What are the health benefits of the carnivore diet?

For several years now, various diets have been making waves on the web.

Vegan, ketogenic, paleo, primal , or even carnivore .

It is the latter that we will focus on here.

I warn you, in this article your certainties may fall...

Very good reading my Mouver!

What are the origins of the carnivore diet?

The carnivore diet consists of eating exclusively animal products , eliminating all plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.

The carnivore diet is not a concept that has just come out and was created by some anti-vegan gurus .

No, the carnivore diet has its roots in the ancestral diet of us human beings.

And when I talk about ancestral food, I'm talking about the time before agriculture, when our ancestors were hunter-gatherers and ate mainly meat, fish, and seafood, depending on their environment.

According to experts on the subject, some of whom I interviewed on the Mouvers Podcast, this practice, which is ingrained in our genes, has been largely forgotten over the past few decades...

Except for a few tribes, such as the Maasai of West Africa, a warrior-herding people.

But interest in the carnivore diet has been rekindled by fitness, entertainment, and health personalities who claim to have experienced remarkable benefits.

We can notably think of the famous Joe Rogan and Jordan Peterson.

But also to several scientists like Amber O'Hearn or Dr. Paul Saladino, author of the book The Carnivore Code.

Are plants really our friends?

Since your earliest childhood, I'm sure that your parents, your teachers, and the media have been telling you:

“Eat 5 fruits and vegetables a day”

“Eat carrots, they’re good for your skin!”

“You’ll stay small if you don’t finish your soup!”

And yet fruits and vegetables hide some elements from us...

First, the vast majority of plants we consume on a daily basis contain small amounts of toxic substances .

To understand this, we must first know that every living being, animal or plant, has a purpose in existence: to reproduce, to multiply.

So when we think about animals, all of them have developed characteristics or techniques to defend themselves.

As for plants, it is more difficult because they are fixed to the ground, seemingly totally at the mercy of predators.

But there is one important point, often forgotten...

Plants have their own defense techniques, they create toxic substances which allow them to poison the aggressor, in small or large doses.

For example, some acacia trees in the savannah become unfit for consumption by giraffes within hours, because they have developed prickly substances that appear once the animal consumes these first leaves.

Within minutes, these substances make eating the leaves very unpleasant for the giraffe, who is forced to stop its feast.

For plants considered edible, the substance will be generated in small doses, but would cause some damage in the long term.

Apple seeds contain arsenic.

And rest assured, I'm not pulling this out of my hat, it's a study from the 90s, which shows that the chemicals present in our salads, courgettes and beets, are in fact not from pesticides, but from the plant itself .

Fascinating, isn't it?

In addition, some scientists point to the famous fibers, called “essential” which are brought into your diet mainly by vegetables and cereals.

These fibers are actually the cause of constipation.

A fiber-free diet will not only reduce your symptoms of constipation, digestive pain, and bloating, but will simply stop them.

Yes, you understood correctly, a diet without fiber , like the carnivore diet, will erase the symptoms linked to poor digestion , stomach cramps, constipation and untimely bloating.

Why does the carnivore diet make you lose weight?

Weight loss is one of the first things that comes up when we talk about the carnivore diet, and for good reason, this eating practice will help you lose those extra pounds.

The carnivore diet is what is known as a low-carb diet .

Carbohydrates are often far too present in our modern human diet.

In fact, according to several archaeologists, the first cases of obesity appeared when we began to cultivate cereals, around 8500 BC.

By eliminating carbohydrates and processed foods, your body will have to reorganize itself, literally changing its fuel!

It will stop using the sugars that are no longer present to create energy , and it will use fats.

If you want to use a more scientific term, we say that he enters a state of ketosis .

Ketosis will allow you to use your excess fat reserves to keep your entire body functioning.

This will naturally lead to an improvement in your physique.

Can the carnivore diet reduce inflammation?

Some carnivore dieters find that their inflammatory symptoms disappear shortly after implementing the diet, including arthritis and tendonitis.

Some plant-based foods may contain substances that are potentially irritating to some people, such as lectins and phytates, which could contribute to inflammation.

Without these foods, and by focusing only on animal sources rich in protein and fat, the entire digestive system is likely to be healthier.

But we still need to focus on good quality products.

It will be a matter of choosing your meat intelligently, taking the time to find out about its quality.

That is, avoiding as much as possible meat from intensive farming full of antibiotics.

But the most interesting thing, if you can, is to buy directly from the breeder.

Why does the carnivore diet improve digestion?

The carnivore diet can relieve digestive problems such as bloating, gas and acid reflux .

This would be due to several phenomena….

By avoiding foods that are potentially irritating to the digestive system, especially grains, some individuals report better overall digestion.

Also, the carnivore diet is very similar to a mono diet , that is to say, eating only one food per meal .

The interesting thing about mono diets is that the body will use less energy for digestion.

In fact, it will use the same digestive enzymes for the entire meal and will not be forced to sort and assimilate quantities of nutrients that are all very different.

This approach closely resembles how our nomadic hunter-gatherer ancestors ate for thousands, even millions, of years.

Our entire digestive system is built on these eating habits, which explains the collective indigestion our society faces today, with too large quantities of ultra-processed foods.

Why does the carnivore diet give you more energy?

Eating mostly animal protein and fat provides steady energy throughout the day , this claim is quite simple to demonstrate.

Indeed, just like the ketogenic diet , by eliminating carbohydrates from your diet you will be exempt from the energy fluctuations linked to their consumption.

Goodbye blood sugar spikes!

In addition, eating mainly meat, fish and animal products provides the body with essential nutrients in a form that is highly assimilated by the body .

In other words, the iron, zinc, selenium, vitamin B, and other elements present in meat will quickly find their way into your bloodstream to deeply nourish your cells.

Note that the parts of the animal richest in micronutrients are often the offal, the great forgotten of modern diets!

These foods are also known for their richness in protein and healthy fats, which play a crucial role in energy production and proper metabolism.

Why does the carnivore diet help prevent depression?

Some people report improvements in their mental health by following the carnivore diet.

As Mikhaila Peterson so aptly puts it in her testimony, she noticed a drastic reduction in anxiety, depression and mood swings , symptoms she faced regularly.

At a physiological level, one of the most plausible explanations would be the high intake of fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, which play a key role in the health of your neurons and contribute to improving mental clarity and concentration.

Also, the elimination of starchy foods would also have a big role to play in this regulation of mood.

Few people know this, but cereals can often cause micro-allergies in healthy people, causing poor digestion and poor assimilation of nutrients.

The latest discoveries on the subject of the intestine increasingly describe this organ as being absolutely central to the functioning of the human body, this concept was democratized by the book The Discreet Charm of the Intestine by Giulia Enders.

Your gut is your second brain.

In fact, our intestinal wall is equipped with neurons which are directly connected to our brain.

So in the case of constipation, poor digestion, this would cause more or less significant mood disorders.

Certain foods can have a negative impact on our mental health.

To put it bluntly, poor digestion could lead you to depression...

Does the carnivore diet help you live longer?

With all the health benefits of the carnivore diet, it's no wonder this eating pattern can increase longevity.

Only scientific research on the subject is lacking...

As scientist Rhonda Patrick points out when she is a guest on Joe Rogan's podcast, there is no scientific proof of this diet in the long term , only testimonials affirming the benefits of this diet over a few years.

However, what we can deduce is that if the carnivore diet in the long term would allow you to lose weight,

But also to reduce inflammation in your body and prevent certain diseases, such as autoimmune diseases , including type 2 diabetes, to increase your testosterone levels ,

And to have a stable mood, better energy to undertake projects, have a higher level of vitality.

It would definitely allow you to live longer.

But again, these long-term effects have not been scientifically demonstrated.

What precautions should be taken when starting the carnivore diet?

It's important to emphasize that the carnivore diet is not suitable for everyone , and it can be difficult to follow long-term .

So, before embarking on this type of diet, it is essential to take it step by step or consult a qualified health professional to follow you throughout your journey.

It is important not to jump into dogma, but to think carefully and be well informed before making drastic life changes.

By the way, if you want to know more, I have dedicated an entire article to the bad points of the meat diet .

So do your own experiments and be a free thinker!

Thank you for your attention, my Mouver!

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

Nomad Slim
Founder of MOUVERS