ANIMAL BASED DIET

What is an animal based or carnivore diet?

An animal based diet also known as a Carnivore diet is a species specific diet for humans that is ketogenic, zero carb, high fat, high protein, and low inflammatory. This way of eating decreases inflammation in the body and is great for those who struggle with autoimmune diseases and other chronic health conditions such as type 2 diabetes.

People living an animal based lifestyle may experience some of the following benefits:

Weight loss
Healthy, glowing, and more youthful skin
Increased lean muscle mass
Increased energy due to using fat for fuel instead of carbs. The body uses fat for energy much more efficiently than it does carbs.
Improved mood and mental health
Improved sleep quality
Improvement of skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, or acne
Reversal of insulin resistance
Increases nourishment to the body due to the high nutrient density of animal proteins which allows the body to heal.
Decreased cravings for sugar and sweets with a change in palate towards more savory foods
- Very low carbohydrate intake stabilizes blood glucose levels and in turn decreases carb and sugar cravings.
- Elimination of sweeteners helps too because they taste sweet but do not supply an energy source to the brain like sucrose does which in turn signals the brain to eat more sugar
Decreased inflammation in the body due to elimination of inflammatory foods such as:
- omega 6 vegetable and seed oils,
- grains
- plant foods
- sugar
Healing of leaky gut which is caused by eating plant foods that contain oxalates, lectins, and gluten.
Simplifies eating

How can an animal based diet help your skin?

You don't need to invest in expensive skincare routines in order to have a beautiful glowing complexion. The truth is, healthy and youthful looking skin starts from the inside out. Your skin is the largest organ of your body, so the quality of your diet is often directly reflected in the appearance of your skin. The animal based diet decreases inflammation and is full of nutrients that your skin needs to thrive. This way of eating can help improve skin issues such as:

acne
fine lines and wrinkles
dry flaky skin
eczema or psoriasis
redness and irritation
puffiness

Why would you want to eat an animal based diet?

The Animal Based Diet is not about fitting a label. It is not a cult or dogmatic in nature like the vegan diet. There are many personal reasons why people choose this way of eating, but most carnivores want to improve their health and longevity, reverse or prevent chronic disease, and feel better.

WhAT can you eat ON AN animal based diet?

The Animal Based Diet includes foods from animal sources such as beef, poultry, pork, seafood, eggs, lard, and dairy. Your health goals should determine which foods that you include in your diet. Many people who are not familiar with this way of eating may think that the only thing on the menu is raw meat. That is not the case! Most carnivores prefer beef as their primary source of food and supplement with other animal foods. Carnivores can gain the best nutrition from eating meat from ruminant animals such as cattle, sheep, goat, buffalo, elk, and deer.

Your health goals and food preferences can help you determine which foods to include in your diet. The main thing is to stick with foods that come from high quality animal sources within the means of your budget. Although there are some added benefits of eating grass-fed beef, it is not necessary. Eat what you can afford.

How do you get started?

The Animal Based Diet might appear to be complicated and confusing, especially if you have well-meaning friends giving you faulty information. But if you know the basics of how to get started then you will stay on the right path regardless of the distractions you hear anywhere else.

There are 2 main approaches to transitioning to an animal based or carnivore diet:

All in approach-If you're motivated and already fat adapted from eating a mostly animal based diet (keto/ketovore) and looking to dive right in, then this approach may be a good option for you. Transitioning this way is much quicker, but the transition symptoms can be more severe.
Carb taper approach- If you are new to a low carb or ketogenic diet and eat a considerable amount of carbs, then it may be easier for you to adopt a low carb diet for the first few weeks prior to going full Carnivore. One method of doing this is by incorporating a few full carnivore meals into your diet each week and gradually increasing the number of meat based meals that you eat over a period of several weeks to a month. This method will take you longer to transition, but the transition symptoms may be less severe.

Want to learn how to make delicious carnivore recipes that will please the whole family? Visit our recipes page!

DISCLAIMER: This article has been written for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

seafood

Fatty fish like wild caught salmon, trout, and sardines. These foods are high in vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamin B12. They are a good source for iodine and help to add variety to the diet. Shellfish like, oysters and scallops are considered superfoods!

dairy, eggs & fat

Milk, eggs, and cheese are high in vitamin D and calcium. If you don't tolerate dairy, then it may be worth seeing if you can find raw dairy in your area. Fat should be the main source of energy in the diet for humans, not carbs! Fat sources include foods like butter, ghee, lard, and tallow.

meat & Poultry

Meat is a main staple of an animal based diet. Choose fatty cuts of meat over leaner cuts and eating chicken with the skin can be more satisfying. Grass-fed beef and free range chicken are more nutrient dense but not necessary. Eat what is available and affordable to you!

Recipes