Carnivore Diet Advice That Actually Makes Sense
 We're always told that the simplest way to lose weight and regain your energy is to have a lower calorie intake and consume less food. Right? Ordinarily, yes. However, it’s not always so simple. It’s quite common to hit a weight loss or health plateau, even on a carnivore diet. If you’ve hit a carnivore diet plateau, you’re understandably frustrated, but it’s not a hopeless situation. There’s a solution to the problem. Indeed, once you understand the causes behind it, there are quite a few solutions. Are you stuck on a carnivore diet plateau? Here’s what to do!
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 The carnivore diet is a type of animal-based diet, and as such, has a negligible carb intake and high protein intake. It is the modern equivalent of what human ancestral populations ate. Several animal-based diets are similar to, yet all are also noticeably distinct from, the carnivore diet. So, what are the similarities and differences between the average animal-based diet vs. carnivore diet? How can you know which one of these diets is the right one for you? Here are the answers. What Is The Carnivore Diet? The carnivore diet foods list includes only animal products. It excludes plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, grains, cereals, and seeds. Carnivore dieters also avoid processed foods, focusing instead on natural sources of animal proteins and fats.  In its strictest form, the carnivore diet allows only meat, some salt for seasoning, and water. This is ideal for restoring the body's balance after years of poor eating habits. It also conveniently cuts out any potential triggers for allergic and auto-immune responses. However, most carnivore dieters ultimately move on from eating meat only to a more relaxed form of the carnivore diet. Animal foods such as meats (white and red meat), fish, seafood, animal fats, organ meats, eggs, and raw dairy products, are all considered carnivore foods.  Pros
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What Is An Animal-Based Diet?An animal-based diet focuses on eating mostly animal products. For a diet to be considered animal-based, it should have an emphasis on eating animal foods rather than plant foods. Even if some plant-based foods are allowed, they will often be limited, such as on many low-carb diets.  The most popular examples of these animal-based diets are the keto diet and the paleo diet. On paleo, grains, legumes, refined sugar, and processed foods are avoided. Fruits and vegetables are allowed. On keto, foods rich in carbohydrates are excluded. However, nuts, seeds, certain vegetables, and limited fruits are allowed. Like the carnivore diet, the primary energy source of keto is fats. Pros
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How To Choose Between An Animal-Based Diet Or Carnivore Diet How can you know which diet is right for you? Ask yourself if you’re happy to eat only foods from animals, or need more variety in your food groups. Animal foods are complete proteins, providing all the amino acids your body needs. Although keto and paleo diets may offer a variety of health benefits, they are not solely focused on animal foods like the carnivore diet. Mostly Meat And Animal FoodsBecause animal-based diets can differ in what they allow and don’t allow, it’s hard to pin down the right one for you without a thorough look at your unique needs. Some allow fruits, others don’t. Some are considered low-carb, and others aren’t particularly low in carbs. However, despite their small differences, animal-based diets tend to consist of 80% animal foods. Therefore they offer some of the benefits that carnivore eating does. Do you want to know more? Read our complete guide to animal-based diets. Animal Foods OnlyBecause the carnivore diet is such a restrictive diet, it can be a big adjustment from the typical Western diet. If you’re accustomed to eating convenience foods high in carbs and sugars, you’ll find carnivore eating (98% animal foods) a challenge at first. But it is the exclusion of processed foods, convenience foods, sugars, and carbohydrates that makes this a healthy diet choice. Switching to a carnivore diet will promote weight loss, alleviate allergy symptoms, reduce the risk of countless diseases, and boost your energy. Best Of Both WorldsStill struggling to decide between an animal-based diet or a carnivore diet? This may be a sign that ketovore is the best diet for you. Ketovore features elements of the keto and carnivore diets. As with carnivore, the emphasis is still on meats and other animal foods, but with the high-fat, low-carb approach of keto. Some leafy greens and low-carb veggies offer a balanced diet with a bit more versatility than you’d have on carnivore. Find out more in our guide to the ketovore diet.  Animal-Based Diet Vs. Carnivore Diet: Which Is Healthier?The avoidance of processed foods, and limiting carbs and sugars, means most animal-based diets can be healthy. But it is in the differences that the carnivore diet has an added advantage. When you eat animal foods only, you eliminate many allergy and auto-immune response triggers. By cutting out carbs and sugars you can reduce inflammation, lower the risk of chronic disease, and lose weight more easily. Therefore, the carnivore diet, which allows animal foods only, can potentially be a healthier choice than other animal-based diets which include plant-based foods. Final ThoughtsTo wrap it up, both the animal-based and carnivore diets offer similar perks by focusing on high-quality animal foods and cutting out processed junk.
But while animal-based diets like keto or paleo allow a bit of plant-based variety, the carnivore diet goes all in, eliminating plant foods entirely to help reduce potential allergens and triggers for inflammation. Choosing between the two comes down to your health goals and how comfortable you are with keeping it strictly animal-based or mixing in a few plant foods. Whether you’re ready to dive into full carnivore or prefer a bit more flexibility, both diets offer solid options for fueling your body with real, nourishing foods.  You'll see many meats and other animal-based foods on any carnivore diet food list. There are several meats to choose from on the carnivore diet, both red meats and white meats. But what are the best cuts of meat for the carnivore diet, and why? Find out in this guide to the 10 best cuts of meat for carnivore dieters.  More and more people are realizing the benefits of animal-based eating like the carnivore diet. But some people worry that they cannot afford it. Is the carnivore diet expensive, or is it simply a common misconception?  Many newcomers to the carnivore diet mistakenly think that they can never eat anything but meat ever again. Fortunately, this isn’t true. There are many animal foods to choose from on the carnivore diet. This offers carnivore eaters meal versatility and, of course, a wider range of nutritional sources.  You may have heard about bone broth when starting your carnivore journey, but never tried it. Many newcomers to the carnivore diet don’t know how to make or use it. But bone broth is very easy to prepare at home, and is much more versatile than you may think. With these bone broth recipes and tips, you’ll add flavor to your meals and enjoy extra nutritional benefits.  The typical modern diet, especially in the Western world, does not deliver all the nutrients one needs for optimal health. That, combined with our fast-paced lifestyles, is why many people rely on dietary supplements to stay healthy. But are there any carnivore diet supplements, and are they necessary? This short guide explains why some carnivore dieters may need supplements and what the best carnivore diet supplements are. It also explains which supplements to avoid, and why.  You’ve probably heard that animal-based eating, like the carnivore diet, can help people lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. This is true, and it’s a serious motivator that helps people stick to their eating plan. But you may be interested in building more muscle. Is bulking on an animal-based diet possible? The good news is that it is possible with the right strategy. It’s time to start building the physique you’ve always dreamed of, with our nine top tips for bulking on an animal-based diet.  Is the cost of switching to a carnivore diet making you nervous? Is it even possible to follow an animal-based diet on a budget? You can put those fears to rest because it’s cheaper to change to an animal-based diet than you think. Just follow these handy tips to get more bang for your buck. Is An Animal-Based Diet More Expensive Than Other Diets?Is an animal-based diet more expensive than other diets? No, not necessarily. While it’s true that the type of foods used on the carnivore diet cost more than convenience foods, this often depends on where you buy them. Cut out those processed foods and unhealthy takeouts you’re used to eating, and you’ll free up money to buy nutritious, good-quality cuts of meat. You can follow an animal-based diet on a budget. It all comes down to making the right choices. 10 Tips For Following An Animal-Based Diet On A BudgetYou can follow an animal-based diet on a budget. It all comes down to making the right choices. 1. Buy In Bulk The key to managing an animal-based diet on a budget is to buy in bulk whenever possible. Ask about bulk prices when purchasing meat and other animal foods. But you’ll need enough freezer space to store your bulk purchases. If you don’t yet have a chest freezer, this may be the time to invest in one. You’ll save money long-term by bulk buying and freezing items for later use. As the prices continue to rise in-store, your already secured deals will be waiting for you on ice. 2. Consider Organ Meats Explore the benefits of eating organ meat, for the sake of your health and your wallet. Whether you choose chicken, pork, beef liver, or even kidneys, heart, or spleen, organ meats are a highly nutritious, tasty, and budget-friendly option. Organ meats are rich in micronutrients important for all-around health.  Liver, particularly beef liver, is an excellent source of iron. Kidneys, especially lamb kidneys, are a rich source of vitamin B12. Pork heart is a great source of coenzyme Q10, an antioxidant with anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory and anti-stress properties. It also promotes heart health. 3. Opt For Ground Beef And Other Minced Meats It can be difficult to eat meat every day when you’re on a tight budget. But there are ways around this. Ground beef and other minced meats (for example, pork) are the economical alternative to pricier cuts of meat. And they’re incredibly versatile meat options, too. You can use ground meats in many ways, by adapting your favorite carnivore recipes. Buy them from your local butchery and you’ll also be assured of soy-free minced meat (many meat product manufacturers add soy and fillers to their ground meat and burger products). 4. Choose Fatty Cuts Fattier cuts of meat like brisket and pork shoulder are often cheaper because they are not as in demand as leaner cuts. But that doesn’t mean you should avoid them. Fattier meats are not just affordable, but they also offer heightened flavor and tenderness. Check out this cheat sheet by Health Coach Kate!  Admittedly, fattier meats contain higher amounts of saturated fat. And saturated fat has earned itself a bad reputation over the years as an unhealthy choice for your heart and your cholesterol levels. However, the link between animal fats and cholesterol is not as clear-cut as once believed. Find out more in our examination of the carnivore diet and cholesterol. 5. Buy Meat From Local Butchers Purchase meat directly from local butchers. In this way, you get fresh meats that have not been sitting in supermarket refrigerators and freezers and have more control over the cuts you get. Butchers typically offer cheaper cuts than what you’ll find in the supermarkets’ packs of frozen meat. Butchers also offer products like lard and bone marrow. Lard gives a superior taste and texture to fried foods, while bone marrow gives any meal a nutrient-rich boost of flavor. Marrow offers higher vitamin and mineral content than many muscle meats. 6. Buy Whole Chickens The emphasis on the carnivore diet is on high-quality meat and animal foods. But it doesn't have to exclusively be red meat! You can buy a whole chicken and use the various sections (chicken thighs, legs, breasts, and inner organs) in different tasty recipes. Chicken is budget-friendly and very versatile, making it a winner in any animal-based diet on a budget. If you find it a bit bland, liven it up with seasonings. Just remember that not all store-bought seasonings are ideal for the carnivore diet. If you want to use seasonings for the carnivore diet, use them sparingly. 7. Cook Bone Broth Cook up some delicious, nutritious bone broth! It’s a staple of the carnivore diet because it’s an economical and healthy choice, and ideal as a hot beverage in the colder months. And it’s oh so easy to make. Read our guide on the benefits of bone broth and start making your own broth at home. Home-made bone broth can be used in soups and sauces, or to make a gravy for your meats. If you want to add some seasonings and make it into more of a stock, save money by growing your own herbs to add. They will be free from the additives and fillers that store-bought products often contain. 8. Scout For Sales And Discounts If you’re determined to switch to an animal-based diet on a budget, start scouting for sales and discounts. Most stores have special offers and discounts from time to time. The key is to make a note of who is offering what and remember to take advantage of these special deals.  Buying from stores with loyalty programs will help you save even more on future purchases of your favorite animal products. Many stores offer special discounts for seniors and veterans, too. So if you are a senior or military veteran, it’s worth enquiring at your local supermarkets if they offer such programs. 9. Eat Eggs As A Staple Not only can you eat eggs on the carnivore diet, but they are one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can eat! Eggs are a source of complete protein, and even better, they’re an economical choice. So you don’t have to eat meat at every meal on an animal-based diet. Eggs are an ideal budget-friendly substitute. Many farmers have started selling them directly to the public. But you can also pick them up at a local farmers market. Eggs are the perfect food for any mealtime. Try them scrambled for breakfast, poached for lunch, fried for dinner, and hard-boiled as a handy snack between meals. The choice is yours. 10. Purchase Raw Dairy Directly From Farmers Is the price of dairy milk souring your mood? Interstate sales of unpasteurized, raw dairy milk for human consumption are banned at the federal level in the US. However, at this time, you can purchase raw dairy directly from a local farm (and sometimes from a local farmers’ market) in these US states:
This will typically be cheaper than buying milk in bulk in stores, and that’s a big plus for following an animal-based diet on a budget. However, each state has its own rules and regulations regarding the sale of raw milk for human consumption. Final ThoughtsIs it possible to follow an animal-based diet on a budget? Yes, it is!
With some careful planning, you can secure great deals on tasty, protein-rich foods that won’t break the bank. Buying directly from farmers, or at local butchers and farmers markets, is typically cheaper than purchasing packaged meals in supermarkets. And you’ll be assured of the very best quality, too.  The pros and cons of a plant-based diet vs. animal-based diet continue to fuel the great debate about which is the healthier and better choice. This is a complex issue, as people follow their chosen diets for a variety of reasons. And depending on what their reasons are, they are often reluctant to consider a change in dietary choices. However, a comparison of the two is necessary if we hope to get to an answer. So, let’s look at how these opposing diets compare, in this comparison of the plant-based diet vs animal-based diet. |
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