Carnivore Diet Macros, Food Lists & Meal Plans
Need to Know:
The carnivore diet is an eating plan that emphasizes animal products such as meat and (limited) dairy, with very low or no intake of fruits, vegetables, or other plant-based foods.
The carnivore diet is high in fat and protein and very low in carbohydrates.
While many people use the carnivore diet for weight loss and improved health, scientific studies supporting its effectiveness are lacking
The carnivore diet is a meal plan that focuses on meat and meat-derived products. As such, carnivore diet macros are high in fat (65% to 80% of daily calories), moderate to high in protein (20% to 35%), and very low in carbs (0% to 10%). Proponents include social media fitness influencers and others who seek a meal plan that will help them gain muscle and improve fitness performance. Some people also believe it will improve health and help them lose weight.
What Is the Carnivore Diet?
As the name suggests, this diet plan is designed for meat-eaters. Its origins date back to the 1800s when various health experts proposed a meat-only diet for the treatment of diabetes and to support general health. More recently, a physician named Shawn Baker popularized the diet with his book and website detailing the meal plan. While Baker has a devoted fan base, his medical credentials have come under question, causing him to lose his medical license (although he subsequently regained privileges with limitations).
The diet is often compared to the Paleo diet, which is based on the food habits of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. But on that plan, some fruits and vegetables are consumed. On the carnivore diet, you eat only animal-based food, foods derived from animals (like dairy), and seafood. Plant-based foods are not consumed on the diet, except for coffee and tea.
As you might expect, the diet—which is often described as “extreme”—is not well accepted by the medical community or by traditional nutrition organizations. As plant-based diets continue to gain wider acceptance as the best way to promote heart health, this meat-only diet has come under scrutiny. But its popularity continues to grow.
What Foods Do You Eat on the Carnivore Diet?
Foods to consume:
Animal-based fats (butter, bacon fat, duck fat, or tallow)
Eggs
Fish
Full-fat dairy products
Meat, including poultry and game
Organ meats
Foods to avoid:
Candy or other sweets
Fruit and fruit juice
Grains or grain-based foods (baked goods, bread, pasta, whole grains)
Legumes (beans, chickpeas, peanuts, lentils)
Nuts and seeds
Oils, especially plant-based oils
Processed meats
Vegetables, including root vegetables
Beverages recommended on the diet include water, coffee (no sugar or sweeteners), and tea. Some alcohol is allowed in moderation. Some carnivore diet websites advise that “an occasional glass of dry wine is permissible, as is an occasional scotch, whiskey, vodka, or tequila.”
Also, it should be noted that recipes may include some limited plant-based foods, such as mushrooms or herbs for flavoring. However, these will only contribute minimal carbohydrates to your meal plan.
Tracking Macros on a Carnivore Diet
There are no specific recommended or assigned macros on the carnivore diet. In fact, Baker even suggests that you don’t worry about macros at all, but focus on food choices instead. You also don’t need to count calories on this diet plan.
Protein and Fat
Even though it is not required, some fans of the diet still track macros on the carnivore diet. There are no prescribed macro ratios for the carnivore diet, but estimates suggest you are likely to consume 65% to 80% of your calories from fat, 20% to 35% of your calories from protein, and 0% to 10% of your calories from carbs.
Compared to recommended dietary guidelines, this eating plan is very high in fat and protein. Authors of one study say that the macronutrient ratio of the carnivore diet is similar to that of a traditional keto or Atkins diet, which are both high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbs.(1)
Carbohydrates
Some sources advise that you consume as close to zero carbs as possible. However, other sources suggest that you may consume up to 10% of your calories from carbs.
Carbohydrates on the carnivore diet come primarily from dairy. Dairy foods contain lactose, a form of sugar. So, you are advised to seek out dairy products with as little lactose as possible, such as heavy cream, butter, and hard cheeses. Keeping your carb intake lower helps to get and keep your body in a state of ketosis, where your body uses fat for fuel instead of glucose (sugar).
Because the carb intake is so low, the carnivore diet does not meet the recommendations provided by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), which suggest adults consume 20-35% of calories from fat, 45-65% of calories from carbohydrates, and 10-35% of calories from protein. (2)
Can I Modify the Macros?
As with any eating plan, you are in control of what you eat. By listening to your body, you can tailor your food intake to your lifestyle and your own nutritional needs. While you might not consume a traditional carnivore diet, you can still consume a meat-forward food plan with more balanced macros.
In Macro Diet for Dummies, you learn how to calculate the best macros for you, whether you choose a carnivore diet or any other plan. But you can also use a macro calculator to calculate optimal ratios for the carnivore diet. There are specific protein intake recommendations, for example, for people trying to lose fat or build muscle. If you have a specific goal in mind, it may be helpful to use a macro calculator for the carnivore diet because a calculator can help you determine specific calorie targets and macronutrient ratios.
👉 Macro Calculator for a Carnivore Diet: Get Personalized Numbers Instantly 👈
Using the calculator doesn’t mean you have to track your animal-based diet macros daily. But it may be helpful to know your numbers and occasionally check your intake of macros to see how they stack up.
What Is a Typical Carnivore Diet Meal Plan?
To compile a few days’ worth of carnivore diet meal plans, recipes from the carnivore diet website were run through a nutrition calculator to calculate macros and calories. You’ll see nutrition facts for each meal below to show how your carnivore diet macros might look.
Day One
Breakfast - Carnivore casserole with ground beef: 520 calories, 43g fat, 1.7g carbs, 30g protein (74% fat, 1.3% carbs, 23% protein)
Lunch - Lamb with anchovy aioli: 757 calories, 64g fat, 1.4g carbs, 46g protein (76% fat, <1% carbs, 24% protein)
Dinner - Glazed pork and bacon burgers: 576 calories, 46g fat, 5.8g carbs, 34g protein (71% fat, 4% carbs, 23% protein)
Totals: 1853 calories, 153g fat (74%), 35g carbs (1.9%), 110g protein (23%)
Day Two
Breakfast - Beef waffles (1/2 recipe): 466 calories, 34g fat, 0.9g carbs, 35g protein
Lunch - Braised oxtail soup: 349 calories, 23g fat, 2.4g carbs, 32g protein
Dinner - Easy braised beef shanks (1/2 recipe): 401 calories, 14g fat, 1.6g carbs, 66g protein
Totals: 1216 calories, 71g fat (52%), 19.6g carbs (1.6%), 133g protein (43%)
Day Three
Breakfast - Carnivore egg-in-a-hole (1/2 recipe): 568 calories, 46g fat, 0.4g carbs, 36g protein
Lunch - Organ meat pie: 475 calories, 32g fat, 3.2g carbs, 41g protein
Dinner - Cheeseburger casserole (1/2 recipe): 638 calories, 48g fat, 2.9g carbs, 45g protein
Totals: 1681 calories, 126g fat (67% fat), 6.5g carbs (1.5%), 122g protein (29%)
Keep in mind that with each of these meal plans, nutrition information is listed for meals only (no snacks), and serving sizes from the recipes are used as guides. The calorie and macro totals you see listed are relatively low and might be implemented if you are using the carnivore diet for weight loss. If your goal is weight gain, your food portions will be substantially larger. You are also likely to consume some snacks throughout the day. So your numbers could easily be higher than those listed above.
Pros and Cons of the Carnivore Diet
Fans of this diet, including Shawn Baker, promote the diet’s health benefits, including diabetes and blood sugar control, weight loss, improved cardiovascular health, better autoimmune health, improved mental health, and more. However, scientific studies supporting these benefits are lacking.
Pros
Easy to follow. This diet would be easy to follow due to its simplicity. Calorie counting and macro tracking is not required, you just simply have to eat meat….lots of meat.
Great for building muscle. The diet is high in protein—a benefit for those trying to build muscle. And if you have extensive food allergies, this may be a better meal plan for you to follow since most allergies are to plant-based foods.
Foods are widely available. Since you’re eating almost all meat, you can easily find foods to enjoy at the grocery store, in restaurants, and (most likely) in most social settings. The program does not require any hard-to-find foods and does not require a subscription to a delivery food plan.
Cons
Scientific evidence is lacking. A 2021 survey-based report published in Current Developments in Nutrition backed some of the health claims, but the report was widely criticized because the data were inherently biased and the self-reported data had no system of independent checks. (1)(3) Other research, including a 2023 study published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, reported that the diet may increase cardiovascular oxidative stress and inflammation, which are independently tied to the development of cardiovascular disease.(4)
May lack nutrients. In addition to the lack of scientific support, many nutrition experts question the diet simply because it lacks important nutrients that are primarily derived from plant foods, like fiber, vitamins, and some minerals. Also, the foods lack diversity, which may make the meal plan hard to stick to.
Can be expensive. Meat products are costly. Some people may find the expense of this eating plan to be an eliminating factor.
If you are considering the carnivore diet, speak to your healthcare provider to see how eating animal-based foods might affect your current health. And remember that the best diet for you is one you can stick to. So, evaluate the sustainability of this or any diet you are thinking about adopting to make sure it is a good fit for the long term.
Sources:
Lennerz BS, Mey JT, Henn OH, Ludwig DS. Behavioral characteristics and self-reported health status among 2029 adults consuming a “carnivore diet.” Current Developments in Nutrition. 2021;5(12):nzab133. doi:10.1093/cdn/nzab133
Kirwan R, Mallett GS, Ellis L, Flanagan A. Limitations of self-reported health status and metabolic markers among adults consuming a “carnivore diet.” Current Developments in Nutrition. 2022;6(5):nzac037. doi:10.1093/cdn/nzac037
Najjar RS. The impacts of animal-based diets in cardiovascular disease development: a cellular and physiological overview. JCDD. 2023;10(7):282. doi:10.3390/jcdd10070282