Carnivore-ish Diet Basics

While a carnivore diet focuses on animal products and excludes plants and carbohydrates completely, a carnivore-ish diet focuses on animal products and includes a few other low-sugar options. In both versions, nutrients come mainly from protein and fat.

Choose whole foods (minimally processed or unprocessed foods)
Focus on animal products
Choose red meat, butter, eggs and some organ meats above all else
Think nutrient dense
Buy local, grass-fed animal products where possible

Eliminate processed foods
Avoid alcohol
Cut out sweet fruits
Steer clear of grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables
Avoid sodas/pop/fizzy drinks
Be mindful of hidden sugars

Include bone broth
Include unpasturised fermented foods
Drink water to avoid constipation when started out on a meat-heavy diet
Consider intermittent fasting for health benefits

What is a Carnivore-ish Diet?

A carnivore-ish diet, also described as ketovore, keto carnivore, modified carnivore, meat-heavy keto, semi-carnivore (and probably a hundred more names!) is a little more relaxed than a full-on carnivore or all-meat, zero-carb diet, though both are not set in stone and can be easily adapted.

Where a carnivore diet is an elimination diet that avoids foods that cause inflammation (for example The Lion Diet) a carnivore-ish diet focuses on meat and other animal products but includes a few low-sugar fruits, low-starch vegetables, spices, herbs and perhaps some nuts and seeds.

Why EAT an animal-based diet?

An excellent article about the basics of the carnivore diet by Ruled Me offers this simple explanation:

“Plants are not optimal for human health because they contain compounds designed to harm animals.” While plants, “contain compounds that can provoke nutrient deficiencies and immune reactions,” meat is not toxic to the human body (even though the animals we eat tend to eat plants). “Instead, you get highly bioavailable micronutrients, healthy fats, and complete proteins without excess carbs.”

That said, people who are not healing a condition can be fairly lenient. A sensible idea, to figure out what works best for you, is to start with a strict carnivore diet, then add in more foods and see how they affect you. That way you’ll find what works best for you on a short- and long-term basis. Whatever you choose, animal-based is super healthy!

What about dairy on a carnivore-ish diet?

Many proponents of a carnivore diet recommend limiting dairy foods. Only products that are low in lactose (milk sugar) such as butter and hard cheeses are recommended – but even then in small amounts. Lots of people, especially those trying to heal autoimmune conditions, reduce inflammation, improve chronic digestive issues and lose weight fast, find that eliminating dairy foods is highly beneficial.

On a carnivore-ish diet, dairy products are quite acceptable but I’d recommend sticking to heavy or extra thick cream, hard cheeses and grass-fed butter. I find that too much cream affects my weight loss but I don’t seem to be affected by the amount of butter I consume.

What about grass fed and grass finished meat?

Personally I think: just eat the best quality meat you can find and afford.

For me, it’s more about avoiding sugars, additives, pesticides and processed foods than fanaticising about whether or not my meat is from grass-fed, grass-finished animals.

That said, I tend to buy butcher meat 90% of the time, as opposed to supermarket products, because it looks and tastes way better. I feel better after eating it, compared to supermarket meat, though we know of a couple of supermarkets that have a decent meat counter, offer local produce and their meat is excellent. If I’m in a supermarket I’ll only get meat from the counter (as opposed to pre-packaged meats) because you see them cut it fresh.