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CARNIVORE DIET
What is it: The carnivore diet is a relatively new diet, taking off in 2019.This diet is similar to the Keto diet in that they are both extremely low carb, and are often paired with intermittent fasting. The carnivore diet focuses on no carb intake (some followers will allow carbs from dairy), so anything that comes from a plant is off-limits. Animal proteins and fats make up your entire diet.
Origin: It is believed that the originator of the diet is former orthopedic surgeon Shawn Baker, MD. The diet was quickly supported by a Canadian psychologist and his daughter reporting improvements in rheumatoid arthritis, depression, fatigue, and skin conditions.
Benefit: Any time we reduce carbohydrate intake we can see rapid
weight loss, and that weight loss is initially almost all water weight. That weight loss is often very fast, but it is not long term. When carbs are reintroduced, we will see that weight come back.
Cause for Concern: Because of the newness, there are no long-term studies on the effects of this diet. With that being said, animal products do not contain fiber, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and many micronutrients. This is cause for concern regarding the health of our gut microbiome, bowel movements, cancer risk, and more. A diet high in red meats and processed meats may increase risk of stomach and colorectal cancer, and a diet high in saturated fat may increase risk of liver cancer.
This is an elimination diet, so you are eliminating almost all foods and only eating a very small variety. With most elimination diets you slowly reintroduce foods back in to your diet, figuring out which foods cause the negative symptoms. Elimination diets are tricky in the best of situations, but this diet has no re-introductory phase making it potentially very difficult to follow.
This dietitian’s recommendation: Any time we see a restriction of food groups, this dietitian is concerned. Because there are no long term studies (or really very many studies on this topic at all), this dietitian will reserve judgement. People have seen improvements in their lives or symptoms following the diet, but confirming if this is due to placebo effect, the meat itself, or avoiding foods that negatively affect them as an individual is to be determined. It is also important to note that this diet may feel very limiting from a social aspect, as food should be enjoyed and shared, and any restrictive diet makes that much more difficult.
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