Carnivore diet - rules, effects, risks

Carnivore diet - what is it?

"Karnivor" is a word derived from the English expression "carnivore", which is derived from Latin and means "eating meat". Thus, carnivore diet is a controversial diet, also known as meat diet, which is a restrictive form of ketogenic diet. This is a low-carb diet, which consists in maximally limiting the supply of carbohydrates and consuming only animal products.

The carnivore diet was developed by Dr. Shawn Baker, an American surgeon and orthopedist. According to the creator of the diet, meat diet is consistent with the evolutionary past of human and can be associated with numerous benefits, also contributing to weight reduction. The principles of the carnivore diet come from the belief that the human body functions better when it eats only meat, and the theory is related to the way of eating human ancestors belonging to hunters and gatherers.

The meat-only diet raises a lot of controversy and is not conform to current rules of healthy eating. Despite this, the diet developed by Dr. Shawn Baker is very popular among people around the world who are looking for alternative nutritional models.

Is meat diet healthy?

Supporters of the carnivore diet pay attention to the simplicity of the nutrition model, as well as the possible beneficial effect of the nutrition plan on inflammation or food intolerances. Among the advantages of the carnivore diet also mention the positive effect of the eating habits on weight reduction and loss of unnecessary kilograms, which can be the result of a low supply of carbohydrates and high protein content, which provides a feeling of satiety and stimulates metabolism. The effect of numerous dietary restrictions may also be a caloric deficit, which may also promote weight loss.

Devotees of the meat diet also indicate that eliminating plant products from the menu can be helpful in depression and anxiety disorders, and what's more, it can improve digestion, reducing the scale of undesirable symptoms from the digestive system. In addition, the carnivore diet can reduce inflammation and hormonal disorders.

For many consumers, the meat-only diet is a tasty way of eating, which can help regulate blood sugar levels, reducing the risk of developing diabetes, while providing the body with significant amounts of well-absorbed iron. However, there is still a lack of specific scientific studies that would confirm the potential benefits of using the carnivore diet, and most of the duplicated statements are based on limited analyses and insinuations not confirmed by research.

Recommended dietary supplements

Effects and potential side effects of carnivore diet

The carnivore diet is a controversial way of eating, and any extreme change in the daily diet can be associated with certain risks to the health and proper functioning of the human body. Exclusion from the nutrition plan of vegetables and fruits and other foods of plant origin causes the occurrence of deficiencies of vitamins and minerals, which may result in disorders of the body and the occurrence of undesirable symptoms, including problems with memory and concentration, immune disorders, reduced bone mineral density, muscle weakness or fatigue.

Eliminating cereal products, vegetables and fruits from the daily menu may cause too low supply of dietary fibre, which may, among others, disturb intestinal peristalsis and the rhythm of bowel movements. At the same time, the high content of animal products and the supply of significant amounts of saturated fatty acids can negatively affect the level of cholesterol in the body, promoting the development of cardiovascular diseases and increasing the risk of atherosclerosis or hypertension.

Strict dietary restrictions may also increase the risk of yo-yo effect - when the consumer completes the stage of using the diet and returns to previous eating habits. Moreover, it seems that the carnivore diet may contribute to the disorder of homeostasis of the intestinal microflora, and may also increase the risk of ketoacidosis. Preliminary analyses of the data indicate that long-term use of the carnivore menus may increase the likelihood of developing gout or kidney stones, and may also increase the risk of stroke.

Carnivore diet - opinions

Scientists, dieticians and nutrition specialists agree that the basis of healthy eating is diversity, and the inclusion in the daily menu of a wide range of different food products allows the delivery to the body of all the necessary macro-and micronutrients responsible for the optimal functioning of the human body.

Thus, although the carnivore diet promises positive effects associated with, among others, weight reduction, it is not a recommended diet, among others due to the fact that it poses a high risk of deficiencies. In addition, the carnivore diet is difficult to use on a daily basis, because the correct balance of the menu, taking into account only a narrow group of allowed products, is practically impossible. Therefore, it is recognized that a nutrition plan without vegetables is another nutritional trend that may pose a threat to the proper functioning of the human body.

To reduce body weight and get the desired results, it seems much better to use a healthy and well-balanced diet with an energy deficit. On the other hand, supporters of low-carb diets may benefit from less restrictive and more diverse nutritional plans that will enable an increased supply of protein and fat, and at the same time will not contribute to the occurrence of deficiencies of valuable macro-and micronutrients.

Carnivore - recipes. Example of a menu on carnivore diet

The carnivore diet does not contain strictly defined guidelines for meal times, their size or content of individual ingredients, and yet composing a menu is not easy, because only animal products can be used on the meat diet. What can an exemplary carnivore menu look like?

Breakfast - Scrambled eggs in butter with bacon

Ingredients: 3 eggs, 50 g of bacon, 10 g od butter, a pinch of salt and pepper.
Method of preparation: Warm the pan, melt the butter on it, fry the finely chopped bacon. Add eggs, salt and pepper, and mix all the ingredients. Fry until the bacon is blushed and the eggs are ready.

II breakfast - Smoked mackerel
Lunch - Grilled chicken breast in cream sauce served with meat broth to drink

Ingredients: 200 g of chicken breast without skin, 50 ml of fatty cream, 50 ml of water, favorite spices, beef broth.
Method of preparation: Wash and dry the meat, divide it into smaller pieces, then season at your discretion and place on the grill. Grill until the meat is browned. In a pan, heat the cream, add water and favorite spices, and mix the ingredients. Pour the grilled meat with prepared sauce. Serve with previously cooked beef broth.

Afternoon tea - Kabanos sausage
Dinner - Parmesan butter shrimp served with beef broth to drink

Ingredients: 150 g of shrimp, 15 g of butter, 50 g of parmesan, favorite spices, beef broth.
Method of preparation: Wash the shrimp. Heat the pan and melt the butter on it. Fry the shrimp, adding to them favorite spices. Ready seafood sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve with previously prepared beef broth for drinking.

When thinking about what to eat on the carnivore diet, it is worth including eggs on butter or other animal products in the menu.

Recommended supplementation with diet without vegetables

Due to the fact that the carnivore menu is a deficient way of eating, the only way to provide the body with the necessary nutrients while the meat diet seems to be supplementation with valuable compounds.

To support the proper functioning of the body on the diet without vegetables, it is worth considering the use of preparations such as:

OstroVit Vit&Min FORTE 120 tablets - comprehensive dietary supplement available in the form of easy-to-swallow tablets, which provides the body with up to 21 valuable vitamins and minerals;
OstroVit Vital Fiber VEGE 600 g - concentrated source of dietary fibre obtained from psyllium husk and ispaghula grains;
OstroVit Aqua Kick VIT&MIN 300 g - strawberry preparation in the form of powder, which impresses not only with a delicious flavour variant, but also with a wealth of vitamins and minerals;
OstroVit Electrolytes 90 tablets - handy tablets containing 5 valuable ingredients such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium and chloride.

Meat-only diet - summary

The carnivore diet, promoted by supporters of the nutrition plan developed by Dr. Shawn Baker, is of great interest to consumers, especially among people who want to achieve health benefits and weight reduction. However, it is worth knowing that the meat diet is a controversial nutritional model, which is a rigorous form of low-carb diet, which allows the consumption of only animal products, thus eliminating plant foods.

A significant limitation of products allowed on the diet carnivore makes the diet a deficient menu, which does not provide the body with all the ingredients necessary for optimal functioning of the system. For this reason, it seems that the carnivore diet may bring more harm than good, increasing the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases or disturbing intestinal peristalsis.

The extreme nature of the vegetable-free diet plan makes it much better to use a balanced and varied diet, which allows you to achieve the desired results without excessive restrictions and restrictions on nutrition.

Bibliography:

Natalia Goździak

Master of dietetics, specialist in dietoprophylaxis and dietotherapy

Copywriter - dietitian. She completed her bachelor's degree in sports dietetics at the Academy of Physical Education in Poznań, while her master's degree in dietoprophylaxis and dietotherapy - at the UP in Poznań. She treats the principles of healthy eating primarily as valuable tips, not rigorous regulations, that must be strictly followed. Privately, she is passionate about photography, which cannot imagine life without books.