Carnivore diet

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[[File:Grilled burger 1 bg 20090614.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Meat only, a boring food choice.]]
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{{cquote|Cows are the dumbest animal In earth and we are doing them a favor by eating them.|||SteakAndIron (typical carnivore diet [[troll]] found on Twitter)<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220825022144/https://twitter.com/SteakAndIron/status/1562544081879764993 Cows are the dumbest animal ln earth and we are doing them a favor by eating them] by SteakAndIron (8:55 PM · Aug 24, 2022) Twitter (archived from August 25, 2022).</ref>}}
{{cquote|There were many times that I would wake up in the middle of the night with arrhythmias and I thought that I was going to die from this.|||[[Paul Saladino]] describing his bad health on the carnivore diet<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20230308165333/https://saifedean.com/podcast/75-the-carnivore-diet-with-paul-saladino The Carnivore Diet with Paul Saladino, MD] (archived from March 8, 2023).</ref>}}

The '''Carnivore diet''' (also known as the '''meat only''' or '''zero-carb''' diet) is a [[pseudoscientific]] [[fad diet]] popular on social media platforms such as [[Twitter]] and [[YouTube]]. You can only eat animal-based foods on the diet and you have to [[dogma]]tically avoid all carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables because they are apparently evil.{{lie}} 

The carnivore diet has been condemned by medical experts as dangerous and unscientific; any supposed benefits are based on [[anecdotal evidence]].<ref name="Independent">[https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/carnivore-diet-plan-results-meat-only-fad-nutrition-health-warning-a8489266.html 'Carnivore diet': New social media trend criticised by nutritionists as 'very damaging'] by Rachel Hosie (13 August 2018 14:40 BST) ''Independent''.</ref><ref>[https://www.self.com/story/im-a-registered-dietitian-and-i-really-dont-want-you-to-eat-a-carnivore-diet I'm a Registered Dietitian and I really Don't Want You to Eat a Carnivore Diet] by Abby Langer (August 7, 2018) ''Self''.</ref><ref>[https://www.sciencealert.com/something-you-should-know-about-100-meat-pure-carnivore-diet-palaeo-keto-health-cancer-vitamins-nutrients There's Something You Should Know About The 100% Meat 'Pure Carnivore Diet'] by Peter Dockrill (17 September 2018) ''ScienceAlert''. "Scientists say there's no evidence to suggest a 100 percent meat diet is good for you. In fact, it's more likely to do you harm."</ref> Eating only meat deprives the body of necessary nutrients and causes vitamin deficiencies.<ref name="Independent"/><ref name="Popsci">[https://www.popsci.com/carnivore-all-meat-diet#page-3 Please do not try to survive on an all-meat diet] by Sara Chodosh (Published Aug 2, 2018 4:00 PM EDT) ''Popular Science''.</ref> The carnivore diet is in direct opposition to science by condemning the consumption of all vegetables.<ref>''Diet Cults: The Surprising Fallacy at the Core of Nutrition Fads and Guide to Healthy Eating for the Rest of Us'' by Fitzgerald, Matt. (2014) Pegasus Books. ISBN 9781605985602. "Scientific support for the mainstream recommendation to eat a lot of vegetables (greens, root vegetables, legumes, etc.) is about as rock-solid as the evidence that seatbelts and air bags in cars save lives. Eating a lot of vegetables is arguably the single best thing you can do for your health. Those who eat the most vegetables have a reduced risk for a long list of chronic diseases, they look and feel better, and they live longer than those who eat the fewest veggies."</ref>{{rp|262-263}} Most advocates of the carnivore diet end up giving it up as it is not sustainable long-term. There is strong evidence that diets high in red meat increase risk of colorectal [[cancer]].<ref>[https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2021/red-meat-colorectal-cancer-genetic-signature Pattern of DNA Damage Links Colorectal Cancer and Diet High in Red Meat] by Sharon Reynolds (July 22, 2021) ''National Cancer Institute''.</ref>

The diet is basically the opposite of [[veganism]], but instead of vegetables, its followers have a hard-on for meat. Carnivore dieters are known to mock vegans on social media.<ref name="The Guardian"/> Some critics see it as a troll diet, used to piss people off.<ref>[https://www.newsweek.com/carnivore-diet-what-meat-menu-eggs-keto-jordan-peterson-zero-carb-plan-1352342 What is the Carnivore Diet? All Meat Menu Is Part Bad Nutrition, Part Trolling] by Andrew Whalen (Published Mar 05, 2019 at 10:45 AM EST; Updated Mar 14, 2019 at 11:57 AM EDT) ''Newsweek''.</ref>

Carnivore dieting is associated with [[cholesterol denialism]]{{nofact}} and [[Bitcoin]], the latter indicating that there's a scam afoot.<ref name="Vice">[https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/ne74nw/inside-the-world-of-the-bitcoin-carnivores Inside the World of the 'Bitcoin Carnivores': Why a small community of Bitcoin users is eating meat exclusively.] by Jordan Pearson (Sep 29 2017, 6:00am) ''Vice''.</ref> The carnivore diet has also been associated with online [[alt-right]] communities.<ref name="Vice"/><ref name="Right Wing">[https://www.thedailybeast.com/why-right-wingers-are-going-crazy-about-meat Why Right Wingers Are Going Crazy About Meat] by Kelly Weill (Aug. 25, 2018) ''Daily Beast''.</ref>

==Types==

The modern carnivore diet is split into 4 different types:

*1. Strict carnivore diet –  on this diet only animal-based foods can be eaten. This includes red meat, poultry, bone marrow, eggs, seafood and dairy products.<ref>[https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/health/special-diets/what-is-the-carnivore-diet What is the carnivore diet?]. bbcgoodfood.com.</ref><ref>[https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/what-is-the-carnivore-diet What is the carnivore diet?]. health.harvard.edu.</ref> Both muscle and organ meats can be eaten. Carnivore diet social media influencers such as [[Shawn Baker]], Anthony Chaffee, and Judy Cho say that organ meats are optional but not necessary.<ref>[https://www.tiktok.com/@shawnbakermd/video/7246458687420747054?lang=en Do you need to consume organ meat on the carnivore diet?]. tiktok.com.</ref><ref>[https://archive.is/fyAgF Do I Need to Eat Organs On a Carnivore Diet?].</ref>
*2. Animal-based diet –  Because the carnivore diet is restrictive and the drop out rate is high, many have converted to an "animal-based diet". This diet is built around meat but also adds fruit, honey and raw dairy. [[Paul Saladino]] who incorrectly claims to have coined the term "animal-based diet" has stated that a "nose-to-tail, animal-based diet consists of high-quality meat, organs, fruit, honey, raw dairy (if tolerated) and eggs".<ref>[https://archive.is/Xb7s4 The Ultimate Guide to the Animal-Based Diet]. heartandsoil.co.</ref> Interestingly Saladino claims to eat up to 300g or 350g of carbohydrates a day on his "animal-based diet". Other online influencers promoting an animal-based diet include Lillie Kane who builds most of her diet around red meat but also eats some fruit and vegetables.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipwAmT4KDG8 From Carnivore to Animal Based...My Bloodwork Changed]. youtube.com.</ref>
*3. Bart Kay's 70% carnivore diet – Bart Kay claims that "any diet containing 70% or more animal products is carnivore".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrRWXfYkF20 @LillieKane Quits Carnivore !!!]. youtube.com.</ref> Kay thus uses the definition of a {{wpl|Hypercarnivore}}. The definition is problematic for humans and becomes a bit of a joke, for example, Bart Kay has admitted to eating platefuls of blueberries, pizzas, doughnuts and beer. It's not exactly what one would classify as a "carnivore" diet. 
*4. Lion diet (also known as meat only diet) – The strictest type of carnivore diet promoted by [[Jordan Peterson]] and his daughter Mikhaila Peterson which is limited to ruminant meats (usually beef) and salt. The diet is promoted as an elimination diet with unproven health claims of disease reversal. In 2018, Jordan Peterson is on record for claiming "“I eat beef and salt and water. That's it, and I never cheat. Ever. Not even a little bit".<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/food/2018/sep/10/my-carnivore-diet-jordan-peterson-beef My carnivore diet: what I learned from eating only beef, salt and water]. theguardian.com.</ref> It is doubtful that anyone sticks to this type of carnivore diet long-term, even Peterson has since added other animal-foods to his diet and is telling people to eat eggs.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIkFunbas-Q Jordan Peterson Told Me To Eat Two Eggs! This Changed My Morning Routine For The Better!]. youtube.com.</ref> A notable proponent of a meat-only diet from the past was  {{wpl|Blake F. Donaldson}} who died aged 73.<ref>Blake F. Donaldson authored the book [https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/002074920 ''Strong  Medicine''] in 1962.</ref>

==Carnivore ancestors?==
Carnivore dieters like to claim they know beyond a doubt that the earliest humans ate a strict meat diet. There is no dispute that our early ancestors ate meat, but a meat only™ diet is clearly [[bullshit]]. Our earliest ancestors, who lived millions of years ago in [[Africa]], were omnivores and we do not know the frequency or proportion of meat in the diet of any early human species.<ref>[https://www.americanscientist.org/article/meat-eating-among-the-earliest-humans Meat-Eating Among the Earliest Humans] by Briana Pobiner (2016) ''American Scientist'' 104(2):110. doi:10.1511/2016.119.110.</ref>

[[Anthony Warner]] has spent much of his time debunking the nonsense of fad diets:
{{quotebox|They dream away carbohydrate and yet to think that people survived that period on a low-carbohydrate diet makes little sense. The human body has a huge glucose requirement and the existence of many copies of the salivary amylase gene indicates that carbohydrate has always formed an important part of the diet for hundreds of thousands of years. When you do look at modern hunter-gatherers, they always know where the underground tubers are because they are an important source of carbohydrate.<ref>''The Angry Chef: Bad Science and the Truth About Healthy Eating'' by Anthony Warner (2017) Oneworld Publications. ISBN 1786072165.</ref>{{rp|105}}}}

That said, there is still some scientific debate about the diet of [[Neanderthals]], who are partly ancestral to some humans.<ref>[https://www.sciencenews.org/article/new-genetic-analysis-reveals-modern-africans-have-some-neandertal-dna A new genetic analysis reveals that modern Africans have some Neandertal DNA too: Humans migrating back to Africa brought extinct relatives’ genetic material along for the ride] by Bruce Bower (January 30, 2020 at 11:00 am) ''Science News''.</ref> There are some exceptionally high levels of δ<sup>15</sup>N{{efn|The ratio of nitrogen isotopes, <sup>15</sup>N:<sup>14</sup>N}} in some Neanderthal remains, which would indicate high levels of meat eating: perhaps high levels of ''rotten'' meat eating<ref>[https://www.sciencenews.org/article/scientist-watches-meat-rot-decipher-neandertal-diet This scientist watches meat rot to decipher the Neandertal diet: Nitrogen-15 levels in putrefying meat could explain high levels of the isotope in hominid fossils] by Laurel Hamers (6:00am, January 2, 2019) ''Science News''.</ref><ref>[https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm18/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/459969 B53K-2204: Alternatives to Neanderthal Hypercarnivory — Experimental Study of the δ15N Values of Meat During Putrefaction] by Kimberly Foecke et al. (14 December 2018) American Geophysical Union meeting.</ref> or perhaps not.<ref>[https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2019/02/13/1814087116 Exceptionally high δ<sup>15</sup>N values in collagen single amino acids confirm Neandertals as high-trophic level carnivores] by Klervia Jaouen et al. (February 19, 2019) ''Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA''. doi:10.1073/pnas.1814087116.</ref>

Anthropological evidence contradicts what carnivore dieters claim about early humans not eating carbohydrates. For example, our paleolithic ancestors ate grains and legumes. In his book ''Diet Cults'', Matt Fitzgerald quotes [[anthropologist]] {{wpl|Christina Warinner||:}}

{{quotebox|We have archaeological evidence from at least 30,000 years&nbsp;— that's 20,000 years before the agricultural revolution&nbsp;— of stone tools that look like mortars and pestles that people used to grind up seeds and grain", she said, adding that new methods of extracting [[DNA]] from dental plaque (her own line of research) had recently revealed that both Neanderthals and [other] Paleolithic peoples ate barley, beans, and tubers.<ref>Fitzgerald, Matt. (2014). ''Diet Cults: The Surprising Fallacy at the Core of Nutrition Fads and Guide to Healthy Eating for the Rest of Us''. Pegasus Books. ISBN 9781605985602.</ref>{{rp|59}}{{efn|Neanderthals are firmly in the Paleolithic technological tradition, so it's more accurate to say "Neanderthals and ''early modern humans'' ate barley, beans, and tubers."}}}}

==Inuit and Maasai==
[[File:Beluga Hunt Salluit.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Part of a beluga whale butchered by the Inuit, sometimes eaten raw.]]

[[File:Eskimo diet vitamin C content.png|thumb|right|165px|Vitamin C content of foods in the traditional Eskimo diet]]
There are historic human populations who survived almost exclusively on meat. The Inuit (Eskimos) of the Arctic survived on a diet that was very high in meat, including [[fish]].<ref>{{wpa|Inuit cuisine}}</ref> However, the Inuit diet also includes berries, roots, and seaweed, so it is not a strict carnivore diet.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20190116060816/https://www.foodbeast.com/news/what-eskimos-eat-to-keep-them-warm/ What Eskimos Eat To Keep Them Warm] (Jan 14, 2019) ''FoodBeast'' (archived from January 16, 2019).</ref> It is likely that other ice-age cultures would've had a similar diet, with the only source of nutrition being seals, [[birds]], mammoths, giant sloths, fish, etc. However, they didn't live particularly ''healthy'' lives, and this diet is more a testament to the ability of humans to adapt to some of the most extreme conditions on the planet rather than any particular ideal for human health.

The Inuit diet should not be confused with the modern day carnivore diet fad. The traditional Inuit obtain their Vitamin C from algae, berries, ringed seal liver, raw fish, raw whale skin, licorice root known as "Masu" and Mountain sorrel (a flowering plant in the buckwheat family).<ref>[https://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic32-2-135.pdf Vitamin C in the Diet of Inuit Hunters From Holman, Northwest Territories]. pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca.</ref><ref>[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889157502910537 Vitamin C in Inuit Traditional Food and Women's Diets]. sciencedirect.com.</ref><ref>[https://is.muni.cz/th/bfef2/BA_Thesis.pdf?kod=CJBB40;lang=cs Dietary Adequacy among the native Eskimo]. Masaryk University Faculty of Arts.</ref> A 1939 study in the ''[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]'' journal noted that:

{{quotebox|It is well known that marine algae are used as food in Japan, China, Hawaii, and some algae are eaten on Iceland and on the coast of certain parts of Great Britain. The Eskimos eat them raw or dipped in boiling water (or broth) or with blubber oil. From this source, the Angmagssalik Eskimo get 50 per cent of their vitamin C.<ref>[https://www.nature.com/articles/143943a0 Vitamin C Sources in Eskimo Food]. nature.com.</ref>}}

Carnivore proponents have also incorrectly described the Greenlandic traditional diet as carnivore when algae consumption has always been an important part of the Greenlandic traditional dietary pattern to avoid scurvy.<ref>[https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8266228/ Vitamin C in East-Greenland traditional nutrition: a reanalysis of the Høygaard nutritional data (1936-1937)]. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.</ref> It is rather ignorant of carnivore diet followers to cite the traditional Inuit and Greenland diets as evidence that their carnivore fad diet of cooked grass-fed beef and eggs works long-term as these have nothing in common with traditional Eskimo diets that contain marine algae and are high in raw foods.

Carnivore diet advocates who quote mine [[Weston A. Price]] like to claim that the Maasai people of Kenya in Eastern Africa eat a strict carnivore diet of raw meat, blood and [[milk]] and no vegetables. However, a 2010 investigation into the Maasai diet found that more than 50% of their diet consists of plant foods. The Maasai consume a lot of fermented milk, but they also eat cornmeal.<ref>[https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100517111910.htm Nomadic people's good health baffle scientists] (May 18, 2010 ''ScienceDaily''. Materials provided by Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena.</ref> Another study found that the staple foods of the Maasai are cow's milk (fresh or boiled) and ugali. Ugali is a maize flour porridge that the Maasai consume daily. The study found that over 58% of the Maasai diet is plant-based. This does not fit the definition of a carnivore diet.<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3179448/ High content of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in red blood cells of Kenyan Maasai despite low dietary intake] by Nadja Knoll (2011) ''Lipids Health Dis.'' 10:141. doi:10.1186/1476-511X-10-141.</ref>

==Alleged carnivores==

===Vilhjalmur Stefansson===

Modern carnivore diet advocates are obsessed with [[quote mining]] a 1929 study on an exclusive meat diet conducted on explorer {{wpl|Vilhjalmur Stefansson}}.

Between January 1928 to 1929, Vilhjalmur Stefansson and his colleague Karsten Anderson undertook a study to demonstrate that they could live on an exclusive meat diet for a year.<ref name="McClellan">{{cite journal|author=McClellan, Walter S.|year=1930|title=The Effect of the Prolonged Use of Exclusive Meat Diets on Two Men|journal=The Journal of the American Dietetic Association|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_journal-of-the-academy-of-nutrition-and-dietetics_1930-12_6_3/page/216/mode/2up|volume=6|issue=3|pages=216-228}}</ref> The study was funded by the Institute of American Meat Packers ({{wpl|American Meat Institute}}).<ref name="McClellan"/> The conclusion of the study from laboratory observer Walter S. McClellan was that it is possible for man to live for long periods on meat alone without ill effects but the diet was expensive "and was not one to be recommended for universal use".<ref name="McClellan"/>

The study was funded by the meat industry, was not controlled (the subjects were observed only at a laboratory setting during intervals at Bellevue Hospital) and the results from the study were never replicated. A one year study can hardly be called "long-term". Despite this, the study is religiously cited by carnivores as "proof" their diet works long-term and is even promoted on carnivore websites selling grass-fed beef.<ref name="The Carnivore Bar">[https://archive.is/p7thD The Carnivore Bar]. carnivorebar.com.</ref><ref>[https://archive.is/pYZt0 Vilhjalmur Stefansson: Arctic Explorer]. texasgrassfedbeef.com.</ref> Carnivore websites fail to mention that the study was industry funded and that the subjects spent most of the time living at home. One such website called "The Carnivore Bar" attempts to associate the study with longevity, claiming "Vilhjalmur lived until the ripe old age of 82 years old".<ref name="The Carnivore Bar"/> However, there is no evidence that Vilhjalmur Stefansson adhered to a carnivore diet for decades of his life. After the 1929 experiment was finished he went back to an omnivorous diet.<ref name="McClellan"/>

Interestingly, the other subject Karsten Anderson operated an orange growing business.<ref>[https://time.com/archive/6662120/medicine-beef-eaters/ Medicine: Beef Eaters]. time.com. [https://archive.is/ylHuN Archived].</ref> A fact not mentioned by the carnivore crowd.

===Owsley Stanley===

{{wpl|Owsley Stanley}} aka The Bear is cited on many carnivore diet websites as having consumed a meat-only diet for over 50 years as evidence that the diet works long-term. For example, the "How to Carnivore" website (owned by Anthony Chaffee) says:

{{quotebox|From at least the mid-1960s until his death in 2011, The Bear practiced and advocated an all-meat diet, believing that humans are naturally carnivorous. He argued that rare red meat was a complete food and that a diet of such is optimal for human health and longevity.<ref>[https://archive.is/wdP25 Owsley "The Bear" Stanley]. howtocarnivore.com.</ref>}} 

The meat-only claim is not accurate as he also consumed butter and cheese but it is likely that he did follow such a diet for a long time. In 2007, Stanley commented that "I have eaten as a total carnivore for 48 years".<ref name="Owsley Stanley">[https://www.independent.ie/news/carnivore-cuisine/26315401.html Carnivore cuisine]. independent.ie.</ref>

What is not mentioned by carnivore websites is that Stanley had a major heart attack in his late 60s. Bizarrely he tried to blame the heart attack on broccoli that his mother told him to eat as a child.<ref name="Owsley Stanley"/> Stanley also had throat cancer.<ref>[https://archive.is/myobS Owsley Stanley, Artisan of Acid, Is Dead at 76]. nytimes.com.</ref>

===Gray Cloud===

Because no confirmed carnivore {{wpl|centenarian|centenarians}} exist, the modern carnivore diet community have made one up. Both Anthony Chaffee and Travis Statham (owner of Meatrition) cite the case of "Gray Cloud", an American Indian who is alleged to have lived over 100 years old in perfect health on an only meat diet. 

{{quotebox|Gray Cloud was more than 100 years old and had never been sick. No member of his family had ever been sick... The Indian was a meat eater. He hunted for his food; he did not grow it. He lived in a cave; eventually, he wore a loin cloth and skins for clothing.<ref>[https://www.meatrition.com/history/gray-cloud-never-been-sick-over-100-eating-meat Gray Cloud]. meatrition.com. [https://archive.is/yEtvm Archive].</ref>}}

The claim is sourced to an unreliable book "The Steak Lovers' Diet: How to Lose Weight While Eating All The Meat You Want". This fantasy is the sort of thing found in 1950s Western pulp novels. There is no documentation that such a person ever existed.

=== Carnivore Olympic Athletes? ===

If the carnivore diet was really the best diet for athletic performance, then all the Olympic athletes would use it, but there's still not a single Olympic athlete who uses or endorses the carnivore diet. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ61a9eVPSY Carnivore proponents usually respond to this criticism] (see the video and comments) by insisting that there ''are'' carnivore Olympic athletes. They believe that Olympians just won't admit it because:
*"There's a huge stigma against admitting to and promoting the carnivore diet",
*"Because they make money by endorsing non-carnivore products", and/or
*"It wouldn't make sense for Olympic athletes to promote what they're eating, since their competitors may catch on and use it against them."

But there are still several flaws with these objections:
*If there's a stigma against the carnivore diet despite it supposedly being the best diet, then why not try to break the stigma? If many Olympic athletes really do use the carnivore diet, then why would so many of them and their performance nutritionists choose to collectively lie about it? Wouldn't the simpler explanation be that the carnivore diet simply isn't optimal for athletic performance?
*If Olympic athletes make money from endorsing non-carnivore products, then we need to ask: Why would Olympic athletes lie to millions of people about what they actually eat? Wouldn't they rather live in a world where most people make healthy lifestyle choices? There are also consequences to lying when other people find out. There are no good reasons to suspect that their performance nutritionists are lying about what they advise their Olympic clients.
*Olympic athletes are among the best in the world, they all have a better understanding of nutrition than the average person, and they often have professional performance nutritionists who advise their diets. Some random Olympian lying about his/her diet is unlikely to convince other Olympians to try it.

All in all, there is no evidence that any Olympian has ever used the carnivore diet. It's just a myth. To perform at a truly high level in virtually any athletic endeavor, you need large amounts of ''both'' protein and carbs. You can get large amounts of protein from plants, but you can't get large amounts of carbs from eating meat.

==Anti-fibre nonsense==
Carnivore dieters reject and ridicule dietary fibre, which they claim is unhealthy and not necessary. They quote anti-fibre [[quack]] author [[Konstantin Monastyrsky]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160406214618/http://www.zerocarbhealth.com/index.php/2015/05/04/what-about-fiber-on-an-all-meat-diet/ What about Fiber on an All Meat Diet?] (04 May 2015) ''Zero Carb Health'' (archived from April 6, 2016).</ref>

In [[reality]], greater dietary fibre intake has been shown to lower the risk of both cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers, including bowel and colon cancer.<ref>[https://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f6879 Dietary fibre intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis] by Diane E. Threapleton et al. (2013) ''The BMJ'' 347:f6879 doi:10.1136/bmj.f6879.</ref><ref>[https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190110184737.htm High intake of dietary fiber and whole grains associated with reduced risk of non-communicable diseases] (January 10, 2019) ''ScienceDaily''. Source: ''The Lancet''.</ref><ref>[https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31809-9/fulltext Carbohydrate quality and human health: a series of systematic reviews and meta-analyses] by Reynolds ''et al''. (2019) ''The Lancet'' 393(10170):P434-445. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31809-9.</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/jan/10/high-fibre-diets-cut-heart-disease-risk-landmark-study-finds Blow to low carb diet as landmark study finds high fibre cuts heart disease risk: Review commissioned by WHO says fibre in ‘good’ carbohydrates such as wholegrain bread and oats has protective effect] by Sarah Boseley (10 Jan 2019 18.30 EST) ''The Guardian''.</ref><ref>[https://jandonline.org/article/S2212-2672(15)01386-6/fulltext Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Health Implications of Dietary Fiber] by Wendy J. Dahl & Maria L. Stewart (2015) ''Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics'' 115(110:P1861-1870. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2015.09.003.</ref><ref>[https://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d6617 Dietary fibre, whole grains, and risk of colorectal cancer: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies] by Dagfinn Aune ''et al'' (2011) ''The BMJ'' 343 :d6617 doi:10.1136/bmj.d6617.</ref> 

There are many other health benefits from fibre consumption including improvements in digestive health and weight management.<ref>[https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1541-4337.2009.00102.x Role of Fiber in Cardiovascular Diseases: A Review] by M. Viuda‐Martos ''et al''. (2010) ''Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety'' 9(2):240-258. doi:10.1111/j.1541-4337.2009.00102.x.</ref> Lack of dietary fibre is dangerous to the [[bacteria]] in the colon. Christopher Gardner, a professor of medicine has commented that "Growing evidence suggests that in the absence of adequate fibre, the bacteria in the colon consume and thin the protective mucus lining, which then leads to impaired immune function and inflammation."<ref name="The Guardian"/>

==Avoidance of fruit and vegetables==
There are no health benefits to avoiding absolutely every single kind of fruit or vegetable. Based on reliable scientific data, public health organizations recommend increasing fruit and vegetable intake for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and premature mortality.<ref>[https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/46/3/1029/3039477 Fruit and vegetable intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer and all-cause mortality&nbsp;— a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies] by Dagfinn Aune et al. (2017) ''International Journal of Epidemiology'' 46(3):1029–1056. doi:10.1093/ije/dyw319.</ref><ref>[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31267783/ Fruits, vegetables, and health: A comprehensive narrative, umbrella review of the science and recommendations for enhanced public policy to improve intake] by Taylor C. Wallace et al. (2020) ''Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr.'' 60(13):2174-2211. doi:10.1080/10408398.2019.1632258.</ref> Fruits and vegetables have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.<ref>[https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408398.2015.1040487 Dietary fruits and vegetables and cardiovascular diseases risk] by Eman M. Alissan & Gordon A. Ferns (2017) ''Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition'' 57(9):1950-1962. doi:10.1080/10408398.2015.1040487.</ref>

A 2014 review found that "higher consumption of fruit and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of all cause mortality, particularly cardiovascular mortality."<ref>[https://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g4490 Fruit and vegetable consumption and mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies] by Xia Wang< et al. (2014) ''The BMJ'' 349:g4490. doi:10.1136/bmj.g4490.</ref> Recent reviews have found that fruit and vegetable intake is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer and bone fractures.<ref>[https://www.nature.com/articles/s41416-021-01373-2 Fruit and vegetable consumption and incident breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies] by Maryam S. Farvid et al. (2021) ''British Journal of Cancer'' 125:284-298. doi:10.1038/s41416-021-01373-2.</ref><ref>[https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0217223 Fruit and vegetable intake and bones: A systematic review and meta-analysis] by Juliana E. Brondani et al. (2019) ''PLoS One'' 14(5):e0217223. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0217223.</ref> Consuming fruits and vegetables may significantly reduce the risk of biliary cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.<ref>[https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01635581.2020.1800767 Vegetable, Fruit Consumption and Risk of Biliary Cancer: Evidence from a Meta-Analysis] by Jiaping Huai & Xiaohua Ye (2021) ''Nutrition and Cancer'' 73(8):1322-1332. doi:10.1080/01635581.2020.1800767.</ref><ref>[https://advances.nutrition.org/article/S2161-8313(22)00110-7/fulltext Association of Dietary Fiber, Fruit, and Vegetable Consumption with Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis] by Alireza Milajerdi et al. (2021) ''Advances in Nutrition'' 12(3):P735-743. doi:10.1093/advances/nmaa145.</ref> Carnivore diet advocates do not discuss this evidence.

==Negative health effects==
*High levels of LDL cholesterol which can increase the risk of heart disease.<ref name="The Guardian">[https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/may/11/the-carnivore-diet-all-meat-health-benefits-dangers They mock vegans and eat 4lb of steak a day: meet 'carnivore dieters'] by Olivia Solon (11 May 2018 04.00 EDT) ''The Guardian''.</ref> However, carnivore dieters such as Shawn Baker are cholesterol denialists so they are not bothered by this.<ref>[https://onlyfreedommatters.com/why-the-carnivore-diet-is-horrible-with-proof/ Why The Carnivore Diet Is Horrible (With Proof)] by Jack Freeman (January 17, 2019) ''Only Freedom''.</ref>
*High levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which increases risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).<ref>[https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/ATVBAHA.121.316533 Dietary Meat, Trimethylamine N-Oxide-Related Metabolites, and Incident Cardiovascular Disease Among Older Adults: The Cardiovascular Health Study] by Meng Wang et al. (2022) ''Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology'' 42:e273–e288. doi:10.1161/ATVBAHA.121.316533.</ref><ref>[https://www.stroke.org/en/news/2022/08/01/chemicals-produced-in-the-gut-after-eating-red-meat-may-contribute-to-heart-disease-risk Chemicals produced in the gut after eating red meat may contribute to heart disease risk] (August 1, 2022) ''American Heart Association News''.</ref><ref>[https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/study-sheds-light-on-red-meats-contribution-to-atherosclerosis-risk-in-older-adults/ Study Sheds Light on Red Meat’s Contribution to Atherosclerosis Risk in Older Adults] (September 20, 2022) ''Cleveland Clinic''.</ref><ref name=sciencedaily1>[https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/12/181211084948.htm Study links frequent red meat consumption to high levels of chemical associated with heart disease] (December 11, 2018) ''ScienceDaily''. Source: NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.</ref><ref>[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30535398/ Impact of chronic dietary red meat, white meat, or non-meat protein on trimethylamine N-oxide metabolism and renal excretion in healthy men and women] by Zeneng Wang et al. (2018) ''European Heart Journal'' 40(7):583-594. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehy799.</ref>
*Constipation from lack of dietary fibre.
*Folate (vitamin B<sub>9</sub>), [[Vitamin C]], and Vitamin E deficiencies.<ref name="Independent"/><ref name="Popsci"/>
*Scurvy<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3504259/ ''Skeletal Manifestations of Scurvy: A Case Report from Dubai''] by Shahryar Noordin et al. (2012) ''Case Rep. Orthop.'' 2012: 624628. doi:10.1155/2012/624628.</ref>
*High free iron which is redox active.
*High levels of carcinogenic HCAs.
*High levels of inflammation inducing bacteria.

Eating a high quantity of red meat is not a good thing to do long-term as it increases all-cause mortality and risk of many diseases:
*Increased risk of mortality, including all-cause mortality.<ref>[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28446499/ Food groups and risk of all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies]</ref><ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3712342/ Red Meat Consumption and Mortality: Results from Two Prospective Cohort Studies] by Lukas Schwingshackl (2017) ''Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 105(6):1462-1473.
doi:10.3945/ajcn.117.153148.</ref><ref>[https://www.bmj.com/content/365/bmj.l2110 Association of changes in red meat consumption with total and cause specific mortality among US women and men: two prospective cohort studies] by Yan Zheng et al. (2019) ''The BMJ'' 365:l2110. doi:10.1136/bmj.l211.</ref><ref>[https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2759737 Associations of Processed Meat, Unprocessed Red Meat, Poultry, or Fish Intake With Incident Cardiovascular Disease and All-Cause Mortality] by Victor W. Zhonget al. (2020) ''JAMA Internal Medicine'' 180(4):503-512. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.6969.</ref><ref>[https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/increasing-red-meat-consumption-linked-with-higher-risk-of-premature-death/ Increasing red meat consumption linked with higher risk of premature death] (June 12, 2019) ''Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health''.</ref>
*Increased risk of type 2 diabetes.<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23779232 Changes in red meat consumption and subsequent risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: three cohorts of US men and women] by An Pan et al. (2013) ''JAMA Internal Medicine'' 173(14):1328-35. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.6633.</ref><ref>[https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170905134506.htm Eating meat linked to higher risk of diabetes] (September 5, 2017) ''ScienceDaily'' Source: Duke-NUS Medical School.</ref><ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28535164 ''Meat, Dietary Heme Iron, and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus''] by Mohammad Talaei et al. (2017) ''American Journal of Epidemiology'' 86(7):824-833. doi:10.1093/aje/kwx156.</ref><ref>[https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2012/01/a-diabetes-link-to-meat A Diabetes Link to Meat] (January-February 2012) ''Harvard Magazine''.</ref><ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3712342/ Red Meat Consumption and Mortality: Results from Two Prospective Cohort Studies] by An Pan et al. (2012) ''Arch. Intern. Med.'' 172(7): 555–563. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.2287.</ref>
*Increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15671256 Associations of dietary protein with disease and mortality in a prospective study of postmenopausal women]</ref><ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26143683 Red and processed meat consumption and mortality: dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies].</ref><ref name=sciencedaily1/><ref>[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36974753/ Unprocessed Red Meat and Processed Meat Consumption, Plasma Metabolome, and Risk of Ischemic Heart Disease: A Prospective Cohort Study of UK Biobank]</ref>
*Increased risk of colon cancer.<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4698595/ Red Meat and Colorectal Cancer] by Nuri Faruk Aykan (2015) ''Oncol. Rev.'' 9(1):288. doi:10.4081/oncol.2015.288.</ref><ref>[http://www.aicr.org/cancer-research-update/2017/09_20/cru_processed-meats-increase-colorectal-cancer-risk-new-report.html Processed Meats Increase Colorectal Cancer Risk, New Report] (September 20, 2017) ''American Institute of Cancer Research''.</ref><ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5669970/ Red and processed meat consumption and colorectal cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis] by Zhanwei Zhao et al. (2017). ''Oncotarget'' 8(47):83306–83314. doi:10.18632/oncotarget.20667.</ref><ref>[https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/red-meat-and-the-risk-of-bowel-cancer/ Red meat and the risk of bowel cancer] (15 March 2021) ''NHS'' (UK).</ref><ref>[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29210053/ Food groups and risk of colorectal cancer] by Lukas Schwingshackl (2017) ''Int. J. Cancer'' 142(9):1748-1758.
doi:10.1002/ijc.31198.</ref>
*Increased risk of high blood pressure.<ref>Zhang Y, Zhang DZ. (2018). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29725070 ''Red meat, poultry, and egg consumption with the risk of hypertension: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies'']. 32 (7): 507-517.</ref>
*Increased risk of kidney failure.<ref>[https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20160714/too-much-red-meat-might-harm-kidneys-study-suggests#1 Too Much Red Meat Might Harm Kidneys], medically Reviewed by Zilpah Sheikh (January 02, 2024) ''WebMD''.</ref><ref>[https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/311664.php Red meat consumption linked to kidney failure] by Tim Newman (July 15, 2016) ''Medical News Today''.</ref><ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27416946 Red Meat Intake and Risk of ESRD] by Quan-Lan Jasmine Lew ''et al''. (2017) ''Journal of the American Society of Nephrology'' 28(1):304-312. doi:10.1681/ASN.2016030248.</ref>
*Increased risk of endometriosis.<ref>[https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12937-022-00812-x Food groups and nutrients consumption and risk of endometriosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies] by Arman Arab et al. (2022) ''Nutrition Journal'' 21:58. doi:10.1186/s12937-022-00812-x.</ref><ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6066416/ A prospective cohort study of meat and fish consumption and endometriosis risk]</ref><ref>[https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2023.1089891/full Nutrition in the prevention and treatment of endometriosis: A review] by Ayae Yamamoto et al. (2018) ''Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.'' 219(2):178.e1-178.e10. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2018.05.034.</ref>
*Increased risk of gastric cancer.<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3743884/ Red and Processed Meat Intake Is Associated with Higher Gastric Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis of Epidemiological Observational Studies] by Hongcheng Zhu et al. (2013) ''PLoS One'' 8(8):e70955. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0070955.</ref><ref>[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31584199/ Meat intake and risk of gastric cancer in the Stomach cancer Pooling (StoP) project] by Ana Ferro et al. (2020) ''Int. J. Cancer'' 147(1):45-55. doi:10.1002/ijc.32707.</ref><ref>[https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fsn3.3364 Meat and dairy products intake is associated with gastric cancer: Case–control study findings] by Reema F. Tayyem et al. (2023) ''Food Science & Nutrition'' 11:3788–3798. doi:fsn3.3364.</ref><ref>[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30979076/ Effect of Red, Processed, and White Meat Consumption on the Risk of Gastric Cancer: An Overall and Dose⁻Response Meta-Analysis] by Seong Rae Kim et al. (2019) ''Nutrients'' 11(4):826. doi:10.3390/nu11040826. </ref>
*Increased risk of stroke.<ref>[https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STROKEAHA.111.633404 Dietary Protein Sources and the Risk of Stroke in Men and Women] by Adam M. Bernstein et al. (2012) ''Stroke'' 43:637–644. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.111.633404.</ref><ref>[https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/red-meat-linked-to-higher-stroke-risk/ Red meat linked to higher stroke risk] (2011) ''Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health''.</ref><ref>[https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/STROKEAHA.112.663286 Red Meat Consumption and Risk of Stroke] by Joanna Kaluza et al. (2012) 43:2556–2560. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.112.663286.</ref><ref>[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26935118/ Red Meat Consumption and the Risk of Stroke: A Dose-Response Meta-analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies] by Cuili Yang et al. (2016) 25(5):1177-1186. doi:10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2016.01.040.</ref><ref>[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29039970/ Food groups and risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and heart failure: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies] by Angela Bechthold et al. (2019) ''Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr.'' 59(7):1071-1090. doi:10.1080/10408398.2017.1392288.</ref><ref>[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36780863/ Determination of the level of evidence for the association between different food groups/items and dietary fiber intake and the risk of cardiovascular diseases and hypertension: An umbrella review] by Masoumeh Jabbari et al. (2022) ''Nutrition Research'' 111:1-13. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2022.12.011.</ref>

In 2018 $20.6 million (8.4%) of direct healthcare costs of colorectal cancer in Brazil were attributable to red and processed meat consumption. In 2030, attributable costs will increase to $ 86.6 million (19.3%).<ref>[https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-023-10169-4 The current and future costs of colorectal cancer attributable to red and processed meat consumption in Brazil]. bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com.</ref>

Meat-only diets that are predominantly lean meat can cause [[protein]] poisoning, leading to nausea, fatigue, diarrhea, and [[death]] because the human body is unable to process above a certain level of protein.<ref>[https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ajpa.22659 To meat or not to meat? New perspectives on Neanderthal ecology] by Luca Fiorenza et al. (2014) ''Yearbook of Physical Anthropology'' 56:43–71. doi:10.1002/ajpa.22659.</ref>

===Scurvy===

A common claim from carnivore diet proponents is that no case studies of scurvy exist for those on a carnivore diet. However, there are case studies reported in the literature. For example a man who lived in rural Appalachia developed scurvy because he was only eating canned beef.<ref>[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10916690/ Scurvy in an unrepentant carnivore]. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.</ref> A child from Dubai who ate a diet of only red meat for 2 years developed scurvy, causing severe bone and joint abnormalities. He was put on Vitamin C replacement therapy for 2 months and was able to walk again.<ref>[https://cdn.mdedge.com/files/s3fs-public/Document/September-2017/066010039.pdf Scurvy in an Unrepentant Carnivore]. cdn.mdedge.com.</ref> Most modern carnivore diet proponents cheat by eating fruit for their [[vitamin C]], so there will be no risk of scurvy.

==Anecdotal evidence==

Carnivore diet advocates are known to reject evidence based nutrition and instead rely on anecdotal evidence. For example, [[Shawn Baker]] has written:

{{quotebox|[[Anecdotal evidence]] is still [[evidence]] and it is a hell of a lot more relevant to an individual than an epidemiological study.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20190615015956/https:/twitter.com/SBakerMD/status/1101203628918923264 Anecdotal evidence is still evidence and it is a hell of a lot more relevant to an individual than an epidemiological study] by Shawn Baker (11:32 AM — 28 Feb 2019) ''Twitter'' (archived from June 15, 2019).</ref>}}

And carnivore diet influencer Ken Berry has written:

{{quotebox|What the Carnivore Diet is...
The lowest-carb diet a human can eat
The lowest oxalate diet
The lowest lectin diet
The lowest estrogen diet
The least over-eating potential diet
The least inflammatory diet
The least fattening diet
The most nutrient dense diet
The most ancestrally-appropriate diet
The most carnitine rich diet
The most creatine rich diet
The most blood-sugar controlling diet
The most BP lowering diet
Seed Oil free diet
Encourages local food economies
Reverses Type 2 Diabetes
Reverses Obesity
Reverses Fatty Liver
Calms Autoimmune disease
Calms Eczema
Calms Psoriasis
Improves Acne.<ref>https://archive.is/5Lm3W</ref>}}

This is despite the fact there is no scientific evidence for any of the above claims. There is no clinical evidence that a carnivore diet can "reverse" any disease. Instead, carnivore diet influencers like Ken Berry and Shawn Baker promote alleged "success" stories of those on the carnivore diet. However, they ignore all of the negatives. The Instagram page CarnivoreCringe has documented many of these including acne and diarrhea to serious cases of heart attack and stroke.<ref>https://www.instagram.com/carnivorecringe/</ref>

==Alt-right connections==
The carnivore diet is promoted by [[alt-right]] online communities and social media platforms. The [[Gab]] social network hosts multiple groups for carnivore dieters. Gab’s founder, Andrew Torba, practices a version of the diet.<ref name="Right Wing"/> In America, the diet also has popularity among conservatives who associate [[vegetarianism]] and veganism with the [[left]] and [[liberalism]].<ref name="Right Wing"/> Some far-right [[cranks]] embrace the diet in an attempt to piss off liberals.<ref>[https://www.motherjones.com/food/2018/09/carnivorism-zero-carb-jordan-peterson-mikhaila-shawn-baker-andrew-torba-alt-right/ The Bizarre Fad Diet Taking the Far Right by Storm: "Carnivorism" advocates claim meat will cure health woes, replenish masculinity—oh, and piss off liberals.] (September 7, 2018) ''Mother Jones''.</ref>

Also, most [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|orcs]] are carnivores, both in fiction and in real life, and both literally and figuratively, too!<ref>[https://www.completecompendium.com/appendix/orc/ Definition of an orc in the Advanced D&D Compendium]</ref><ref>[https://sentientmedia.org/misinformation-climate-meat-russian-backed-influencers/ On Russian influence on carnivore diet (and climate change denialism)]</ref><ref>[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BA#Ukrainian Because "carnivore diet" advocates also support the Russian invasion of Ukraine, see the etymology for the pejorative sense of the word "orc".]</ref>

==Notable proponents==
[[File:Shawn Baker.png|thumb|right|165px|Shawn Baker]]
*Bodybuilder [[Shawn Baker]], nicknamed the "Carnivore King".<ref name="The Guardian"/> In 2017, his medical license was revoked in part for "incompetence to practice as a licensee".<ref name="Popsci"/>
*[[H. L. Newbold]]
*[[Jordan Peterson]] and his daughter Mikhaila claim to live on a meat diet that consists of only beef, [[salt]], and [[water]].<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/08/the-peterson-family-meat-cleanse/567613/ The Jordan Peterson All-Meat Diet] by James Hamblin (August 28, 2018) ''The Atlantic''.</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/19/my-beef-with-jordan-petersons-all-cow-diet My beef with Jordan Peterson's all-cow diet] by Emer O’Toole (Wed 19 Sep 2018 12.15 EDT) ''The Guardian''.</ref><ref>[https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/02/209640/carnivore-meat-only-diet-mikhaila-peterson The Truth About The Buzzy Carnivore Diet: The psychologist’s daughter Mikhaila invented the beef diet to ease her health problems. It’s best taken with a pinch of salt ] by Emer O'Toole (19 Sep 2018 12.15 EDT) ''The Guardian''.</ref>
*[[Celebrity]] doctor {{wpl|Drew Pinsky}}<ref name=abc>[https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Wellness/trendy-meat-carnivory-diet/story?id=56856367 What to know about the trendy, meat-only 'carnivory' diet: ABC News' chief medical correspondent warns a meat-only diet could carry risks.] (July 27, 2018, 5:51 AM) ''ABC News''.</ref>
*Travis Statham, software engineer and admin for several online carnivore communities.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/user/dem0n0cracy/ u/dem0n0cracy] ''Reddit''.</ref> He claims to eat four to six quarter-pounder burgers for lunch.<ref name="The Guardian"/> Statham appears to support a weaker version of the carnivore diet, as he also eats cheese and eggs.<ref name=abc/>
*Brian Johnson, piggybacking off the media success of Shawn Baker with the internet [[pseudonym]] "Liver King", is known for his promotion of an especially outlandish nearly total-carnivore, [[Raw foodism|raw]]-organ diet, and promotion of "ancestral tenets" which are claimed to promote health and bodybuilding results. After making multiple claims that his bodybuilding results were fully "natural" with no steroid or hormone use, he was revealed to be taking a large number of hormones and steroids in a series of leaked e-mails.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2022/12/06/liver-king-steroids-apology-ancestral-diet/ TikTok ‘Liver King’ touted raw organ meat diet. He also took steroids: Brian Johnson gained millions of followers promoting misleading claims about the so-called ‘ancestral diet’] by Teddy Amenabar & Anahad O’Connor (December 6, 2022 at 10:36 a.m. EST) ''The Washington Post''.</ref> In the 2025 Netflix documentary, ''Untold: The Liver King'', Johnson denounced the carnivore diet and his promotion of it.<ref name="colburn-2025">{{cite web |url=https://ew.com/where-is-the-liver-king-now-steroid-scandal-brian-johnson-11734825 |title=Where is the Liver King now? Here's what happened after the organ-eating influencer's steroid scandal |last=Colburn |first=Randall. |date=May 14, 2025 |website=Entertainment Weekly |publisher=People Inc. |access-date=August 28, 2025}}</ref><ref name="saunders-2025">{{cite web |url=https://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/34818316/liver-king-con-testicles-diet-netflix/ |title=How ‘Liver King’ built $300m bodybuilding empire by eating raw testicles & organs… before email exposed his dark secret |last=Saunders |first=Josh |date=May 7, 2025 |publisher=The Sun |access-date=August 28, 2025}}</ref><ref name="bridge-2025">{{cite web |url=https://www.unilad.com/news/us-news/liver-king-wrong-about-carnivore-diet-626232-20250513 |title='Liver King' who eats testicles reveals he was 'wrong' about intense carnivore diet |last=Bridge |first=Liv |date=May 13, 2025 |publisher=Unilad |access-date=August 28, 2025 |quote=He explained: "I was so convinced all the carnivore stuff, that's what you need to really kick ass in life. I'm convinced now that I was starving myself. "I guess I want the world to know I was wrong. I got it wrong. I got all of it wrong. I think as each passing day goes by, I realize I don't know s***. There's a lot more that I don't know than I do know. Like an extreme approach to anything probably ain't f***ing working out."}}</ref>

===Other supporters===
{{collist|2|
*[[David Duke]]<ref name="Odysee"/> — supportive of the carnivore diet, but has admitted to eating vegetables.
*[[Zoë Harcombe]]<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2kaEEzSrIs Dispelling The Myths Of Fiber, Cholesterol, and Saturated Fats | Dr. Zoe Harcombe]</ref>
*[[Malcolm Kendrick]]<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ImChSajHik Dr Malcolm Kendrick] Dr. Shawn Baker Podcast (Jan 3, 2022) ''YouTube''.</ref>
*[[Abd ul-Rahman Lomax]] was supportive of the diet, but personally ate an [[Atkins diet]].
*[[Tim Noakes]], a supporter who describes his own diet as "predominately carnivore".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxOrOlb0I5Q Professor Tim Noakes improves health on the carnivore diet] Dr. Shawn Baker Podcast (Jan 22, 2021) ''YouTube''</ref>
*[[RaceRealist]], a former carnivore diet supporter, has now come out against the diet.
*[[Joe Rogan]]<ref>[https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/14/what-joe-rogan-learned-from-eating-a-carnivore-diet-for-30-days.html Joe Rogan ate nothing but meat for 30 days and said his ‘energy levels were amazing’] by Cory Stieg (Feb 16 202010:01 AM EST; Updated Apr 17 2020At 1:47 EDT) ''CNBC''.</ref>
*[[Paul Saladino]], a.k.a. CarnivoreMD, who has added fruit and sweet potatoes to his "carnivore diet".
*[[Vinnie Tortorich]]<ref>[https://vinnietortorich.com/2022/04/benefits-of-the-carnivore-diet-dr-shawn-baker-episode-2091/ Benefits of the Carnivore Diet with Dr. Shawn Baker – Episode 2091] (Apr 29, 2022) ''Vinnie Tortorich Life Into Living''.</ref>
*Eddie Abbew
*Sama hoole
*{{wpl|Aajonus Vonderplanitz}}, who promoted a "primal diet" similar to [[raw foodism]] that included raw meat.<ref>Edwin Rensen, [https://archive.today/20130223040532/http://www.vleesmagazine.nl/nieuws/rauw-vlees-eten-is-juist-gezond-11249.html "Rauw vlees eten is juist gezond"] ''Vlees Magazine'' (Netherlands), 14 May 2009.</ref>
}}

==Opposition==
*Jack Crosbie, [[journalist]]<ref>[https://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/a24488031/carnivore-diet-results/ I Tried the Carnivore Diet and It Broke Me After 3 Days] by Jack Crosbie (Nov 1, 2018) ''Men's Health''.</ref>

==See also==
*[[Bodybuilding woo]]
*[[Humans are herbivores]] -- the extreme opposite scenario

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

{{foodbox}}
[[Category:Alternative medicine]]
[[Category:Alt-right]]
[[Category:Bodybuilding woo]]
[[Category:Cholesterol and statin denialists]]
[[Category:Diet woo]]
[[Category:Machismo]]
[[Category:Right-wing troll campaigns]]

Categories: Alternative medicine, Alt-right, Bodybuilding woo, Cholesterol and statin denialists, Diet woo, Machismo, Right-wing troll campaigns