The carnivore diet food list is a high-protein, low-carb diet that focuses on eating animal-based items. Before starting this diet, learn about its pros and cons, food options, and possible hazards.
What is the diet for carnivores?
The carnivore diet is an extreme way of eating that only allows you to eat animal-based items like meat, fish, eggs, and some dairy products. This stringent diet doesn’t allow any plant-based items, like fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
People who support the carnivore diet say it is similar to the diet of our ancient ancestors, who largely ate animal items. They say that today’s high-carb diets are one of the main causes of a lot of long-term illnesses. The carnivore diet is different from other low-carb diets like keto or paleo that let you eat some carbs. It wants you to eat no carbs at all.
Shawn Baker, a well-known American orthopaedic surgeon, is one of the most vocal supporters of the carnivore diet. He says that it can help with depression, anxiety, arthritis, obesity, and diabetes, among other things. But no scientific studies have backed up these claims, and specialists are not sure if it will be good for your health in the long run.
The Carnivore Diet’s History and Origins:
Dr. Shawn Baker, who supports the carnivore diet even though there aren’t many controlled research on it, helped make it more popular. He often tells success tales about people who say it made them healthier mentally and physically. But a study that Baker pushed simply used stories from people who followed the regimen and didn’t have any scientific rigour.
Baker’s medical licence was taken away for a short time in 2017 because people were worried about his ability to do his job. It was given back to him in 2019, although with some restrictions. This makes the diet less believable because it is controversial.
How to Stick to the Carnivore Diet:
If you want to follow the carnivore diet, you can’t eat any plants at all. You can only eat animal products. The diet has:
- Meats: Beef, hog, lamb, chicken, turkey, and organ meats including liver, kidneys, and heart are all types of meat.
- Fish : like salmon, sardines, mackerel, and other fatty fish.
- Dairy (low-lactose): heavy cream, butter, and hard cheeses.
- Other Things: bone broth, eggs, and bone marrow.
It’s important to eat fatty cuts of meat for energy and organ meats to get the right amount of nutrients. The diet says to consume water and bone broth, but it limits drinks like coffee, tea, and soda, which are made from plants.
What to Eat on the Carnivore Diet:
All the food you eat on the carnivore diet must come from animals. Here’s a list of what is okay:
- Meat: Beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, and more.
- Organ Meats: Liver, kidney, heart, brain, and other organs are all organ meats.
- Fish and seafood: salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, shrimp, and more.
- Animal-based Products: eggs, butter, lard, and bone broth.
- Low-lactose Dairy (in moderation): Heavy cream, hard cheeses, and butter are all low-lactose dairy foods that you can eat
You can also use salt and pepper to add Flavour, as long as they don’t have any carbs in them. Some dieters may also eat tiny amounts of yoghurt, milk, and soft cheese, but these foods are not usually recommended because they are high in carbs.
Foods to Avoid on the Carnivore Diet:
The carnivore diet cuts out all meals that come from plants, such as:
- Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, peppers, and more.
- Fruits: apples, bananas, oranges, berries, and more.
- Grains: rice, wheat, pasta, quinoa, and others.
- Legumes: peas, beans, and lentils.
- Nuts & Seeds: Almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
- Sugars & Alcohol: Beer, wine, liquor, sodas, and sugar are all types of sugars and alcohol.
- Other Beverages: coffee, tea, fruit juices, and more.
To keep a fully animal-based diet, a strict carnivore diet does not include any of these foods.
Can the Carnivore Diet Help You Lose Weight?
Some people can lose weight on the carnivorous diet. High-protein diets are known to make people less hungry and speed up their metabolism, which can lead to eating less calories overall. Studies have shown that protein might help people feel full longer, which naturally leads to eating fewer calories.
For instance, a research involving overweight adults revealed that those who ate more protein lost more weight and fat than those who ate less protein.
Read More: Healthy Eating For Weight Loss
Some people might lose weight at first, but the carnivorous diet is quite strict, which could make it hard to stick to over time. A lot of people say that keto and low-carb diets are easy to follow and help them lose weight.
Benefits of the Carnivore Diet:
There isn’t a lot of research on the carnivorous diet, but it might have some good things about it, like:
- Weight Loss: Diets that are low in carbs and high in protein usually help people lose fat.
- Improved Blood Pressure: Lower Blood Pressure: If you quit consuming processed carbs, your blood pressure can drop.
- Reduced Inflammation: Your body may become less inflammatory if you stay away from processed sugars and starches.
- Better Mental Clarity: Many people say that they can think and focus better after starting the diet.
But not everyone gets these benefits, and more research is needed to prove them.
Downsides of the Carnivore Diet:
The carnivorous diet has a lot of great aspects about it, but it also has several big problems:
- High in Fat and Cholesterol: The diet has a lot of saturated fat and cholesterol, which could raise your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and make you more likely to get heart disease.
- Lack of Nutrients: You won’t get the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are only found in plant-based diets if you don’t eat fruits, vegetables, and grains.
- Problems with gut health: Not getting enough fibre can cause constipation and hurt your gut health. Fibre is excellent for your gut and helps your digestive system work well.
- Worries regarding sustainability: The diet is so severe that it’s hard to stick to it for a long period.
Sample Menu for the Carnivore Diet Food List
Day 1:
Breakfast: Sardines, bacon, and eggs for
Lunch: I had a turkey burger, beef tips, and salmon jerky.
Dinner: crab, chicken liver, and fillet mignon
Snacks: Beef jerky and parmesan cheese.
Day 2:
Breakfast: Shrimp, eggs, and heavy cream
Lunch: tuna fish, beef jerky, and strip steak
Dinner: scallops, lamb chops, and beef liver
Snacks: bone broth and hard cheddar cheese
Day 3:
Breakfast: Eggs, salmon, and turkey sausage
Lunch: pork chops, sweetbreads, and mackerel
Dinner: a turkey burger patty, a little bit of Parmesan cheese, and bone marrow
Snacks: shrimp and hard-boiled eggs
Day 4:
Breakfast: Bacon, shredded chicken, and trout
Lunch: you can have beef meatballs, a little bit of cheddar cheese, and salmon jerky.
Dinner: fillet mignon and crab cooked in fat
Snacks: Sardines and beef jerky
Day 5:
Breakfast: you can have eggs, poultry, and turkey sausage links.
Lunch: Roast lamb, chicken liver, and pork chop for lunch
Dinner: flank steak, scallops cooked in butter, and a little glass of heavy cream
Snacks: Bone broth and turkey jerky
Conclusion
The carnivore diet is a very rigors dietary regimen that only lets you eat animal foods. Some people may lose weight and feel better mentally, but the diet is controversial because it doesn’t have all the nutrients your body needs and could be bad for your health in the long run. If you want to try this diet, you should talk to a doctor first, especially if you already have health problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What does the Carnivore Diet mean?
The carnivore diet is a strict eating plan that mostly includes foods that come from animals. Fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, seeds, and some dairy products are not allowed. Meat, fish, eggs, and some dairy products are allowed.
Q2. Can I eat fruits or vegetables while on the carnivore diet?
No, the carnivore diet doesn’t include any plant-based foods, like fruits, vegetables, grains, or legumes. They can only have animal items.
Q3. What kinds of food can I eat on the carnivore diet?
Meats like turkey, beef, chicken, hog, lamb, and butter are all okay to eat. So are eggs, fish, heavy cream, hard cheeses, and bone broth.
Q4. Can I drink drinks like tea or coffee?
No, you can’t have coffee, tea, or any other plant-based drinks. People who follow the carnivore diet are told to drink water and bone broth.
Q5. Can I drink alcohol while on the meat-only diet?
No, you can’t drink alcohol on the carnivore diet because it comes from plants. The diet is made up of only animal foods.
Q6. How can I be sure that the carnivore diet gives me enough nutrients?
To keep from running out, it’s important to include a variety of animal products, especially organ meats. Vitamins A, B, and iron are found in large amounts in organ meats. You might also want to talk to a nutritionist to make sure you’re meeting all of your nutritional needs.
Q7. Can I stay on the meat-only diet for a long time?
Many people find it hard to stick to the carnivore diet for a long time because it is very restrictive. Not getting enough of some nutrients can also happen over time. If you’re thinking about it for a long time, you should talk to a doctor.
