Are Potatoes Allowed in a Carnivore Diet?

November 26, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, potatoes are considered a vegetable, but this distinction doesn't apply to the carnivore diet. So, are potatoes allowed in a carnivore diet? The straightforward answer is no, as this eating plan strictly forbids all plant-based foods, including starchy vegetables like potatoes.

Quick Summary

The carnivore diet eliminates all plant-based foods, including vegetables like potatoes, focusing solely on animal products. This article explains the carnivore diet's core principles, explores why potatoes are excluded, and outlines alternative food sources for followers of this strict all-meat eating plan.

Key Points

Exclusion of Plants: The carnivore diet forbids all plant-based foods, including potatoes, which are starchy vegetables.
Zero-Carb Focus: Since potatoes are high in carbohydrates, they are incompatible with the carnivore diet’s goal of eliminating carbs.
Animal-Based Alternatives: Followers use fatty cuts of meat, organ meats, and bone marrow for energy and nutrients.
No Room for Exceptions: Even flexible carnivore approaches consider potatoes a deviation from the core principle.
Nutritional Rationale: The diet's philosophy avoids plants due to concerns over anti-nutrients and focuses on animal-based nutrition.
Health Consideration: The carnivore diet is highly restrictive and often criticized for its lack of fiber and plant-based nutrients.

Understanding the Carnivore Diet

The carnivore diet, often called the 'zero carb' diet, is an eating plan that consists exclusively of animal products. Proponents of this diet believe that human ancestors thrived on a meat-based diet and that eliminating plant-based foods can lead to significant health benefits. This highly restrictive diet typically includes meat, fish, eggs, and certain low-lactose dairy products while excluding all fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Adherents consume fatty cuts of meat to meet their energy needs and may supplement with organ meats to get essential vitamins.

The diet's premise is based on the controversial theory that plant-based foods contain anti-nutrients and other compounds that can cause inflammation or other issues in the body. By removing these foods entirely, the diet aims to mitigate these perceived problems. However, this extreme approach means it is inherently low in fiber and many other essential vitamins and plant compounds, which is a point of contention among nutrition experts.

Why Potatoes are Prohibited

Potatoes are a type of starchy vegetable, which is a plant-based food. Their inclusion on a carnivore diet is a fundamental contradiction to the diet's core rules. The exclusion is based on several factors inherent to the philosophy of the carnivore diet:

High in Carbohydrates: Potatoes are a significant source of carbohydrates, which is the primary macronutrient the carnivore diet aims to eliminate entirely. A high intake of carbs can shift the body out of a state of ketosis, a metabolic state where the body burns fat for fuel instead of glucose, a key goal for many following the diet.
Plant-Based Nature: The most straightforward reason is that potatoes are derived from a plant. The carnivore diet's foundational principle is to eat only animal products. Any deviation from this rule, regardless of the plant's nutritional profile, compromises the integrity of the diet.
Nightshade Family: As members of the nightshade family, some proponents also avoid potatoes due to concerns over compounds like lectins and alkaloids. While these concerns are largely theoretical for many, they are a factor for strict followers of the carnivore diet who seek to eliminate all potential plant-based irritants.

What to Eat Instead of Potatoes

For those seeking the caloric density and satiety that potatoes provide, there are several carnivore-friendly alternatives that can be incorporated into the diet. These options focus on increasing fat and protein intake to provide sustained energy and a sense of fullness.

List of Carnivore-Friendly Alternatives

Fatty Cuts of Meat: Ribeye steaks, brisket, and pork belly are excellent sources of fat and protein. The high-fat content provides the necessary energy that would otherwise come from carbohydrates.
Organ Meats: Liver, kidney, and heart are packed with nutrients, including vitamin C, which is scarce in muscle meat. This is crucial for filling nutritional gaps.
Eggs: A versatile and complete food source, eggs are an essential part of the carnivore diet, offering high-quality protein and fat.
Bone Marrow and Bone Broth: These are nutrient-dense options that provide beneficial fats, minerals, and collagen, supporting overall health.
Certain Dairy Products: Some followers include low-lactose dairy like butter, ghee, and hard cheeses to increase fat intake and add flavor.

Comparison Table: Potatoes vs. Carnivore Alternatives


Feature	Potatoes	Carnivore Alternatives (e.g., Ribeye Steak)
Source	Plant-based (starchy vegetable)	Animal-based (meat, fat)
Carbohydrates	High (Primary energy source)	None (Zero carb)
Protein	Moderate (3g per medium potato)	Very High (25g+ per 3oz serving)
Fiber	High (Found mostly in the skin)	None
Key Vitamins	Vitamin C, Potassium	B vitamins, Zinc, Iron, Selenium
Dietary Compatibility	Incompatible with strict carnivore diet	Fully compatible
Metabolic State	Promotes glucose burning	Promotes ketosis (fat burning)

Conclusion: The Final Verdict

In conclusion, for anyone strictly adhering to the carnivore diet, potatoes are not a permissible food item. Their classification as a starchy, plant-based vegetable and their high carbohydrate content directly conflict with the foundational principles of this all-animal-product eating plan. While some flexible variations of the diet might exist, incorporating any plant foods deviates from the traditional and strict interpretation of the carnivore diet. Followers must look to fatty meats, organ meats, and other animal-based sources to replace the energy and satiety that potatoes typically provide. For those considering this diet, it's essential to understand that its restrictive nature is the very reason plant-based foods, including potatoes, are excluded. A balanced, varied diet including both plants and animals is generally recommended by health professionals for a wider range of nutrients.

For more information on nutrition and dietary practices, you can visit reliable sources like the USDA Agricultural Research Service to explore the nutritive values of different foods(https://www.ars.usda.gov/is/np/NutritiveValueofFoods/NutritiveValueofFoods.pdf).

Frequently Asked Questions

No, you cannot eat potatoes on a strict carnivore diet. The diet is based exclusively on animal products and eliminates all plant-based foods, including starchy vegetables like potatoes.

Potatoes are excluded because they are a plant-based food and are high in carbohydrates, which conflicts with the carnivore diet's fundamental principle of consuming only animal products.

Instead of potatoes, carnivore diet followers can eat fatty cuts of meat like ribeye, organ meats, eggs, and bone broth to get energy and essential nutrients.

Yes, some people follow a less strict 'animal-based' diet that may incorporate some low-toxicity plant foods, often fruits. However, this is not the traditional carnivore diet.

Yes, potatoes are a good source of vitamin C and potassium, while meat provides B vitamins, zinc, and iron. Organ meats are sometimes used to supplement nutrients like vitamin C.

Eating a potato will not align with the goals of the carnivore diet, as it would introduce carbohydrates and other plant compounds that the diet is designed to avoid. This would break the strict rules of the diet.

The nightshade family, which includes potatoes, is often avoided by strict carnivore followers due to concerns over compounds like lectins. The carnivore diet eliminates all plants, so nightshades are naturally excluded.