By: Ekaterina Dimitrova, dietetic-student volunteer studying at McMaster University, reviewed by Judy Chodirker, RD, and the JM Nutrition Team
The carnivore diet has gained popularity on social media platforms, sparking debates and controversy about its effects. As such, we feel it’s important to examine its benefits, associated risks and touch upon other important considerations.
Let’s dive into it, shall we?
What is the Carnivore Diet?
The carnivore diet entails the strict consumption of only animal products. These include meats, fish, eggs, milk products (in limited amounts) and any other products that come from animals. There are generally only a few exceptions for spices and seasonings.
Otherwise, all plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables and whole grains are cut out.
The Carnivore Diet: Background
The carnivore diet was first created in the 1700s as a means to treat diabetes patients, long before insulin existed, but became popularized in the late 2010s, when orthopedic surgeon Dr. Shawn Baker (who had his medical license revoked for incompetence) wrote the book The Carnivore Diet.
Endorsement from comedian and podcast host, Joe Rogan, also helped propel its popularity. In recent times, this diet has begun emerging more and more on social media as well.
Many claims about the carnivore diet circulate online. However, little research has been conducted to understand it. This means that the benefits and risks of this diet are not fully understood, leading to controversy and misinformation.
Furthermore, this diet goes against the general American and Canadian dietary guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Health and Health Canada, which recommends eating plant foods to maintain health and prevent disease. This, however, doesn’t prevent people from sharing and promoting anecdotal reports of its benefits.
Many people may decide to go on the carnivore diet based on claims on social media. It’s important, however, to conduct your own research to better understand if the diet is right for your needs before making a decision.
And, to help you in the decision-making process, let’s examine the carnivore diet benefits.
Benefits of the Carnivore Diet
The carnivore diet remains highly controversial, though some individuals report perceived benefits.
A survey was conducted to assess the experiences of participants following the carnivore diet. This study involved the responses of approximately 2000 self-selected participants, all of whom were on the carnivore diet for at least 6 months. This survey revealed that participants mainly described benefits and positive outcomes from the diet.
Participants reported improvements in overall health, medical conditions, sleep, concentration, endurance and more.
There seemed to be very little occurrence of new disease amongst participants after starting the diet, and, instead self-reported improvements in pre-existing medical conditions.
This shows that the diet could have potential benefits. That said, it’s important to consider these results with caution as the study design was not randomized or controlled and is highly susceptible to several types of biases.
Nonetheless, there are several benefits that could generally occur with the carnivore diet. These are mainly associated with the lack of carbohydrate consumption on the diet and include:
- Weight loss
- Blood sugar management
- Chronic disease control
The body’s primary source of energy comes from carbohydrates. When the body is starved and depleted of carbohydrates, however, it begins to metabolize fats for energy. Fats get broken down into ketone bodies which are then used to fuel the body, in place of glucose.
This occurs when there is limited carbohydrates in the body from diet or starvation and is known as being in a state of ketosis. When someone eats a carnivore diet, their body enters a state of ketosis because they are not consuming carbohydrates.
There are some potential benefits of being in a state of ketosis, including weight-loss, blood sugar management and seizure management.
Related: The Pros and Cons of the Keto Diet
Risks of the Carnivore Diet
Although the carnivore diet may be beneficial for some, it poses many risks and concerns.
One of the main carnivore diet risks pertains to nutrient deficiencies.
In 2024, a study was conducted that aimed to analyze the nutrient intakes of a carnivore diet. Researchers created four varied meal plans. Since there is no standard definition for a carnivore meal plan, they tried to design their meal plans to be as general, standardized and representative as possible. Then, they assessed the nutrient intakes of these meal plans.
Carnivore diet nutrient deficiency
These carnivore meal plans met most nutrient thresholds, but were deficient in many nutrients including:
- Thiamine
- Folate
- Vitamin C
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Sodium
- Iodine
- Fibre
This may indicate potential risks for nutrient deficiencies in the carnivore diet. It’s important to note, however, that the meal plans created by the researchers may not be representative of the actual population following the carnivore diet.
Cardiovscaular disease risk
Health professionals also speculate an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, when on the carnivore diet.
This is because many meats, including beef, lamb, pork, and processed meats, contain high levels of saturated fats.
Although consuming saturated fats in moderation is not believed to cause adverse health effects in the context of a balanced diet, the carnivore diet makes it nearly impossible for participants not to exceed the recommended daily saturated fat intake.
Saturated fat is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease because it can increase LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood.
Furthermore, it can promote plaque buildup which can damage and narrow arteries and increase blood pressure, leading to increased risks for developing cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and thrombosis.
A recent study analyzed the effects of a meat-based diet and concluded that although animal protein may help build muscle, maintain nutrient levels and provide short-term energy, a carnivore diet poses too many long-term side effects to be considered an ideal diet for longevity.
In fact, they stated that obtaining protein from white meats and plant sources is ideal for longevity.
Moreover, some health professionals believe that the carnivore diet may have negative impacts on the gut microbiome and digestion due to lack of fibre.
Lastly, some participants following the carnivore diet report headaches, nausea, and a lack of energy.
Other Considerations of the Carnivore Diet
Because of the very restrictive nature of this diet, most health professionals do not recommend it.
Depending on your personal goals and health status, there may be other diets better suited for your needs.
For example, as discussed earlier, there are some potential benefits of undergoing ketosis, however, if that is your goal, the keto diet or paleo diet may be safer options, compared to the carnivore diet, as they are less restrictive.
Additionally, health professionals advise against this diet if you are pregnant or breastfeeding due to the risk of nutrient deficiencies and advise against this diet for patients struggling with high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases.
Additional Information: Inuit Nations
Indigenous peoples of the Arctic present an interesting case of the carnivore diet. Due to their living conditions in the arctic, for thousands of years, they have survived on a predominantly animal-based diet, prior to the arrival of European settlers. This diet mainly consisted of various land mammals, eggs, seafood and marine mammals. They also consumed some roots and berries when the seasons allowed. Their diets were particularly high in protein, fats and polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids).
It’s interesting to note that, historically, the Inuit survived primarily eating fatty meats and fish, often refraining from consuming too much lean meat, as it could lead to nutrient deficiencies, starvation and death, if relied on as the main source of food.
This may be the key to helping them maintain nutrient levels. Although fats may have developed a bad reputation in the past decades, the type of fat consumed has important health implications, and some are essential for living. Fats help our bodies absorb fat-soluble nutrients such as vitamins A, D, E and K. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids can help reduce inflammation, improve cholesterol levels and are essential for brain health.
Additionally, traditional Inuit diets are very high in omega fatty acids which act as anti-clotting agents and reduce triglycerides, which may be an important factor in improving and maintaining heart health.
Many people may take this case as evidence that the carnivore diet can sustain life, health and longevity, given that the Inuit have survived on this diet for millennia. However, this may not be fully accurate.
Beware
Contrary to some beliefs, arctic Indigenous peoples had relatively high rates of cardiovascular disease. Mummified remains of the Unangan people have revealed damage and stiffening of the blood vessels associated with atherosclerosis. In some cases, arctic Indigenous people are also shown to have lower mineral bone content compared to white American counterparts.
Furthermore, the Inuit often presented with several nutritional deficiencies. For example, the Inuit would consume, on average, 120mg of calcium per day, compared to the recommended daily intake of 800mg.
These are just a few of the many health complications historically associated with arctic Indigenous population.
It’s important to note that the Inuit, and other arctic indigenous populations have evolved to adapt to their way of life for thousands of years. For example, a study found that people with Greenlandic Inuit ancestry have specific genetic mutations that help reduce levels of excess polyunsaturated fatty acids in the body. The study also estimates that this genetic variation began developing about 20 000 years ago, in order to account for their high intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids from fish and sea food. It is possible that these populations may hold other genetic variants that helped them survive on carnivorous diets.
Lastly, the traditional Inuit diet may include foods that are not commonly available or consumed in other parts of the world.
For example, Inuit populations consume many arctic animals such as walrus, seal, polar bear, caribou and whale. They also consume a lot of raw meat. Although the traditional Inuit diet is highly carnivorous, it may not accurately represent a typical carnivore diet.
Overall, this case study demonstrates that although it may be possible to survive on carnivorous diets, it may not be optimal to sustain health or be suitable for everybody.
Carnivore Diet: Final Thoughts
In summary, there are many risks and unproven benefits of the carnivore diet. Health professionals generally advise against this diet due to the associated risks and lack of scientific evidence. Most research conducted is anecdotal or contradictory, so further research is required.
Although the carnivore diet may have some potential benefits, the significant associated risks make the diet a poor choice, especially for long-term health. There are many other diets and interventions that can provide similar benefits, but with stronger scientific evidence and far less nutritional and health risks.
An important takeaway is to avoid partaking in fad diets recommended by non-health professionals. Before making a big health decision, like going on a diet, it’s important to consult scientific research and professionals, such as dietitians and nutritionists, to truly understand if the treatment is right for you.
Conclusion
Should you feel you require personalized sessions for guidance around the carnivore diet or other related matters, book a free consultation or contact us for an appointment. As always if you have comments or questions, we encourage you to let us know.
References
Cleveland Clinic. (2021, July 1). The Carnivore Diet: Can You Have Too Much Meat? Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-carnivore-diet
Davidson, K. (2023, April 19). What is ketosis, and is it healthy? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-ketosis
From seed oils to beef tallow: Which fats are healthiest? (2025, December 10). Uclahealth.org; UCLA Health. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/seed-oils-beef-tallow-which-fats-are-healthiest
Goedeke, S., Murphy, T., Rush, A., & Zinn, C. (2024). Assessing the Nutrient Composition of a Carnivore Diet: A Case Study Model. Nutrients, 17(1), 140. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17010140
Heaney, R. P. (2003). Low-calcium diet. CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal, 169(6), 542.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC191268/
High-fat diet made Inuits healthier but shorter thanks to gene mutations, study finds | University of Oxford. (n.d.). Www.ox.ac.uk. https://www.ox.ac.uk/research/high-fat-diet-made-inuits-healthier-shorter-thanks-gene-mutations-study-finds
Lennerz, B. S., Mey, J. T., Henn, O. H., & Ludwig, D. S. (2021). Behavioral characteristics and self-reported health status among 2029 adults consuming a “carnivore diet.” Current Developments in Nutrition, 5(12). https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab133
Mazess, R. B., & Mather, W. (1974). Bone mineral content of north alaskan eskimos. The American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 27(9), 916–925. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/27.9.916
Palmer, R. D. (2025). The protein paradox, carnivore diet & hypertrophy versus longevity short term nutrition and hypertrophy versus longevity. Nutrition and Health, 31(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/02601060251314575
Robinson, A. (2018, July 19). Inuit Country Food in Canada . The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/country-food-inuit-food-in-canada
Thompson, R. C., Allam, A. H., Lombardi, G. P., Wann, L. S., Sutherland, M. L., Sutherland, J. D.,
Soliman, M. A.-T., Frohlich, B., Mininberg, D. T., Monge, J. M., Vallodolid, C. M., Cox, S. L., Abd el-Maksoud, G., Badr, I., Miyamoto, M. I., el-Halim Nur el-Din, A., Narula, J., Finch, C. E., & Thomas, G. S. (2013). Atherosclerosis across 4000 years of human history: The Horus study of four ancient populations. Lancet (London, England), 381(9873), 1211–1222. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60598-X
Watson, S. (2024, May 9). What Is the Carnivore Diet? WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/diet/carnivore-diet
Other Popular Posts:
Stress and Cortisol Lowering Foods and Supplements
About Author:
Judy Chodirker is a Toronto-based dietitian who provides nutritional support in the following areas: eating disorders and disordered eating, chronic disease management, pediatric nutrition, special diets and more.
Our nutrition blog was been named one of the Top 100 Nutrition Blogs, Websites and Newsletters to Follow in 2021-2025 and one of the Top Canadian Nutrition Blogs by Feedspot. So don’t miss out and subscribe below to both the newsletter that includes latest blog posts.
JM Nutrition is a nutritional counselling service by registered dietitians and nutritionists in Canada.