Here you will find a carnivore diet food list to help you learn what you can and can't eat on a carnivore diet. I've also included a printable PDF with the foods that are allowed and not allowed to be eaten on a carnivore diet so that you can easily reference it at any time.
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Table of Contents
What is the carnivore diet?
The carnivore diet is where you only eat foods that come from animals, and avoid any foods that come from plants. It is basically an extreme elimination diet.
Advocates of the carnivore diet swear it can help with many different health issues, and that it has greatly improved their own health. Proponents of the carnivorous diet say that a carnivore diet helps with many different health problems and that it can help with weight loss, blood sugar regulation, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, mood, energy, sleep, digestive issues, focus and more.
Of course, like any other new diet or nutrition changes, before considering the carnivore diet, be sure to discuss it with your doctor and other healthcare practitioners.
The carnivore diet is based on the idea that our ancestors evolved eating mainly meat and fish, and that high-carb diets and the processed foods that are common now are responsible for many different health issues and diseases.
It is also based on the idea that the high intake of plants that is often recommended is not ideal for health. Plants naturally produce a number of different chemicals and compounds to help protect themselves from pray including things like oxalates, salicylates, phytic acid or phytates, lectins, and more. It is felt that these chemicals and compounds can be harmful to the human body by acting as anti-nutrients and by being hard on the gut, so by avoiding them your health will improve.
The carnivore diet is different from other diets such as the paleo diet or keto diet, in that the carnivore diet aims for a zero carbohydrate intake. So even though the goal of a carnivore diet isn't to put your body in ketosis, this would happen naturally given the lack of carbs on the diet.
A carnivore diet is basically a combination of an extreme ketogenic diet, and elimination diet, both of which can help with various health problems. It is essentially the opposite of a high-carb diet. However, it should be noted that so far there have been very few studies specifically examining a carnivore diet to help prove or disprove the health claims associated with it.
Potential benefits of a carnivore diet:
To date, there has only been one study that has been published on the carnivore diet. However, there have been many studies published regarding the positive effects of a ketogenic diet so much of that information will translate to the carnivore diet too, as the carnivore diet, being a zero carbohydrate diet, will put you into a state of ketosis.
Similar to a keto diet, eating a strict animal food based diet can help you lose weight because you are shifting your main energy source from carbs to fats.
This way of eating may also help decrease inflammation and many studies have shown that a ketogenic diet (and hence likely the carnivore diet too) can decrease inflammation and be beneficial for many different chronic diseases and health conditions which are driven by inflammation including cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, epilepsy, depression, anxiety, inflammatory arthritis, psoriasis, pain, diabetes, migraines etc.
This diet could also decrease pain and many studies in both animals and humans have shown that a low carb diet can help control pain.
It can also help with digestion and studies have shown that a keto diet can be helpful for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Risks of a carnivore diet:
A carnivore diet could put you at risk of vitamin and mineral deficiencies because a meat based diet eliminates many different foods that are high in vitamins and minerals and other important nutrients.
In particular, you could easily become low in vitamin C or develop scurvy. I have actually seen a patient recently who developed scurvy after being on a carnivore diet for two years, so this is a significant risk and one that must be taken seriously. This is why some carnivore diet advocates will recommend some fruit intake or vitamin C supplementation while doing this diet to help prevent vitamin C deficiency. If you are on a carnivore diet you should be monitored closely for vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
There is a lack of fiber on this diet. Fiber comes from plant foods, and fiber contributes to healthy bowel movements and healthy gut bacteria. A lack of fiber could lead to constipation and some studies have also shown that diets low in fiber may increase your risk of colon cancer.
It is high in red meat and some studies have shown that high red meat intake may increase the risk of breast cancer, colon cancer and heart disease.
This diet can be stressful and hard to follow long term. Doing any type of strict dietary protocol, especially one that eliminates as many food groups as the carnivore diet does can be very mentally taxing and stressful. We know that increased stress is not good for your health, so if the stress of doing this type of diet is more than the actual benefit you might see from the diet itself, it is likely a diet that it isn't right for you.
High-protein diets and high fat diets are not a good option for everyone. Certain underlying chronic disease like kidney failure or kidney disease can be made worse by low-carb diets.
The long-term effects of this diet have not been studied, and there may be other risks that we have not yet identified.
Due to the many potential risks, I would personally not recommend that anyone try a carnivore diet without discussing it with your doctor or other health care providers first.
Carnivore Diet Food List
In order to follow a carnivore diet, you need to stick to animal-based foods. But, not all animal products are allowed on a carnivore diet, so below I've included a food list that outlines which foods are allowed, and which foods aren't allowed on a carnivore diet to make following this type of diet easier for you if you decide to try it.
Foods to eat on a carnivore diet:
- Meat* - you can eat many types of meat and this includes any type of unprocessed meat including beef, lamb, pork, game meats, chicken, turkey, duck, etc. You will need to avoid processed meats like hot dogs and deli meats which include fillers, sugars and other ingredients which aren't allowed on a carnivore diet.
- Fish - any type of unprocessed fish such salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, crab, scallops, shrimp etc.
- Other animal-based products including eggs, bone marrow, animal fat, lard, bone broth (made without vegetables), etc.
- Full-fat dairy and low lactose dairy products (in small amounts) including butter, heavy cream, ghee, hard cheeses, etc. Ideally full fat raw dairy is preferred on a carnivore diet
- Seasonings including salt, black pepper, herbs and spices. Be sure to avoid any seasonings with sugars, starches, or carbohydrates.
- Water
* If possible you want to choose grass-fed meat and pasture raised meat.
If you are interested in carnivore diet snacks, we have a post with 23 carnivore diet snack ideas!
Foods to avoid on a carnivore diet:
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- High-lactose dairy products such as soft cheese, milk, sour cream, yogurt, etc.
- Legumes
- All additives including but not limited to, nitrates, artificial flavours, natural flavours, nitrites, MSG, etc.
- Nuts and seeds
- Imitation meats or plant based meats
- Vegetable oils
- Grains
- Alcohol
- Sugars
- Drinks other than water
One very important thing to remember is that in order to do the carnivore diet properly, and ensure you get enough essential nutrients you need to include organ meats in your diet. If you don't include organ meats you could become deficient in various vitamins and minerals. As I mentioned before, the carnivore diet is an extreme elimination diet so it needs to be approached with caution.
Ideally, you also want to ensure that the meat and fish you are eating are naturally raised. This means pasture raised meats (ie. grass fed and grass finished beef) and wild fish. Because of this, the carnivore diet can be rather expensive to do and not everyone can afford to do it properly.
Carnivore diet shopping list:
If you are thinking of trying a carnivore diet, I've created a handy printable PDF carnivore diet food list for you that you can take to the grocery store.
To get the list simply leave your email below and it will be sent to your inbox.
Carnivore diet meal plan:
If you are thinking about trying a carnivore diet, I highly encourage you to discuss it with your doctor or other healthcare provider first, as there are some people where this type of diet may not be ideal depending on your underlying health conditions.
I also encourage you to do more research before just starting it on a whim. My favourite resource for the carnivore diet is the book The Carnivore Code by Dr. Paul Saladino. His book is full of great information, studies explaining how plants can be potentially harmful to our health, and he does a great job of breaking down the science behind this diet.
If you are thinking of trying a carnivore diet here is a sample 3 day carnivore diet meal plan:
Sample Carnivore Diet Meal Plan
Day 1
- Breakfast: Steak and eggs
- Lunch: Salmon and fried duck
- Snack: Bacon
- Dinner: Ground beef patties
Day 2
- Breakfast: Eggs with bacon
- Lunch: Tuna and hard boiled eggs
- Snack: Sardines
- Dinner: Bone broth and roasted chicken
Day 3
- Breakfast: Chicken livers and scrambled eggs
- Lunch: Turkey burgers
- Snack: Hard boiled eggs
- Dinner: Roasted salmon
Other carnivore diet features:
On a carnivore diet, counting calories and macros is not recommended. Portion sizes will also vary depending on the person. The goal is to eat when you are hungry, and finish eating when you are full.
I hope you found this helpful! If you have tried a carnivore diet please share your experience in the comments. I would love to hear from you!
Frequently asked questions:
Nope. The true carnivore diet only allows water. However, many people eat a more flexible carnivore diet where they will add beverages like coffee or tea.
A carnivore diet eliminates all foods from plants and only allows you to eat food from animals. By doing so it naturally eliminates all carbohydrates and would put you into ketosis. It is basically an extreme version of a keto or low carbohydrate diet which limits, but does not entirely omit the amount of carbs that you can eat, with the goal of getting your body into ketosis.
I highly recommend the book The Carnivore Code by Dr. Paul Saladino. It is the best resource I have found so far and is full of really great information.
Other information you will want to read:
Our expertise:
Dr. Erin Carter, MD, FRCPC, is a physician with board certifications in internal medicine and rheumatology. She is passionate about nutrition, environmental health and low toxicity living and has been doing research and publishing information in this area for years.
Danielle Giesbrecht
Thanks
Taylor Carruth
Please send me the list.
Erin Carter
If you enter your email where it says to the list will automatically be sent to you. It can take up to 24 hours to arrive in your inbox and it sometimes ends up in spam folders so be sure to check there too.
Joshua ward
I’m hoping this is the answer I’m looking for to gain and maintain a lower body weight and muscle mass
Donna Mcnutt
Would love the printable list and any other tips and tricks to do well with carnivore
Erin Carter
If you put your email in the form it will be emailed to you 🙂
Mia
Would love the list
Erin Carter
Leave your email in the box where it says in the post and it will be automatically sent to your inbox 🙂
Stephanie
Would love the list
Erin Carter
If you put your email into the form in the post it will be sent to you.
Frank Liszka
Please send me the list.
Erin Carter
Sorry there was a temporary tech glitch. If you put your email in the form it should be sent to you now.
Julie Ealey
. how can I get the printable list?
Erin Carter
Sorry I had a temporary tech glitch. You should be able to enter your email now and it will be sent to you. Thanks for your patience!
Kim Wolfe
I have been on carnivore for 2 weeks! I have never felt this good in my life! I'm 60yrs old and rather sedentary and now have loads of energy, arthritis is diminishing. My goal is 90 days, but I don't want to go back to my tired, achy old ways! I have been following several Drs and carnivores on YT. Check out Dr. Ken Berry
Erin Carter
That's amazing it's working so well for you!
Kev
Can you send me the food list please?
Erin Carter
If you put your email in the form it will be emailed to you 🙂
Leslie Kirby
Are you still on it? I’m nervous.