Carnivore Diet Foods: What to Eat, What to Watch, and How to Make It Work

In a recent conversation with Dr. Shawn Baker, we unpacked what people actually eat on a carnivore pattern and how to do it with intelligence. Below is a practical, research-informed guide that organizes the essentials into a clear process and set of solutions, then points to testing and tools if you choose to personalize further.

What the Carnivore Diet Is (and Isn’t)

The carnivore diet centers on animal foods: ruminant meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, and animal fats. In its strict form it excludes plants entirely (fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes). A large 2021 survey of 2,029 long-term carnivore adherents reported high satisfaction with improvements in weight, energy, and many symptoms, while noting variable lipid responses and the need for more long-term data Lennerz et al., 2021 (PubMed).

Potential Benefits People Seek

Reduced carbohydrate load can lower appetite and triglycerides and improve glycemic control in many individuals, especially when ketogenic or very-low-carb thresholds are reached Paoli, 2023; Yuan, 2020; Dong, 2020. Some report remission of GI or autoimmune symptoms on elimination-style approaches; the 2021 carnivore survey reflected this pattern, though randomized trials are limited Lennerz et al., 2021.

Considerations & Risk Management

Lipids can rise in some individuals on low-carb/high-fat diets; LDL-C responses are heterogeneous and may increase, while HDL typically rises and triglycerides fall. Monitor, personalize fats (favoring monounsaturated where appropriate), and adjust if needed Landry, 2021; Hagström, 2025. Micronutrient coverage depends on food selection; analyses of carnivore templates show some versions can meet many nutrient needs, while others may fall short without strategic inclusion of seafood, eggs, and organ meats Goedeke, 2024. Vitamin C deficiency is rare with thoughtful animal-food choices but is biologically possible with overly restrictive patterns; know the signs and plan intake accordingly StatPearls, 2023.

Your Process: How to Do Carnivore Intelligently

Start with a simple ruminant-forward base for 2–4 weeks, then add seafood and eggs to diversify nutrients. Run baseline and follow-up labs to check weight, glucose/insulin, triglycerides, HDL/LDL, and hs-CRP. If LDL-C increases markedly, adjust fat sources (more olive-oil-finished cuts, more seafood, fewer rendered saturated fats) and re-check. Use our nutritional testing to personalize and track changes.

Core Foods (Animal-Only)

Beef and lamb cuts such as ribeye, New York strip, T-bone, porterhouse, skirt, tri-tip, brisket, short ribs, chuck roast, filet, tenderloin, flank, and round roasts. Poultry choices including rotisserie chicken, thighs, drumsticks, wings, and breast. Pork options including shoulder, butt, chops, ribs, and belly. Seafood rotation including salmon, trout, mackerel, shrimp, lobster, scallops, clams, oysters, mussels, and crab. Organ options such as liver, heart, tongue, cheeks, oxtail, kidneys, and bone marrow for micronutrient density. Cook primarily with tallow, ghee, butter, duck fat, or beef drippings; if dairy stalls progress, rotate it out for a period.

Cooking & Budget Tips

Use grill, cast-iron sear, oven roast, slow cooker, pressure cooker, sous-vide, or an air fryer for convenience. Add fat to lean cuts for satiety and flavor. On a budget, choose burger patties, roasts, and bone-in cuts over premium steaks. When eating out, go à la carte: order steaks, burger patties, ribs, rotisserie chicken, barbecue meats, or simply grilled fish; request no flour, sugar, or seed-oil sauces.

Traveling While Carnivore

Most cities have workable options: burger chains for patties, barbecue for brisket or pulled pork, Mediterranean for kabobs, and Mexican for carne asada or carnitas (skip tortillas and sauces). A compact sous-vide stick plus a cooler can turn travel into reliable steak nights without smoke.

Protein Targets for Training

Athletes generally benefit from distributing 0.25–0.40 g of high-quality protein per kg per meal, every 3–4 hours; total daily intake of roughly 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day is well-supported for active individuals ISSN Protein Stand, 2017; Kerksick et al., 2017. On carnivore, this is easy to achieve with ruminant meats plus seafood.

When to Integrate Products

If you are strict animal-only, stay with whole foods. If you are animal-forward but flexible, you can use targeted tools around training or travel. For example, during heavy training blocks some athletes prefer a neutral-ingredient protein to hit per-meal targets without overeating fat at odd hours; that is where PureClean Protein can fit as a pragmatic bridge while you keep the core of your diet animal-based. For lab personalization and terrain monitoring on any specialized diet, see our testing options.

Next Step

Listen to the discussion, define your two-week baseline menu, run your baseline labs, and review your lipid and symptom response at week four. If outcomes are strong and markers favorable, proceed; if not, adjust fat types and meal timing, or transition to an animal-forward template with targeted carbs as needed. To work 1:1 on personalization, start here: Work with Dr. Cohen. For general background on carnivore foods and sample plans, Dr. Baker’s site is a useful resource: Food List & Meal Plan.

Explore more from Dr. Cohen: Ask Dr. Cohen Blog Series

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