Can You Drink Coffee On The Carnivore Diet?

Can you drink coffee on a carnivore diet? This is a question that comes up fairly often. Coffee is not an animal product, and the carnivore eating plan is all about animal products, after all!

If you’ve recently started the carnivore diet to resolve health issues, you may prefer to avoid other foodstuffs and beverages such as coffee. But does that mean it’s totally off the menu for carnivore diet enthusiasts? Not necessarily. In this article, we cover the reasons why.

So, Can You Drink Coffee On The Carnivore Diet?

Can you drink coffee on a carnivore diet? Yes, but it depends on where you are on your carnivore diet journey. The strict carnivore approach is an elimination diet, and it is typically a temporary one. Most carnivore diet enthusiasts eventually ease into a relaxed form of the carnivore diet or the ketovore diet. 

Most people on the carnivore or ketovore diet continue to enjoy coffee, tea, or herbal tea on a carnivore or similar eating plan. It doesn’t have to be black coffee either. But stick to heavy cream or raw milk for some healthy fats, instead of coffee creamers, and avoid sugar. 

You can enjoy the benefits of your favorite pick-me-up beverage without unwanted carbs and unhealthy additives. Bulletproof coffee, made with coffee, grass-fed butter, and other healthy fats, is another popular coffee drink on ketogenic, low-carb, and carnivore diets. 

​Pros Of Coffee On The Carnivore Diet

When done responsibly, the carnivore diet offers several benefits. It allows you to eliminate excess carbs in your eating habits. The higher protein and fat content keeps you full for longer. It's also a safer choice for people suffering from autoimmune diseases.

But adding coffee to your carnivore diet can offer other benefits, like improved mental clarity and sustainable weight loss. The CGA in coffee may also play a role in relieving the high uric acid levels that can cause gout.

​1. Weight Loss/Weight Management

Black coffee on the carnivore diet is great for weight loss as it contains almost zero calories and reduces hunger pangs. It also contains chlorogenic acid or CGA (also found in black tea), which has health benefits of its own.

This all makes it suitable for people trying to lose weight, safely. But that’s not all. Green (unroasted) coffee beans can cause the body to release more fat-burning enzymes. It’s also rich in GGA. But because it’s not roasted, it will taste more like herbal tea than your regular coffee.

2. ​Energy Boost

Coffee can give you an energy boost because of its caffeine content. That’s why coffee lovers usually drink a cup before heading off to work, or while at work. 

However, excessive coffee intake is not necessarily a healthy choice. So if you lack energy daily and your morning coffee isn’t helping, consider a vitamin/mineral supplement instead. 

3. Improved Cognitive Function

Although excessive caffeine consumption is not advised due to its stimulating effects, moderate coffee consumption can enhance focus and sharpen cognitive function. 

Several scientific studies have been done on the potential health benefits of coffee on the brain and central nervous system. 

Correlations between the changes in global graph measures and the degree of improved performance on Trail Making Test Part B after coffee consumption. The horizontal bars represent the values of correlation coefficient. The color bar represents statistical significance (P value). Asterisks (*) represent statistical significance (P < 0.05).

​Cons Of Coffee On The Carnivore Diet

For those of you starting on your carnivore diet, coffee may seem like a no-no. The uncertainty about coffee consumption could be because of the commonly cited cons below. 

1. Coffee Beans Are Not An Animal Product

Many strict carnivore dieters avoid coffee as it is not an animal product. A lot of the hesitation around drinking coffee lies in a misunderstanding of what it is. Although we call them coffee beans, they are not a type of bean. 

They are technically plant-based foods, but they are not beans or legumes. Although they are plant foods in the strictest sense, the difference lies in the fact that coffee beans are not ingested as is. Coffee beans are, in fact, seeds from inside the fruits of the coffee plant, processed and roasted to produce coffee.

Therefore, the roasted coffee beans you use to make your morning cup of joy, are derived from seeds. In moderation, coffee will not harm you while you are on a carnivore or similar eating plan. As long as you are eliminating plant foods in general, a cup of coffee won’t do any harm.

2. ​Anxiety

Caffeine can stimulate activity in the sympathetic nervous system. That’s bad news for anxiety sufferers, as this is the system responsible for the body’s fight-or-flight response. Potential effects of this include a faster heart rate and even panic attacks. 

However, people who are not particularly sensitive to caffeine, and who do not suffer from anxiety disorders, will not suffer these effects. Caffeinated coffee will not typically produce anxiety in people unless they are already prone to it, or sensitive to caffeine in general. 

If you are sensitive to caffeine, replace your regular coffee with decaf coffee. It’s also a good option if you want to enjoy coffee in the evening but don’t want it to keep you awake at bedtime. 

3. ​Gastric Discomfort

​If you have a history of gastric discomfort after drinking regular coffee, try organic coffee beans instead. Some coffee lovers find that their discomfort eases or disappears entirely when they make the switch. However, this does not resolve the issue in all cases.

If you suffer from heartburn, indigestion, or acid reflux after consuming coffee, it might be the acidity levels that are triggering your stomach issues. Try switching to cold brewed or dark roast coffee, which is less acidic. 

Coffee Alternative For Carnivore DieterS

You can adhere to your carnivore diet principles and still enjoy coffee. But if you want to stick to animal-based foods, try broth as an alternative to coffee.

• Bone broth is one of the top beverages on the carnivore diet foods list. As a good source of protein, it provides nutrients for cartilage and bones and aids collagen production. Therefore, it’s not only ideal as an alternative beverage, it offers various health benefits. And as a bonus, it is 100% compatible with the carnivore diet. 
  

• Beef or chicken broth is a nutritious and tasty beverage option for those cold winter days and nights. So if you’re looking for a way to enjoy a warm beverage while getting essential nutrients, this is it. 

final thoughts

​The good news is that yes, you can drink coffee on the carnivore diet. Although it’s a plant-based beverage and not an animal product, moderate coffee intake is fine in the carnivore diet lifestyle. It’s the stuff we add that’s usually the problem on a carnivore diet.  Avoid sweeteners and creamers and you can continue to consume coffee. 

Unfortunately, the natural acidity or caffeine content of coffee is an issue for some people.

​Cold-brewed or dark-roasted coffee may solve the problem. Decaf coffee is another potential solution. But if you prefer to forego coffee altogether, nothing beats a delicious cup of broth as an alternate beverage.