HealthlineAll You Need to Know About the Carnivore (All-Meat) Diet

The carnivore diet, an emerging dietary pattern that exclusively permits animal products while eliminating all plant-based foods, has gained attention in medical circles. This comprehensive review examines the diet’s composition, purported benefits, and significant clinical concerns, particularly regarding nutritional adequacy and long-term health implications.

Key Points:

• The diet restricts consumption to meat, fish, eggs, and limited low-lactose dairy products, while completely eliminating all plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, and fiber sources. No controlled studies support the diet’s claimed benefits for depression, anxiety, arthritis, obesity, or diabetes management.
• Clinical concerns center on excessive saturated fat and cholesterol intake, coupled with complete absence of dietary fiber. Research indicates potential negative impacts on gut health, with one review suggesting high-protein, low-carb diets may increase risk of gut inflammation through protein digestion byproducts.
• Population-specific contraindications exist for patients with chronic kidney disease, cholesterol hyper-responders, children, pregnant individuals, and those with histories of disordered eating. The diet poses particular risks for these groups due to its extreme restrictions and nutritional imbalances.
• Although high-protein and low-carb aspects may promote short-term weight loss through increased satiety and metabolic rate, studies indicate more balanced approaches achieve similar results. One 3-month study demonstrated significant weight loss with protein intake of 0.9–1.3g/kg body weight/day, without requiring complete carbohydrate elimination.
• The diet eliminates beneficial plant compounds and antioxidants associated with reduced risk of chronic conditions, including heart disease, certain cancers, Alzheimer’s, and type 2 diabetes. This absence of protective nutrients raises concerns about long-term health outcomes.

HCN Medical Memo
Although the carnivore diet may appeal to patients seeking radical dietary changes, current evidence does not support its safety or efficacy. Physicians should be prepared to discuss more balanced, evidence-based dietary approaches that don’t compromise essential nutrient intake.

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