Carnivore Diet

The Carnivore Diet: What It Is & How It’s Done

What Is the Carnivore Diet?

The Carnivore Diet is a diet that includes only animal-based foods. All plant foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds) and grains are excluded. The Carnivore diet is an excellent diet that has been proved to lower blood sugar, weight, cholesterol, reverse insulin resistance and improve diabetes. It’s simply really. Our ancestors lived a good portion of their lives where the only consistently accessible food was meat. Our bodies have the capacity to thrive on meat as it is a nutritionally dense food loaded with vitamins and minerals. Protein as a food generates more satiety (feeling full) than any other food and so we tend to eat fewer calories. And most significantly, it does not elevate blood sugar or insulin levels like carbohydrates do.

We recommend this diet approach short-term and highly recommend working with our dietitian, Chelsea, to guide you through this process as she can customize it for your picular needs and desired outcome. The benefits and rewards are enormous and will be worth the effort you put into this diet. While long-term studies on the carnivore diet are lacking, evidence shows that following the diet for four weeks can result in dramatic health improvements.

Foods Included

Animal Foods:  target whole meat and not processed meat such as bologna, salami, bacon, and jerky.

• Beef, pork, lamb, bison, venison
• Poultry (chicken, turkey)
• Fish and seafood
• Eggs
• Organ meats (liver, heart, kidney)
• Animal fats (tallow, lard, butter, ghee)

Beverages

• Water
• Bone broth
• Black coffee or plain tea

Seasonings and condiments

• Salt, pepper
• Herbs & Spices or all sorts
• Sugar free seasonings
• Mayo
• Tamari (soy sauce)
• Mustard – low carb.  NOT “Honey Mustards”, etc.
• Primal Kitchen Ranch, Buffalo Sauce
• Be careful to avoid sauces that are processed and loaded with carbs.

Foods Excluded

• All fruits and vegetables
• Dairy (cheese, milk, yogurt)
• Grains and grain products
• Legumes (beans, lentils, soy)
• Nuts and seeds
• Added sugars and sweeteners
• Seed oils (canola, soybean oil, cottonseed oil)

How to do the Carnivore Diet:

1. Base each meal on animal protein.   
   • Chelsea can help you calculate your specific protein needs.
   • If possible, 1-2 times per week aim for organ meats for higher nutrient content. Organ meats are an excellent source of vitamins (Vitamin A, B vitamins, Vitamin K2, choline), minerals (iron, zinc, copper).
2. Include plenty of “healthy” fat.  
   • Rely on higher fat meats for satiety and include plenty of healthy fats at each meal.
   • Healthy fats include coconut oil, butter, avocado oil, olive oil, tallow and the natural fats that accompany eggs and meat of any kind.  
3. Eat to satiety.
   • If you are hungry, eat more protein and add more healthy fat (butter, tallow, olive oil). Most people do not struggle with excessive hunger on Carnivore.
4. Hydration & electrolytes.  
   • Increased sodium and electrolytes needs are common due to low carbohydrate intake. Don’t be afraid to salt your food.
   • Target water intake to a minimum of half your weight in ounces. If you weigh 180 pounds then you need a minimum of 90 ounces of water daily.
5. Simple meal structure.
   • Aim for 2–3 meals per day; snacking as needed if you are hungry.
   • Your “snack” is more meat. Real whole meat and not processed junk.

Sample Day:

• Breakfast: Eggs cooked in butter, bacon
• Lunch: Ground beef patties with added tallow
• Dinner: Grilled Chicken thighs with seasonings, bone broth
• Optional: Occasional use of high-quality protein powder is acceptable. Avoid protein powders that have carbohydrates, sugar and artificial sweeteners.
  • Protein powders should not make up more than 30% of total calories

Considerations and Nutritional Concerns

• Fiber absence → the lack of fiber in the Carnivore Diet can lead to constipation.
  • If you struggle with constipation, supplement with a fiber powder such as ImmunoSlim or Fibermend (HippevoShop.com)
  • Use magnesium supplement liberally as needed to enhance bowel movement. Magnesium Potassium Aspartate (HippEvoShop.com)
     
• Micronutrient gaps (vitamin C, magnesium, potassium). If you choose to do this diet longer than four weeks, take a high-quality multivitamin such as Basic Nutrients 2/day by Thorne Research (HippevoShop.com)
   
• Quality animal meats are important. Avoid eating animal protein from fast food restaurants. Avoid eating highly processed meats such as hot dogs and bologna. These meats often contain a long list of additives, dyes, hormones and antibiotics that could slow your progress.
• There is currently limited scientific data on the long-term effects of following a carnivore diet. We recommend using the carnivore diet intermittently rather than continuously, allowing periods of dietary variation to help support nutritional balance. Consider adding in 2-3 days of carnivore to your week. If you wish to engage this for longer periods of time we would advise you to consult with Chelsea after 3-4 weeks of continuous Carnivore to ensure safe progress.

Tips and final thoughts: Planning ahead is critical for success. Cook and prepare several pounds of meat at once to have ready when you get hungry. Experiment with a variety of protein types and cooking methods. Add different seasonings and no-carb condiments. If you only eat boiled chicken, you will get very bored very quickly! The Carnivore Diet can give you incredible results that change your overall metabolic health and will be worth the effort.