Can I eat avocado on a carnivore diet?

October 8, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the British Heart Foundation, the highly restrictive carnivore diet excludes all plant-based foods, which complicates the question, 'Can I eat avocado on a carnivore diet?'. The answer depends entirely on whether you follow a strict or a more flexible, 'carnivore-ish' approach to this all-animal-based eating plan.

Quick Summary

Avocados are typically excluded from a strict carnivore diet because they are a plant-based food, though a modified approach may allow them. Traditional carnivore eating focuses exclusively on animal products like meat, fish, and eggs, avoiding all plants, fruits, and vegetables.

Key Points

Strict Carnivore Excludes Avocados: Under a traditional or zero-carb carnivore diet, avocados are not permitted because they are a plant.
Modified Carnivore Allows Flexibility: Some followers adopt a less rigid approach, including small amounts of low-carb plant foods like avocados for variety.
Rationale for Exclusion: Strict carnivores avoid all plant matter, including avocado, to eliminate potential anti-nutrients and inflammatory compounds.
Avocado Provides Healthy Fats and Fiber: While nutritious, the healthy fats and fiber in avocados come from a plant source, which is forbidden on a strict carnivore diet.
Good Carnivore Alternatives Exist: You can find comparable fat and texture from animal sources like egg yolks, bone marrow, and beef tallow.
Choice Depends on Your Goal: The decision to include or exclude avocado depends on your personal health goals, whether it's therapeutic elimination or a sustainable lifestyle.

The carnivore diet is an elimination-style eating plan built entirely around animal products, such as meat, fish, eggs, and certain dairy, while excluding all plant-based foods. While a popular trend, it contrasts sharply with mainstream nutritional advice that emphasizes consuming plenty of fruits and vegetables. For those considering this regimen, understanding the strict rules is crucial, especially regarding seemingly healthy plant foods like the avocado.

The Verdict: Strictly Carnivore Means No Avocados

Under the traditional or strict carnivore diet, the answer to whether you can eat avocado is a clear no. The core principle of the diet is the elimination of all plant foods. This rule applies to all fruits and vegetables, regardless of their nutritional profile. Proponents of this strict approach argue that even plants perceived as "healthy," like avocados, contain compounds that are not necessary for optimal human health.

The rationale for avoiding all plants on a strict carnivore diet often centers on several factors:

Elimination Protocol: Many people follow the carnivore diet as an elimination protocol to address autoimmune issues, reduce inflammation, or improve digestive health. Including any plant food, even a low-sugar one like avocado, can potentially re-introduce triggering compounds and disrupt the healing process.
Anti-nutrients: Plant-based foods contain various compounds, sometimes called "anti-nutrients," that can interfere with the body's absorption of other vitamins and minerals. While often overstated, this is a common concern among strict carnivore followers.
Simplicity and Purity: The diet's exclusionary nature makes food choices simple. Including exceptions for certain plants can create a slippery slope, potentially leading back to a less strict diet.

The 'Carnivore-ish' or Modified Approach

For those who prefer a less rigid version of the carnivore diet, there is room for flexibility. A "carnivore-ish" or animal-based approach treats animal products as the dietary foundation but allows for small amounts of low-toxicity plant foods. In this context, some dieters choose to include avocados.

This modified approach is often viewed as a more sustainable long-term lifestyle for individuals who do not have severe plant sensitivities. It allows dieters to enjoy the rich, creamy texture and beneficial nutrients of avocado without completely abandoning their low-carb, animal-focused principles. However, it is important to remember that this is not the strict carnivore diet.

The Nutritional Profile of an Avocado

Avocados are highly nutritious and widely celebrated in many dietary circles for their health benefits. However, on a strict carnivore diet, their nutritional content is irrelevant because they are a plant. Here is a breakdown of what a standard-sized avocado offers:

Healthy Fats: Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats, specifically oleic acid, which is known to support heart health.
Fiber: A single avocado contains a significant amount of dietary fiber, which is completely absent from a strict carnivore diet.
Vitamins and Minerals: Avocados are a good source of several vitamins and minerals, including potassium, magnesium, and various B vitamins. Many carnivore dieters seek to obtain these nutrients from animal sources like organ meat.
Carbohydrates: While low in sugar, avocados do contain carbohydrates, which can be a point of contention for some who aim for a zero-carb intake.

Strict vs. Modified Carnivore: A Comparison

To understand where avocados fit, it's helpful to compare the two main approaches to the carnivore diet.


Feature	Strict Carnivore (Zero Carb)	Modified Carnivore (Animal-Based)
Food Focus	Exclusively animal products (meat, fish, eggs, some dairy)	Primarily animal products, with small amounts of low-toxin plants
Avocado Allowance	Not allowed	Allowed in moderation
Reason for Plant Exclusion	Eliminating all plant compounds, anti-nutrients, and fiber for healing or elimination purposes	Excluding high-carb and potentially inflammatory plants, but tolerating low-sugar options
Nutrient Sourcing	All nutrients must come from animal sources, including organ meats for vitamins	Primary nutrients from animal sources, supplemented with select plant foods
Primary Goal	Therapeutic elimination, gut healing, reduced inflammation	Sustainable long-term lifestyle, dietary flexibility

Alternatives to Avocado on a Carnivore Diet

If you are following a strict carnivore diet and miss the creamy texture and healthy fats of avocado, several animal-based alternatives can fill that void.

Bone Marrow: Rich in fat and with a buttery, creamy texture when roasted, bone marrow is a carnivore's delicacy that mimics the richness of avocado.
Egg Yolks: Raw or soft-boiled egg yolks offer a creamy texture and are packed with healthy fats, vitamins, and choline.
Beef Tallow: As the gold standard for animal fat on the carnivore diet, beef tallow is a versatile and nutrient-dense option for cooking or adding extra fat to meals.
Fatty Cuts of Meat: Opting for fatty cuts of meat like ribeye steak or pork belly ensures you get plenty of energy-dense fat in your diet.
Heavy Cream or Hard Cheese: For those who include dairy, a small amount of heavy cream or hard cheese can provide a creamy texture and rich fat content.
Organ Meats: Rich in minerals like potassium, organ meats such as beef heart and kidney can replace the nutrients found in avocados without introducing plant matter.

The Conclusion: A Personal Choice

Ultimately, whether you can eat avocado on a carnivore diet depends on your interpretation of the rules and your personal health goals. A strict, zero-carb interpretation requires the exclusion of all plant-based foods, including avocado. However, a more flexible, modified approach may permit it in moderation, especially for individuals seeking a sustainable low-carb, animal-based lifestyle rather than a therapeutic elimination protocol. As with any significant dietary change, it is advisable to consult a healthcare professional to ensure it aligns with your individual health needs and goals. The decision rests on whether you prioritize absolute adherence to the elimination principle or allow for a more varied, albeit less strict, form of the carnivore diet. For more detailed information on carnivore eating, refer to guides from reputable health organizations, such as the Harvard Health article on the carnivore diet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Avocado is a fruit, and the strict carnivore diet forbids all plant-based foods. This is based on the philosophy of eating only animal products and eliminating potential irritants found in plants.

A strict carnivore diet completely excludes avocados. In contrast, a modified or 'carnivore-ish' approach may allow them in moderation, recognizing that they are low in sugar and high in healthy fats.

For healthy fats on a strict carnivore diet, you can eat fatty cuts of meat like ribeye, bone marrow, beef tallow, lard, ghee, or egg yolks.

The carnivore diet is a form of ketogenic diet, and while avocado is low in carbs, any carb intake can affect ketosis, especially for those aiming for a zero-carb state. A strict carnivore diet has zero carbs, so any plant material could be considered a deviation.

Strict carnivore dieters avoid all plant-based oils, including avocado oil. More flexible versions of the diet might permit it, but animal fats like tallow or lard are the preferred cooking oils for most followers.

If you follow a modified carnivore diet that permits some plant foods, you could potentially have guacamole. However, traditional guacamole contains other plant-based ingredients like onion and cilantro, so you would need to confirm if those are acceptable within your flexible plan.

No, while both are low-carb, the carnivore diet is far more restrictive. The ketogenic diet allows for a variety of low-carb plant foods, like avocados, nuts, and leafy greens, which are explicitly excluded from a strict carnivore diet.