With such a large and growing percentage of the population overweight or obese, many people are looking for the perfect weight loss diet. There are lots of different diets to choose from, and most of them work for someone.
After all, so long as it a) reduces your calorie intake below maintenance, and b) you can stick to it long enough for it to work, you will lose weight. There are diets to suit just about everyone. Some reduce the amount of food you can eat, while others limit your choice of foods.
Some restrict when or how often you can eat. Ultimately, the best diet is the one that slots into your lifestyle. If your new diet takes too much time, is too complicated, or forces you to eat foods that you don’t enjoy, you are already half a step closer to quitting.
The low-carb keto diet is very popular, and for a good reason. Cutting carbs forces your body to burn more fat for fuel and also automatically lowers your calorie intake. The keto carnivore diet is an even more extreme version of the standard ketogenic diet that may help you lose weight faster.
However, this is a very strict diet, and it’s not for everyone. In this article, we investigate the keto carnivore diet so you can decide if it’s the right weight loss eating plan for you.
What Is the Keto Carnivore Diet?
Where the keto diet involves eating very few carbs, typically less than 50 grams per day, you are allowed to eat non-starchy vegetables, nuts, seeds, and even some low-carb fruits. This means that, despite being low carb, it’s still possible to eat a reasonably balanced, healthy diet.
In contrast, the carnivore keto diet consists entirely of eating meat and animal products. That means no nut, seeds, low-carb veggies, or other plant-based foods, even if they are thought of as keto-friendly.
Keto diets are always very low in carbs, but the keto carnivore diet is designed to be as close to carb-free as possible. Proponents of this diet believe this will lead to even faster weight loss, as well as several health benefits.
Pros
Like all types of the keto diet, the keto carnivore diet should help you lose weight. It does this in several ways. By eliminating carbs, it forces your body to burn more fat for fuel. Also, high-fat, moderate-protein meals are very filling.
With less hunger to contend with, you will be less tempted to overeat. Finally, protein has a high thermic effect, and eating protein will boost your metabolism, leading to accelerated weight loss.
In addition, fans of the keto carnivore diet believe that eating just meat and animal products can help treat and prevent a range of medical conditions, including:
- Allergies
- Anxiety
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Coronary Heart Disease
- Depression
- Diabetes
- High Blood Pressure
- Obesity
Unfortunately, there is very little research to support these claims.
The carnivore keto diet is also very straightforward. Instead of asking the eternal question, “is it keto” you just eat meat and animal products, almost all of which are automatically keto-friendly.
Cons
The carnivore keto diet is one of the most restrictive diets around. While there is a range of different animal foods you can eat, it’s mostly meat, meat, and more meat.
Eating the same foods over and over will soon get old, and even the biggest barbeque fan will eventually get bored. More seriously, eating so much meat (and very little else) means you won’t be getting many micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) or fiber.
Your body needs vitamins and minerals to function properly. For example, you need vitamin C for your immune system and vitamin A for eye health. The keto carnivore diet is not entirely devoid of micronutrients, but it’s safe to say that it’s not as nutritionally complete as a more balanced diet.
Plant foods also provide other beneficial nutrients, including antioxidants, sterols, and fiber. Lack of fiber can cause digestive problems and could lead to diverticulitis and chronic constipation.
Eating nothing but animal products also means consuming large amounts of saturated fats. Some nutritional experts believe that a high saturated fat intake increases the risk of coronary heart disease, which is one of the biggest causes of premature death in the world.
Food that fits the carnivore diet may also be unhealthy, such as processed deli meats. Overcooking meat can also cause health problems and could cause certain types of cancer.
Does the Carnivore Diet Put You in Ketosis?
Most of the foods allowed on the carnivore diet are very low in carbs or are entirely carb-free. Because of this, following this diet should quickly put you into ketosis.
In ketosis, your body burns fat and not carbs for fuel, which enhances fat loss. Getting into ketosis can take anywhere from a few days to two weeks, depending on your glycogen stores (carbohydrate in your liver and muscles) and your activity levels.
However, because the carnivore diet is all-but carb-free, you should get into ketosis faster than you would on the standard ketogenic diet.
Sample Menu
The carnivore keto diet is as simple as it is restrictive. Meals typically revolve around meat or fish, usually eaten on their own and without accompaniment. You can also consume small amounts of lactose-free dairy and eggs.
Not sure where to start? Here’s a sample menu:
Breakfast: Bacon and eggs
Lunch: Beef patties, American cheese slices
Dinner: Salmon fillet and scallops
Snacks: Bone broth, hardboiled eggs, beef jerky
Bottom Line
The keto carnivore diet has something like a cult following. It’s so restrictive that it’s almost impossible not to lose weight on it. Faced with a large plate of just one food, most people soon suffer “taste fatigue,” which stops them from eating so much.
This means dieters end up consuming fewer calories, leading to weight loss. Combined with ketosis, it’s easy to see how and why this diet works.
However, the keto carnivore diet is not easy to live with; it’s not really suitable for long-term use. Eating nothing but meat will soon get boring and also means you won’t be getting the vitamins, minerals, and fiber you need to be healthy.
At best, the keto carnivore diet can help you lose weight quickly or overcome weight-loss plateaus on the standard ketogenic diet. However, it’s probably too restrictive for long-term use and may not be healthy, either.
