Who Started The Carnivore Diet?

The carnivore diet started because of the controversial belief that our ancestors ate mostly meat and fish. It means that it was our ancestors who created this diet out of necessity. But who started the carnivore diet in the 21st century?

Let’s find out here.

Who Started the Carnivore Diet?

The more proper question is who popularized this diet in today’s society? It was Shawn Baker who made this diet popular again. Shawn is a former American orthopedic doctor.

He said that there’s proof this diet could treat depression, obesity, and more.

Unfortunately, there’s no scientific proof or study that analyzed its effects on the body.

Read: Can you have a cheat on the carnivore diet?

When Did the Carnivore Diet Start?

This diet started millions of years ago. But it has been popularized today by Shawn Baker. This is a low-carb diet that involves eating just fish, eggs, and meat.

Depending on the kind of carnivore diet you follow, you can include just animal meat or you may choose to have dairy products too.

The proponents of this diet recommend eating fatty meat to ensure you reach your daily calorie needs or energy requirements.

Although it encourages eating meat, and drinking water and bone broth, it doesn’t allow drinking tea and other drinks made from plants.

However, some people still include coffee but without sugar.

There’s no specific guideline about calorie intake. There are also no serving sizes and a number of meals you can eat a day.

However, if you’re following this diet to lose weight, make sure that you only eat the recommended calorie intake.

Why Was the Carnivore Diet Created?

It was created because of the belief that eating carbs is the main cause of chronic diseases today.

Carbs are not created equal, though. You can find good carbs that contain a lot of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The best carbs you can eat are the ones that didn’t undergo processing. These would include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Simple carbs are your enemies. These are the sugary candies, cakes, and others that are full of preservatives, four, and white sugar. They are known to cause inflammation. These types of carbs are known to contribute to many chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

Thus, cutting these simple carbs out will cause significant weight loss.

Read: Can a carnivore diet cause high blood pressure?

Is Carnivore Diet Backed by Science?

Sadly, there are no scientific studies that can confirm its health benefits. However, many followers reported that they have fewer digestive systems. This study showed that cutting out fiber could resolve constipation and other digestive problems.

There are also followers of this diet who reported that it could improve the ratio of good to bad cholesterol. As a result, it lowers inflammation while promoting a healthier heart.

This study showed that eating high-fat, low-carb food could improve blood lipid levels while reducing systemic inflammation.

Carnivore dieters also claimed that their testosterone levels are maintained at an acceptable level, instead of dropping because of age.

In this study, researchers evaluate the effects of eating high-fat and low-carb food on their testosterone levels. The researchers found that there was an increase in these hormone levels for young men.

Is Carnivore Diet Actually Healthy?

Again, there’s no scientific proof that could confirm how healthy this diet is. However, there are several proponents of this diet who claimed that this diet has reduced their inflammation. It also ended their psoriasis, etc. You can find more about it in this video.

Joe Rogan also tried it for a month. It might have contributed to the popularity of the carnivore diet. After completing this diet, he said that he experienced fewer daily aches. His energy has also improved. Because of the positive results, he has tried different variations of this diet with some modifications.

Proponents of this diet also experienced significant weight loss. This is expected considering that this diet is high in protein while low in carbs. Several studies showed that having a low-carb, high-protein diet could promote weight loss.

In that case, if you follow this diet, you are likely to feel fuller. You’ll also eat fewer calories overall, in the short term.

But because of the lack of medical research, its long-term health effects are not known. There’s little evidence to support the claims.

Most of the studies are from a low-carb and high-protein diet. But this carnivore diet aims to zero-in carbs and boost protein.

These studies are not enough to understand the benefits of this diet over time. There’s not enough research to confirm how healthy this diet is.

It ignores years of research about the benefits of bacteria in the gut that help in breaking down foods. Because it doesn’t promote high-fiber food, your gut bacteria might go down in number resulting in a lot of health issues.

However, if you wish to follow this diet, you can still eat high-fiber food. But make sure to avoid those simple carbs.

Or you may try following for a week and see how it goes. If you have a problem with your gut, it may help calm your gut because some plant foods can actually disrupt the gut. For instance, fiber-rich food can actually lead to gas and bloating.

Then, if you eat potatoes, eggplants, and plant foods that contain lectins, they may cause stomach upset. Lectins are proteins that are known to upset the stomach.

When you eliminate plant-based foods, you may experience fewer gastrointestinal issues.

Some proponents also experienced decreased inflammation. The reason for this is that sugar can trigger it. When you eliminate sugar and other inflammatory vegetables, you may find yourself experiencing fewer inflammation issues.

Then again, it’s not a good thing to follow this diet by eating a lot of processed meats, such as deli meats. You should also avoid non-organic red meats.

Read: Can the carnivore diet cure cancer?

Should You Try This Diet?

As always, if you wish to try a new diet, it’s best that you consult your physician to know whether or not it’s safe for you. This is especially true if you suffer from a chronic medical condition.