Lions, tigers, bears, and…you? The list of carnivorous animals is long, and it’s clear from our sharp canine teeth and primitive butchering tools that humans have eaten meat for millennia. Meat provides your body with protein and ample micronutrients like iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. For centuries, it’s been the cornerstone of mealtimes in many cultures.

Because of meat’s nutritional value—and perhaps as a backlash against today’s emphasis on plant-based eating—it’s no shocker that some folks are now turning to a carnivore diet. This eating plan is exactly what it sounds like.

Though there are no gold-standard parameters around it, people who are carnivores generally focus solely on animal foods, explains Julie Pace, RDN, a registered dietitian and the owner of Core Nutrition Health and Wellness. “The carnivore diet includes only animal products like meat, fish, eggs, and some dairy and excludes all fruits, vegetables, and grains. It’s high in protein and fat, with no carbohydrates.”  

While eating this way could provide short-term benefits like weight loss—and it might sound kind of badass to eat nothing but meat—experts say it’s a flesh-in-the-pan fad most people shouldn’t try. Here’s why. 

Here’s What The Carnivore Diet Involves 

Again, a carnivore diet involves a steady stream of animal foods, hence its nickname, the “no-carb diet.” All meats, including beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and organ meats, are allowed, as are all seafood and eggs.

A smattering of dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are typically permitted, too. What you won’t eat? Grains, fruits, veggies, or sweets. Most adherents say alcohol is also off the table. In other words, it’s a limited (and very meaty) menu. 

Because of its emphasis on animal products, which often require a certain internal temperature to be eaten safely, a carnivore diet also involves quite a lot of cooking at home. You might scramble some eggs for breakfast, pan-fry a salmon fillet at lunch, and roast an herb-crusted pork tenderloin for dinner. If you follow the diet, be prepared to spend time in the kitchen.

How It Compares to Other Low-Carb Diets

So…is a carnivore diet an “ancestral” eating plan, as some proponents say—or is it just the latest take on the low-carb trend? It may be a little of both.

“The carnivore diet is a variation of a keto diet,” says Anne Danahy, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian and the owner of Craving Something Healthy. “However, it’s far more restrictive than a keto, low-carb, or Atkins diet because it consists of only meat, poultry, fish/seafood, animal products like eggs, and small amounts of high-fat dairy foods like cream and butter.”

According to Danahy, the carnivore diet’s extreme restriction means it’s not as accessible or modifiable as many other low-carb options. “With the other diets (low carb, keto, Atkins), there is some room for lower-carb plant foods like berries, leafy greens, nuts, and seeds, making those diet patterns easier to follow, more palatable, and healthier because plant foods have essential nutrients that animal foods lack.” 

Potential Short-Term Benefits of a Carnivore Diet

If you believe what you see on Tiktok, you might be convinced that a carnivore diet can steady your blood sugar, balance your hormones, and trim you down for swimsuit season. But, according to experts and current research, any benefits of eating all animal products are likely to be modest and short-term. 

Take blood sugar, for example. Some research shows that very low-carb diets are associated with better blood sugar control. However, the American Heart Association reports that while a low-carb diet that includes plenty of plant foods could reduce blood sugar, a low-carb diet focused on animal foods is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. 

As for weight loss, a 2021 study on over 2,000 people on a carnivore diet found that most were satisfied with its weight-reducing effects. However, the authors noted that more research is needed on its long-term weight loss potential. It’s also unclear whether low-carb, high-protein carnivore diets lead to weight loss or if people consume fewer calories due to restricting so many foods. 

“In the short term, the carnivore diet may lead to rapid weight loss and better blood sugar control for some individuals,” says Pace. “However, these benefits are often temporary.” After all, eating meat (and nothing but) at every meal isn’t easy. Many people find the monotony unsustainable.

The (Many) Drawbacks of a Carnivore Diet

Besides getting tired of surf and turf on repeat, you may experience other, more serious drawbacks from a carnivore diet. Nutrient deficiencies are one major concern.

When removing plants from your diet, you’ll miss out on important antioxidants that help maintain a healthy immune system and quash inflammation, Pace says. And another key nutrient you’ll fall woefully short on? Fiber. For reference, women need 25 grams of fiber daily, and men need 38 grams. A true carnivore diet could supply as little as 0 grams.

“The carnivore diet is glaringly void of fiber, which negatively affects your gut,” says Danahy. “Not only are you more likely to end up with constipation, but also, low-fiber and high-meat diets are linked with a higher risk of colorectal cancer.”

Meanwhile, carbs are the body’s preferred energy source. Taking them out of your dietary equation could cause mental fog and fatigue. Older research found that, when people completely restricted their carbohydrate intake, they performed worse on memory-based tests. 

Long-term, a carnivore diet might negatively impact your heart health. “I would worry about increased cholesterol and inflammation levels,” Danahy says. The high fat, salt, and cholesterol content of meat and other animal products also may raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease, says Pace. 

A carnivore diet isn’t one to sink your teeth into for better health says Danahy. “This is just another ultra-restrictive fad diet not based on scientific evidence and may be harmful in the long run.” If you’d like to go low-carb, consider a more balanced approach that allows for some other nutrient-dense foods.