What is the carnivore diet?

The carnivore diet has been trending on social media recently. Many tiktokers are promoting this diet which is filled with meats, especially red meat, seafood, fish, butter, and dairy products. But is this diet truly beneficial for us in the long run? This blog will answer the questions you have as to if this is a diet we should follow. 

What happens to our bodies on the carnivore diet?

Let’s start with the positives. The carnivore diet can help you consume less junk food but there’s a catch.. When we go on an extreme diet like this, we often crave unbalanced food even more, and can end up binging. Another effect a strict diet can cause is isolation, and a decreased quality of life. If we can’t enjoy the foods we are eating, and are limited to options we will find at restaurants, parties, or other social gatherings, this can lead to loneliness. Social isolation can negatively impact our mental health, which can directly correlate to our physical health and wellbeing too. We should enjoy the foods we eat, and be able to hangout with our loved ones without feeling the burden of following an intense diet.

Some say that it helps to lose weight, but how?

The reason that the carnivore diet can help you lose weight is because it cuts out all processed foods that are high in calories such as donuts, chips, candy, french fries etc.. but any diet can help with weight loss if you are able to balance your caloric intake and maintain a deficit. Another reason this diet can help with weight management is because its high in protein, which may help some feel full after eating but that doesn’t mean the carnivore diet is best for weight management. 

What about vitamins and minerals? 

 Additionally, since our diet is SO limited, we tend to end up with vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Plant based foods can give us many essential nutrients, such as vitamin C which is found in fruits and veggies. If we don’t consume enough vitamin C, along with other vitamins the effects can be severe. With a lack of vitamin C, we can develop scurvy which causes bleeding gums, anemia, and can be life-threatening. Fruits and veggies also give us antioxidants, to fight the free radicals, which can cause cancer. On top of this, a diet high in red and processed meats can increase the risk for colorectal cancer, and other types of cancer.  On a good note, adding more animal proteins into your diet can be beneficial especially if you are anemic or protein deficient but it's all about balance. 

Will this affect your heart health?

Yes, it will for many reasons. One major reason is that this diet is high in saturated fats, which are found in animal products. Saturated fats have been linked to cardiovascular disease, contributes to clogged arteries or atherosclerosis, and increased cholesterol levels. 

And there's more… The carnivore diet is missing a key nutrient that’s beneficial for your digestive system and heart health which is FIBER! We need fiber, about 25-35 grams on average per day, to have regular bowel movements, promote the beneficial bacteria in your gut, and to help decrease your risk of gastrointestinal diseases such as diverticulitis. Fiber is also important for our heart because soluble fiber helps to decrease harmful cholesterol levels and helps to regulate our blood sugar levels, decreasing the risk of heart disease. 

Lastly, who’s paying for all of this!!

Another reason why the carnivore diet isn’t sustainable is because it breaks the bank! Eating solely animal products is very costly, as animal products are one of the most expensive items in the grocery store! 

Eating a varied diet full of plant based foods such as fruits, veggies, legumes, whole grains, fish and meat is a much less expensive option, more sustainable and overall more balanced. PLUS, you get to enjoy a variety of foods instead of sticking to the same foods all the time! We have to eat everyday to survive, the least we could do for ourselves is to enjoy what we eat!