The all-meat, "carnivore diet" has gained traction recently after endorsements from figures like Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan. So what does it do to your body?
Steak and chicken can be tasty and nutritious, but should meat be all we eat?
“Yes,” argues adherents of the “carnivore diet,” a controversial food trend that sees its members cut all food products that didn’t come from an animal out of their diets. But does the practice live up to the hype?
The diet was widely popularized years ago by American orthopedic surgeon, author and podcast host Dr. Shawn Baker. Later, voices like Joe Rogan and Jordan Peterson endorsed the practice, taking it mainstream. Today, the community boasts hundreds of thousands of practitioners, with over 50,000 members in the subreddit r/carnivore alone.
Yet nutritionists tell the Star they have doubts about the diet’s efficacy — especially if it isn’t followed exactly right, which can lead to nutrient deficiencies. As human-driven climate change continues to advance, critics also point to the immense carbon footprint left by the meat industry, which contributes 14.5 per cent of humanity’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
Here’s what experts say are the health impacts of a meat-only diet.
What is the carnivore diet?
As the name suggests, the carnivore diet is a highly restrictive regimen that sees practitioners only consume animal products — namely meat and organs. Some people may eat eggs, butter or other dairy products, but any fruits, vegetables, grains or other food categories are strictly forbidden.
“They literally eat no vegetables, no fruit,” said Kyle Byron, a nutrition coach and personal trainer who owns and operates Toronto’s Kyle Byron Nutrition. “No nuts, no seeds, no processed carbs, no grains. Just meat and organs,” he told the Star.
Organs — especially those of grass-fed animals — are a key part of the diet, supplying some of the nutrients practitioners miss out on by skipping all other food groups, Byron elaborated. It’s partly why the practice is so hard to follow, especially for those not taking supplements.
Kinga Balogh, a registered dietitian and health coach at Toronto’s JM Nutrition, adds that all takeout, deliveries and convenience foods are also off the menu. Carnivore purists may even eliminate all seasonings except salt, “because (salt) is the only condiment that is not plant based,” Balogh said — while avoiding tea and coffee for the same reason.
“Enjoy a glass of wine with your steak? Think again, as a carnivore does not consume foods or beverages from plant sources,” she told the Star. “Want to blow out your birthday candles on a delicious dessert? Think twice — and see if your filet mignon can hold the candles.”
Does the carnivore diet work?
Although adherents to the carnivore diet claim it can help you lose weight, improve mood, better regulate blood sugar and a host of other benefits, nutritionists say studies have yet to show any evidence.
“To date, no scientific studies back (the carnivore diet’s) purported benefits,” Virjee said. “As health care professionals, we cannot recommend dietary strategies lacking scientific backing.”
Studies which looked into the diets of people who live in Arctic regions — who subsist mainly on meat and blubber — initially touted its health benefits. However, more recent studies found the traditional Inuit diet may not be as healthy as believed.
Alia Virjee, a registered dietitian and owner of Toronto-based practice Tangible Wellness, told the Star some carnivores may experience a brief period of rapid weight loss upon starting the diet, due to major changes in their eating habits. Yet, as with virtually all fad diets, most participants may find themselves regaining their shed pounds over time.
“I firmly believe — and there is lots of credible research to suggest — that humans require variety and balance,” Virjee said, adding she can’t see herself ever recommending the diet to a client.
That’s not to discount all its reported benefits, however — our bodies are all different and react to diets in their own ways, Byron said. While he is personally skeptical of the carnivore diet, he “encourages people to try things” as it may yield different results for different people.
Just be sure to do your research and ensure you’re getting all the nutrients you need, or bad things can happen.
As one might expect, carnivores face a whole host of nutrient deficiencies from cutting out all other food groups. Two of the biggest issues is a lack of fibre and carbohydrates, Virjee explained, which can lead to constipation — a common side effect of the diet. Fibre also helps keep our immune systems strong by diversifying our gut microbiome, which can also help with digestion.
Meanwhile, “carbohydrates are the primary source of fuel in our body, where our brain and muscles rely on them for energy and to function optimally,” Balogh said.
This also means carnivores won’t be getting the antioxidants present in carb-rich foods, which help fight chemicals called free-radicals in the body, Balogh added. If left unchecked, these molecules could contribute to cancer down the line.
According to Health Canada, adults should be getting 65 per cent of their nutrients from carbohydrates, 10 to 35 per cent from protein, and 20 to 35 per cent from fat. In contrast, carbs make up just zero to five per cent of a strict carnivore diet, Balogh said, while zero to 35 per cent of nutrients come from protein and 50 to 75 per cent from fat.
Meanwhile, Byron notes carnivores also commonly have mineral and vitamin deficiencies like vitamin D or C. Vitamin D is important in bone health, while you might recall a lack of vitamin C led old sailors to develop scurvy.
While supplements can help make up for some of these losses, Balogh said these are often less nutritious than whole foods, which possess various other nutrients often missed by supplements.
Who should avoid the carnivore diet?
According to Balogh, the carnivore diet may prove dangerous to certain people with prior health conditions. These include:
People with kidney disease: Large protein loads put extra stress on the kidneys, potentially worsening their condition.
People with a history of gout or kidney stones: Certain meats, including red meat and shellfish, can exacerbate gout attacks and make kidney stones more common.
People with heart disease or high cholesterol: With increased animal fat exposure and limited fibre intake comes a heightened risk of blood cholesterol profile deterioration.
People with diabetes: Suddenly changing to a low-carb diet could bring diabetics’ blood sugar levels dangerously low, potentially leading to a “life-threatening medical emergency.”
People with osteoporosis or similar conditions: Consuming more protein than our daily requirements encourages the loss of calcium from our bones, possibly worsening one’s condition.
Pregnant or breastfeeding moms: Pregnant bodies require a wide variety of nutrients to nurture a new life; a varied diet is critical for “optimal outcomes.”
Children and adolescents: Kids’ growing bodies require varied food sources to develop. Meanwhile, they’re more susceptible to developing eating disorders, which highly restrictive diets can encourage.
Steak and chicken can be tasty and nutritious, but should meat be all we eat?
“Yes,” argues adherents of the “carnivore diet,” a controversial food trend that sees its members cut all food products that didn’t come from an animal out of their diets. But does the practice live up to the hype?
The diet was widely popularized years ago by American orthopedic surgeon, author and podcast host Dr. Shawn Baker. Later, voices like Joe Rogan and Jordan Peterson endorsed the practice, taking it mainstream. Today, the community boasts hundreds of thousands of practitioners, with over 50,000 members in the subreddit r/carnivore alone.
Yet nutritionists tell the Star they have doubts about the diet’s efficacy — especially if it isn’t followed exactly right, which can lead to nutrient deficiencies. As human-driven climate change continues to advance, critics also point to the immense carbon footprint left by the meat industry, which contributes 14.5 per cent of humanity’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
Here’s what experts say are the health impacts of a meat-only diet.
What is the carnivore diet?
As the name suggests, the carnivore diet is a highly restrictive regimen that sees practitioners only consume animal products — namely meat and organs. Some people may eat eggs, butter or other dairy products, but any fruits, vegetables, grains or other food categories are strictly forbidden.
“They literally eat no vegetables, no fruit,” said Kyle Byron, a nutrition coach and personal trainer who owns and operates Toronto’s Kyle Byron Nutrition. “No nuts, no seeds, no processed carbs, no grains. Just meat and organs,” he told the Star.
Organs — especially those of grass-fed animals — are a key part of the diet, supplying some of the nutrients practitioners miss out on by skipping all other food groups, Byron elaborated. It’s partly why the practice is so hard to follow, especially for those not taking supplements.
Kinga Balogh, a registered dietitian and health coach at Toronto’s JM Nutrition, adds that all takeout, deliveries and convenience foods are also off the menu. Carnivore purists may even eliminate all seasonings except salt, “because (salt) is the only condiment that is not plant based,” Balogh said — while avoiding tea and coffee for the same reason.
“Enjoy a glass of wine with your steak? Think again, as a carnivore does not consume foods or beverages from plant sources,” she told the Star. “Want to blow out your birthday candles on a delicious dessert? Think twice — and see if your filet mignon can hold the candles.”
Does the carnivore diet work?
Although adherents to the carnivore diet claim it can help you lose weight, improve mood, better regulate blood sugar and a host of other benefits, nutritionists say studies have yet to show any evidence.
“To date, no scientific studies back (the carnivore diet’s) purported benefits,” Virjee said. “As health care professionals, we cannot recommend dietary strategies lacking scientific backing.”
Studies which looked into the diets of people who live in Arctic regions — who subsist mainly on meat and blubber — initially touted its health benefits. However, more recent studies found the traditional Inuit diet may not be as healthy as believed.
Alia Virjee, a registered dietitian and owner of Toronto-based practice Tangible Wellness, told the Star some carnivores may experience a brief period of rapid weight loss upon starting the diet, due to major changes in their eating habits. Yet, as with virtually all fad diets, most participants may find themselves regaining their shed pounds over time.
“I firmly believe — and there is lots of credible research to suggest — that humans require variety and balance,” Virjee said, adding she can’t see herself ever recommending the diet to a client.
That’s not to discount all its reported benefits, however — our bodies are all different and react to diets in their own ways, Byron said. While he is personally skeptical of the carnivore diet, he “encourages people to try things” as it may yield different results for different people.
Just be sure to do your research and ensure you’re getting all the nutrients you need, or bad things can happen.
As one might expect, carnivores face a whole host of nutrient deficiencies from cutting out all other food groups. Two of the biggest issues is a lack of fibre and carbohydrates, Virjee explained, which can lead to constipation — a common side effect of the diet. Fibre also helps keep our immune systems strong by diversifying our gut microbiome, which can also help with digestion.
Meanwhile, “carbohydrates are the primary source of fuel in our body, where our brain and muscles rely on them for energy and to function optimally,” Balogh said.
This also means carnivores won’t be getting the antioxidants present in carb-rich foods, which help fight chemicals called free-radicals in the body, Balogh added. If left unchecked, these molecules could contribute to cancer down the line.
According to Health Canada, adults should be getting 65 per cent of their nutrients from carbohydrates, 10 to 35 per cent from protein, and 20 to 35 per cent from fat. In contrast, carbs make up just zero to five per cent of a strict carnivore diet, Balogh said, while zero to 35 per cent of nutrients come from protein and 50 to 75 per cent from fat.
Meanwhile, Byron notes carnivores also commonly have mineral and vitamin deficiencies like vitamin D or C. Vitamin D is important in bone health, while you might recall a lack of vitamin C led old sailors to develop scurvy.
While supplements can help make up for some of these losses, Balogh said these are often less nutritious than whole foods, which possess various other nutrients often missed by supplements.
Who should avoid the carnivore diet?
According to Balogh, the carnivore diet may prove dangerous to certain people with prior health conditions. These include:
People with kidney disease: Large protein loads put extra stress on the kidneys, potentially worsening their condition.
People with a history of gout or kidney stones: Certain meats, including red meat and shellfish, can exacerbate gout attacks and make kidney stones more common.
People with heart disease or high cholesterol: With increased animal fat exposure and limited fibre intake comes a heightened risk of blood cholesterol profile deterioration.
People with diabetes: Suddenly changing to a low-carb diet could bring diabetics’ blood sugar levels dangerously low, potentially leading to a “life-threatening medical emergency.”
People with osteoporosis or similar conditions: Consuming more protein than our daily requirements encourages the loss of calcium from our bones, possibly worsening one’s condition.
Pregnant or breastfeeding moms: Pregnant bodies require a wide variety of nutrients to nurture a new life; a varied diet is critical for “optimal outcomes.”
Children and adolescents: Kids’ growing bodies require varied food sources to develop. Meanwhile, they’re more susceptible to developing eating disorders, which highly restrictive diets can encourage.
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