The carnivore diet is meant to be just that, a diet. But, it seems that more is going on.
Vegan or not, I don't get the carnivore diet. I know people will try just about anything to fix their weight and/or health problems, but I don't see how anyone can look at this way of eating and think that it's going to be a good solution. Then, adding the vegan back in, what the *#^$
Cult. A cult is a group requiring unwavering devotion to a set of beliefs and practices which are considered deviant outside the norms of society
The carnivore diet is an eating plan that focuses solely on consuming animal products, mainly red meat, with some variations including fish, chicken, eggs and dairy. This diet eliminates all plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. People following the carnivore diet believe it can offer a list of health benefits, from weight loss to enhanced mental clarity, and relief from some autoimmune conditions. They argue that this way of eating aligns with human evolutionary history, suggesting that our ancestors primarily thrived on meat-based diets.
The Science
There isn't any.
Ok, that's not quite true, but what "science" is available is short term studies, those that span less than two years, there are studies using self-reported data, with people filling in questionnaires or surveys about what they've eaten, or case studies of individuals whose health improved after cutting out carbs and that does seem to be the point. None of this is good science and is far from the "gold standard", placebo controlled, double-blind studies. A blind study is very hard to do when it comes to diet, people can see what they're eating, you'd notice if you were getting a carrot and the person next to you have a beef burger, but the studies could at least be placebo controlled with a baseline established before people switch to the carnivore diet, using blood tests, body scans, etc. When people start the carnivore diet they cut out sugar, fizzy drinks and processed foods, this makes them feel better. The conclusion is that a meat only diet is good, not that eating processed foods and high levels of sugar is bad. There are some people with conditions that are made worse by eating fibre and other plant nutrients who do benefit from not eating wholegrain and high fibre fruits and vegetables. But, for most people who turn to the carnivore diet, the science says that eating a balanced diet with minimal amounts of processed food it optimal. Another claim is that, when people switch to the carnivore diet, their energy levels go up and their thinking is clearer. However, this could be a rebound effect, cutting out carbs means that the body has to start getting the energy that it needs from fats and protein, this process leaves people feeling very low energy with clouded thinking, even headaches become a problem. Once the transition is complete, energy levels will go up, people will feel amazing, this just means that your body is using whatever resources are available, not that those resources are optimal. All of this could be explored with a well conducted study, but so far there aren't any.
The Cult
Part of the cult, sorry carnivore diet, is that you have to supplement. Doctors, not all of them medical doctors, gurus and influencers, produce supplements (and merch) to help you on your carnivore journey, and the list of supplements needed is long; multivitamins, collagen, electrolytes, salt, bone broth, and more*. You eat the diet, you wear the t-shirt, you take the supplements then you tell everyone that it's amazing, all you have to do is eat meat and nothing else. Then there's sticking to the rules, if you advise people to eat, or admit to eating, anything that isn't meat, you're out. Especially if you've posted those views on Reddit. The cult-like behaviour of people that follow the carnivore diet is most apparent when people stop the diet. When people quit the carnivore diet their carnivore friends turn against them, they accuse them of being weak, when someone says that they've gone back to eating a balanced diet for health reasons, they're told that they need to do more research, that they were doing the diet wrong. I'm not sure how you get the carnivore diet wrong, there's only one ingredient, animal. Then there's Paul Saladino, a medical doctor who, for long time, pushed the carnivore diet. He became well known in the carnivore diet circles after walking around a supermarket with no shirt on, berating people who were buying fruits and vegetables. Problem is, he's not eating the carnivore diet anymore, saying that it was causing his health to suffer.
A Youtuber who quit the carnivore diet, BackScholar, said "the carnivore diet is like a cult, they're just demonizing food". He started the carnivore diet to lose weight then realised that eating only meat wasn't the solution, what he needed was to eat a balanced diet and not over eat. Another Youtuber FiftyPlusBeauty went from carnivore to vegan after having a stroke. Initially she believed the people who told her that the carnivore diet wasn't the cause of the stroke, but then brain scans showed her that the stroke that lead to her spending three days in hospital wasn't the first one, that she'd had at least 4 mini strokes before that. So, even after having her life saved by clot dissolving drugs she still wanted to believe that the carnivore diet was good until her life was on the line and it all became clear. Singer James Blunt went carnivore to spite vegans and ended up with scurvy, vitamin C deficiency. He then started drinking litres of orange juice every night to compensate and developed acid reflux, which is when stomach acid releases upwards out of the stomach causing burning pain and nausea. This is another feature of people that start on the carnivore diet, fad eating patterns, othorexia nervosa.
Orthorexia nervosa is an unhealthy obsession with eating foods that a person considers healthy, often leading to the exclusion of entire food groups, such as fruits and vegetables, which can result in a very limited and rigid diet (the carnivore diet?). While orthorexia is focused on the perceived healthiness of food, it can also involve restricting food variety to lose weight. In other cases, this behaviour could be part of a broader restrictive eating pattern or disordered eating. These patterns often involve limiting food intake to specific items, sometimes based on a belief that these foods will help achieve weight loss goals. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies, unhealthy relationships with food, and potential progression to more severe eating disorders.
The Dangers Of The Carnivore Diet
That the carnivore diet is not balanced is obvious, but for those who believe in it as a solution this is one of the benefits. A balanced diet includes things like plants and plants have toxins in them, they will kill you, so say the carnivore dieters. The dangers of the carnivore diet include:
Nutrient Deficiencies: Lack of essential vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin C, fibre, and certain phytonutrients found in plant foods.
Increased Risk of Heart Disease: High intake of saturated fats and cholesterol may contribute to elevated heart disease risk.
Digestive Issues: Absence of dietary fibre can lead to constipation and other gastrointestinal problems.
Kidney Strain: High protein intake can place additional strain on the kidneys, particularly for those with pre-existing conditions.
Increased Cancer Risk: Absence of protective plant compounds and high consumption of red and processed meats may elevate cancer risk.
Imbalanced Gut Microbiome: Lack of prebiotics from plant foods may negatively affect gut health and microbiome diversity.
Limited Food Variety: Restrictive nature can lead to boredom, disordered eating patterns, or nutrient monotony.
Lack of Long-Term Research: Insufficient evidence on the long-term safety and effects of the diet on overall health.
As the carnivore diet becomes more popular, it will be a few years before the real impact of eating this way will be known. To date there are no long term studies to tell us how eating in suc a restricted affects a person's physical or mental health; does it lead to higher rates of cancer, strokes, does it shorten lives? The science around eating higher levels of fruits and vegetables is clear, more plants = more health, for most people, but no diet is one size fits all.
*I thought that the whole point of the carnivore diet was to "eat the way our ancestors did". Stone age humans were taking multivitamin supplements?
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