The carnivore diet: Is it as crazy as it sounds?

Indeed, we are constantly told that the best way to approach our diet is in moderation and to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables with a balance of fish, nuts, meat, and other sources of protein. So, how does this carnivore diet work? Is it doing more harm than good? To investigate, click through this gallery.

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Diet and dogma -

It’s reasonable to consider this dietary trend as a direct response to veganism, which benefits animal welfare, the environment, and health. In this way, veganism is tied with particular political and social views.

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The beef industry -

Some people stop eating red meat to reduce their contribution to climate change because, as the Netflix documentary ‘Cowspiracy’ points out, eating meat is one of the leading causes of greenhouse gas emissions.

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It's not enjoyable -

Kelly Schmidt, a holistic dietitian in private practice in Columbus, Ohio, says that while the carnivore diet might be a trend, it’s not fun or enjoyable. She says that it’s often to try to address an autoimmune condition or an attempt to lose weight.

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Medical license revoked -

It’s a controversial diet. One of the most prominent figures in the zero-carb all-meat movement is Shawn Baker. Baker wrote a book called ‘The Carnivore Diet,’ and in 2017 he had his medical license revoked.

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Sometimes it's not just meat -

Often the carnivore diet is followed, like with all diets, with some gray areas. For example, people tend to consume cheese, salt, some fats, milk, and fish.

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Foods that are avoided -

However, people must not eat any sort of grains like pasta, potatoes, and rice, and they must also avoid all fruits and vegetables.

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Mikhaila Peterson -

Controversial Canadian clinical psychologist and YouTube personality Jordan Peterson and his daughter and blogger Mikhaila Peterson have spoken about how she’s battled depression and autoimmune disease symptoms by eating salt, water, and beef only.

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Mikaela Peterson -

Mikaela Peterson has been a lifelong victim of an autoimmune disease that has caused her to suffer from arthritis and forced her to receive multiple joint transplants before 20. After she went on the carnivore diet, all of her symptoms vanished.

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No substantial scientific research -

But here’s the catch: there is no long-term research on the subject that can either deny or validate the diet's benefits.

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Weight loss -

It’s reasonable to think that it aids weight loss. People don’t mindlessly eat plain chicken breasts one after another. People on this diet tend only to eat what they need.

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Appetite -

A high protein and low carb diet don’t just make us feel full–it also suppresses appetite at a hormonal level.

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Carb cut -

Of course, excess carbohydrates (plates of pasta, bread, etc.) are generally considered to make people gain weight.

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Ketosis -

When the body doesn’t have enough carbohydrates to burn for energy, it can enter a state of ketosis, which causes the body to feed on excess fat for energy.

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Allergies -

One of the most significant benefits of the diet is for people who experience food allergies because it’s a simple way to cut out foods that potentially don’t agree with their systems.

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Identifying an intolerance -

They can also begin reintroducing foods into their diet one by one, which helps identify which food is causing issues.

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Eating disorders -

One of the most significant issues with the diet is that it can be dangerous for some people. For example, for people who are prone to eating disorders.

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Heart disease and diabetes -

Also, since a lot of meat can be bad for your heart (i.e. animal fats), it can be highly dangerous for those people who suffer from heart disease or diabetes.

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American Heart Association -

The American Heart Association reiterated its stance in a paper published in July 2017 that people should replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats to lower the risk of heart disease. The only foods that are eaten in the carnivore diet are those which are highest in saturated fats.

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World Health Organization -

The WHO defines a healthy diet as one that includes fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains, and suggests that people should limit their consumption of saturated fats like butter and red meat.

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Kidney health -

Considering kidney health, it is risky only to eat meat because it can put excess stress on kidneys when metabolizing high amounts of protein.

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Gut bacteria -

There are also concerns about how eating only red meat may contribute to an imbalance in gut bacteria in the stomach.

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Colon cancer -

These concerns also contribute to the ongoing discussion regarding meat intake and colon cancer.

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Nutrition -

Dr. Rhonda Patrick, cofounder of FoundMyFitness, says that it is virtually impossible to get all of the required vitamins and minerals in your diet while only eating meat.

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Vitamin and mineral absorption -

People can take supplements. But often, the body needs what the vitamins naturally come with to absorb them effectively. This is to say that, for example, the body can more effectively absorb vitamin D, which naturally occurs in an orange, than from a vitamin D pill because the body uses other components of the orange to aid absorption of vitamin D.

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Aging -

Patrick also states that because of the relationship between IGF-1 (a hormone similar to insulin) and animal protein, eating only meat is not wise in the long run in terms of aging.

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The bottom line -

Although the science still isn’t exactly in on the carnivore diet, it doesn’t look like a recommendable choice based on expert opinions.

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A reasonable diet for a minority -

Sure, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that suggests it is beneficial for some people suffering from certain health conditions. It would be contentious to suggest that they should not continue to follow the diet since it relieves them of suffering and pain.

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Different strokes for different folks -

With diet, there is no size fits all method. Everyone is different and has different dietary needs.

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Steak? For breakfast? -

The carnivore diet doesn’t look like the healthiest or most sustainable choice for most people in the long run. Not only is it draining to have to wake up to a steak in the morning, but to then also have to eat only meat for lunch and dinner isn’t exactly an enjoyable way to eat, which deserves consideration.