The carnivore diet is an all-meat diet. Claims of its benefits in weight loss, diabetic patients, and mood elevation exist. How true are these claims?
Carnivore diet
The carnivore diet is also called an all-meat diet because it consists of foods from animals. It is a highly restrictive type of diet with a score of just 1.17 out of 5, according to the Healthline website.
Advocates of this diet claim that it helps regulate blood sugar, aid weight loss, and helps to keep a good mood. It is a zero-carb diet. This might be possible in the short run.
But the diet is detrimental in the long term. Additionally, there is no science or research to back the above claims.
In this diet, meat, fish, and animal and poultry products such as eggs and milk are allowed. But plant products such as whole grains, fruits vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes are out.
Many recommenders of this diet ask the slimmer to consume no of less milk or foods rich in lactose and instead switch to fatty foods such as cheese and butter.
Carnivore diet (Source: Everyday Health)Proponents of this diet feel that their ancestors were healthy because they ate meat and fish. And the newer generation is unhealthy with a lot of chronic diseases because of its high-carb diet.
Foods in this diet
Shawn Baker, a former American orthopedic doctor, propagates this diet. He has penned books on it. He added these books’ testimonials of people who benefitted from this diet; so they say.
But there is no research or studies to support his claims. The New Mexico Medical Board revoked Dr. Shawn’s medical in 2017 due to concerns about his competency. Later, in 2019 they reinstated it.
Carnivore diet (Source: Dr. Axe)Those people including celebrities who follow this diet eliminate all foods from plants from their diet. They stick solely to foods that are from animals.
They have fish, meat, and eggs in ample quantities with limited low-lactose dairy products.
They take helpings of organ meats, beef, chicken, pork, lamb, turkey, salmon, sardines, white fish, tuna, and limited amounts of heavy cream, butter, lard, and hard cheese. They also take bone marrow.
They do not take lean meat. But instead, they consume fatty meat. This is to meet their caloric requirements and gain energy. In drinks, they take water and bone broth but no coffee, tea, or other fruit or vegetable juices.
The followers of this diet eat as much as they want of these foods. There are no cookies, sweets, desserts, cakes, candy, and soda drinks.
Pitfalls of this diet
The diet probably might help lose weight. Due to no carbs, it helps to bring body sugar under control. But its low or no fiber is harmful. Additionally, the high fat and salt content is unhealthy.
A person needs a balanced diet. Excess of one food component and deficiency of another is not healthy.
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Carnivore diet (Source: Meal delivery)The fats in this diet cause elevation of blood cholesterol and bad LDL. This increases the risk of heart disease. Additionally, bacon and such processed meats have high levels of sodium in them.
This will increase blood pressure and affect the heart and kidneys. The low fiber content of this diet can cause an enhanced risk of colon and bowel cancer.
It lacks the vitamins and minerals that fruits and vegetables provide. The antioxidants present in the latter are beneficial for chronic diseases. But these are absent in the carnivore diet.