What is the Carnivore Diet?

January is World Carnivore Month and the perfect time to try the carnivore diet. If you’re a fan of the Joe Rogan Experience, you’ve probably heard the world’s number-one podcaster talking about the diet on his show.

Author Jordan Peterson appeared on Joe’s show several times, talking about how the carnivore diet helped him overcome his issues with auto-immune disease. Jordan also states the carnivore diet did the same for his daughter and wife, freeing them from illness.

So, what is the carnivore diet, and should you give it a go?

The carnivore diet focuses on only eating meat. Eggs and fish are acceptable, but a meaty-only diet is preferred. You might be wondering where you get the fibre in this diet and that it sounds like a horrible choice for health, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

The body adapts to the lack of fibre in your diet in a few days and your digestive tract functions as normal. This high-protein diet doesn’t seem to impact cholesterol levels. Many people, such as Jordan, state their bloodwork doesn’t suffer, despite the high concentration of animal fat, red meat, and cholesterol in their diet.

Shawn Baker, a former orthopaedic surgeon, gets the credit for popularizing this all-meat diet in 2016. He released the book, The Carnivore Diet in 2019, detailing the diet plan and his use of it. Dr Paul Saladino, another big name promoting the diet, published his book, The Carnivore Code, a year later.

What are the Benefits of the Carnivore Diet?

The carnivore diet has many health benefits, and it’s worth giving it a try when you consider the long list of positive effects it has on the body.

Lowered blood glucose levels.
Decreased gastrointestinal discomfort from bloating and gas.
Decreased inflammation.
Stronger mental focus and better concentration levels.
Sustainable weight loss.
Reduced auto-immune conditions and symptoms of chronic diseases.

What Foods Do I Eat on the Carnivore Diet?

The carnivore diet focuses primarily on consuming meats. You can eat both red and white meat, but many practitioners favour red meat in their meals. Some of the foods allowed on the carnivore diet include the following.

Grass-fed and grass-finished organic beef.
Steaks (fatty cuts like ribeye and New York strips.
Pork belly, shoulder, ribs, and chops.
Chicken thighs (breasts are the less-preferred option due to the lower fat content in the meat).
Lamb chops, ribs, and neck.
Fish (for the omega-3 EFAs) Tuna, salmon, trout, and mackerel
Eggs (once the practitioner gets over the first week).
Beef liver, kidneys, heart, and other organ meats.
Bone broth (from bone marrow)
Animal fats like tallow, lard, and duck fat.