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A carnivore diet or a diet based on meat itself may be beneficial to health
Table of Contents
1. The carnival diet is the main premise
The carnivore diet was developed by Dr. Shawne Baker, an American orthopedist, surgeon, writer, and athlete. In 2019, he published a book called The Carniove Diet, in which he describes the positive impact of the diet he developed on human health.2. The benefits of diet, according to the author
Among the benefits of this way of eating, the author cites, among others, faster weight loss and improvement in the functioning of the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, nervous, immune, dietary, or hormonal systems. He also says that his diet is helpful in treating diabetes, addictions, skin problems, allergies, or neurodegenerative and mental illnesses. According to Dr. Baker, the carnivore diet can therefore be summarized as ideal for everything (Sh. Baker 2019).3. High intake of red meat and cancers
There is no scientific evidence to support Dr. Baker's theory. Although scientists do not rely on a meat-only nutritional model, there is a growing body of evidence to confirm the negative impact of over-consumption of animal products on human health. This type of food is rich in saturated fatty acids, protein and cholesterol, and contains no fiber and many minerals and vitamins.4. The risk of hyperuricemia
A high intake of purine-rich products can lead to increased uric acid concentrations (so-called hyperuricemia), which can consequently lead to a number of different diseases, including diarrhoea characterized by seizures of acute pain and swelling of the joint.5. The effect of cholesterol and saturated fatty acids on health
It is not known that high intake of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol (in which animal products are very rich) is associated with adverse effects on human health. It contributes to the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases (e.g. stroke, heart attack or stroke), which according to WHO are the leading cause of death worldwide, as well as in Poland. However, it has been observed that in vegetarians the risk of heart disease due to these diseases is significantly lower than in people who eat meat in standard quantities (T. Huangina and 2012).6. The problem with excess iron
Iron can be divided into two types: non-heme and heme. The first of these is present in plant products such as legume seeds, pumpkin seed, rice cumin, dried figs, or leafy green vegetables. The absorption from these sources is very low and is 110%, while the absorption of heme iron present in animal products (especially forage) is up to 50%. In our society, however, we are also much more likely to experience a deficiency of this ingredient, but it has been proven that its intake can be equally harmful to the body.7. What about the fiber?
A diet that does not contain carbohydrates also does not provide fiber, which is a very important component of blood glucose, which reduces the likelihood of type 2 diabetes. According to the guidelines, the need for fiber is < 5 g/day (M. Jarosz et al. 2020). Research shows how important it is to human health. A diet rich in fiber contributes to increasing tissue sensitivity to insulin and lowering blood sugar levels, which decreases the risk of diabetes type 2 (A. N. Reynolds et al., 2022).8. Excess protein in the diet and its effects
The carnivorous diet is a very protein-rich diet. Increased protein intake is often recommended for athletes, as well as people with type 2 diabetes (to reduce carbohydrate intake). It is thought that increased intake of this ingredient contributes to increased muscle synthesis in the body, but it has not been observed to increase in proportion to the protein in the meat model at a certain stage. However, further benefits are not observed at this stage.9. Lack of vitamins and minerals
The main issue with elimination diets is deficiencies. Because it is a very restrictive way of eating, potential ingredients that may be missing are vitamins C, B6, B1 or folic acid and potassium, magnesium and calcium (unless the intake of protein is high, but according to the assumptions of the meat-eating diet should not be). There is also a lack of widely available antioxidant ingredients, e.g. flawonoids.10. Carnival diet and weight loss
The carnivorous diet is one of the most restrictive ways of eating, and its long-term maintenance is not an easy one. In this type of restriction, the so-called jo-jo effect is very often observed. Indeed, at the beginning, body weight drops significantly and quickly, but mainly due to the loss of water from the body.11. The benefits of a meat-eating diet
However, none of them completely exclude carbohydrates, and in any case the only source of energy is not animal products, so it is not possible to draw the right conclusions. Based on the above-mentioned models, it can be assumed that by basing your diet on high-fructose products (and thus cutting down on sugars) you can improve glycemic control and tissue sensitivity, which could help your body's insulin sensation by increasing your body fat or even preventing your body from eating fat. (T. P. Wycher and J. Keller) In this case, it is interesting to note that protein can also increase the body fat by 6 times as much as it can in this case.12. Summary
Due to the lack of studies on a dietary model based solely on animal products and evidence that high meat intake is unhealthy and may have adverse consequences, the carnivore diet is not recommended. Although this diet has its advantages, they do not outweigh its disadvantages and its long-term use will not benefit the body.
