Carnivore-ish Diet Basics
While a carnivore diet focuses on animal products and excludes plants and carbohydrates completely, a carnivore-ish diet focuses on animal products and includes a few other low-sugar options. In both versions, nutrients come mainly from protein and fat.
The carnivoreish diet is a little more relaxed than the full-on carnivore diet, though both are not set in stone and can be easily adapted, depending on the goal.
At its most basic, a carnivore diet eliminates foods that cause inflammation in the body. It is an elimination diet, so is a superb option for those trying to heal disease.
There are many ways to enjoy a carnivore diet – to each their own. For some, only meat, water and salt will do (for example those following The Lion Diet) while others do well adding in eggs, cheese, yoghurt, spices and condiments.
A carnivoreish diet focuses on meat and other animal products but includes low-sugar fruits and vegetables, spices, herbs, condiments and some nuts and seeds.
For me personally, it’s about embracing a whole foods diet and avoiding sugars, additives, pesticides and fake foods. That means opting for local, grass-fed meat (as opposed to supermarket), local, pasture-raised dairy and eggs (as opposed to barn reared), seasonal fruits (berries, plums, apples etc. straight from the plant), low-toxin fruits such as olives, cucumber and avocados and low-toxin vegetables such as onions and mushrooms.
I don’t do well when I feel restricted, so having a bit of leeway is vital. One simple rule, ‘low sugar’, keeps things simple. For me a healthy diet is not about deprivation, it’s about finding balance and choosing nutrient-dense foods. So long as I avoid processed foods in the main I feel better mentally and physically but the odd day off doesn’t hurt if I’m socialising.
Put simply, the way I enjoy a carnivoreish diet is through a variety of food with the main focus on animal products, particularly fatty meat and eggs. It’s as much about what I don’t eat as what I do eat, though, because I’m a full-blown sugar addict.
Health Benefits of a Carnivore-ish Diet
A carnivore diet has immense health benefits, as does a carnivore-ish diet. So long as we’re eating nutrient-dense, satiating foods that do not cause – and even reduce – inflammation in the body, we’re doing ourselves good. The question is, how carnivore do you need or want to be?
One of the most obvious benefits of a carnivore/-ish diet is fat loss and therefore weight loss.
Carnivore diet advocate, Dr Paul Saladino says, “We know that obesity itself can be a source of inflammation and that losing weight universally results in better blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, inflammatory markers and overall health. Because animal foods are incredibly nutrient rich, they are also very satiating. This means that it’s much easier to lose weight while not being hungry and getting more bioavailable nutrients than on many other diets.
You shouldn’t feel like you are deprived of foods eating this way. When you are eating animal foods nose-to-tail, you are eating the most nutrient rich, bioavailable foods on the planet!“
Saladino goes on to say, “Other benefits of a carnivore diet are profound improvements in mood, energy, libido, and conditions like fibromyalgia, autoimmune illnesses and arthritis. It’s truly an incredibly healing lifestyle change.”
Many proponents of a carnivore diet recommend limiting dairy foods. Only products that are low in lactose (milk sugar) such as butter and hard cheeses are allowed – but even then in small amounts. Lots of people, especially those trying to heal autoimmune conditions, reduce inflammation, improve chronic digestive issues and lose weight fast, find that eliminating dairy foods is highly beneficial.
On a carnivore-ish diet, dairy products are quite acceptable but I’d recommend sticking to heavy or extra thick cream,
hard cheeses and grass-fed butter (I find that too much cream affects my weight loss but I don’t seem to be affected by the amount of butter I consume).
But why opt for an animal-based diet in the first place? An excellent article about the basics of the carnivore diet by Ruled Me offers this simple explanation:
“Plants are not optimal for human health because they contain compounds designed to harm animals.” While plants, “contain compounds that can provoke nutrient
deficiencies and immune reactions,” meat is not toxic to the human body (even though the animals we eat tend to eat plants). “Instead, you get highly bioavailable micronutrients, healthy fats, and complete proteins without excess carbs.”
That said, people who are not healing a condition can be more lenient. A sensible idea, to figure out what works best for you, is to start with a strict carnivore diet, then add in more foods and see how they affect you. That way you’ll find what works best for you.
“It’s about what I avoid more than what I eat. Processed food, alcohol, sugar – they’re out to get me, so I stay out of their way in the main.”
WHAT TO CHOOSE
Meats & organ meats
Eggs
Dairy
Fish & shellfish
Low toxin fruits & vegetables
Herbs & spices
Water
WHAT TO AVOID
Vegetable oils
Alcohol
Flour
Sugar / sweetener
Grains
Legumes
Stimulants (coffee, soda, energy drinks)
basic BENEFITS
Balances mood
Reduces cravings
Increases fat loss
Improves digestive health
Reduces inflammation
Increases autophagy
Improves autoimmune conditions