What is it called when you eat only meat?: Unpacking the Carnivore Diet

October 29, 2025 •

3 min read

Anecdotal reports of improved health from the carnivore diet have fueled its recent surge in popularity. So, what is it called when you eat only meat? The eating plan, which involves exclusively consuming animal products and eliminating all plant-based foods, is known as the carnivore diet.

Quick Summary

The carnivore diet is a highly restrictive eating plan consisting only of animal products. The diet excludes all plant-based foods and is associated with potential short-term benefits like weight loss, but also significant long-term health risks and nutrient deficiencies.

Key Points

Name: The practice of eating only meat and animal products is called the carnivore diet.
Exclusions: The diet prohibits all plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.
Ketosis: By eliminating carbs, the diet triggers ketosis, causing the body to burn fat for energy.
Risks: Major health concerns include nutrient deficiencies (like fiber and Vitamin C), increased risk of heart disease, digestive issues, and kidney strain.
Lack of Evidence: There is very little controlled scientific research to support the long-term health claims of the carnivore diet.
Consult a Professional: Due to its risks, it is strongly recommended to consult a doctor or registered dietitian before beginning this diet.

Understanding the Carnivore Diet

The carnivore diet, often dubbed the all-meat or zero-carb diet, is an eating plan that consists exclusively of animal products. Proponents of this diet suggest it aligns with the ancestral way of eating and can improve various health conditions by eliminating potential plant-based toxins and inflammatory compounds. However, the medical community largely views it with skepticism due to its highly restrictive nature and lack of long-term scientific evidence.

Foods for Carnivores and What to Avoid

To follow this dietary plan, you must strictly adhere to a list of allowed foods while eliminating many common items. This elimination-style diet can be easy to follow due to its simplicity, but it severely limits food variety.

Allowed Foods:

Meat: All types, including beef, pork, lamb, and poultry.
Organ Meats: Such as liver, kidney, and heart, which are rich in nutrients.
Fish and Seafood: Salmon, mackerel, shrimp, and crab.
Animal Fats: Lard, tallow, and butter.
Eggs: A common component for protein and fat.
Low-Lactose Dairy: Small amounts of hard cheese or heavy cream for some followers.
Water

Excluded Foods:

All Fruits
All Vegetables
Grains and Legumes
Nuts and Seeds
Sugar and Processed Foods
Coffee, Tea, and Alcohol

The Mechanisms and Proposed Benefits

By eliminating carbohydrates, the carnivore diet pushes the body into a state of ketosis, where it burns stored fat for energy instead of glucose. Supporters claim this metabolic state, combined with the removal of supposedly inflammatory plant compounds, can lead to several benefits:

Potential Benefits

Weight Loss: High protein and fat intake can increase satiety, leading to reduced calorie consumption and subsequent weight loss.
Reduced Inflammation: Some individuals with autoimmune conditions report relief from symptoms, though robust evidence is lacking.
Improved Mental Clarity: Advocates report better mental focus and energy due to stable blood sugar levels.
Digestive Improvements: For some, eliminating plant fibers can initially reduce bloating and gas.

Significant Health Risks and Drawbacks

Despite anecdotal support, the carnivore diet is associated with numerous health risks that health professionals emphasize. The restrictive nature of the diet raises significant concerns about long-term sustainability and nutritional adequacy.

Health Risks

Nutrient Deficiencies: The diet completely lacks fiber and other vital nutrients found in plant foods, such as vitamins C and K, magnesium, and potassium.
Increased Heart Disease Risk: A high intake of saturated fat from red and processed meats can raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Digestive Issues: The total lack of dietary fiber can lead to constipation and negatively impact the gut microbiome, which is vital for digestive and immune health.
Kidney Strain: The high protein load can place stress on the kidneys, especially for individuals with pre-existing kidney issues.
Increased Cancer Risk: High consumption of red and processed meats is linked to a higher risk of certain cancers, particularly colorectal cancer.

Carnivore Diet vs. Ketogenic Diet

While the carnivore diet is an extreme version of a ketogenic diet, there are key differences that impact both practice and health outcomes.


Feature	Carnivore Diet	Ketogenic (Keto) Diet
Food Variety	Limited to exclusively animal products and fats.	Broader range, including low-carb vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Carbohydrate Intake	Aims for virtually zero carbs.	Allows a small amount of carbohydrates (typically 20–50g per day).
Focus	Elimination of all plant-based foods for health reasons.	Achieving ketosis by manipulating macronutrient ratios.
Fiber Content	None, as fiber comes exclusively from plants.	Contains moderate fiber from approved plant foods.
Sustainability	Very difficult to maintain long-term due to its extreme restrictions.	Often more sustainable due to greater food variety and flexibility.

Conclusion

In summary, the practice of eating only meat and animal products is known as the carnivore diet. While some individuals report short-term benefits, the diet is highly restrictive and lacks key nutrients and fiber found in plant-based foods. Medical and nutrition experts generally do not recommend it as a long-term solution due to the significant health risks, including increased risk of heart disease, kidney strain, and nutrient deficiencies. A balanced approach that incorporates lean proteins with nutrient-rich plant foods is considered a more sustainable and safer path to long-term health. Before considering a diet this restrictive, it is essential to consult a healthcare provider or a registered dietitian to ensure it is appropriate for your individual health needs. You can find more information about the potential downsides and comparisons to other diets on reliable health sites like Healthline.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary food source on the carnivore diet is meat and other animal products, such as fish, poultry, eggs, and certain low-lactose dairy items like butter and hard cheese.

No, while both are very low-carb, the carnivore diet is more restrictive. The ketogenic diet allows for a moderate intake of low-carb plant foods, while the carnivore diet excludes all plant-based foods entirely.

The diet is based on the belief that humans are evolved to eat primarily meat and that many modern chronic diseases are caused by plant-based foods and carbohydrates.

No, an all-meat diet is inherently lacking in several key nutrients found in plant foods, such as fiber, Vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies over time.

High-protein, low-carb diets can lead to short-term weight loss by increasing satiety and causing the body to burn fat for fuel. However, its restrictive nature makes it difficult to sustain, and weight regain is common.

Common side effects include digestive issues like constipation or diarrhea due to lack of fiber, fatigue, headaches, and a potential increase in LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Health experts express significant concern about the long-term safety of the carnivore diet. The risks include nutrient deficiencies, potential heart disease, and strain on the kidneys.