Diet Basics & Concerns

A carnivorous diet is one in which the vast majority of calories - if not all - come from the animal kingdom. Many of our ancestors have eaten such a diet. Carnivores are sleek, lean animals. Many people approach this way of eating with the hopes of becoming sleek, lean animals themselves. And that is just fine, but remember that good health means adequate nutrition, not just a quick fix weight loss plan.

Why not just eat a Paleolithic-style diet as recommended in some popular diet books?

A paleo diet is certainly a move in the right direction and the last step before turning down the pure carnivore path. However, the paleo diet is heavily focused on the consumption of fruits and vegetables on a year round basis. The immediate availability of fruits and vegetables, in the quantity and quality we are offered each day at our supermarkets, was not "enjoyed" by our ancestors, and thus is not considered to be the evolutionary foundation of a healthy body at Dirty Carnivore. Animal fat and protein was the nutritional mainstay of our ancestors. If they happened upon a thicket of berries, no doubt they partook but the core of their diet was animal flesh and animal fat. Period.

Aren't fruits and vegetables health-promoting foods?

You be the judge. It is true that very low carb plant foods do contain some of the nutrients that may be difficult to obtain on a pure carnivorous diet. However, antinutrients, goitrogens, alkaloids and other compounds found in plant foods can evoke an immune response in human bodies. This should come as no surprise since plants, as living things, create natural barriers (thorns, poisonous exteriors, bitter husks, etc) in an effort to render null their palatability to animals, thus bolstering its chance at survival. Additionally of interest with regard to fruit, doctors have begun to warn of the deleterious effects of fructose on our metabolic system. While a small percentage of these foods may be tolerated by most, it is the nutrient dense animal foods which are the foundation of a healthy, carnivorous diet.

What do we eat?

Let's look to the wisdom of successful hunter-gatherer groups. Dr. Weston A. Price was able to examine many native cultures, untouched by modern industrial foods. The groups he visited had fine physical features and an absence of dental caries. Those groups living on a traditional, carnivorous diet had especially noteworthy good health. They ate a wide variety of land and marine mammals, making full use of organs, bones and fat. In fact, one of the most notable observations that Price found throughout all of the groups he studied (which did include groups engaging in some agriculture) is that they went to great lengths to obtain foods from the sea. Furthermore, Vilhjalmur Stefansson, who spent many years with the Arctic Indians, found that these people preferred the older animals because they had a larger layer of fat along the back than the younger ones. A successful carnivorous diet must be one that is high in fat.

When approaching a carnivous eating plan, consider eating the widest variety of animal foods possible, including occasional consumption of organ meats such as liver, tongue, heart and others. Bone stocks are also recommended. Of course, individuals do have their preferences. This way of eating can be a well-balanced plan that can be health-promoting throughout an entire lifetime. That is the true test of a healthy diet.

Finally, we consider whether to eat foods cooked, raw, or both. Besides personal preference, we can again look to culinary tradition. Raw and cured meats have been with us for ages. Cultures around the globe enjoy a portion of animal foods in the raw state. That may seem unusual in our mordern, germ phobic world, but it is true. It is also true that bacteria and parasites might be present in some sources of these types of foods. Local, grassfed sources of meat and wild fish are preferrable to mass-produced grocery market varieties for the simple fact that the smaller producer raising according to nature, whereas feedlot sources may contain meat from hundreds of animals. Furthermore, according to the FDA website, "...most parasites are relatively easy to destroy by holding the raw material or finished product at freezing temperatures for a specified period of time; of course, this is dependent upon the internal temperature of the material." It is up to the individual to research and approach such foods within his or her own comfort level. Also, please see the Testimonials section for individual stories on preference for raw or cooked.

 

What About Eggs & Dairy?

eggs

Eggs are an excellent source of inexpensive nutrition. They contain ample protein, healthy fats, as well as several other micronutrients. Traditionally, eggs are a seasonal food source, as birds do not lay them year round in nature. Eggs are also known to cause allergic reaction to some people, and thus, it makes sense to take a break from them periodically, if you do consume them.

dairy

Dairy is a highly complex subject. How it can fit into the life of a human carnivore, if at all, is a highly individual matter. On the one hand, it is an animal food. On the other hand it is a product of the Agricultural Revolution. Furthermore, intolerance to the milk sugar lactose is wide spread. Casein, like gluten, produces opioid compounds in humans and can also be a problem. Let's look at these issues one by one.

Milk is the mammary secretion designed to feed infants of the class Mammalia. It has a moderate carbohydrate percentage, which varies depending upon the species from which it comes. Usually juveniles are weaned and eventually lose the enzymes to digest milk proteins and lactose, unless milk foods are continually consumed.

Fermented milk products such as kefir, yogurt and cheese are the result of yeast and, in some cases, bacterial fermentation. These microbes eat the sugars to varying degrees, so these products have lower carbohydrate contents, cheese being the lowest in this regard. Cheese is produced by separating the curds of casein from the whey of the liquid, and thus has a concentrated casein content.

Butter is produced by churning the milk fat cream. Both butter and cream may be better tolerated than some of the other dairy products. They are both very low in carbohydrates, however, both contain some casein. Ghee is butter which has been clarified by heat to separate out any remaining milk solids. It is casein free.