Diet fads come and go rather quickly but the ketogenic diet has stuck around for an unusually long time. Some people swear by it and say that it’s the only diet that has worked for them.

However, a new diet trend called the carnivore diet has emerged as a possible successor to the keto diet. In the end, the diet that works for you is likely to be the one that you can sustain.

But there are some similarities between the keto and the carnivore diet which has made many people wonder about the efficacy of both.

For instance, both diets may help you lose weight, and speed up your metabolism, and the keto diet may actually help promote better cognitive function. On the other hand, the carnivore diet may make it easier to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

So in the following article, we will break down each diet, how they are similar, how they differ, and which one may be best for you.

Key Takeaways

  • The keto diet emphasizes incorporating healthy fats into your diet and limiting your intake of carbs to help the body achieve a state of ketosis
  • The carnivore diet is more extreme in its carb limitations and stipulates that your meals consist primarily of animal nutrients like meat and eggs
  • Both diets may result in rapid weight loss but each has its own unique health benefits and drawbacks
  • The right diet for you will be the one your doctor recommends and one that you can maintain.

What is the Keto Diet?

The ketogenic diet is one that is intended to initiate a state of ketosis in the user’s body. Ketosis is a state in which the body switches from burning carbs for physical energy to burning fat.

Proponents of the ketogenic diet state that this method is more effective for weight loss[1] and body composition improvement. The keto diet also aims to increase your metabolic rate so that your body burns more calories when you are resting and when you’re active.

The tenets of the ketogenic diet include high-fat foods, moderate protein intake, and limited carbohydrates. Some of the most common types of keto-friendly foods include meat, fish, eggs, nuts, dairy products, seeds, low-carb vegetables, and healthy oils like coconut, sunflower, and avocado oil.

What is the Carnivore Diet?

So is the keto and carnivore diet the same? Not quite. The carnivore diet is generally more restrictive on carbs than the keto diet. It entails eating mostly meat and animal food products like eggs and dairy.

For example, an allowable carnivore diet meal may include beef, chicken, pork, fish, eggs, and/or dairy products. What you aren’t likely to see in the carnivore diet are fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

As you can probably tell, the carnivore diet is not big on plant-based nutrients. However, it is similar to the keto diet in the sense that almost all carbohydrates are eliminated.

Health Benefits of the Keto Diet

Of course, the main benefit of the keto diet is accelerated weight loss. However, there are some peripheral health benefits. For instance, the keto diet may help to bring your blood sugar levels[2] to within the normal range.

Some dieters may also experience less inflammation[3] in the gut as a result of following the ketogenic diet. There have also been some proponents of the keto diet who say that it provides a boost in physical energy.

Lastly, there is also the possibility that the keto diet will ensure a healthy amount of glucose in the brain which may have a positive impact on cognitive performance and mental clarity.

Health Benefits of the Carnivore Diet

Like the keto diet, the main goal of the carnivore diet is to help the user lose weight. By limiting carbs, the carnivore diet may help you shed actual body weight instead of burning empty calories.

The carnivore diet may also be helpful in improving gut health by helping the gut microbiota[4] regulate beneficial bacteria. Some users have also reported lessened food sensitivities as a result of following the carnivore diet.

A diet high in protein may also benefit the brain by enhancing mental clarity and mood. Such a diet may protect key neurons that affect your outlook and allow you to concentrate more intently.

While the carnivore diet has loosely been linked to reduced risk of certain chronic conditions, more research is needed on the subject.

Potential Drawbacks of the Keto Diet and Carnivore Diet

Now that we know about the potential health benefits of both diets, it’s time to look at the potential downsides:

  • Nutrient Deficiencies – Both the keto and carnivore diets can limit your fiber intake which may lead to cause constipation and other digestive issues. They may also keep you from getting key minerals and vitamins.
  • Keto Flu – The Ketogenic diet has also been known to cause a condition called “keto flu.”[5]Symptoms of keto flu may include irritability, headache, brain fog, fatigue, and others.
  • Kidney Stress – The carnivore and keto diets may also cause your kidneys to work harder especially if you have pre-existing kidney conditions.
  • Social Challenges – You may find it difficult to dine with friends while following the keto or carnivore diet because of the food restrictions. Some restaurants may simply not have keto and carnivore-friendly options which may limit your social options.
  • Sustainability – Some people have found both the carnivore and keto diets to be hard to maintain because of the carb restrictions.

Similarities Between the Keto Diet and the Carnivore Diet

You may be wondering, ‘Which is better, keto or carnivore?’ To answer that question for yourself, it may be helpful to look at some of the ways in which these two diets mirror each other:

  • Regulated Blood Glucose – Both the keto and carnivore diets are upheld as effective meal plans for maintaining normal fasting glucose levels [6].
  • Both Can Be Challenging – Identifying which foods contain carbs and eliminating them from your diet can be very difficult for both the keto and carnivore diet.
  • Carb Restrictions – In both diets, you will be advised to avoid foods that contain bread, flour, and some refined sugars.
  • Fat Burning – For both diets, the goal is to burn fat for physical energy rather than burning carbs. In this sense, the carnivore diet is simply a more extreme variant of the keto diet.

Keto Diet Vs Carnivore: The Differences

So which is better for weight loss, keto or carnivore? To help you answer this question, it may be helpful to take a look at how the two diets diverge from one another:

  1. Ketosis – The carnivore diet is not concerned with ushering your body into the metabolic state of ketosis[7] the way the keto diet is. Rather, the primary goal is to eliminate plant-based nutrients from your diet so the carnivore diet may have less of an impact on your metabolic rate.
  2. Macronutrient Guidelines – With the keto diet, you are encouraged to track certain macronutrients to help you maintain a state of ketosis. On the other hand, there are no specific macronutrient guidelines for the carnivore diet.
  3. No Vegetables – There are plenty of keto-friendly vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini, and celery. The carnivore diet does not include any vegetables.

Keto Diet Vs Carnivore Diet: Which Should You Choose?

In the end, the right diet for you will come down to medical consultation, your lifestyle choices, and your health goals. For example, if you are looking for a way to take firmer control over your blood sugar levels, the carnivore diet may be more beneficial because it is very high in protein and does not include foods that are known to cause blood sugar spikes.

On the other hand, if you would do better with a diet that offers more variety, you may find that the ketogenic diet is more sustainable.

Also, keep in mind that the carnivore diet is relatively new and more restrictive than the keto diet. So you may find fewer carnivore-friendly options when you dine out.

You should also talk with your healthcare provider about any medications you are on or pre-existing health conditions as they may limit the type of keto diet you can safely employ.

Conclusion

The argument of keto vs carnivore results has a lot to do with the health status of the individual, their personal health goals, and their level of commitment. Both diets may be effective for weight loss, but much will depend on how sustainable they are for your lifestyle.

So the carnivore diet vs keto debate still rages on. But you can choose the right one by consulting with your doctor, being realistic about your weight loss goals, carefully considering which food restrictions you can live with, and trying supplements that may make these diets easier to manage.