the Carnivore Diet:

• It's expensive (we all know how much the cost of meat has gone up)

• It's restrictive

• It can cause health issues down the road

• Lack of fiber- bowel issues

• Lack of vitamins and minerals

Here’s What to Focus On Instead…

Overall, this diet is not one I would recommend. It is restrictive and can cause serious health issues. The claims that this diet can reduce inflammation and help you lose weight are not backed by science and even if they were to be true, the good totally outweighs the bad. Focus on a diet that is sustainable, doesn’t restrict any food groups, and is one you love! Life is too short to just eat meat the rest of your life.

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Written by Morgan Hamler, CPT

Hey, I'm Morgan!

I’m a CPT as well as an RD2B! I graduated from West Chester University with a BS in Dietetics and I’m currently completing my dietetic internship with Be Well Solutions. I have a passion for health as a whole and believe that nutrition is just one important piece of a whole puzzle. I want to help people improve their nutrition, physical health, and mental health to help them live their best lives!

Learn more about me and the HSH offerings here.