Carnivore diet
Also known as: All-meat diet
The carnivore diet is an extremely restrictive eating pattern based entirely or almost entirely on animal foods. Typical versions include meat, fish, eggs, and sometimes dairy, while excluding fruit, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. There is no standardized definition, and stricter versions permit only ruminant meat, salt, and water.
Carnivore is usually very low in carbohydrate, but it is not identical to a ketogenic diet. Whether it produces ketosis depends on the diet's actual macronutrient composition, whereas keto can include many plant foods. Carnivore also differs from the Paleo diet, which normally includes fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Animal foods can provide complete protein, vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and other nutrients relevant to training. That does not make a plant-free diet necessary for muscle gain. Strength and hypertrophy still depend on resistance training, adequate protein and energy, and progressive training. Removing carbohydrate may also make high-volume training harder for some people.
Long-term evidence is sparse. A 2026 scoping review found only nine human studies, many based on small samples, self-reports, short follow-up, or modeled menus; reported benefits therefore cannot establish that the diet caused them. A separate nutrient analysis of four modeled carnivore menus found adequate amounts of several nutrients but shortfalls in thiamine, magnesium, calcium, vitamin C, and—depending on the menu—iron, folate, iodine, or potassium. Fiber was far below recommendations. Modeling identifies plausible gaps, not a diagnosis in every follower.
The diet can also be high in saturated fat, sodium, and processed meat, depending on food choices, and individual blood-lipid responses vary. Because so many food groups are removed, long-term use deserves qualified dietetic and medical oversight, particularly during pregnancy, in children, with kidney or cardiovascular disease, or with a history of disordered eating. Anecdotes about digestion, inflammation, or autoimmune disease are not substitutes for controlled evidence or medical treatment.