Everything you need to know about the carnivore diet: origins, benefits, dangers, contraindications. Is this diet really healthy?

Between veganism, the ketogenic diet and the paleo diet, a new way of eating has emerged in recent years, the carnivore diet , also known as the carnivore diet.

This dietary approach has attracted increasing interest in recent years, but is still unknown to the general public.

In this article, I'll explain what the carnivore diet is, where it comes from, how this diet works, what its benefits are, what its potential dangers are, and we'll even end by talking about ecology.

No subject will be left out!

So keep your mind wide open, my Mouvers, this little journey may shatter your certainties!

What is the carnivore diet?

The carnivore diet is a dietary pattern that emphasizes the exclusive consumption of animal products , such as meat, fish, seafood, eggs, and depending on the variant, a small portion of dairy products.

This while completely eliminating plant-based foods .

More vegetables, fruits, grains or legumes, or in very small quantities.

Also, the carnivore diet focuses on high protein and fat intake while completely eliminating carbohydrates.

According to proponents of this diet, carbohydrate consumption is unnecessary because the body can produce glucose from proteins and fats through a process called gluconeogenesis .

They also consider that plants contain antinutritional compounds that can be harmful to health, such as fiber.

We will come back to this later…

What are the origins of the carnivore diet?

Although this idea may seem recent, it has its roots in human history.

Indeed, our hunter-gatherer ancestors relied primarily on meat and fish to meet their needs, depending on their geographic location.

And especially during periods of extreme cold which have impacted our planet.

It is understandable that a people located towards the coast will have a greater proportion of marine animals in their diet.

Moreover, according to my friend and specialist on the subject, Jean-Christophe Ordonneau, our hominid ancestors would have descended from the trees and would have stopped consuming a lot of plants to move towards shellfish .

This transition would have been the first step towards a more meat-based diet.

Then, according to some archaeological research, humans began to make tools to extract marrow from animal carcasses.

Our ancestors would wait until the beast was killed by large predators, then move on to feed on the leftovers.

We would thus be scavengers originally, like vultures or hyenas with whom we share the same degree of stomach acidity .

A coincidence?

Then, as my friend David Siegl explains very well, man would have organized himself to hunt bigger game, they would have put in place strategies to catch bigger and bigger animals.

Which would have contributed to the development of the brain.

But the advent of agriculture , a few millennia before our era, put an end to this diet composed almost exclusively of animal protein.

Finally, let’s take a quick look at physiology…

My friend, the naturopath Jeremy Dalzon, will speak about it better than I, but the parallel that is constantly drawn between the digestive system of the great apes, our closest cousins ​​genetically speaking, and us is outdated .

We often find this doctrine in vegan or raw food discourse.

However, our digestive system is not particularly efficient at digesting plants ...

Compared to the Chimpanzee or the Gorilla, we have a much longer small intestine and a shorter colon.

For example, gorillas, with their longer colons, will be better able to ferment vegetable fibers for a long time .

Whereas humans, with their longer small intestine, will be better able to digest amino acids and fatty acids from meat .

Because the function of the small intestine is to digest these nutrients.

It is important to understand that the use of nutrients present in fruits, but even more so in vegetables, requires a long fermentation.

As you will have understood, the carnivore diet is not just a fad, but draws its inspiration from the ancestral eating habits of our hominid ancestors, but also from our own physiology .

In recent years, more and more celebrities have adopted this diet, including Joe Rogan, the famous podcaster, and Jordan Peterson, the great Canadian psychologist.

But also many health experts such as physician Shawn Baker , distinguished researcher Amber O'Hearn , and Paul Saladino, physician and author of The Carnivore Code.

What do you eat when you adopt the carnivore diet?

Barbecue, barbecue and barbecue.

I'm kidding…

Halfway!

As with all diets, there are several levels to the carnivore diet.

Indeed, there are several ways to make a classification but we will concentrate on the most well-known.

Level 1: The Strict Carnivore Diet.

At the strictest level, people following this diet consume only foods of animal origin .

Protein sources are animal flesh.

Beef, pork, lamb, poultry, etc.

Vegetables, fruits, grains and other sources of carbohydrates are completely eliminated from the diet.

Personally, I made a video to tell you what I eat on a daily basis, and it comes very close to this first level.

Level 2: Carnivore with some exceptions.

Some carnivore dieters choose to introduce small amounts of plant-based foods or processed foods into their diet, whether for social reasons or as a matter of habit .

These exceptions may include spices, herbs, oils, coffee or tea, depending on personal preferences and individual needs.

Level 3: Seasonal Carnivore.

This approach allows carnivore dieters to adapt their diet according to the seasons.

For example, in winter, when sources of fresh vegetables are limited, they may focus more on eating meat and animal products, while occasionally including vegetables during the summer months.

Another very interesting approach, which is close to the carnivore diet, is the primal diet .

This diet will focus on meat-based foods, but will still incorporate fruits and vegetables, while eliminating cereals and industrial products, all eaten raw .

Whether it's a meat-based diet or a primal diet, both of these eating habits are directly inspired by the diet of our ancestors millions of years ago, in order to have the diet best suited to our digestive system.

Because even if we are apparently very modern human beings, the fact remains that we cannot feed ourselves with just anything , without having negative consequences .

Finally, it's difficult to talk about the carnivore diet without focusing on the ketogenic diet or keto diet.

It is a dietary approach that aims to promote fat burning by significantly limiting carbohydrate consumption , the same effects as the carnivore diet, which is also very low in carbohydrates.

The origins of the ketogenic diet date back to the 1920s when it was originally developed to treat epilepsy in children, and over the years, the ketogenic diet has evolved to become a popular approach for weight loss and energy management.

The basic principle of the ketogenic diet is to limit carbohydrate consumption to about 0-10% of total calories , while fats make up about 70-75% of calories and protein about 20-25%.

Plant products are allowed here, but those rich in carbohydrates are limited.

Following this brief overview of the different ways of eating “meat-based”, I would like to look at the major absentees from the carnivore diet:

Fruits and vegetables.

Are they really good for our health, like your parents kept telling you when you were little?

Not so sure...

First, all plants on the planet contain small amounts of chemicals that can be harmful to humans.

As the apple contains a very small amount of arsenic.

This phenomenon, which at first glance seems strange, has an explanation...

Plants are fixed organisms that lack neurons,

Neurons being the structures that enable movement in animals,

Without this, their only defense to protect themselves is to create substances harmful to consumers.

This is what a study from the 90s shows, which proves that the chemicals present in our salads, courgettes and beets, do not actually come from pesticides, but from the vegetable itself.

Because it is important to understand that the ultimate goal of a species, whether plant or animal, is to survive and reproduce, and for this, plants have found a technique: generating chemical substances.

For carnivores, in the long term, these substances would not be adequate for our well-being.

Now that you have all the arguments in favor of a meat-based diet in mind, I would like to give you...

Some simple and effective meal ideas!

In the morning, if you have breakfast, it might be interesting to start with a breakfast directly inspired by our English-speaking neighbors: eggs and a few slices of bacon that you can adjust according to your taste.

FYI, eggs are the most easily absorbed source of protein for the body.

As for the dishes, I will suggest two products that you can easily find near you:

Cuts of beef such as rib steaks, short ribs, fillets, etc.

It's a red meat that provides a lot of healthy fat and is easy to cook in a pan.

Moreover, according to my friend David Siegl, it would be the meat that would come closest to that which our ancestors consumed in abundance , such as mammoth.

And an offal , the most common is often calf's liver.

Livers have a micronutrient richness that is difficult to match.

With contributions of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K, essential micronutrients for the proper functioning of the immune system, bone health and cellular protection, among others.

But animal liver also contains iron, zinc, copper, selenium and phosphorus in large quantities.

I could write an entire article on all the benefits of calf's liver, my Mouvers, but I'll stop there.

Then, a piece of advice I can give you is to increase the amount of meat on your plate .

Since childhood we have been conditioned to eat portions of meat ranging from 50 to 300g.

So when you start the carnivore diet, this portion will not be enough, since you don't have any side dishes.

And if you want to go deeper, I wrote an article about it:

10 Meal Ideas for the Carnivore Diet. What Does a Carnivore Plate Look Like?

What are the benefits of the carnivore diet?

Some proponents of the carnivore diet claim that it offers several potential benefits.

More nutrition

Followers of this diet often report better digestion and improvement in symptoms related to digestive disorders.

The naturopath specializing in the subject, Jéremy Dalzon, mentions the very interesting micronutrient contribution of meat, which is too often forgotten.

“ When you ask someone on the street where vitamins are, they will automatically talk about fruits and vegetables. Yet there are a lot of vitamins in meat! ”

Vitamins, minerals , it is true that meat and fish are rich in each of these elements.

But it's not enough to have a load of micro and macro nutrients, what you need is to assimilate them !

This means that all these nutrients pass through the intestinal barrier to deeply nourish your body, your muscles, your organs, your cells.

Well, regarding this characteristic, the nutrients present in your beef entrecôte will be much more effective than the nutrients present in many vegetables, because they are often enclosed in the cellulose of the vegetable .

Which then makes vitamins and minerals much less assimilated.

It is important to know that meat has a nutritional richness that is very easily assimilated by the human body.

Although on paper, broccoli has good nutritional quality, once it interacts with your body, it leaves little micronutrients, a trend that has been confirmed by several studies.

Unfortunately, in most dietary studies, the product is studied outside of its interaction with your body, making the results difficult to interpret.

So don't forget, it's the interaction between your physiology and the food that will create nutrition .

Improved digestion

All the testimonies on the web speak of this point, the digestive well-being that comes from eating a diet that is mainly meat-based and devoid of carbohydrates and vegetable fiber.

Fiber is said to be absolutely essential in our modern diet, it allows us to have more frequent bowel movements and improves transit in general.

And yet…

A study shows that on the contrary, fibers are not nutrients as such, but actually antinutrients , which are harmful to the digestive process that takes place in our body.

In fact, a diet without plant fiber would simply eliminate all bloating , constipation and other symptoms linked to poor digestion.

Yes, yes you read that right!

I warned you that paradigms would fall in this article...

Weight control and appetite management

Here we touch on a central point of the carnivore diet, and perhaps the one that is most highlighted: the loss of fat mass .

The carnivore diet is a low-carb diet , so it will put your body into a state of ketosis, meaning that the main fuel will no longer be carbohydrates, but fats.

Your body will break down fats into ketone bodies.

Ketone bodies that will be used to produce energy via the mitochondria, present in all our cells, they are real little energy factories.

And our body has millions of them...

Thus nourished, the mitochondria will regenerate and become of better quality.

In the first few weeks of your dietary change, your body will recover the fats stored in your body to use them .

In other words:

You will lose your excess weight!

This fuel change from carbohydrates to fats will also regulate your appetite and reduce your cravings, or even eliminate them.

Jordan Peterson reports weighing the same as he did in his twenties, and my friend Jean-Christophe lost 10 kilos in just a few months, and that without exercising!

Testosterone booster

There are several factors that may explain why the carnivore diet is considered a testosterone booster .

First, this diet is rich in healthy fats, such as saturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids , which are essential for testosterone production.

Fats play a crucial role in hormonal regulation and are essential for the synthesis of steroid hormones, including testosterone.

Additionally, the carnivore diet emphasizes raw, natural foods, eliminating chemicals, additives, and added sugars that can disrupt the body's hormonal balance.

Also, the carnivore diet is high in protein and fat, which can promote satiety and help control appetite, and since testosterone is directly correlated with a healthy body weight, you'll be able to produce more of it.

Finally, some plant foods contain antinutrients that can interfere with the absorption of minerals, including zinc and magnesium, needed for testosterone production.

So with a diet composed exclusively of animal products, you will have a testosterone boost which will be very interesting!

Potential to reduce inflammation

The carnivore diet eliminates potentially inflammatory foods found in the modern diet.

Without the cakes loaded with white sugar, the candy with 5 different artificial colors and flavors, and the ready meals loaded with preservatives and refined oils, your body will undoubtedly feel better.

In fact, these hyper-processed foods contribute to chronic inflammation throughout your body.

Like your wrist tendonitis that doesn't go away after several months...

The carnivore diet is known to be a diet that will remove carbohydrates from your diet .

Bread, pasta, rice, pizza of all kinds...

Significantly reducing carbohydrates in the diet can lead to a decrease in the production of insulin, a hormone that, in excess, can promote inflammation.

And when you think about it, it's quite logical: products with a high carbohydrate content, such as fast sugars or slow sugars, are the latest arrivals in our diet, since they were introduced frequently during the advent of cereal agriculture 10,000 years ago.

And when we talk about fast sugars, it's only been a few decades since they've been present on our plates, ruining our health.

Animal products, which have been present in our diet for millions of years, are rich in anti-inflammatory nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, selenium, and vitamins A and D.

These nutrients play a vital role in regulating inflammation and can help soothe inflammatory responses in the body.

Improved gut health

The carnivore diet may also improve gut health by eliminating potentially irritating foods and promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria.

A healthy gut is essential for reducing systemic inflammation and strengthening the immune system .

Experiments on modern hunting peoples show us that their microbiota is not only bacteriologically diverse, but that they are also perfectly healthy.

We can particularly think of the North American Inuit populations , on whom a study was carried out.

Interest in autoimmune diseases

When it comes to autoimmune diseases, the carnivore diet would also be a real asset in alleviating symptoms, or even eradicating them completely.

As stated in the testimonies of Jordan Peterson and his daughter Mikhaila Peterson, these two personalities noticed a marked change in the expression of the symptoms of their autoimmune diseases.

In fact, Mikhaila suffered from an autoimmune disease that destroyed some of her bones, so she had a hip replacement at just 17 years old.

But she also suffered from arthritis since childhood.

When she switched to a carnivore diet, these symptoms completely disappeared and she was able to return to a normal, energetic life.

These impressive results could be explained by the combination of the factors mentioned above...

The high micronutrient content provided by the meat diet, the reduction of inflammation in the body, intestinal health and better digestion linked to the significant deficits of carbohydrates and hyper-processed foods.

It is important to understand that autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues in the body.

Scientific research on the subject is still in its infancy, but such testimonies can only encourage potential subjects to try this diet.

And more logically, for people with type 2 diabetes, that is to say people who can no longer manage the sugar intake in the body correctly,

The absence of so-called slow carbohydrates, pasta, bread, rice, lentils, potatoes, and the absence of so-called fast carbohydrates, that is to say all preparations made from white sugar, cane sugar, coconut sugar,

Will significantly improve their health.

To conclude on this point, I will paraphrase the well-known and renowned nutritionist, Dr. Rhonda Patrick, who said in an interview:

“Many people are drawn to the carnivore diet because they have autoimmune issues, and when they try this diet it improves their autoimmune symptoms. I see this as a common theme.”

Effect on energy and performance

The carnivore diet can help provide you with steady energy throughout the day for several reasons…

First, animal products are rich in protein, which is essential for building and repairing body tissues .

Protein is also a sustainable source of energy because it is digested slowly, avoiding the blood sugar and insulin spikes associated with carbohydrates.

Additionally, animal products are rich in healthy fats, including omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for proper brain function and mood regulation.

Fats also provide a slow-burning source of energy, helping to maintain steady energy throughout the day.

As I have repeated, and I will continue to repeat it in this article, by switching to a carnivore diet your body will change its fuel, instead of using carbohydrates which are far too present in the modern diet, it will use fats via ketone bodies .

With this change in functioning, your body will no longer need to generate blood sugar spikes.

Hence the stable energy throughout the day.

After several weeks of the carnivore diet, followers are unanimous: no more need for a nap!

Depression over?

Jordan Peterson touted the benefits of a carnivore diet in overcoming depression in an interview with Joe Rogan.

On this subject, it would seem that it is the health of the intestine which could explain, among other things, the reduction of depressive symptoms.

And yes, mental health is not just the preserve of our brain !

There are processes taking place in our bodies that are still largely unknown...

And a few years ago, the gut-brain connection was part of it.

Did you know that our intestinal wall is covered in neurons ?

These cells allow messages to be transmitted throughout our body.

This discovery was brought to light by the doctor and best-selling author Giulia Enders in her book “The Gut’s Secret Charm.”

In her book she makes the clear link between good digestion and improved mental health.

As most followers report, meat is a very digestible substance , so a diet composed exclusively of meat products would be directly linked to our mental health.

Then other elements can explain why depressive symptoms would be reduced with this diet.

The carnivore diet is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, found particularly in oily fish.

These essential fatty acids play a key role in brain health and can reduce inflammation, which has been linked to depression.

The carnivore diet also limits carbohydrate and sugar intake, which can help stabilize blood sugar levels, which are often linked to significant mood swings and may even promote anxiety.

All these positive points make you want to try, don't they?

But wait a bit before jumping in your car to go and empty your butcher's stalls...

Nuance is always key, so after focusing on the positive effects of the meat diet, here is a non-exhaustive list of the negatives.

What are the downsides of the carnivore diet?

If you start the carnivore diet overnight, you will experience some negative effects that may well make you doubt...

Headaches, low energy, dizziness, nausea, irritability.

All of these symptoms can occur and this transition period even has a name:

Keto Flu

These phenomena occur when your body has to switch from a carbohydrate energy source to a lipid energy source.

From sugars to fats.

Indeed, by eliminating carbohydrates and processed foods, your body will have to reorganize itself to produce its vital energy.

But rest assured, after several days these symptoms should disappear to give way to stable vitality.

The social aspect

The carnivore diet can be difficult to stick to in the long term, particularly because of the social withdrawal it can cause.

Indeed, the carnivorous diet is not a socially accepted diet in society, and it must be said that humans who are said to be carnivores are very rare.

So prepare yourself to face your aunt's iron arguments, or your best friend's long speeches about plant-based eating.

Just keep in mind that human beings are above all social animals who like to share meals with their friends and family.

These moments are absolutely essential, and will allow you to have better health.

Because it’s not just diet that matters, health is multifactorial !

And for those social situations where you can't stick to your diet, here's a principle you might find interesting:

Homeoresis .

It is a principle which states that the environment is everything , this principle is put forward by several naturopaths and in particular my friend Pierre Dufraisse.

That is to say that between eating your 500g of beef liver in the back of your cave alone, and sharing a pizza with friends in a very pleasant setting, you will always have to choose the second option .

So be careful to take good care of your social relationships, even if you risk facing a backlash when you broach the subject of a 100% meat diet.

Patience and teaching will be the key words!

Risks of nutritional deficiencies

Another point of attention concerns the nutritional contribution of meat-based diets.

Although meat and animal products contain a wide variety of essential nutrients, some vitamins and minerals found primarily in plant-based foods may be limited in a strict carnivore diet.

For example, vitamins C, E, and K, as well as potassium and magnesium, are more abundant in fruits and vegetables.

Eating disorders (ED)

The carnivore diet is a restrictive diet .

And I'm not talking about the quantity of food here, because the carnivore diet does not impose precise quantities, but rather the nature of the food .

Since the whole point of a carnivore diet is that it excludes the majority of foods that modern humans consume.

Pasta, sweets, bananas or anything else that makes up your tartiflette, except the bacon that's in it of course!

Therefore, a meat-based diet may not be the most suitable for people with disorders such as bulimia, anorexia and hyperphagia.

Medical and psychological support will be required before embarking on this diet, or in any case a more gradual approach will be welcome.

Long-term health effects

The many testimonials about this diet can be very motivating to try a meat-based diet.

However, as scientist Ronda Patrick , a leading American specialist in food issues and author of a study entirely dedicated to meat-based diet, says.

No long-term studies on the subject have been done.

And that's what's missing, the testimonies rarely exceed 5 years of experience, and this field of study is in its infancy.

You will need to be aware of this state of affairs and act accordingly.

This is where medical support takes on its full meaning.

Indeed, blood tests are a very good indicator of the general state of the body and will allow you, in addition to your feelings, to know if you are on the right path or not.

Eating meat, too expensive?

The last point I want to discuss with you is not about health.

Well yes, but that of your wallet!

Indeed, the price of meat, whether in your supermarket or on your butcher's shelves, continues to increase .

This is due to many factors, including the increase in the price of gasoline to transport products to consumers, and the increase in the price of grain used to feed animals.

Besides, cereals are certainly not the most suitable feed for cattle and others.

Only modern agriculture has standardized this unfortunate practice, and it has a direct impact on the quality of our meat diet .

Just like humans, cows are not meant to eat grain .

This is why it will be more interesting, nutritionally speaking, to buy meat from animals fed on grass.

Like grass-fed beef for example.

But when the meat is of good quality, prices increase exponentially, especially in organic stores.

In France, you will be able to find attractive prices on sites that directly connect producers and consumers, such as the Pour de bon site.

But unfortunately the price of your meat diet will always be more expensive than a modern diet made of flour and quick sugar low in micronutrients.

Finally, if you want more details on the negative aspects of this diet, I wrote an article entirely dedicated to this question.

Is the carnivore diet environmentally friendly?

Carnivore diet and ecology , at first glance, do not seem to fit on paper.

In fact, the meat industry is responsible for an ever-increasing number of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.

Not to mention the thousands and thousands of grain fields entirely devoted to feeding cattle, which are destroying the biodiversity of our planet.

You only have to look at the state of the Amazon rainforest...

The vast expanses of cornfields represent a considerable loss of biodiversity.

However, we are talking here about a type of breeding:

Intensive and industrial breeding.

This is the type of livestock farming most present in our society today, far removed from the herds of cattle of the Maasai tribes.

However, there are other, much more sustainable ways of raising animals.

My friend Jean-Christophe Ordonneau, whom I was able to interview in the Mouvers Podcast, talks to us about sustainable breeding .

In the system he describes, the cows change pastures every day, and feed directly on their most physiological food, grass, without cereal supplements.

The cows come to graze on the grass in a demarcated field, they move the next day to another field, and the one from the day before will remain at rest for around ten days, which will allow the soil, thanks to the droppings, to completely renew itself.

This provides a balanced and environmentally friendly way of raising and producing meat.

So, the pro-vegan narrative is not wrong in a sense.

If the majority of humans were to start eating meat overnight under current farming conditions, the ecological impact would be catastrophic ...

But by working on our way of producing, raising and consuming, the results could be completely different!

In short, you will have understood my Mouvers, reasoned breeding, respectful of animals, biodiversity and therefore of humanity, is the key!

Conclusion

Congratulations, you've made it to the end of this overview of carnivore diets, and I'm sure you've learned a lot.

Now that you are aware of all the aspects of this diet, whether positive or negative, it will be a matter of making the right choices...

This article, although dense, is not exhaustive!

I therefore invite you to continue to inform yourself about different eating habits and different ways of living.

And above all to sharpen your critical mind .

This is why I would like to bring you one last element in this conclusion.

The placebo effect and the nocebo effect

The placebo effect and its inverse are known and recognized phenomena in various sciences, whether in psychology, medicine, nutrition, etc.

They are the cause of many phenomena, including remissions of illness and the famous denial of pregnancy.

The placebo effect is often referred to as the positive effect of the mind on healing , it occurs when someone receives an inactive treatment or substance with no real medicinal value, but strongly believes in its effectiveness.

As a result, the person may experience an improvement in their symptoms, even if the treatment itself has no direct physiological effect.

This demonstrates the power of the mind and suggestion in regulating the body, from pain management to depression to improving athletic performance.

On the other hand, the nocebo effect is its opposite .

Well, when it comes to food, these phenomena are common, as my naturopath friend Pierre Dufraisse points out.

So, if you're a die-hard believer in the carnivore diet, you might only experience positive effects.

Similarly, a strong supporter of veganism will see their health improve if they are absolutely certain of the benefits of a 100% plant-based diet .

And even more so if it starts from an ultra-processed basic diet.

In absolute terms, and especially in the early stages, you won't really be able to know whether the benefits come from meat, from stopping industrial products, from the placebo effect or from all three combined!

Here’s something to raise your spirits…

The goal of any good Mouvers is to be a free and enlightened thinker on the different subjects that make up our daily lives.

Whether it's movement, sport, nutrition or spirituality, make sure you don't get stuck in dogma and always be free in your movements .

The best advice I can give you is to do your own experiments, and draw your own conclusions .

Strength and health to you my Mouvers!

And if you want to bounce back or simply share your experience with meat-based food, I look forward to hearing from you in the comments section 😉

Nomad Slim
Founder of MOUVERS