.png)
This article references dieting.
Another day, another bizarre TikTok trend… meet the meat-fluencers. In this little corner of the internet, people are swearing off vegetables and living on a carnivore diet of only meat.
One woman, Jaime Nicole, took to the platform to share “everything she gets from the grocery store on a carnivore diet.” Her haul featured eggs and a many different kinds of meat. Oh, and salmon – for when she's “sick of meat.”
TikTok content
Another, an ex-vegan going by @steakandbuttergal on TikTok, shared “everything she eats in a day as a carnivore.” Her meals were eight scrambled eggs cooked in the fat of ground beef, along with a cold stick of butter(?!). She had a carnivore bar as a snack, and steak bites for dinner.
TikTok content
Then there are those who follow the “lion diet” – eating nothing but beef, salt and water, like Jessalyn Randle:
TikTok content
So… why would someone do this? As one TikToker explained, some believe eating only meat can improve skin issues, gut issues and sleep issues. The reasoning? Well, the thinking is, all other foods are somehow “unnatural” and are therefore messing with our digestive systems.
Surely, the all-meat diet cannot actually be healthy… right? We spoke to Dr Bhavini Shah from LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor to find out a little more.
A transformative supplement.
Is the carnivore diet safe?
So, what does a doctor think of this fad diet?
“I would consider the carnivore diet unbalanced," says Shah. “No single food or food group can supply all the nutrients necessary for good health. Consequently, I would not advise a diet like the carnivore diet, even for short-term use.”
According to Shah, many meatfluencers who decide to follow this plan may be choosing it for the wrong reasons. “When selecting a diet, it’s crucial to consider all aspects," she says. "Some diets can lead to serious health issues if adhered to over the long term.”
Are there any potential benefits to an all-meat diet?
Ok, so, as expected, eating only meat (and maybe some salt and butter and fat) isn't great for you. But with so many people on TikTok claiming the diet has transformed their hair, skin and gut for the better, I have to ask — are there any potential benefits?
According to Shah, the scientific research is more promising than might be expected – but isn't exactly conclusive.
“Advocates of the carnivore diet usually cite a 2021 study into the effectiveness of the regime," she tells us. “Contrary to expectation, the study, which monitored more than 2,000 individuals over 14 months, found minimal negative reactions to the diet, alongside several health improvements, especially in participants with diabetes.”
She adds, “However, many medical professionals have voiced concern regarding the reliability of the research. I would like to see more rigorous, controlled research into the impact of the carnivore diet before we make any judgments about positive health impacts.”
What are the risks of following a carnivore diet?
While there may be potential benefits, Shah is far more concerned with the downsides of living off meat. “While meat is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc and B vitamins, over-consuming meat could be dangerous for your health," she says.
For one thing, the diet could be linked to increased chances of contracting certain types of cancer and developing high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
“Eating too much red meat (which includes beef, lamb and pork) and processed meat (such as sausages, patés and salami) is thought to increase your risk of bowel cancer," she says. “Processed meats also tend to be high in salt, which puts you at risk of high blood pressure.”
She adds, “Red and processed meats are also one of the biggest sources of saturated fat in the average UK diet. Too much saturated fat raises your cholesterol levels and can put you at risk of coronary heart disease."
You might even develop certain deficiencies after cutting out other food groups.
“Excluding dairy products can lead to calcium deficiency and increase the risk of osteoporosis in later life," she says. “Cutting out beans, legumes, and starchy carbs may result in low fibre, constipation, and B vitamin deficiencies.”
How much meat should we be incorporating in our diets?
As expected, we do actually need to eat other foods.
“A healthy, balanced diet should involve eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions," she says. “A well-balanced diet should fuel you with the energy you need to keep active throughout the day and provide the nutrients you need for growth and repair, helping you to stay strong and healthy and help to prevent diet-related illness,” she says.
So, how much meat are we talking?
“The NHS recommends that adults eat no more than 70g of red and processed meats a day. For context, an 8oz beef steak is roughly 130g. So the recommendation would be to cut down on your red and processed meat intake in the days following a steak meal.”
Shah suggests that the NHS's Eatwell Guide is a good place to start, from which advice includes aiming to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, basing meals on starchy carbohydrates like potatoes, pasta, rice or bread and changing up your protein sources with beans, pulses, fish, eggs or meat.
