Carnivore Diet Health
Why eliminating plants might be your best road to health.
Improve your health (almost) effortlessly.
The Carnivore Diet has testimonials all over the internet about multiple people curing various “uncurable” lifestyle diseases. While there are currently no definitive studies on the health benefits of the Carnivore Diet, the anecdotes are only increasing as more people turn to nutrition to try and solve their health problems.
These lifestyle diseases include anything from obesity and metabolic syndrome to autoimmune diseases, PCOS, mental health issues and more. While we’re certainly not saying vegetables (and other plants) are causing these issues, more and more people are certainly discovering that eliminating vegetables (and all plants) is providing an amazing benefit to their health.
Read on to find out some of the reasons why.
Why Is Meat Superior To Vegetables
Meat gets quite a bad rap these days. Maybe not as bad as it did 10 years ago, but it’s still hated on today. Unfortunately the myths around meat with it’s heart disease causing saturated fat and cholesterol, persist to this day.
The truth is though, human beings have been eating meat for millennia and it’s foolish to blame this perfectly natural and healthy food for our many health woes today. The same cannot be said of almost every other “food item” that makes up the Standard American Diet (SAD). The obvious damaging “foods” known as vegetables oils, and ultra-refined cereals and sugars have only been in our diet for the last 100 years or so.
But vegetables and fruits? How can they be bad? Well truthfully, plants have been so modified as to hardly even resemble the plants of yester-year. For example, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi and brussel sprouts all come from the same wild mustard plant. They’ve only been selectively bred for the last couple of hundred years.
So on a pure timescale, we can’t make the argument that vegetables (at least as we know them today) have had a long history in our diet.
But what if there’s a more sinister reason for meat to be superior? What if the plants you’re eating are making you sick?
Plants contain a variety of toxins that are damaging to the human body. The level of toxicity varies in each, but when you add them up over a day, a week, a lifetime, it’s easy to see how we have become so sick.
Some of these toxins, or anti-nutrients are listed below:
LECTINS
Large proteins that bind to carbohydrates in our bodies, as well as sialic acid, a sugar molecule in the gut. These sticky proteins can contribute to food-associated chronic inflammation and inflammatory diseases.
Found in: Nightshade vegetables such as potatoes, tomatoes and peppers. Legumes such as beans, peas, lentils, peanuts and cashews.
PHYTATES
Also known as phytic acid, can bind to other minerals in the plant, but more importantly can bind to other minerals in the meal. This reduces mineral availability and absorption, leading to mineral deficiencies
Found in: Nuts and seeds, grains and legumes
OXALATES
Can bind to calcium creating kidney stones; can bind to other minerals making them unavailable for absorption
Found in: Spinach, almonds, potatoes
PESTICIDES
Pesticides are toxic chemicals used heavily in growing plants. Despite washing veggies before eating, a trace amount of pesticide can linger
Found in: on the surface of almost all non-organic fruits and vegetables
FODMAPs
Short-chain carbohydrates that are not absorbed properly in the gut. This can result in bloating and gas. For someone with IBS, this results in excessive and painful bloating and other “digestive distress”.
Found in: many fruits, vegetables and legumes
PHYTOESTROGENS
Classified as endocrine-disruptors, phytoestrogens can cause hormonal imbalances, which may contribute to infertility, cognitive decline and certain types of cancers
Found in: soy products, flax and sesame seeds, oats, barley and lentils
GLYCOALKALOIDS
Nitrogen containing compounds produced naturally in nightshade vegetables. Toxic in high concentrations; can cause nausea, diarrhea and vomiting
Found in: Nightshade vegetables: potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, chili
GOITROGENS
Compounds that interfere with the normal function of the thyroid; reduces the ability of the thyroid to produce normal hormones
Found in: Cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower; soy and soy products
The Carnivore Diet As An Elimination Diet
To most people, the Carnivore Diet might seem like the craziest, most unhealthy way of eating. But the reality is, it’s simply an elimination diet, like many others.
There are many elimination diet protocols now, and they all eliminate different foods. You can eat certain foods on one but not on another. The one thing they generally all have in common is meat. Therefore, the Carnivore Diet can be thought of as an extension of all of them.
The Carnivore Diet eliminates all foods that are not animal based for all of the anti-nutrient reasons listed above.
Gut Health On The Carnivore Diet
Fiber is nearly always the number one talking point when it comes to gut health. The Carnivore Diet has no fibre, so how can one possibly have good gut health eating an animal based diet?
- Eliminates problematic foods
- Provides essential gut health nutrients
- May promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria
Eliminates problematic foods
There are many foods that cause digestive issues for many people. That is why there are so many different elimination diets. The Carnivore Diet eliminates all possible problematic foods including grains, legumes and certain fruits and vegetables.
Removal of these often provides relief of bloating, gas and diarrhea symptoms associated with digestive disorders.
Provides essential gut health nutrients
Collagen is a nutrient many of us don’t get enough of. It helps soothe, repair and strengthen the gut lining amongst other things.
Collagen is found only in the bones, skin and connective tissue of animals. Think bone broth, roast pork with crackling, chicken wings.
Zinc is another critical nutrient for gut health. Zinc deficiency has been shown to alter the gut biome. The richest sources of zinc are meat, fish and seafood.
Promotes growth of beneficial gut bacteria
Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are important for colon health. They are produced in the gut by healthy gut bacteria. The SCFAs then act as an energy source for the growth of other beneficial bacteria creating a positive feedback loop in the gut.
Butter, milk, cheese, fatty fish, and eggs are all examples of animal-based foods that contain SCFAs, which can have significant health benefits.
Metabolic Health On The Carnivore Diet
Metabolic health is a broad term that refers to the overall health of our metabolism, which includes how efficiently our body converts food into energy, how well we regulate our blood sugar levels, and how effectively we store and use fat. Poor metabolic health can lead to a range of chronic health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
The statistics on metabolic health are quite shocking. This study concludes that only 12% of Americans can be considered metabolically healthy. The 12% is only an average with “Less than one-third of normal weight adults were metabolically healthy and the prevalence decreased to 8.0%and 0.5% in overweight and obese individuals, respectively”
So how does the Carnivore Diet promote good metabolic health?
- High in protein
- Can improve insulin sensitivity
- Can promote weight loss
High in protein
Consuming ample protein is essential for building and maintaining lean body mass.
Lean body mass is associated with reduced incidence of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome
Can improve insulin sensitivity
The Carnivore Diet is as close to a zero carbohydrate diet there is. It’s well established now that excess carbohydrates lead to excess insulin, which can lead to insulin resistance (IR).
By removing the carbohydrates and thus, the need for insulin, IR can start to reverse and the body reverts to becoming more insulin sensitive.
Can promote weight loss
The high protein levels of the diet provide a high level of satiety. It’s actually quite difficult to over consume meat due to this. Eating high-satiety meals can lead to feeling fuller for longer and can promote weight loss.
Additionally, lowered insulin levels place the body in a state that is capable of burning excess body fat.
Hormonal Health On The Carnivore Diet
Hormones are essential chemical messengers produced by glands in the endocrine system that play a crucial role in maintaining bodily functions. Hormones are responsible for regulating metabolism, growth, development, mood, and reproduction, among other things. Any disruption in hormonal balance can lead to a wide range of health problems, which is why hormonal health is so important.
How does the Carnivore Diet benefit hormonal health?
- Cholesterol increases hormone production
- Dietary fat assists hormone regulation
- Hormones become rebalanced
Cholesterol increases hormone production
Cholesterol is a pre-cursor to hormones and is often called the building blocks of hormones. It is required in great amounts to help create hormones in the body such as testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol.
Without adequate levels of cholesterol, the body will struggle to make these hormones.
Cholesterol is found in abundance in the Carnivore Diet in meats, eggs, fats and dairy.
Dietary fat assists hormone regulation
Dietary fat is important for the production of cortisol, a hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress. Cortisol is responsible for regulating blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and immune function.
Fat is also essential for the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals in the body. Vitamins such as A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, which means that they require fat in order to be absorbed properly. Adequate fat intake allows your hormones to work properly.
Hormones become rebalanced
Due to a near zero carbohydrate intake, insulin levels lower and become more balanced. As insulin sensitivity increases, other hormones rebalance.
Estrogen for example, is converted from testosterone in the ovaries. High insulin levels block this conversion process. By lowering insulin and increasing hormone production (via increased cholesterol and fat) hormones can become rebalanced.
Autoimmune Disease(s) On The Carnivore Diet
There are several auto-immune protocols out there now, including AutoImmune Paleo (AIP), FODMAPs, Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) amongst others. The core premise of all these programs is to heal the gut first. They all have different diet protocols, and different restrictions. But it’s what they have in common that’s actually quite interesting. All these protocols restrict and/or remove various fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy etc. But they all include meat. So they must all agree that meat is beneficial for the gut.
We’ve discussed above that the Carnivore Diet helps address problems with gut health, metabolic health and hormonal health. Once these are all in line, various autoimmune diseases tend to get better.
So the Carnivore Diet really is the ultimate autoimmune protocol.
All Carnivore Diet Health articles
These Carnivore Health articles will try to answer why the Carnivore Diet is so helpful for so many lifestyle diseases.
Disclaimer: This website is for general informational purposes only. It must never be considered a substitute for advice provided by a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare professional with questions you may have regarding your medical condition.