Share on PinterestThe all-meat carnivore diet is gaining popularity, but nutritionists warn it can pose health risks and isn’t sustainable. Getty ImagesThe all-meat or carnivore diet has been gaining popularity on social media platforms like TikTok.People following the diet are expected to skip fruits and vegetables, and only eat food derived from animals such as beef, fish, poultry, eggs, bone broth, and animal fats like bone marrow and lard.Health experts say the diet is not healthy and may raise health risks for people living with certain conditions like high cholesterol.
The All-Meat Carnivore Diet Isn’t The Low Carb Hack You’re Looking For
Leave it to TikTok to start 2023 with a meaty controversy. The hashtag #allmeatdiet has amassed more than 1 million views, with users sharing recipes, weekly meals, and purported benefits.
The All-Meat Carnivore Diet Isn’t The Low Carb Hack You’re Looking For
It’s a far cry from other buzzwords floating around the food and wellness spaces like “plant-based” and “sustainability.”
The All-Meat Carnivore Diet Isn’t The Low Carb Hack You’re Looking For
Put simply, the carnivore diet is the exact opposite — and precisely what the name implies.
The All-Meat Carnivore Diet Isn’t The Low Carb Hack You’re Looking For
“The carnivore diet is so coined because it is an all-meat — or mostly meat — diet,” says Michelle Milgrim, MS RD CDN CLC, the program director for employee wellness with Northwell Health. “Basically, the only thing you’re eating is animals.”
The All-Meat Carnivore Diet Isn’t The Low Carb Hack You’re Looking For
In other words, plant-based foods like fruits and veggies are off the table.
The All-Meat Carnivore Diet Isn’t The Low Carb Hack You’re Looking For
Milgrim is among the experts saying that none of the benefits discussed under the trending hashtag have sound scientific backing. Instead, she and others warn there are risks that make this diet unsustainable and worth skipping.
The All-Meat Carnivore Diet Isn’t The Low Carb Hack You’re Looking For
Also dubbed the carnivore diet, people following this plan will only eat food derived from animals, according to Beata Rydyger, BSc, RHN, a Los Angeles-based registered nutritionist and clinical nutritional advisor to Zen Nutrients. Common foods on the carnivore diet menu include:
beeffishpoultryeggsbone brothanimal fats like bone marrow and lard
“Some low-lactose dairy foods like aged cheeses, butter, and ghee can also be acceptable in small amounts,” Rydyger says.
What’s not acceptable as part of all-meat diet plans?
“The diet excludes all other foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds,” Rydyger…