What Pork Can I Eat on a Carnivore Diet?

October 5, 2025 •

5 min read

For those following a carnivore diet, pork provides a great balance of protein and fat, serving as a versatile and budget-friendly alternative to beef. Understanding what pork can I eat on a carnivore diet is crucial for maximizing benefits while avoiding problematic processed ingredients.

Quick Summary

A guide to incorporating various pork cuts into a carnivore diet. It covers options from fatty pork belly to lean tenderloin, emphasizing the need to choose minimally processed, high-quality products while avoiding added sugars and seed oils. Proper sourcing and preparation techniques are also detailed.

Key Points

Choose Unprocessed Cuts: Focus on whole cuts like pork belly, shoulder, ribs, chops, and tenderloin over highly processed products.
Check Labels for Additives: Always read the ingredients of bacon, sausage, or ham to avoid added sugars, nitrates, and seed oils.
Prioritize High-Quality Sourcing: Look for pasture-raised or heritage-breed pork to ensure better nutritional quality and reduce concerns about inflammation.
Enjoy the Fat: Embrace fattier cuts like pork belly to provide essential energy and satiety, especially during the adaptation phase.
Incorporate Organ Meats: Add pork liver to your rotation for a boost of crucial vitamins and minerals often lacking in muscle meat.
Make Homemade Snacks: For crunchy snacks like pork rinds, making them at home is the safest way to control ingredients and avoid unwanted additives.
Rotate with Other Meats: Don't rely solely on pork; ensure a diverse intake of different animal proteins like beef, lamb, and fish for a broader nutrient spectrum.

Pork is an excellent source of protein, B vitamins, zinc, and selenium, making it a valuable addition to an all-meat diet. Its versatility and varying fat content allow it to fit different dietary needs, whether you're aiming for high-fat energy or lean protein. The key lies in selecting the right cuts and avoiding common pitfalls associated with processed pork products.

The Best Pork Cuts for the Carnivore Diet

Not all pork is created equal on a carnivore diet. The best options are whole, unprocessed cuts that provide a clean source of protein and fat. Choosing pasture-raised or heritage-breed pork can also improve the quality of nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids.

Here are some of the most suitable pork options:

Pork Belly: An excellent choice for those seeking high-fat intake. It's energy-dense and very satisfying. Cooked slowly, it can become incredibly tender with a crispy, flavorful skin.
Pork Shoulder (Boston Butt): Provides a great balance of protein and fat. It's ideal for slow-cooking, which yields tender, juicy, and easily shredded meat, perfect for meal prepping.
Pork Ribs: These offer a rich flavor and are packed with fat and collagen. Slow-cooked ribs are tender and delicious, providing added nutrients from the bone.
Pork Chops: A classic and versatile cut. The bone-in version adds extra flavor. Be careful not to overcook lean chops, which can dry out quickly.
Pork Tenderloin: One of the leanest cuts available, making it suitable for those with lower fat or calorie goals. It cooks quickly and pairs well with animal fats like tallow or lard.
Ground Pork: A flexible option for quick meals, like patties or meatballs. Ensure it's plain ground pork without added fillers or binders.
Organ Meats (Pork Liver): Nutrient-dense organs like liver are crucial for a balanced carnivore diet. Pan-frying liver with a little butter or tallow is a simple way to prepare it.
Pork Rinds (Chicharrones): These can be a crispy, carnivore-friendly snack, but you must make them at home or carefully select a brand without added sugar, seed oils, or flavorings.

What to Avoid: The Pitfalls of Processed Pork

While whole cuts of pork are a great addition, processed pork products can contain ingredients that violate carnivore diet principles. Many commercial items include additives for flavor and preservation that are not derived from animals and can be inflammatory or otherwise problematic.

Common ingredients to avoid include:

Sugar: Often added to cure bacon and ham, and used in marinades or sauces. Check ingredient labels for brown sugar, cane sugar, or other sweeteners.
Nitrates and Nitrites: These curing agents are common in processed meats like bacon, ham, and sausage. Seek out truly uncured products or make your own.
Seed Oils: Avoid pork rinds and other items cooked or processed with vegetable or seed oils like canola, sunflower, or soybean oil.
Artificial Flavorings and Spices: Some carnivores avoid all spices and flavorings, while others are less strict. Check for artificial smoke flavor or other complex, unidentifiable ingredients.

Comparison of Popular Pork Cuts for Carnivore Macros

To help you choose the best cuts for your personal fat and protein goals, here is a comparison of common pork products based on macros. Values are approximate and can vary based on the specific cut and preparation.


Cut	Protein (approx. per 100g)	Fat (approx. per 100g)	Ideal For	Notes
Pork Belly	9g	53g	High-fat, sustained energy	Ultimate high-fat source for keto-carnivore.
Pork Shoulder	21g	17g	Balanced meals, meal prep	Versatile, great for slow-cooking and shredding.
Pork Ribs	19g	22g	Flavor and collagen intake	Rich flavor, best cooked low and slow.
Ground Pork (70% lean)	~22g	~18g	Quick meals, patties	Easy to prepare, versatile.
Pork Loin	25g	7g	Lean protein, cutting phase	Excellent source of lean protein.
Pork Tenderloin	~23g	~3g	Very lean protein	Extremely lean, quick to cook.

Cooking Pork on a Carnivore Diet

Cooking methods should be simple and align with carnivore principles, using only animal fats for cooking.

Use Animal Fats: Cook with lard (rendered pork fat), beef tallow, or butter. Avoid all vegetable and seed oils.
Simple Seasoning: Salt is the primary—and often only—seasoning needed. Some may tolerate a small amount of black pepper, but many stick to salt only to reduce potential irritants.
Cooking Techniques: Slow-cooking works best for tougher, fattier cuts like shoulder and ribs, while searing is great for chops and tenderloin. You can also roast cuts like pork belly to perfection.
Don't Waste the Fat: Save the rendered fat from cooking pork belly or shoulder. It makes an excellent cooking medium for other meats and eggs.

The Role of Pork in Nutritional Variety

While beef is often the cornerstone of the carnivore diet, including other animal products like pork is essential for nutrient variety. A diet relying too heavily on one animal can lead to nutrient deficiencies over time. Pork provides a different profile of vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids compared to beef, lamb, or fish.

For example, while beef provides more iron and vitamin B12, pork offers significant amounts of thiamin and selenium. Incorporating fattier cuts of pork helps maintain a healthy fat-to-protein ratio, which is crucial for energy and satiety on this diet. Rotating different animal proteins ensures you get a broader spectrum of bioavailable nutrients without needing supplements.

Conclusion: Making Informed Pork Choices

Incorporating pork into a carnivore diet is perfectly acceptable and can add great flavor and nutritional variety. The key is to be a vigilant label reader and prioritize high-quality, whole cuts of meat. By focusing on unprocessed pork belly, ribs, chops, and nutrient-dense organ meats like liver, and by cooking with clean animal fats, you can safely and healthily enjoy pork while adhering to carnivore principles. Remember to rotate your protein sources to ensure a comprehensive nutrient intake. For guidance on clean eating and diet rules, consult resources like Dr. Robert Kiltz's site for straightforward carnivore guidelines.

Carnivore-Friendly Pork Products List

Pork belly
Pork shoulder (Boston butt)
Pork ribs
Pork chops (bone-in or boneless)
Pork tenderloin
Ground pork (check for binders)
Pork liver and other organ meats
Homemade pork rinds (chicharrones)
Clean, sugar-free, uncured bacon
Pork sausages (check for fillers/binders)

Potential Risks and Best Practices

While pork is carnivore-friendly, certain practices can undermine the diet's goals. Processed meats, especially those with added nitrates and sugars, should be approached with caution or avoided entirely. Consuming excessive amounts of highly processed items can introduce inflammatory compounds and high levels of sodium. Opting for cleaner, pasture-raised pork and preparing it simply at home mitigates these risks, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of this nutritious meat without compromise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can eat bacon on a carnivore diet, but it requires careful sourcing. Look for clean, sugar-free, uncured bacon, ideally from a butcher. Many commercial brands use added sugars, preservatives like nitrites, or seed oils that are not carnivore-approved.

Yes, pork rinds can be a carnivore-friendly snack, but only if they are made from just pork skin and salt. Many store-bought brands contain non-animal-based seasonings, vegetable oils, or preservatives that should be avoided. Making them at home is the safest option.

The best cuts of pork for a carnivore diet depend on your goals. Fatty cuts like pork belly and shoulder are excellent for energy, while leaner cuts like tenderloin and loin are good for protein prioritization. Pork ribs offer great flavor and collagen.

Minimally processed, traditionally cured meats like some prosciuttos made only with meat, salt, and time can be acceptable. However, highly processed cured meats with added sugars, nitrates, and other additives should be avoided, as they go against clean carnivore principles.

To choose healthy pork options, prioritize high-quality, pasture-raised or heritage-breed products. Avoid processed products with fillers or added sugars. For items like sausage or bacon, read labels carefully and stick to brands that use only meat and salt, or make them yourself.

The potential for pork to cause inflammation is generally linked to processed products containing additives like nitrates, nitrites, and added sodium. Clean, whole cuts from well-raised animals are less likely to cause an inflammatory response.

The carnivore diet emphasizes high fat intake for energy, so fattier cuts like pork belly and shoulder are often preferred. Leaner cuts like tenderloin are suitable for prioritizing protein or for those in a cutting phase. It is best to include a mix to cover all nutritional needs.