Animal-based diets are all the rage right now. There are countless testimonials from people who tout this diet as life-saving and life changing.
The animal-based diet stands out among other trend diets because it flies in the face of modern medicine. Since the 1980s, doctors, pharmaceutical companies, and food industries have been drilling into all of us the dangers of high fat, high cholesterol diets.
But with modern medicine losing the trust of the masses, people are taking a hard look at what they’ve been taught. Many find that an animal-based diet, which was the standard diet for much of early human history, is what’s natural.
Animal-based diets vary from very strict carnivore to keto to a simple meat centered whole foods diet.
Regardless of what variation you are interested in, this blog will go over the general benefits of an animal-based diet.
Disclaimer
Just a disclaimer that I’m not a medical professional. I’m just a blogger on the internet who does a lot of research. Whatever diet or lifestyle you choose for you and your family is up to you, I’m only providing you with thoughts and opinions based on my research.
I would check with a medical professional before you try any diets or nutrition changes.
What is an animal-based diet?
An animal-based diet is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a diet composed mostly of animal products. Meat, seafood, and dairy. It’s a high protein low-carb diet that best mimics the lifestyles of our Paleolithic ancestors, the hunter-gatherer societies.
From very strict carnivore which excludes all vegetables from your diet and very few fruits, to keto, which has a higher carbohydrate allotment, to a whole foods mean-based diet which would include some whole grains and natural sweeteners in a limited capacity, whatever variation you decide on, there are many benefits you can enjoy with an animal-based diet.
Transitioning to this diet may take some trial and error. I went cold turkey for 90 days, and to help me and my husband make this transition, I went through and gave away all the processed foods and carb rich foods in my kitchen. It was a ritual process.
The Animal Based Diet is a Rich Source of Nutrients
There are nutrients in meats that are much harder to get in plants. These include things like iron, zinc, and B12.
Increased Muscle Mass
An animal-based diet supports the increase of muscle mass because of its high protein content. If you are a bodybuilder or a high-energy, athletic person, a diet of meat, seafood, and organ meats can provide you with a lot of creatine. The amino acids like phenylalanine and leucine that are contained in meat can help build muscle protein.
Animal-based Diets Help Build Stronger Bones and joints
An animal-based diet can help with joint pain. One of the major causes of joint pain is inflammation, which is caused by an overactive immune system. But an animal-based diet can help rid your body of the harmful toxins caused by processed foods and thus strengthen your bones and help ease your joint pain.
Animal-based Diets Reduces Inflammation
An animal-based diet can help reduce inflammation in the body by providing nutrients, including antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids.
Diets that are high in processed foods cause inflammation in the body because these foods cause the immune system’s natural defenses against infection to become hyperactive. Some common symptoms of inflammation include frequent illnesses like colds and flus, fatigue, persistent joint pain, digestive issues, moodiness and weight gain.
Mood Enhancer
Emotional and mental disorders such as depression are on the rise in the Western world, especially among women. And mental conditions like bipolar and anxiety are wreaking havoc on society.
But instead of relying on mood-stabilizing drugs, an animal-based diet can help in a variety of ways. Check out this article on how meat helps your mental health.
An animal-based diet is shown to provide mental clarity and stability as well.
Gut Health
An animal-based diet can help improve gut health and solve many digestive concerns. A high-fiber diet is often the major culprit of things like constipation, bloating, and other stomach discomfort. An animal-based diet limits fiber. It also provides essential digestive enzymes that help break down food faster.
Balancing Blood Sugar
The limited carbohydrates on an animal-based diet means the body can regulate insulin much better. This could help prevent diabetes or even make diabetes more manageable.
Carbohydrates are the main nutrients that raise blood sugar and too much of them can cause insulin resistance in your body and lead to diabetes. All carbohydrates will turn into sugar.
Some variations of the animal-based diet allow for a limited amount of carbohydrates, but moderation is the key here.
Weight Loss on an Animal-based Diet
An animal-based diet helps you lose weight in two different ways. The first is that a high protein high-fat diet can help keep you full longer. Many people combine the diet with intermittent fasting and they find it much easier to survive off of only one or two meals a day.
The other way is that protein helps you burn more calories.
Skin Care
Bone broth is high in collagen, which can help promote healthy skin. Animal foods, especially organ meat like liver, are high in vitamin A retinol. These nutrients are important in skin health, repairing skin tissue, and may protect against aging.
Hormone Balance
When you get on an animal-based diet, aside from helping with inflammation, it can help balance hormones. This can help increase fertility and reproductive health. Some of the essential nutrients found in foods like salmon, eggs, and liver include things like zinc, b vitamins, choline, and selenium.
For men, a mean-based diet can aid in testosterone production.
Environmental Benefits
It’s clear that the health benefits of eating meat are many. But an animal-based diet also offers environmental advantages.
By supporting local, pasture-raised livestock, you’re helping promote regenerative farming practices. These animals graze naturally, fertilize the soil, and reduce the need for harmful synthetic fertilizers.
Compared to large-scale grain production, which depletes soil nutrients and requires chemical pesticides, grass-fed livestock farming helps restore balance to the ecosystem. Sourcing meat locally reduces transportation emissions, cutting down your carbon footprint. It’s a win-win for your health and the planet.
Supports Local Agriculture
Following a mean based diet makes it easy to rely on your local environment. In the time before modern industries, the vast majority of people in the United States and Europe raised their own animals for food, thus they only raised what was needed for their families or their local communities.
By going back to this method, we’d eliminate the need for factory farms which are inhumane and have a much bigger impact on our environment.
Grass-fed Animals Can Repair the Soil
Local, pasture raised livestock live in a manner that is natural to them. They roam the grass, feed off the grass, and fertilize the soil.
And when you rely on locally produced meats, you reduce your carbon footprint because your food doesn’t have to be shipped from across the country.
You can also eat seasonally because meat can be frozen or cured and stored for months. It’s always in season.
What Variation is Right For You?
Do you want to do a strict carnivore or something a little less restrictive? That question is up to you.
For me personally, I do both. I do an annual 90 day strict carnivore diet, usually around January to March, and then I move into a low carb high protein seasonal whole foods diet for the rest of the year. I eat vegetables, some whole grains and natural sweeteners, but in small amounts and my diet is largely meat based.
A Small Amount of Carbs isn’t Bad
After going through all the benefits of a low-carb diet, you might wonder if carbs are really so bad.
Personally, I don’t think so. I think they are bad in the quality and quantity in which we eat them. But when consumed in moderation, carbs can provide energy. The amount you need depends on your lifestyle. But it’s important to choose the right carbs.
Choices like whole grains, natural sweeteners like honey and maple, and fruits are all excellent choices of healthy carbs. Just remember, the key is moderation! I wouldn’t recommend eating a big plate of spaghetti! But a small portion of whole wheat pasta or brown rice is fine.
How to Shop and Prepare an Animal-based Diet
If you want to learn the basics of cooking at home, check out my article on Cooking Essentials. But when looking for meat, try to find the best quality. I use D’Artagnan Foods for those hard to find cuts. There’s also Good Ranchers which is great if you want to support local farms. And check out Knotted Leaf Ranch for some delicious seasoning salts for your meat.
Conclusion
Regardless of the reasons why you may be considering an animal-based diet, as you can see, there are so many benefits. From weight loss to reducing inflammation to easing your carbon footprint.
It doesn’t matter what variation you choose to follow. If you want to be on a strict carnivore with no carbs or follow an animal-based whole foods diet, this diet can be seen as more than a new diet craze. It can be a new, healthy lifestyle.
Does a carnivore diet sound like something you’d try? What variations of this animal-based lifestyle would you implement into your lifestyle? Let me know in the comments.
And check out my article on cooking essentials.
