Are you looking for the health benefits of the carnivore diet? There are a lot of benefits to choosing this diet. Some of them include stronger mental acuity, lowered blood sugar, reduced symptoms of chronic diseases, decreased intestinal discomfort, and weight loss.
If you are interested in going full-throttle on this diet, keep reading to see if it is right for you. We’ll provide a brief overview of the diet to kick things in gear.
First - What is the Carnivore Diet?
You might be wondering what the carnivore diet entails. How will this be different from what you are currently eating?
Many people are raised on an omnivore diet – where people eat a combination of plants and animals. In recent years, that has been a rise in plant-based diets. Vegetarians do not eat meat, and vegans do not eat any animal products.
The carnivore diet is one that involves only eating meat and animal products. People with a carnivore diet avoid food groups like vegetables, fruits, nuts, and grains. They also do not drink energy drinks, soda, juices, or alcohol. It’s a very natural diet, and one our ancestors would have followed in the primal era.
What are the Benefits of the Carnivore Diet?
Perhaps you have had more about this type of diet recently, but you do not know a lot about it. It is important to understand why you would want to switch your diet before committing. For a lot of people, the decision will come down to the benefits of making this choice.
Clearer Mind
Having a clearer mind & sharper focus are two surprising benefits of this diet for many people. However, there are two simple reasons why this occurs.
First, meats are high in nutrients such as iron, zinc, and Vitamin B12. All of these vitamins and minerals are known to improve brain function. If your diet has a high meat content, this also means that you will be getting more of these nutrients to help sharpen your brain's ability consistently.
Secondly, people enjoying the carnivore diet's health benefits are only eating meat and other permitted animal-based products. This means they avoid foods high in sugar, additives, and chemicals added to many other foods. Without high-glucose diets full of empty calories, they will have fewer instances of their blood sugar crashing, which leads to lower mental stamina.
Thus, the foods you eat on the carnivore diet are half the reason for this benefit - whereas the foods you don’t eat also play a role in sharper mental acuity.
Decreased Inflammation
Another benefit of this diet is decreased inflammation, which is a common reaction to our world’s most common foods. Eating a meat-rich diet and reducing or eliminating all sugar will cause less inflammation.
This is important as inflammation can lead to several severe diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. This also provides benefits in the short term - less chronic pain, better focus (as mentioned above), and more.
Although eating meat can be helpful healthwise, you still want to ensure you are eating meat that is not highly processed. For instance, deli meat is highly processed and will not be as healthy as organic steak. We’ll talk more about choosing the right foods later on.
Healthier Gut
Another benefit is having a healthier gut, one that does not give you any problems of discomfort and pain due to your diet. It is common for people to experience issues such as gas, bloating, discomfort, and pain on the standard American diet.
This is typically caused by nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants), gluten-rich foods, and foods with high acid content (like tomatoes, tomato sauce, and soda).
With a meat-rich diet, this will be less of a concern. You can eat meals stress-free not worrying about the consequences to follow a few hours later.
Heart Health
Eating a meat-rich diet can be good for your heart. Although some people notice a higher cholesterol level, the overall effect is still positive. It’s important to distinguish between good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. A carnivore diet follower will raise levels of good cholesterol while lowering levels of bad cholesterol.
This is because the meat is a source of vitamin K2. This vitamin can decrease the calcification of the arteries. Calcification of the arteries is a crucial factor in the development of heart disease.
Lower Blood Sugar
Many Americans have a diet high in carbs, sugars, and fat. This type of diet can heavily contribute to high blood sugar. High blood sugar can contribute to obesity, disease, and issues with energy levels. When blood sugar spikes throughout the day, then drop, people feel like they have an energy crash. This causes fatigue and concentration issues.
However, part of the carnivore diet is avoiding high blood sugar and all the consequences that can come with that. If you are wondering what the benefits of the carnivore diet are, understand it is not only about what you will be eating but also the foods that will no longer be a part of your daily diet. When you cut out sugars and carbs, you will feel much healthier and have much more energy.
Reduced Symptoms Caused by Autoimmune Diseases
The carnivore diet has many health benefits. One of the more interesting ones is feeling fewer effects and symptoms from chronic diseases. This is especially true for people who suffer from autoimmune conditions.
Many people who suffer from these conditions notice a marked difference in how they feel after beginning this diet. For instance, people usually notice that they feel better, have more energy, feel less pain in their joints and feel healthier overall.
These changes can be traced back to this diet, as people are getting rid of plant-based foods, fats, and sugars. This can contribute to feeling healthier, with additional energy. Their food's extra vitamins and minerals also help them feel better overall.
Weight Loss
The final benefit of switching to this type of diet is that it is likely that you will lose weight. Many people struggle with snacking when they are not hungry or even overeating when they are.
It is common for people to grab sugary, processed food because it is easy and cheap. However, once someone commits to this shift in diet, they realize that those food options are detrimental to their overall health and goals.
Once these foods are taken out of the diet, people tend to lose weight. Although this does not happen to everyone, it is prevalent for people to shed weight in the first couple of months that they are on a carnivore diet.
Are There Any Drawbacks to the Carnivore Diet?
Although there are many health benefits to the carnivore diet, there are a few drawbacks. There will be pros and cons to every choice we make, but in this case, the pros far outweigh the cons.
Cost
One of the biggest cons for people is that having a meat-based diet can be expensive. However, with careful planning, you can still switch to this diet. Instead of buying food on a whim, you can carefully plan out meals and snacks. This will allow you to purchase meat and snacks in bulk, saving you money in the long run.
Cravings
The other thing that people who are new to the carnivore diet struggle with is cravings. It is hard to change your diet, leaving behind foods you have enjoyed for your entire life. However, cravings will lessen once you get by the first couple of weeks. The other great thing about this diet is that the meals and snacks are so filling you will actually crave other food less. When you are sated, you do not want snacks.
Want to Enjoy the Health Benefits of the Carnivore Diet Yourself? Tips for Getting Started
Now that you know all the potential health benefits of the carnivore diet, you might want to know how to get started on this path. To get started, you should make a list of the different foods you will be able to eat and the ones you will need to cut out of your diet. You should also make a list of snacks that you will be able to eat throughout the day. Snacks will help get you through any cravings that happen.
Learn What Foods are Allowed on the Diet
When switching to a carnivore diet, you first need to determine what types of food you can and can not eat. Let's start with foods that you will need to avoid. This list includes legumes, nuts, grains, fruit, and vegetables. It also includes highly processed foods and dairy products with high levels of lactose (ice cream, low-fat yogurt, butter, etc.). Finally, you will need to avoid drinks like soda, juice energy drinks, and alcohol.
Now that you know what you can not have, what will you eat? Beef, pork, chicken, lamb, fish, liver, and eggs. You can also have animal fats, bone broth, and seasonings.
Prepare for Cravings With the Right Snacks
To avoid cravings, you will need to have the right snacks on hand. To get an idea of what you could snack on (such as meat chips, jerky, and tuna), check out our article that details a carnivore diet snack list. You should be looking for snacks low in carbs. Although this can be difficult, it is not impossible.
It’s much easier with Carnivore Snax - the best low-carb snack for not just those following the carnivore diet, but those who want a healthy, delicious, on-the-go snack for any sort of diet.
Carnivore crisps by Carnivore Snax are the best go-to snack for someone on the carnivore diet. These meat crisps come in many different flavors, so you will never get sick of this snack. They are made with 100% grass-fed animals.
Also, there are no additives. These meat chips that melt in your mouth are only made of meat and salt - perfect for the carnivore diet. Just wait till you get that first taste - you’ll be hooked.
Hold Yourself Accountable or Get Support From a Friend
Switching diets can be challenging. Go into this new lifestyle with this in mind and set yourself up for success. One way to do this is by letting a close friend know what you are about to do and getting them to keep you on the right path. Or, join a support group online with others on the carnivore diet.
Check Out Our Tips for Success For More Guidance
Are you still feeling concerned? Besides getting help from friends and family and holding yourself accountable to your new diet – you can check out carnivore diet tips and tricks for success! We’ll help you set off on the right path for this journey so you can see results quickly.
Final Thoughts on the Health Benefits of the Carnivore Diet
There are many benefits of choosing the carnivore diet. Some of these benefits include a healthier gut, less inflammation, fewer symptoms of chronic illnesses, a clearer mind, and weight loss.
However, reaping these benefits requires strict dieting and careful planning so that when cravings strike, you are prepared. Fortunately, there are many great snacks on the market, including Carnivore Snax protein-rich meat chips.
These meat chips melt in your mouth and do not have the chewy consistency of jerky. They’ve been referred to as “meat pastries” - and the tantalizing flavors will have you hooked at first bite. Grab yours today!
