The Carnivore Diet has been moving in and out of popularity over the last handful of years. It seems to grab everyone’s attention, then fade into the background before leaping back into the spotlight again. It manages to attract a lot of attention once it moves its way back into social media circles because everything it stands for flies in the face of conventional nutrition wisdom.
The Carnivore Diet is marketed primarily for men, though there’s nothing that says women can’t do it, too. Men simply seem to be the primary target and are more likely to find it appealing than women. It is designed for people who don’t want to go on a diet and don’t want to have to eat any food groups other than those that come from animals.
What is the Carnivore Diet?
The Carnivore Diet is an eating strategy in which the only foods a person eats are animal-based. It’s the complete opposite of plant based or vegan dieting. Instead, it doesn’t include any fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, or anything else that didn’t originally come from an animal.
Once you see what this diet is about, it’s easy to see why it regularly makes its way back into the spotlight. People have strong reactions to these instructions. They either think it is completely ridiculous, or they think it is the dream diet.
Can Humans Eat Like Carnivores?
There are many animals that can eat only meat. They’re usually animals that have short digestive tracts and large teeth. However, what we would need to know before hopping on the Carnivore Diet bandwagon is whether or not that applies to us.
There are some nutrition experts that say plant foods aren’t necessarily an absolute requirement of human health. We require fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals in various amounts in order to live. Arguably, meat products, when chosen carefully, can provide those basic necessities. That said, just because a human can survive off a diet of only meat, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is the best and most nutritious plan. For short-term health, it likely wouldn’t be terribly damaging – again, if done right – but over the long term, it is not seen as realistic for most people.
Though Carnivore Diet fans have pointed to certain isolated tribal cultures – such as the Arctic’s Inuit people – to show that people can survive on animals alone. However, those typically represent very small groups of people whose health hasn’t been studied throughout these times that are usually animal based only because other sources of food were not available. It was a temporary survival method.
What Does the Carnivore Diet Allow?
Followers of the Carnivore Diet will eat meat, poultry, fish, whole eggs, dairy, bone marrow, animal fats, condiments such as salt and pepper, and most will usually require nutritional supplements to complete their nutritional needs where the animal-based ingredients don’t.
