What Is the Carnivore Diet? A Detailed Beginner’s Guide

High-protein diets are all the rage, but one outdoes all the rest. It’s aptly named the carnivore diet, and it focuses on meat — just meat. If that sounds questionable from a health perspective, that’s because it is.

While some research backs up the benefits of more balanced high-protein diets, many experts are skeptical about the carnivore diet, in spite of endorsements from a small group of extreme athletes and celebrities, including the podcaster Joe Rogan.

This guide will tell you everything you need to know about the carnivore diet, including what science says about both the health benefits and the risks.

Unlike other high-protein, low-carb diets, the carnivore diet allows zero carbs. It includes “only foods that either walked, swam, or flew,” says Kelly Schmidt, RD, a holistic dietitian in private practice in Columbus, Ohio. While it may be a trend, “eating only meat is not sexy,” she says. “It’s not colorful, and it’s not fun.” Most people who try the diet are motivated by a strong desire to lose weight or to address an autoimmune condition.

The carnivore diet is often a step people take after trying the paleo diet or the ketogenic diet, says Diana Rodgers, RD, of the Sustainable Dish, located in Concord, Massachusetts. Paleo (aka the “caveman” diet) focuses on fresh fruits, vegetables, grass-fed meats, and wild seafood, while eliminating added sugars, grains, dairy, and legumes.

The ketogenic diet — also called “keto” — consists of eating lots of fat, moderate protein, and very few carbohydrates. Not everyone enjoys eating the amount of fat required by a keto diet, and they may instead opt for a high-protein diet like carnivore, says Rodgers.

Fans of the carnivore diet say it has a range of benefits, from weight loss to higher testosterone levels, but there is no evidence for this. That said, here are some of the anecdotally reported pros and scientifically backed cons of the carnivore diet.

Pros

The carnivore diet can be seen as an extreme form of an elimination diet, Schmidt says. Because people following this fad eat only a few different foods, they eliminate many of the items that commonly cause food sensitivities, like nuts, wheat, and soybeans. The carnivore diet is also popular with people who think it will result in weight loss, despite a lack of research to back it up.

Cons

“There are a lot of downsides to the carnivore diet,” says Liz Weinandy, MPH, RDN, a dietitian at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. “We have multiple food groups for a reason: They each provide us with a range of nutrients.” Humans are omnivores, which means we derive nutrients from a variety of foods, both animal- and plant-based. Eating only one food group is a problem, no matter which one (even if it’s just vegetables). Limiting yourself to all meat can cause you to run low in certain nutrients that are abundant in plants, like vitamin C and vitamin E, Weinandy says.

Here are some of the main risks:

Constipation Although some anecdotal reports suggest that constipation isn’t a problem on a carnivore diet, you will be missing out on fiber, a nutrient important for colonic health, says Weinandy.

Eating Disorders Another consideration: Extreme restriction or labeling foods “good” or “bad” can also set off disordered-eating behaviors or full-blown eating disorders, Weinandy says.

Kidney Health Large amounts of meat protein can also put undue stress on kidneys. Metabolizing high amounts of protein is the cause of this. You’ll likely miss out on disease-fighting nutrients like fiber and antioxidants like vitamins C and E, says Weinandy.

In Summary

Because there is no research on the long-term safety or risks involved with following this kind of diet for an extended period of time, it is not wise to do so. If you’re prone to disordered eating, you should avoid this or any fad diet. Anyone who has a chronic disease, such as diabetes or heart disease, should talk to their doctor before trying an extreme diet like this one. Lastly, do not follow the carnivore diet if you have any level of kidney disease.

Top 10 Foods to Eat

Here’s what you’ll be eating: Red meat (beef, pork, lamb), with an emphasis on fattier cuts of meat so you’ll take in enough calories.

Top options include:

1. Organ meats
2. Poultry
3. Fish
4. Eggs
5. Lard
6. Bone marrow and bone broth
7. Butter
8. Salt and pepper
9. Water
10. Sauces or gravies, provided they are made only with meat drippings that are mixed with butter or ghee and no binders like flour

Top 10 Foods to Limit or Avoid

Anything else that isn’t meat, poultry, or fish or derived from one of those is not allowed on the carnivore diet. Top foods to limit or avoid include:

1. Vegetables
2. Fruit
3. Seeds
4. Nuts
5. Legumes
6. Bread
7. Pasta
8. Grains
9. Probiotics
10. Alcohol

How Much Should You Exercise on the Carnivore Diet?

The carnivore diet is encouraging of consuming animal fats during workouts. Carnivore diet advocates suggest that this is needed for sustained workouts in the absence of carbs.

How to Get Started With the Carnivore Diet

Starting a new diet can always be a little confusing and challenging at first, but these tips are designed to help you make the best transition if you are looking to try the carnivore diet.

Tip 1: Be Responsible

We’ve outlined the many risks of the carnivore diet and also alluded to the fact that there is limited concrete evidence as to any of its supposed benefits. That said, if you do want to try the carnivore diet, do so responsibly. That means keeping an eye on your health and being aware of how you feel. If you notice any changes in your mood, energy levels, and digestive habits, consult a doctor or dietitian. Always consult your healthcare team before making changes to your diet, especially if you have preexisting medical conditions.

Tip 2: Don’t Rush Into It

Switching to an all-meat diet is going to have a significant effect on you and your health. Try increasing your meat intake first before committing to the diet fully.

Tip 3: Don’t Be Afraid to Make Alterations 

The carnivore diet is extreme, and modern science and medicine do not support it. If, in spite of that, you are still eager to try it, don’t be afraid to make some tweaks. The carnivore diet includes no fiber or vitamin C, for example. So if you want to add some high-fiber foods and vitamin C foods to your diet, most dietitians would recommend that.

Tip 4: Use Supplements

Tip 5: Try Keto or Another Diet Instead

If you want to try the ketogenic effects that the carnivore diet supposedly offers, why not try the keto diet instead? It’s a much more varied and nutrient-dense diet with less risks. Several other diets also offer many more benefits and fewer risks to your health.

The Takeaway

While this diet may sound crazy to some people, “as a dietitian, I try to be as open-minded as possible,” says Rodgers. “If there’s an intervention that’s working for people, I don’t discount that.” That said, there is no research into the short- or long-term effects of this diet, which makes it risky.

As with any diet, “it’s okay to experiment with getting your nutrition, but make sure it doesn’t harm you. Be realistic about your health, and if your health is suffering, it’s time to look at another solution,” Rodgers says. No diet is a panacea.