Complete Guide to Animal-Based Diets

Animal-based diets are receiving a lot of attention in popular media nowadays. Of these, carnivore, keto, and paleo are the most common. Each has a growing number of enthusiasts, ready with testimonials of how their favorite diet is the key to achieving optimum health. 

This has probably left you wondering how these diets compare and what proven benefits they can offer you. What does an animal-based diet really mean, anyway? 

We give you the facts in this complete guide to animal-based diets. 

Main Types Of Animal-Based Diets

The most common animal-based diets are the carnivore, keto, and paleo diets. 

1. Carnivore Diet​

The carnivore diet is an animal-based diet elimination diet focused on eating meat, as a carnivore animal would. In the strictest form, only meat and water are consumed, with just a pinch of salt for seasoning.

This does not mean that nothing else may ever be eaten on this diet. The strictest carnivore diet is meant as a temporary solution to address health issues. There are different types and stages of carnivore eating. 

The initial stage of the carnivore diet is very restrictive to restore balance in individuals with severe medical issues. Other animal foods like eggs and dairy can be introduced later unless a sensitivity to dairy remains. 

2. ​Keto Diet

The ketogenic diet, known simply as keto, is a low-carb animal-based diet. This is a diet focused on entering and maintaining the metabolic state of ketosis. This is when fat and ketones, rather than carbohydrates and glucose, become the main energy source fuelling the body. 

The keto diet encourages followers to consume foods based on a higher fat content and lower carb content like meat, fish, eggs, and heavy cream. 

3. ​Paleo Diet

The Paleolithic, or Paleo diet, is an animal-based diet focused on mimicking the eating habits of the Paleolithic era. It is not a typical low-carb diet but does limit carbohydrates to a degree.

The Paleolithic people consumed foods obtained exclusively through hunting and gathering, as agriculture was not yet established. Therefore, Paleo diet followers eat foods like meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. 

​Benefits Of Animal-Based Diets

Various factors have made us all more aware of what we eat. Increasing rates of cancers, autoimmune diseases, and allergies, growing concerns over toxins and additives in food, and skyrocketing epidemic disease rates are just a few of these.

Animal-based diets offer specialized meal plans with benefits that counteract many of these conditions. 

1. ​Access To Nutritious Foods

Animal-based diets with their focus on lean meats and healthy fats ensure access to good nutrition. Beef and beef liver are more nutrition than blueberries and kale!

Animal foods like meat are especially helpful, as meat is a complete protein and a source of essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Meat not only contains protein, iron, and calcium but it even contains the essential vitamin C.

2. ​Focus On Healthier Eating Habits

We’ve all heard the health advice to eat less processed foods, and instead eat more natural foods. But how often do we really listen? 

Animal-based diets allow people to take this health advice more seriously, offering a plan for making these dietary changes while still eating delicious meals. This move to healthier eating also boosts athletic performance and muscle growth, aids weight management, and increases energy levels.

3. ​Avoidance Of Food Triggers

We all need to eat to live, but sometimes what we eat can make us sick. This is why so many people have shunned modern diets filled with processed foods and turned to animal-based diets. 

Animal-based diets are usually also elimination diets, eliminating foods like wheat that are common triggers for allergies, food sensitivities, and other health concerns like autoimmune disorders. By avoiding excess carbs in general, these diets can also reduce the risk of diseases like Diabetes Type 2.

​Foods To Eat On An Animal-Based Diet

Here are the foods you can eat on an animal-based diet:

1. ​Most Animal Foods

Most animal foods like various types of meat, organ meats, marrow, bone broth, eggs, and healthy animal fats are allowed on animal-based diets. 

You can freely eat unprocessed meats and fish on the carnivore diet, as well as the keto and paleo diet. They fit the requirements of all three:

• Unprocessed meats and fish are natural foods and are the focal point of a carnivore’s eating habits.

• Meat and fish are naturally high in protein and healthy fats, but low in carbohydrate content.

• Our Paleolithic ancestors freely consumed the foods the meat they could hunt and the fish they could catch.

2. ​What About Dairy Products?

The carnivore, keto, and paleo diets all encourage eating animal foods. The exception is dairy. Raw dairy is an animal food and is allowed to an extent on the carnivore diet, depending on personal tolerance. But it’s only allowed in small quantities on the keto diet and is completely avoided on Paleo. 

The keto diet focuses on staying in ketosis. Dairy products like milk contain lactose, a natural sugar that adds to milk’s carbohydrate content. Therefore, excess milk consumption is not advised on a keto diet as it would push you out of ketosis. 

The Paleo diet mimics the Paleolithic way of eating. Dairy products are considered Neolithic foods rather than Paleolithic, introduced with the development of agriculture. Thus, they don’t fit the narrative of the paleo diet. 

​Foods To Avoid On An Animal-Based Diet

Tired of being fed diet dogma without being why you can’t eat certain foods? It’s understandably frustrating, so let’s look at what foods to avoid, and why they’re a no-no on an animal-based diet. 

1. ​Most Plant Foods and Carbs

Many plant foods and carbs are avoided on an animal-based diet. 

The exact list of foods to avoid may differ slightly from one eating plan to another, but the general rule is to steer clear of carbohydrate-heavy plant foods. These include processed sugar, starches like potato, cereal like wheat, and grains like rice.

But why are no plant-based foods allowed on so many animal-based diets? Is a low-carb diet the solution to our health problems? To answer this, we need to look at the health concerns behind plant foods.

The Health Concerns Behind Plant Foods

Plant foods high in carbohydrates can cause unhealthy spikes in blood sugar. If consumed in excess over a long period, refined carbohydrates can lead to Diabetes Type 2. Excess carb consumption is also a factor in obesity, which is a leading contributor to many diseases. 

But it’s not just about the natural sugars and the carbohydrate content they contain. Cereals and grains can also contain gluten, a major trigger for people sensitive to gluten or who suffer from the autoimmune disorder celiac disease. By excluding these foods, animal-based diets reduce exposure to gluten.

​Final Thoughts

Animal-based diets focus on animal products like lean meat and exclude most carbohydrates. They do so to optimize nutrition and health benefits while reducing the risk of many medical conditions. 

If you are looking for a natural way to boost your energy but maintain a healthy weight, consider an animal-based diet. And if your doctor has advised you to lose weight, eliminate processed foods, or follow a low-carb diet, one of these diets could be the solution.