Author: Victoria Aly
Time for reading: ~5
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
In this article, learn more about Carnivor Diet - Based Solely On Meat. The diet is based on eating only meat.
The Carnivor diet consists of consuming only meat and animal products , excluding all other foods.
It is said to stimulate weight loss, regulate blood sugar and improve the overall condition of the body.
However, the diet is extremely restrictive, which makes it unhealthy in the long run. Plus, no research supports its health benefits.
The diet is based on the nutrition of predators. It includes only meat, fish and some animal products, such as eggs and dairy products.
All other vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, legumes and grains are excluded.
Followers of this diet advise to exclude dairy products high in lactose and replace it with butter and mature cheeses.
Some diets, such as paleo, low-carb, high-fat, and keto diets, limit carbohydrates, but do not exclude them, while Carnivor's goal is zero carbohydrates.
Following the diet excludes all plant foods from your menu.
It looks quite simple, here's what you can eat: beef, chicken, pork, turkey, lamb, offal, salmon, sardines, white fish, small amounts of cream and hard mature cheeses. Butter, bacon and bone marrow are also allowed.
There are no specific amounts to be taken, and everything happens according to individual needs.
Drinking water and bone broth is encouraged, and coffee, tea and other beverages are excluded.
Energy needs are covered by fats coming from meat.
Of course, you can expect to lose weight when you follow a diet. The reason for this is the high protein content and lack of carbohydrates. Protein creates a feeling of satiety and speeds up metabolism, which helps you burn more calories. It is important to consume enough protein to achieve the desired effect.
However, the main reason for weight loss is the lack of carbohydrates. You can also lose weight by limiting carbohydrates without having to eliminate them altogether. Restrictions on the Carnivor diet make it difficult to follow in the long run.
By eliminating carbohydrates, you also limit your intake of sugar, packaged foods, soda, candy, chocolates and many other harmful foods.
As you know, stopping harmful processed foods is recommended in any diet, especially for people with diabetes who aim to maintain safe blood sugar levels. In this case, the diet is suitable for them, but in general it is enough for diabetics to limit harmful foods and eat small amounts of healthy carbohydrates rich in fiber.
Given the great restrictions in the diet, it is not surprising that there are a number of negatives from following it:
High in fat, cholesterol and sodiumGiven that the diet consists only of animal foods, the risk of raising cholesterol is present. Saturated fats increase the levels of bad LDL cholesterol, which is a prerequisite for heart disease.
Processed meats are high in salt, which can lead to increased sodium intake, and the problems resulting from this are high blood pressure, kidney disease and others. Consumption of processed meat also increases the risk of cancer, especially of the colon. Eliminating healthy vegetables, fruits and grains inevitably carries with it the risk of a number of vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Deprives the body of the benefits of plantsWhile meat provides many trace elements, on the other hand you are deprived of a number of useful vitamins and minerals. Fiber, which is found in most plant foods, is missing from the carnivorous diet, which can lead to constipation (which is the least evil that can happen to you). Fiber also supports intestinal health and the maintenance of proper intestinal flora, which is very important for the overall health of the body.
Moreover, diets rich in plant foods are associated with a reduced risk of developing chronic diseases, some cancers, Alzheimer's, type 2 diabetes. This is due not only to the high content of fiber and minerals, but also to beneficial antioxidants. contained in plants.
In the Carnovor diet, these compounds are missing and cannot be obtained through animal food.
Not suitable for everyoneThe diet should not be followed by people who should limit protein intake, such as people with chronic kidney disease, high cholesterol.
Not only those suffering from various problems should avoid it, but also all pregnant and lactating women, as well as children.
Lastly, people with eating disorders should also not follow a diet.
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In conclusion, we can say that the diet is effective, but very restrictive. It is said that it can improve health, but there is no scientific evidence for this. It is rich in fat, but does not contain any fiber and useful plant compounds.
In general, the diet is unnecessarily restrictive. A balanced healthy diet is the best way to eat, which will provide you with many more health benefits.