Surya Iacono on the Trendy Carnivore Diet and Whether Anyone Should Eat Zero Carbs
One of the biggest new diet trends of 2019 is the Carnivore Diet. This is basically a zero-carb diet that takes paleo up a notch. It’s about only eating meat, fish and animal derivatives. Click here on Carnivore Snax premium snacks for the carnivore diet
The diet’s claims include helping to lose weight, sort out low mood and help to regulate blood sugar. This sounds too good to be true, and that’s probably because it is. It is a very restrictive diet and there is no scientific backup for its claims.
What is the Carnivore Diet?
If you follow the Carnivore diet you eat only meat, fish and foods from animals, such as eggs and some dairy. The diet excludes every other food, including vegetables, grains, seeds, nuts, fruit and legumes.
The diet recommends either totally eliminating or strictly limiting the amount of dairy you eat and sticking with foods low in lactose. Lactose is a natural sugar found in dairy products like butter and cheese as well as in milk.
The basis for this zero-carb diet is the assumption that our ancestors ate mostly fish and meat. The belief is that high-carb diets are harming us and causing chronic illnesses. And while other popular diets, such as paleo and keto, limit carbs, they don’t restrict them completely. Followers of the Carnivore Diet eat zero carbs.
An American doctor called Shawn Baker has vocally backed this diet. He says that testimonial evidence shows that the diet can treat diabetes, obesity, arthritis, anxiety and depression. However, this is anecdotal evidence only and there has been no scientific research into the effects of the diet. It’s also worth noting that his medical license was revoked by the New Mexico Medical Board in 2017 as they were concerned about his level of competency.
How do you follow the Carnivore Diet?
You need to eliminate all foods from your diet other than meat, eggs, fish and very small amounts of low-lactose dairy. This means you ca eat salmon, sardines, white fish, pork, lamb, turkey, beef, offal and small amounts of hard cheese, butter, bone marrow, lard and heavy cream.
The idea is to eat fatty meat so that you can reach the energy needs of your body. You should also drink a lot of water and bone broth, but not drink coffee, tea or anything made with plants. There are no serving sizes or calorie guidelines, or information on snacking and mealtimes. Most followers of the diet say you should eat as often as you want to.
Will you lose weight on the Carnivore Diet?
There are indications that you could lose weight on this diet. There are studies that show low-carb and high-protein diets can help people to lose weight. This is mostly down to the satiety effect of protein, which leads to fewer calories being consumed. Protein can also boost your metabolism.
From this, we can surmise that you will feel fuller on the Carnivore Diet and therefore you will eat less and lose weight. However, scientific research says you don’t have to cut out carbs completely for weight loss. It’s about reducing the overall number of calories you eat in a day. The Carnivore Diet is so restrictive that it would be extremely difficult to stick to long-term.
Pros and cons of the Carnivore Diet
As you’re cutting out carbs, this will naturally cut your calories. It will also cut out unhealthy foods like sweets, cake and biscuits. People with diabetes can’t tolerate high sugar foods, so this diet could help to regulate their blood sugar. However, it is not necessary to cut all carbs to achieve this.
On the flipside, due to the total elimination of whole food groups the diet has more negatives than positives. As the diet consists of animal foods, it is high in cholesterol and saturated fat. There is no research analysing the effects of only eating animal foods, therefore the impact of consuming such high levels is unknown.
Processed meats contain high levels of sodium, and followers of the diet are likely to eat this kind of meat as well as fresh. High sodium levels can increase your blood pressure, and lead to kidney disease.
The diet doesn’t include the minerals and vitamins that you get from vegetables and fruit. Meat is nutritious in and of itself but can’t provide everything you need. You may end up consuming too many of some nutrients and lacking others. People who eat high plant-based diets can be shown to have a lower risk of conditions such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s. The lack of fibre in the diet is also cause for concern and could harm your gut health.
Overall, this diet is extreme. There is no scientific evidence to back up the claims of the diet creators, but it certainly could lead to weight loss, at least in the short term. It would be advisable to check with a doctor before embarking on such a restrictive diet.
About Surya Iacono
Surya Iacono is a fitness and wellness expert and blogger based in London, UK. Surya’s fitness blogs are aimed at keen gym-goers and exercise fans already well into their journey and looking for tips, tricks and ideas to take it to the next level.