Carnivore
Animal foods only — trendy, with strong anecdotes but thin long-term evidence and real concerns.
Best for
A short elimination experiment for some; not an evidence-based long-term recommendation.
The evidence, honestly
Mostly anecdote and short-term self-reports, not trials. Some people feel better initially — often from cutting ultra-processed food and identifying food intolerances, not from meat itself. There are real concerns about fibre, some micronutrients, LDL and long-term cardiovascular risk, and no long-term safety data.
A full week
Monday
- Breakfast: Eggs and bacon
- Lunch: Beef burger patties (no bun)
- Dinner: Ribeye steak; eggs
- Snack: Hard cheese
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Steak and eggs
- Lunch: Salmon
- Dinner: Lamb chops; a little liver
- Snack: Boiled eggs
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs in butter
- Lunch: Beef mince
- Dinner: Pork chops; eggs
- Snack: Hard cheese
Thursday
- Breakfast: Eggs and sardines
- Lunch: Chicken thighs (skin on)
- Dinner: Ribeye; a little liver
- Snack: Clean jerky (no additives)
Friday
- Breakfast: Steak and eggs
- Lunch: Beef burger patties
- Dinner: Salmon; eggs
- Snack: Hard cheese
Saturday
- Breakfast: Bacon and eggs
- Lunch: Lamb
- Dinner: Steak; heart or liver
- Snack: Boiled eggs
Sunday
- Breakfast: Cheese omelette
- Lunch: Mackerel or salmon
- Dinner: Beef short ribs; eggs
- Snack: Clean jerky
Protein
Protein and fat are abundant; the risk is nutritional gaps, not protein shortage. Include some organ meat, and monitor your bloods (especially LDL).
What to watch
- Zero fibre — gut and microbiome effects unknown
- Vitamin C, folate and some micronutrients are low
- LDL cholesterol often rises sharply — check it
- No long-term outcome data; not advised in pregnancy or with kidney/heart conditions
The honest bottom line
If you try it, treat it as a short experiment and monitor your bloods — especially LDL. The honest read: much of the benefit people report comes from cutting junk, which you can do without giving up plants.