Does the carnivore diet have health benefits? · body weight · depression · anxiety · diabetes · skin complaints · pain · digestive issues · arthritis.Carnivorediet:WhatitisandhowtodoitMedicallyreviewedbyAdrienneSeitz,MS,RD,LDN—WrittenbyRuthEagleonSeptember29,2020Whatisit?BenefitsRisksandsideeffectsHowtofollowSamplemenuSummaryPeoplewhofollowthecarnivoredieteatonlymeatandotheranimal-basedfoods.Thisarticlereviewsthefoodsthatareallowedinthecarnivoredietandexplainshowtofollowthediet,includinga5-daysamplemenu.Italsoreviewstherisksanddrawbacksofthedietandaskswhetherornotithasanybenefits.Whatisthecarnivorediet?ShareonPinterest1218418304Imagecredit:KingaKrzeminska/GettyImages.Thecarnivoredietconsistsalmostexclusivelyofanimal-basedfoods,suchasmeat,fish,eggs,andlowlactosedairy.Apersonfollowingthedietmayalsousehoney,salt,pepper,andzero-carbseasonings.Otherfoods—suchasfruitsandvegetables,grains,highlactosedairy,sugars,andplant-basedoils—arecompletelyexcludedfromthecarnivorediet.Similarmeat-heavydiets,suchasketogenicandPaleolithicdiets,limitcarbohydratesbutdonotexcludethemaltogether.Dietitiansoftenrefertosuchdietsaslowcarb,highfat(LCHF)diets,whereastheywouldcategorizethecarnivoredietasananimal-sourcedfoods(ASF)diet.Thecarnivoredietisbasedonthecontroversialtheorythathumanancestorslongagoatedietsrichinmeat.Itassumesthathumanbodiesfunctionbestwhenfueledbyhighlevelsofproteinandfat.OnehighprofileadvocateofthecarnivoredietisShawnBaker,aformerorthopedicsurgeon.Onhiswebsite,hesharessomesuccessstoriesoffollowersofthecarnivorediet.Theyclaimthatthediethasbenefitssuchasweightloss,betterhealth,andpainreduction.However,thereisnoscientificevidencetobackupanyoftheseclaims.In2017,theNewMexicoMedicalBoardrevokedBaker’smedicallicense,citingconcernsabouthiscompetency.Doesthecarnivorediethavehealthbenefits?Advocatesofthecarnivoredietclaimthatithasnumeroushealthbenefitsandhelpsoptimizethebody’snaturalfunctions.Itsproponentsclaimthatitcanimprove:bodyweightdepressionanxietydiabetesskincomplaintspaindige