Is honey on the carnivore diet Paul Saladino and what's the dietary shift?

October 20, 2025 •

4 min read

According to Paul Saladino, a former proponent of strict carnivore, a zero-carb, all-meat approach eventually led to negative health consequences. This experience led him to evolve his diet to include carbohydrates from fruit and honey, providing a nuanced and often surprising answer to the question, is honey on the carnivore diet Paul Saladino?.

Quick Summary

Paul Saladino no longer follows a strict carnivore diet, but an animal-based one that includes honey. After experiencing electrolyte and sleep issues on a meat-only regimen, he incorporated honey as a 'clean' carbohydrate, acknowledging the dietary evolution away from a zero-carb approach.

Key Points

Dietary Evolution: Paul Saladino no longer follows a strict carnivore diet but an "animal-based" one that includes honey and fruit.
Reason for Change: He introduced honey and other carbs after experiencing health issues like low testosterone, sleep problems, and electrolyte imbalances on a strictly meat-only diet.
Honey's Status: In his view, honey is an animal-based product (made by bees) and a clean carbohydrate source, unlike processed sugars.
Controversial Choice: The inclusion of honey is controversial among strict carnivore advocates who maintain a zero-carb approach, as honey is high in sugar.
Hunter-Gatherer Analogy: Saladino cites hunter-gatherer cultures that consume honey, suggesting a historical precedent for its inclusion in an ancestral diet.
Individual Metabolism Matters: He acknowledges that factors like activity level and metabolic health are important for determining the appropriate amount of honey to consume.
Not for Strict Carnivores: Those following a rigid, zero-carb carnivore diet should avoid honey, as it contradicts the foundational principles of that specific plan.

The Core Principles of the Carnivore Diet

The traditional carnivore diet is an extremely restrictive eating plan that centers exclusively on animal products. It is a zero-carb, elimination diet intended to remove all plant-based foods, and therefore all carbohydrates, from one's intake.

Permitted Foods: Meat (beef, pork, lamb, etc.), fish, poultry, eggs, and some low-lactose dairy products.
Excluded Foods: All fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and all forms of sugar, including honey.

This regimen pushes the body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy in the absence of glucose from carbohydrates. From a strict, definitional standpoint, honey is a clear violation of this diet's core rules.

Paul Saladino's Dietary Evolution to Animal-Based

Dr. Paul Saladino, famously known as "Carnivore MD," was one of the diet's most prominent advocates. However, his personal dietary journey led him to a significant pivot. After years on a strictly meat-only diet, Saladino experienced health issues, including low testosterone, electrolyte imbalances, and sleep disturbances.

In response, he began experimenting by reintroducing certain non-carnivore foods, ultimately developing what he now calls an "animal-based" diet. This version expands beyond just meat to include select, lower-toxicity plant foods like fruits and raw honey. Saladino's framework is no longer defined by the zero-carb constraint of the carnivore diet but rather by centering on animal foods and complementing them with high-quality, whole-food carbohydrates.

The Justification for Honey in Saladino's Diet

Saladino's inclusion of honey is a key component of his animal-based philosophy. He justifies it for several reasons, despite its high sugar content.

Key Reasons for Honey Inclusion:

Natural and Animal-Produced: He argues that because honey is produced by bees, it is an animal-based product, not a plant-based food. He finds this distinction significant, even joking that if vegans won't eat it, it's good enough for his diet.
Sourcing of Carbohydrates: He initially added honey to address the lack of carbohydrates in his strict carnivore diet. He posits that honey is a "cleaner" carbohydrate source compared to processed sugars and starches.
Historical Precedent: Saladino references ancestral human diets, noting how indigenous hunter-gatherer populations, like the Hadza in Tanzania, highly value honey when available.
Potential Health Benefits: He points to potential antioxidant and antimicrobial properties in raw honey, claiming it can improve gut health, insulin sensitivity, and hormone levels.

Honey's Role and Controversies

The high sugar content of honey, a mix of fructose and glucose, is a point of contention among strict carnivores and critics. Some argue that consuming any form of sugar contradicts the metabolic reset intended by the zero-carb approach.

For Saladino, the focus is on the source and processing. He advocates for raw, unfiltered, and organic honey that has been tested for contaminants like glyphosate. He also suggests adjusting intake based on activity levels, noting that lean, active individuals may metabolize sugars more efficiently.

Strict Carnivore vs. Paul Saladino's Animal-Based Diet


Feature	Strict Carnivore	Paul Saladino's Animal-Based
Primary Foods	Meat, eggs, water, salt	Meat, organs, fat, fruit, raw honey, raw dairy, water, salt
Carbohydrates	Excluded entirely (zero-carb)	Included via fruit and honey
Plant Foods	Excluded entirely	Included in the form of fruit (low-toxin)
Dietary Goal	Ketosis via fat/protein	Optimal hormonal and metabolic function with carbohydrates
Honey Status	Not allowed	Actively recommended and consumed

Potential Considerations for Including Honey

While Saladino offers a rationale for including honey, it's not a decision without potential consequences or considerations. It's important to weigh these factors, especially if your goals differ from his.

Things to consider:

Metabolic Health: Individuals with insulin resistance or other metabolic issues may need to be cautious with sugar intake, even from a natural source like honey.
Impact on Weight Loss: For those on a carnivore diet primarily for weight loss, the added carbohydrates from honey could potentially stall or reverse progress.
LDL Cholesterol: Saladino himself experienced a temporary spike in LDL cholesterol when reintroducing carbs, though it later normalized. This could be a concern for some individuals.
Individual Tolerance: Just like any food, individual reactions to honey can vary. It's essential to monitor your own body's response.

Conclusion: A Clear Distinction in Dietary Philosophy

So, is honey on the carnivore diet Paul Saladino? The answer is no, in the context of the strict carnivore diet. Instead, honey is a core component of his revised "animal-based" dietary framework. His personal journey led him to re-evaluate the strict zero-carb model, prioritizing a broader interpretation of ancestral eating that includes carbohydrates for perceived hormonal and metabolic benefits. While this position is controversial within the carnivore community, it marks a significant shift in his approach to nutrition.

For those considering this path, it is vital to understand the difference between the rigid carnivore plan and Saladino's more flexible, animal-based model. Whether honey is a good fit depends on one's individual health goals, metabolic status, and willingness to deviate from the traditional definition of the carnivore diet. You can find more information on his dietary philosophy on his company's blog: Heart & Soil Supplements.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, when Paul Saladino was a strict carnivore, his diet was limited to meat, organs, and animal fats. He later added honey and fruit after experiencing negative health effects on the zero-carb regimen.

Paul Saladino considers honey to be an animal-based product because it is produced by bees. He notes that some vegans refuse to eat honey for the same reason, which he uses as a point of reference.

Saladino reported several health issues on a long-term strict carnivore diet, including low testosterone levels, trouble with electrolyte balance, joint pain, and sleep issues.

No, honey is not compatible with a strict carnivore diet. The foundational principle of the carnivore diet is the exclusion of all plant-based foods, and honey's high carbohydrate and sugar content fundamentally contradict this.

The key difference is the inclusion of carbohydrates. A strict carnivore diet is zero-carb and includes only animal products, while Saladino's animal-based diet adds select carbs from honey and fruit.

Yes, honey is high in sugar (fructose and glucose) and will affect blood sugar levels, though Saladino suggests it is a "cleaner" alternative to processed sugars. For some, especially those with metabolic issues, this can be a significant consideration.

Yes, Saladino reported a temporary spike in his LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels shortly after reintroducing honey and other carbs, though these levels later returned to baseline.