Contents
In this article you will learn, among others:
- What is the carnivore diet?
- What to eat on a carnivore diet?
- Is eating only meat healthy?
- Can you eat just meat?
What is the carnivore diet?
Let me start by quickly explaining the name. It comes from an English word carnivorous, that is in Polish meat-eater. The explanation is quite important, because the very wording of the term may suggest to us that this way of feeding was invented by a specific person and may be promoted, for example, by a center or a group of experts, and it is not. There is no evidence or research that would unequivocally indicate that the carnivore diet would be recommended by societies or organizations that create standards for healthy eating.
As for the rules that apply to the carnivore’s diet, it can actually be said that the assumption is one and it covers eating only animal products. First of all, it is about meat, but eggs or dairy products are also allowed (of course, for people who tolerate this type of product well). You cannot include any fruit, vegetables, grains, seeds etc. in your menus, i.e. plant products in short.
What to eat on a carnivore diet?
People who promote this type of diet claim that meat is the most neutral product for our body, but they do not specify what this would mean – at this point I would like to remind you that the structure of our digestive tract indicates that as humans we belong to omnivores. So it is not that our teeth, stomach or intestines by definition (as always – I do not mean cases of allergies, because then, of course, we simply choose other products from a given group) cannot cope with eating e.g. carrots, apples, or millet. In addition, meat and other animal products would cure our bodies from various diseases. Again – there are no studies that would show that meat would have such properties, but it is not difficult to find documented reports saying that we should even limit this type of products in our diets.
However, it should of course be noted that the supporters of the carnivore diet encourage eating only the best quality meat. I’m not going to argue with that – I generally encourage you to only buy and eat top shelf ingredients when it comes to quality. The problem, however, is that this type of meat is quite difficult to get, and if we manage to find a 100% reliable supplier who will be able to meet all our requirements, we will certainly not pay as little for such meat as at the present time. All the time rising food prices may additionally scare potential interested people away from the diet described today.
Is eating only meat healthy?
Before I go over a few examples of the negative effects meat can have on our body, I would like to clarify one thing – I am referring primarily to too much animal products (but mainly meat) in our diet. I am not trying to convince anyone that eating one cutlet, slice of ham or sausage is deadly and pathogenic 🙂 But I want to show what can happen when there are too many of these cutlets, slices and sausages and they appear too often.
– Slow bowel movements leading to constipation: Lack of plant-based foods means no fiber, which acts as a brush in our digestive tract to help push undigested food particles outside.
– The first point is related to the next one, i.e. a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer, which is influenced by a low amount of fiber in the diet, but also by eating a large amount of animal fat as well as red and processed meat (1).
– Vitamin and mineral deficiencies: it cannot be denied that animal products are a good source of some nutrients, including iron, calcium and vitamin B12. However, it should not be forgotten that the correct supply and proportions of vitamins and minerals in the menu will be provided only by a balanced menu, which includes products from all levels of the food pyramid. People who omit plant products in their diets must take into account a greater risk of deficiencies, e.g. vitamin C, B vitamins, magnesium and zinc.
– Increased risk of type II diabetes – a 2019 meta-analysis (i.e., an analysis of a very large number of scientific studies) by Manuela Neuenschwander and associates (1), showed unequivocally that red meat, processed meat and bacon increase the likelihood of developing type XNUMX diabetes II in the same way as sugar-sweetened drinks.
– Overall: people who consume meat excessively, especially processed meat, have a higher risk of death than those who limit meat supply (3).
Can you eat just meat?
Today, more and more is said about the health-promoting properties of a vegetarian or vegan diet. People switch to this type of nutrition for various reasons, but some people are not convinced, if only because they simply like meat. As for the health aspect, the complete elimination of meat is not always necessary for everyone, but its limitation may be of benefit to us. Certainly, however, a diet based only (I emphasize exclusively) on animal products is not something that, as a dietitian, I would recommend to any patient. As always, I encourage you to exercise moderation and common sense.
What is your opinion on the carnivore diet? Do you think a 100% meat diet is healthy? Let me know in the comments what you think about it!
Bibliography:
1. Deptała A. and Wojtukiewicz MZ (2018). Colon cancer. Termedia Medical Publishing House
2. Neuenschwander M. i wsp. (2019). Role of diet in type 2 diabetes incidence: umbrella review of meta-analyses of prospective observational studies. British Medical Journal
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC66072…
3. Zheng, Y. i wsp. (2019). Association of changes in red meat consumption with total and cause specific mortality among US women and men: two prospective cohort studies. British Medical Journal
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC65593…
Photos:
Main photo: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-slicing-meat-o…
Photo in text: https://www.pexels.com/photo/steak-meat-raw-herbs-65175/