Can You Eat Lentils on an Animal-Based Diet?

January 13, 2026 •

5 min read

An animal-based diet is a restrictive eating pattern that prioritizes animal products and excludes or severely limits plant-based foods, including legumes like lentils. Followers of this diet aim to consume meat, fish, and other animal products, while completely avoiding plant-derived nutrients, fibers, and antinutrients. This approach is in direct conflict with the inclusion of lentils, making them incompatible with a strict animal-based regimen.

Quick Summary

Lentils are not part of a strict animal-based diet, which focuses exclusively on animal products like meat and fish while avoiding all plant-based foods. The diet's philosophy and strict adherence to animal-only sources prohibit legumes, including lentils, due to antinutrient content and the belief that ancestral humans ate mostly meat.

Key Points

Lentils are Prohibited on a Strict Animal-Based Diet: This eating plan excludes all plant-based foods, including legumes like lentils, to align with ancestral eating patterns.
Antinutrients are a Concern: Lentils contain antinutrients such as lectins and phytic acid, which can hinder the absorption of minerals and cause digestive issues, according to proponents.
Animal Sources Provide Key Nutrients: Followers get their protein, iron, and other vitamins from meat, fish, and organ meats, which are considered more bioavailable.
Fiber is Excluded: Unlike a plant-heavy diet, an animal-based diet intentionally removes all fiber, arguing it is unnecessary for digestive health.
Variations Exist: Less strict versions may allow for some plant foods, but a true animal-based or carnivore diet has zero tolerance for legumes.
The Focus is on Bioavailability: The diet prioritizes nutrient absorption from animal sources without the interference of plant compounds.
Organ Meats for Micronutrients: Organ meats like liver are used to provide dense nutrients like folate, which are high in lentils but low in muscle meat.

Understanding the Animal-Based Diet and Its Philosophy

An animal-based diet, sometimes referred to in its stricter form as the carnivore diet, is built on the belief that human ancestors thrived on a meat-heavy diet. Proponents suggest that many modern health issues are a result of introducing agriculture-based foods like grains, seeds, and legumes. The diet prioritizes nutrient-dense animal foods, including meat, fish, eggs, and some dairy, while eliminating all plant matter. This foundational principle is the main reason lentils, as a plant-based legume, are off the menu. The core focus is on maximizing nutrient availability from animal sources while avoiding what are perceived as harmful compounds found in plants.

The Problem with Lentils on an Animal-Based Diet: Antinutrients

Beyond simply being a plant, lentils contain compounds known as antinutrients, which are a primary concern for animal-based diet followers. Antinutrients are naturally occurring plant compounds that can interfere with the body's ability to absorb essential minerals and nutrients.

Key Antinutrients in Lentils:

Lectins: These are proteins that resist digestion and can potentially damage the intestinal lining, leading to inflammation and poor nutrient absorption. While cooking can reduce lectin content, it doesn't eliminate it entirely.
Phytic Acid (Phytate): This compound binds to minerals like iron, zinc, and calcium, preventing their absorption by the body. For individuals on a diet without a wide variety of plant foods, this could pose a risk for mineral deficiencies.
Saponins: These compounds can affect cholesterol metabolism and are present in many legumes.

The animal-based diet's goal is to avoid these compounds entirely by consuming foods that don't contain them. This allows for what proponents believe is maximum nutrient absorption and reduction of systemic inflammation.

Nutritional Comparison: Lentils vs. Animal Protein

To understand the perspective of an animal-based diet follower, it's helpful to compare the nutrient profiles of lentils and typical animal protein sources.

Comparison of Lentils (cooked) vs. Ground Beef (cooked) (per ~1 cup serving)


Nutrient	Lentils	Ground Beef	Rationale for Animal-Based Diet
Protein	~18g	~25g	Both are protein sources, but animal-based provides a complete amino acid profile without plant-based fillers.
Fiber	~16g	0g	An animal-based diet excludes all fiber, believing it is unnecessary and potentially irritating to the gut.
Fat	<1g	~17-20g	An animal-based diet derives most of its energy from fat, avoiding carbohydrates found in lentils.
Iron	High	High	While both are good sources, animal-based followers prefer heme iron from meat, which is more readily absorbed than non-heme iron from plants.
Folate	Very High	Very Low	A primary micronutrient difference. Animal-based diets need to supplement or derive folate from alternative, compatible sources like liver.
Vitamin B12	None	High	Vitamin B12 is exclusively found in animal products, making it a key component of this diet.

How to Get Nutrients Without Lentils on an Animal-Based Diet

For those committed to an animal-based diet, the nutrients that lentils would provide—like protein, fiber, and certain minerals—are sourced from animal products. Here’s how:

Protein: Sourced abundantly from beef, fish, poultry, and eggs.
Fiber: Followers typically eliminate the need for dietary fiber, believing it is not necessary for proper digestion.
Micronutrients: Deficiencies are addressed by consuming organ meats, like liver, which are exceptionally dense in vitamins and minerals like folate.
Supplements: Some individuals may choose to supplement certain nutrients, though the focus is on whole food sourcing.
Fat: Consumed from fatty cuts of meat, eggs, and dairy (for less strict versions) to provide energy in the absence of carbohydrates.

Exploring the Exceptions and Variations

While a strict animal-based diet completely prohibits lentils, some individuals follow a less rigid, 'nose-to-tail' or 'paleo' style that may occasionally include some plant foods. In these cases, lentils might be included rarely and with specific preparation techniques to reduce antinutrients, such as prolonged soaking, sprouting, or fermentation. However, this is not representative of the core, pure animal-based diet philosophy. For example, the paleo diet limits but doesn’t necessarily exclude all carbs, making it less restrictive than a pure carnivore diet.

Foods to Include and Avoid on a Strict Animal-Based Diet

Foods to Include: Beef, lamb, pork, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, bone broth, and certain low-lactose dairy like hard cheese or butter.
Foods to Avoid: All fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, sugars, and legumes like lentils.

Conclusion: The Final Verdict on Lentils

In conclusion, a person following a strict animal-based diet cannot eat lentils. The core principles of this dietary approach mandate the exclusion of all plant-based foods, including legumes, to avoid antinutrients and align with the dietary patterns of ancestral populations. The nutrients found in lentils, such as protein and iron, are obtained from more bioavailable animal sources within the animal-based diet. Any deviation to include lentils would be an exception to the rule and not compatible with the pure form of this eating regimen.

For those interested in exploring different dietary approaches, the research on food and health is constantly evolving, but the fundamental incompatibility of legumes like lentils with a meat-centric, animal-based lifestyle remains a clear distinction. It is always recommended to consult with a healthcare provider or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet to ensure proper nutritional needs are met.

Explore more research on the pros and cons of legumes here.

Can You Eat Lentils on an Animal-Based Diet?: A Quick Review

Core Principle: A strict animal-based diet is founded on the exclusive consumption of animal products, deliberately excluding all plant-based foods, including lentils.
Antinutrient Avoidance: Followers avoid lentils primarily due to their antinutrient content (lectins, phytates), which they believe interferes with nutrient absorption.
Nutrient Sourcing: Protein, iron, and other vitamins are sourced from meat, fish, and organ meats, which are considered more bioavailable.
Fiber Exclusion: Dietary fiber, abundant in lentils, is completely omitted as it is viewed as unnecessary for this style of eating.
Strict Adherence: A strict carnivore diet, a form of animal-based eating, leaves no room for legumes or any other plant foods.
Alternative Diets: Less rigid diets like paleo may occasionally incorporate some plant foods, but this is a departure from the true animal-based protocol.
Individualized Choices: The decision to include or exclude lentils is based on the specific rules of the animal-based plan one follows.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary reason is that lentils are a plant-based legume, and a strict animal-based diet excludes all plant foods. Followers avoid plant compounds known as antinutrients.

Antinutrients are compounds like lectins and phytic acid found in plants that can interfere with nutrient absorption and potentially cause digestive irritation. Cooking can reduce some, but not eliminate them.

They obtain all necessary nutrients from animal sources. For instance, organ meats like liver provide a high concentration of vitamins like folate, while meat and fish supply protein and fats.

A strict, pure animal-based or carnivore diet does not permit occasional plant foods. However, less rigid or paleo-style versions may allow some plant foods, but this is a personal choice outside the defined rules.

Iron from meat is heme iron, which is more readily and efficiently absorbed by the body. Iron from lentils is non-heme iron, which is less bioavailable, especially when accompanied by antinutrients like phytates.

Since no plant foods are allowed, there are no direct lentil substitutes. Followers seeking dense nutrients and protein would rely on fattier cuts of meat, organ meats, or eggs to create hearty, satiating meals.

The philosophy behind this diet suggests that dietary fiber is not essential and may cause gut issues. Proponents believe that proper bowel movements can be maintained through a meat-only diet.