The Next Fad: “THE CARNIVORE DIET”
Have you heard about the next new fad diet??? Well let me introduce to you the Carnivore diet.
What is the carnivore diet and why do people do it???
Recently on social media the carnivore diet has been receiving a lot of attention. It has been around for a while, but was popularized more recently by social media ‘health’ influencer, Dr Paul Saladino, for it’s purported health benefits, such as:
- Improved sleep
- Better eczema
- Reduced joint pain
- Reduced muscle pain
- Clear sinuses
- Improved brain fog
- Reduced fatigue
- Improved bowels
- Reduced headaches
- Weight loss etc etc etc...
The carnivore diet (for those that may not know), is a more restrictive version of keto/paleo diets, focusing heavily on animal-based proteins. This would include foods such as chicken, beef pork, sometimes fish, organ meats, eggs, butter, bone marrow and sometimes dairy like milk and cheese. Despite being inherently ketogenic as there are no carbs in this diet (unless 4 cups of milk is included), it is distinctly NOT the ketogenic diet as it excludes plant foods such as nuts, seeds, low starchy vegetables and low carb fruits. Something very important to note is that this diet is a zero fibre diet, unlike the keto diet where you can still get fibre through fruit, veg, nuts and seeds.
A dietitian’s take on the carnivore diet
No doubt animal-based proteins play their role in health by providing essential nutrients such as vitamin B12 (which cannot be found in plants), iron, zinc, selenium, vitamin A and more. However, there is way too much research (literally research papers in the thousands) to show that plants and fibre are beneficial for health and reducing risk of colon cancer, diverticulitis, ulcers, hemorrhoids, irritable bowel issues, including improved gut health and bacteria and more. There are some cultures such as the Inuit people (who are indigenous in the Arctic regions) whose bodies have had to adapt to a carnivore diet over hundreds of years, relying on meats such as seal to survive. But most of us don’t live in the Arctic! r
So why do people find they feel better on a carnivore diet?
More than likely it is due to an overall reduction in food chemicals. Food chemical intolerances present with symptoms that match above (eczema, sinus, pains, headaches etc) and people normally fit somewhere along a bell curve of severity/sensitivity. Natural food chemicals are salicylates, amines and glutamates and are found in a variety of naturally occurring foods. Meats, if aged or charred, do contain high amounts of the food chemical amines, however, other foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains also contain amines as well as salicylates and glutamates. And then you also have your added food chemicals like colours and preservatives that are often used in processed foods.
So more than likely, when people respond to reducing their fruit and veg, they had some kind of mild to moderate (possibly even severe) intolerance to salicylates and/or glutamates. Same applies to reduction in processed foods.
So then what do I do???
Well, if you’re feeling better on a carnivore diet then they best thing to do it a proper diagnostic elimination diet (depending on your symptom relief). This way you will know what exactly you are sensitive to and can reintroduce fibre into your diet.
There is no long-term data on the carnivore diet, but countless long-term data on high plant protein diets. So regardless, I wouldn’t recommend staying carnivore long term, as without organ meats you are likely to become deficient in vitamin C and some B vitamins, but then you also risk vitamin A toxicity. Even Dr Saladino has reintroduced fruit and honey into his diet and has now changed his belief to an animal-based diet, rather than carnivore, as carbohydrates are beneficial for the body. Interesting how “The Carnivore MD” now no longer recommends a carnivore diet...
If you’re confused about what you see on the internet, we don’t blame you! Make a booking with one of our dietitians to help debunk misinformation and make your diet less stress.
Written by Nadia Fathinia ( Accredited Practising Dieitian)
