Obese man silhouette made with lots of refined white powdered sugar. Visual metaphor indicating the harmful effects of sugar on the human body.
Liam McAuliffe

The Effects of Sugar on the Body

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Sugar has become omnipresent in the standard Western diet. It lurks in various forms in nearly everything we consume, from the obvious pastries and sweets to the hidden sugars in processed foods, and even fresh fruits and vegetables. Over the years, our consumption of sugar has skyrocketed to nearly 250 grams of carbohydrates a day. With 82 grams directly from added sugars, and most of the rest coming from grains, [3] In this article, we’ll explore the effects of all this sugar on the body. Here’s a hint, it isn’t pretty!

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Sugar Causes Inflammation Throughout the Body

You’ve probably heard of inflammation. In fact, inflammatory diseases are an epidemic of modern civilization. 

Across the globe, 3 out of 5 people die from chronic inflammatory diseases such as stroke, respiratory diseases, heart disorders, various cancers, and diabetes. With many millions more suffering from inflammatory diseases, including 2  

  • IBS
  • Alzheimer’s
  • Arthritis
  • Osteoporosis
  • Parkinson’s
  • PCOS

In short durations, inflammation is an important immune response. But when our bodies are constantly subjected to modern lifestyle factors, the body is always under attack. In reponse, the inflammatory response never turns off, and this mechanism that is supposed to protect and heal begins to damage healthy tissue. 

Added sugars, and high carbohydrate foods in general, have been routinely found to cause oxidative stress that results in chronic systemic inflammation. 

Most people are not aware that our modern bodies preserve the metabolic systems that our ancestors evolved over millions of years as hunter-gatherers who relied on low-carb, high-fat diets of mostly meat.[4][ 5]  

The modern diet, based on cultivated grains and added sugars, marks an extreme metabolic departure from the food we’re designed to thrive on. It’s no surprise that sugar affects the body by promoting inflammation in various ways: 

  • Glycation: sugar molecules bind to cells, DNA, RNA, and proteins in ways that cause cellular damage. Wrinkles and skin aging is a result of glycation 

diagram of glycation from carbohydrate molecule

  • Damages the glycocalyx: The glycocalyx is a delicate membrane that coats and protects every cell in the body. A healthy glycocalyx is responsible for regulating important functions, including cardiovascular health and immune system response.

detail of Glycocalyx

  • Dysregulates intestinal microbiome: Sugar feeds harmful gut bacteria and reduces protective bacteria, which can cause gaps in the intestinal lining. Pathogens can then leach into the bloodstream, where they are deposited throughout the body, triggering widespread and chronic inflammation. 

Leaky gut Syndrome concept. Comparison of healthy organ and inflamed tissue cells. Diseases of gastrointestinal tract. Toxins and viruses. Cartoon flat vector illustration isolated on white background

Numerous studies find that inflammation is one of the effects of sugar on the body. [20] [21

A 2021 study comparing the effects of high-carb vs low-carb diets on a population of overweight women revealed that the high-carb diet was associated with increased markers of inflammation. [17]

Similarly, a 2014 study on people with type 2 diabetes compared a low-carb vs. low-fat diet. Though weight loss was similar for both groups, the low-carb diet dramatically reduced inflammation.[18]

A study on the effects of low to moderately-sweetened beverages on healthy young men found that drinking only a single 375 ML soda (40 grams of sugar) each day significantly increased inflammation along with insulin resistance, LDL “bad” cholesterol, and weight gain. [19]

Effects of Sugar on Body Weight

Countless studies show that sugar is a key factor in increased rates of obesity. [57],35 36 37

And there are numerous ways that sugar contributes to excessive weight gain. 

Sugar promotes insulin sensitivity in fat cells. At the same time, sugar promotes insulin resistance in muscle cells and vital organs. [58] What this means is that sugar feeds fat cells while simultaneously starving cells in other important areas of the body. [59]

Additionally, high blood sugar levels interfere with the body’s ability to respond to the hormone leptin. Leptin is responsible for decreasing hunger cues. When you lose sensitivity to leptin, you store more calories as fat, stay hungry, and lose motivation to move your body. Essentially you’re in starvation mode even though you’ve had enough calories.12

Another way sugar drives obesity is as an ingredient in low-nutrient processed foods. Processed foods are designed to be hyper-palatable and trigger reward signals in the brain–a recipe for addiction. At the same time, processed foods are very low in nutrients. This combination of addictive stimulation and low nutrient value motivates people to overeat. 3 31

Effects of Sugar on the Heart

Research shows that the inflammation driven by sugar is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. [15] [16]

detail of clogged artery

A 2023 study published in the journal BMC Medicine found that diets high in added sugar–the kind you find in processed foods and soda, fruit, fruit juice, and syrups–increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. For every 5% increase in calories from sugar resulted in a 6% higher risk of heart disease, and a 10% increase in risk of stroke.[10]

In 2014 a study of over 30,000 participants found that those who consumed roughly twice as much sugar as those who got less than 10% of their daily calories from added sugar were 38% more likely to die from heart disease. [11]

The authors of a 2020 meta-analysis comparing high-carb and low-carb diets found that, “diets with high levels of carbohydrates, especially refined or high glycemic index carbohydrates…appear to be associated with hypertension, coronary heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and increased risk of mortality.” [12]

Many other studies have found that low-carb diets result in significantly better cardiovascular health outcomes in addition to improved weight loss and blood sugar regulation than low-fat diets that tend to be high in carbs.[13]

Effects of Sugar on the Brain 

Considering that the brain uses 20% of the body’s energy intake, it’s no surprise that getting more of your calories from sugar will have significant effects on your brain. 

  • Sugar addiction: A 2013 study by researcher David Ludwig from Harvard found that consuming simple carbohydrates activated opiate and dopamine receptors in the craving and reward center of the brain. [6]  Another 2013 study found that in animals, sugar stimulates the brain’s reward centers in a way that makes sugar more desirable than cocaine.[9]  These irresistible reward signals override self-control causing overconsumption of sugar that can result in various metabolic diseases. [11]
  • Impairs memory and cognitive ability: A 2021 study found that daily consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages during teenage years is linked to reductions in learning abilities and impaired memory in adulthood. The researchers suggest that these impairments are due to the way that sugar alters gut bacteria. [13]
  • Increases risk of neurodegenerative disease: Diabetes, caused by overconsumption of sugar, and Alzheimer’s overlap by around 80%. [17] Excessive insulin can damage the hippocampus, an area of the brain where signs of Alzheimer’s first appear. [18] Diets high in added sugar reduce the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a hormone that is critical to the creation of new neural networks, memory, and learning.5 19
  • Increases likelihood of psychological disorders: The effects of sugar impact gene expression and dopamine receptors in the brain. [26] A large-scale 2017 study have found that consuming sweet food and beverages resulted in a 23% increase in the risk of being diagnosed with common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. The study controlled for various other factors including exercise, demographics, body fat levels, diseases, and other dietary habits.

A 2022 study examining the effects of eliminating sugar and dramatically reducing all carbohydrates for psychiatric inpatients for whom standard treatments were ineffective found remarkable benefits:[27]

  • 100% of patients had significant improvements in depression, psychosis, and metabolic 
  • 96% of patients lost weight
  • 64% of patients reduced and even discontinued medication
  • 43% experienced total clinical remission

diagram summarizing benefits of ketogenic diet for bipolar

Effects of Sugar on the Liver

Because the liver is tasked with controlling how sugar is metabolized, the effects of sugar on this part of the body are profound.5

  • Fatty liver disease: Excess sugar can overwhelm the liver’s ability to metabolize it, triggering the liver to turn sugar into fat. This results in a condition called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). If sugar intake isn’t reduced, serious liver disease can occur.
  • Insulin resistance: High sugar intake causes cells to become unresponsive to insulin. The pancreas compensates by producing more insulin. Increased insulin in the blood results in liver damage and inflammation.6

How to Protect Your Body from the Effects of Sugar

Though the effects of sugar on the body are damaging and wide-ranging, there are strategies you can take to protect your body.

The Effects of Sugar on the Body: The Bottom Line

The effects of sugar on the body are various and can be profoundly detrimental. 

The human body evolved to thrive on a pre-agricultural diet of mostly fatty animal products. Sugar from wild fruits was rare, and grains had not been cultivated. The modern diet high in added sugars and simple carbohydrates results in widespread inflammation, cognitive impairment, and organ damage. 

The good news is that carbohydrates are a non-essential nutrient and can easily be substituted for healthy fats and proteins from sugar-free whole foods like fresh meat, eggs, and full-fat dairy. 

Closeup of knife slicing cutting cooked medium rare well done grilled grass-fed ribeye rib eye meat beef steak on white plate
Liam McAuliffe

The “Meat Fast” Diet Explained

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The “meat fast” or “meatox” diet has gained popularity ever since it was popularized by carnivore diet enthusiasts like psychologist Jordan Peterson, podcaster Joe Rogan, Dr. Ken Berry, and Dr. Shawn Baker.  

Though true fasting calls for periods of abstaining from food, a “meat fast” calls for eating lots of meat and abstaining from all other foods. Though it may sound extreme, the meat fast is a practice used by tens of thousands of people to reclaim their metabolic health, heal digestive issues, reduce inflammation, lose weight, stabilize energy and mood, and to support recovery from various health issues. 

In this article, we’ll explore the ins and outs of the meat fast, including how to do it, what to eat, and its potential health benefits. 

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What is A Meat Fast? 

A meat fast is a period of time, usually at least 30 days, in which you eat only meat and eliminate all other types of food. In essence, the meat fast is a carnivore elimination diet. 

Elimination diets are structured to identify food sensitivities or intolerances by removing specific foods or food groups. Eliminating all foods other than meat is aimed at pinpointing foods responsible for various symptoms such as bloating, digestive discomfort, skin issues, headaches, or fatigue.

Meat is the perfect elimination diet food because it is free from harmful plant toxins and antinutrients, carbohydrates, seed oils, sugars, grains, and artificial chemicals and additives. 

Various studies have shown that elimination diets are effective approaches to treating inflammatory bowel diseases, IBS, and numerous allergies. [1] [2] [3]  Many other studies have found that diet is a key factor in numerous conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, chronic skin ailments, and depression. [4] [5] 6 7 

Though traditional elimination diets systematically reintroduce the eliminated foods as the dieter observes for adverse reactions, most people who practice meat fasts stick with some version of animal-based or all-meat eating, and usually continue to restrict all processed foods, grains, added sugars, and seed oils. 

Dr. Paul Saladino, formerly known as the Carnivore MD, who many point to as the originator of the term “meat fast” has now reintroduced fruit and honey to an otherwise all-meat diet. Other meat fasters like Joe Rogan and Jordan Peterson have experimented with adding in some cooked leafy greens. 

In Jordan Peterson’s case, he’s continued a diet consisting of little more than fatty cuts of steak for five years and his health has never been better. 

How to Do a Meat Fast

There is no single way to do a meat fast, however, there are more or less standard approaches. 

The most popular meat fast method involves simply consuming fatty steak, salt, and water for at least 30 days. This way of eating is also called the “Lion Diet.” 

Other popular approaches to meat fasts include the beef and butter fast and the steak and eggs diet. 

There are some tried and true strategies that can help you initiate and thrive on your meat fast. Here’s a rundown; 

  • Commit to a timeframe: A meat fast entails a major habitual and metabolic change. It will take time for you body and mind to transition, adapt, and experience the full benefits. 30 days is the minimum. While 90 days is optimum for most people.
  • Remove temptations by cleaning out your fridge and pantry: Standard Western diet foods are designed to be addictive. As with overcoming any drug, you need to rely more on strategy than willpower.
  • Join a carnivore community: Meat based communities are powerful resources to learn from and stay motivated with.  
  • Get the highest quality, fattiest cuts of steak available to you: Grass-fed and pasture-raised meats will have the best fatty acid profile, but conventional meats are also a great option on a budget. In either case, choose the fattiest cuts available. Ribeye and NY strip are meat fast centerpieces.
  • Eat way more fat than you’re used to: When you cut carbs your body needs to get most of its calories from fat, not protein. A meat fast is a high-fat, moderate protein way of eating. Aim for at least a 1:1 gram of fat to protein ratio. Fat has nearly twice as many calories per gram as protein. When in doubt, add tallow to your steak. 
  • Salt your meat liberally: When you cut carbs your body flushes electrolytes. Maintain your electrolyte needs by consuming 12 grams (2 tsp) of salt for the first few days. Once adapted, continue to consume a minimum of 5 grams (about 1 tsp) of salt daily. [9]
  • Drink plenty of water: Replace the liquid your body flushes with mineral water. 

Physiological Changes During A Meat Fast

Consuming only meat requires your body to undergo significant physiological changes, including:

  • Increased stomach acidity from pH 3-5 (sufficient for metabolizing starches), to pH 1.3-2.0 needed to metabolize exclusively fat and protein. 
  • Bile upregulates in your gallbladder. Bile is essential for digesting all that extra fat. Additionally, the smooth muscle of your gallbladder gets stronger in order to process more fat. 
  • The liver increases the bile stored in its ducts to help digest more fat. 

During a transitional period that can last from 1-3 weeks, many people on a meat fast report temporary side effects like diarrhea and nausea.

Benefits of A Meat Fast

Though the meat fast hasn’t been studied in a clinical setting, thousands of carnivore dieters attest to a range of powerful benefits, including:

In 2021, the benefits of an all-meat diet took a major step toward institutional validation thanks to research out of Harvard University conducted by Dr. Belinda Lennerz and Dr. David Ludwig. 

The study surveyed the effects of consuming only meat on 2,029 people over 6 months. [5]

Though the six-month period is longer than many meat fasts, the results speak to the bevy of powerful benefits available to a meat-only approach to metabolic health. 

This is summed up in the researcher’s conclusion that, “Contrary to common expectations, adults consuming a carnivore diet experienced few adverse effects and instead reported health benefits and high satisfaction.”

Some of the highlight benefits include:

  • 93% improved or resolved obesity and excess weight
  • 93% improved hypertension
  • 98% improved conditions related to diabetes
  • 97% improved gastrointestinal symptoms
  • 96% improved psychiatric symptoms

The benefits of the meat fast diet are linked to both what you remove and what you add into your diet. 

  • Eliminates irritating and inflammatory plant foods.
  • Eliminates toxic processed foods.
  • Resets gut microbiome by removing fermentable fibers that feed harmful bacteria
  • Nourishes your body with healthy fats, complete proteins, and vital micronutrients only found in meat.

What to Eat on a Meat Fast

The meat fast generally entails consuming only fatty red ruminant meat. 

Steak is most common, but lamb, bison, and game meats like elk and deer are also good options. Indeed, many meat fasters are also hunters who remark on the special feeling of exclusively consuming wild game meat. 

Though long-term carnivore dieters often include some fish, pork, chicken, and rich cheeses. meat fasting is most often restricted to red meat. 

More adventurous meat fasters supplement their muscle meat intake with nutrient-dense organ meats such as liver, pancreas, marrow, heart, and brain. 

For the majority of us who don’t have access to hunted meat and aren’t ready to take the plunge into nose-to-tail cuisine, here’s a chart of the fattiest cuts of steak. 

Beef Cut

Per 100

grams

CaloriesFatProteinCarbs% Calories from fat% Calories from protein
Boneless short ribs440411608415
Tri-tip roast340291807721
Beef Back Ribs310261907525
Ribeye310252007326
Porterhouse280222107030
Top Sirloin240162206037
80/20 Ground Beef30719.630.505941
Skirt Steak26516.52705842
Brisket24514.72805446
Flank Steak20083203664

What to Drink on a Meat Fast

The standard for a meat fast is to consume only water, preferably mineral water. 

However, some meat fasters allow for black coffee or unsweetened tea. 

If you choose to consume caffeinated beverages, leave out the milk and sugar. If you know your body tolerates dairy well, you can add in heavy cream, ghee, and/or butter. 

The Meat Fast Diet: The Bottom Line

The meat fast is a carnivorous elimination diet. It calls for consuming only meat–exclusively or mostly–from ruminant animals.

To call it a “fast” is a bit of a misnomer since there is no set time in which eating is restricted. Rather, on the meat fast, you are restricting all foods other than meat. 

People practice the meat fast as a way to improve numerous health issues, including food allergies, autoimmune conditions, digestive issues, skin problems, and mental health challenges. 

blue background with collagen powder close up
Liam McAuliffe

Top 5 Best Collagen Powders: Reviews and Rankings

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In the ever-evolving realm of health and wellness, collagen powders have emerged as the “it” supplement, promising to rejuvenate skin, support joint health, strengthen hair and nails, and even improve sleep and memory. You’ve likely seen numerous brands of collagen supplements at your local market and even as an addition to coffee at your local cafe. With this growing array of options, choosing the right collagen powder can be confusing. Fear not! 

In this article, we offer a comprehensive guide to the best collagen powders available today, based on the quality and type of ingredients and our personal experiences as animal-based dieters who incorporate collagen into our daily routines. 

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What is Collagen Powder? 

Collagen powder is a dietary supplement that provides collagen protein in a powdered form. 

Collagen itself is mainly composed of three amino acids: glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, that form a “triple helix” structure. As the most abundant complex amino acid, collagen accounts for around 30% of all the protein in your body.

collagen molecules

Image source: David Goodsell  http://doi.org/10.2210/rcsb_pdb/mom_2000_4

We need all this collagen to maintain the structure of our bodies. Collagen is a major building block of our teeth, bones, hair, skin, and nails, as well as the foundational component of connective tissues and tendons. Collagen, quite literally, holds our bodies together. 

Why Do People Consume Collagen Powder? 

The body can make enough collagen to meet its needs from other amino acids that we get from food. Yet, as we age, our ability to produce collagen naturally declines. At the same time, the collagen already in our bodies becomes damaged and fragmented. A process that is exacerbated by eating sugary foods.

We can see the degradation of existing collagen in common signs of aging, such as sagging skin and wrinkles, and experience it as aching joints and more brittle bones.

People turn to collagen powders and supplements to help stem the tide of collagen loss and damage. However, the collagen from supplements does not directly replenish our depleted supply. Rather, collagen powders supply our bodies with a concentrated source of amino acid building blocks that our bodies then synthesize back into collagen. 

In addition to collagen powders, you can support the production of more collagen by consuming foods high in the foundational amino acids glycine and proline, such as beef, chicken, fish, eggs, and dairy products.

How is Collagen Powder Made? 

Collagen powder is most commonly made from either one or a combination of the skin, bones, and cartilage of cows, along with fish scales and egg shells. These raw materials are broken down into smaller, much more digestible amino acids in a process called hydrolysis.

Benefits of Collagen Powder

Collagen supplements have been found to promote various health benefits including

  • Skin Health: Supplementing with collagen powder can improve skin elasticity and hydration, and reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines
  • Bone Health: Collagen supplements may reduce the process of bone degeneration that results in osteoporosis.
  • Healthy Joints: Studies show that hydrolyzed collagen contains biologically active peptides–molecules that are usually buried in the larger protein structure of a food. In their free form in collagen powder, these peptides can reach joint tissues and protect cartilage from wear and tear, reducing stiffness and pain.
  • Strengthens hair and nails: Collagen is also a key component of hair and nails, and supplementing with collagen powder may help strengthen and promote their growth
  • Emotional Calming and Neuroprotection: Collagen powder provides more of the amino acid glycine than any other food. Glycine ​​has been shown to normalize levels of the neurotransmitter GABA, which promotes relaxation, calmness, and improved mood. [3] The calming effects of glycine have been found to positively impact neurological disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
  • Improves Sleep: Studies consistently show that glycine helps promote healthy sleep.
  • Gut Health: The glycine, proline, and glutamine that make up a significant proportion of the amino acids in collagen powder promote gut health by reducing inflammation and protecting the integrity of the intestinal lining against permeability. A study on healthy women found that 20 grams of collagen peptides per day reduced bloating and improved mild digestive issues.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of collagen powder is how easy it is to integrate into your daily dietary routine. To promote the above health benefits, all you need is a scoop of powder mixed into your daily beverage, soup, or even just a glass of water. 

That said, the most definitive research on the effectiveness of collagen powder is still emerging.

Top 10 Collagen Powders List

Now let’s turn to our list of best collagen powders based on the quality of their ingredients, along with their specific uses and potential benefits. 

1. Best Multi Collagen Powder: Ancient Nutrition Multi Collagen Peptide

Tub of ancient nutrition collagen powder

Ancient Nutrition multi collagen ranks as our overall best collagen powder on our best multi-collagen powder. 

Ancient Nutrition is known for their creative blends of high quality functional ingredients. This multi collagen powder is a prime example. 

  • Formulated with ten types of collagen from four whole food sources: beef, chicken, fish, and fermented eggshell membrane
  • Fermented eggshell collagen has been shown to reduce exercise-induced discomfort. The fermentation process makes it easier for your body to absorb the amino acids. 
  • Enhanced with 4B CFU* of probiotics per two scoops to support healthy gut flora and digestive function. 
  • Provides 200% of your RDV of vitamin C. 

2. Best Single Source Collagen Powder: Garden of Life

Tub of garden of life collagen peptides

Garden of Life grass fed collagen peptides are sustainably sourced from grass-fed cows. 

In our testing we found them to be tasteless, odorless, and to dissolves well in hot morning drinks and cold smoothies. 

Garden of Life is a high-quality supplement brand that has been around for decades, building a reputation based on whole food ingredients, traceability, and third-party certifications. We like the feeling of trust and quality we get from this brand. 

These collagen peptides also offer the added bonus of 1.5  billion CFU of probiotics per scoop. 

Because there are no plant products added to Garden of Life collagen, it is also our pick for carnivore diet enthusiasts. 

3. Best Collagen Powder for Skin and Nails: THORNE Collagen Plus – Collagen Peptides Powder with Nicotinamide Riboside

Thorne collagen powder

Thorne’s Collagen Plus is the luxury option on our list. 

Thorne combines the benefits of collagen with a supporting cast of clinically studied compounds and plant extracts. 

One of these compounds in Thorne collagen powder is called Nicotinamide riboside (NR). NR acts as precursor to NAD+ a compound that promotes cellular protection and repair while combatting signs of aging. 

Thorne also adds a patented polyphenol blend called MitoHeal, which is an extract of red and black currants. These compounds have been found to reduce visible signs of skin aging.

4. Best Budget Collagen Peptides

collagen powder jar

The 42.3-ounce jar Bulletproof Unflavored Collagen Peptides is the best budget option on our list. Most other brands only offer around 1lb tubs as their largest size. 

Bulletproof collagen peptides provide an abundance of type I and type III bovine collagen harvested from pasture-raised cows without added hormones. 

Bulletproof has built its identity on a concoction called bulletproof coffee, which includes collagen as a key ingredient. They’re also a research-based company that prides itself on a deep scientific understanding of the quality and function of all its ingredients. 

5. Best Marine Collagen Powder: Vital Proteins Marine Collagen

Jar of marine collagen powder

Vital Proteins Marine Collagen are made from the scales of fresh, non-GMO wild-caught cod. Their nutrition profile is very similar to that of a standard bovine. Their main appeal is to pescatarians. 

carnivore diet burger
Liam McAuliffe

12 Creative Carnivore Diet Meal Ideas

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At its heart, the carnivore diet means eating only meat. This can sound extremely restrictive, and indeed, there are hyper-minimal versions of the carnivore diet, like the Lion approach, which calls for only red meat, salt, and water. But most people on the carnivore diet graduate from this elimination stage to a more creative gastronomical palette. 

In fact, carnivore meals tend to be more delicious, satisfying, and, yes, even more, varied than standard Western meals based on a few antinutritious grains and onerous vegetables. 

In this article, we’ll follow Leonardo da Vinci’s famous saying, “art lives from constraints and dies from freedom.” We’ll unveil 10 delicious carnivore meal ideas that will keep you excited about taking your health and wellness into your own hands, one bite of meat at a time. From succulent Meatza to savory crockpot delights, we invite you to discover the art of creating carnivorous meals that will leave you craving for more.

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What are Carnivore Diet Meals? 

If you’re new to the carnivore diet, this way of eating calls for eliminating all plant foods and eating only animal products. 

For most carnivore dieters, this means focusing on fatty ruminant meats from beef, bison, and lamb, supplemented with pork, poultry, fish, seafood, and full fat dairy. 

This way of eating realigns our metabolism with the diet our hypercarnivorous ancestors evolved and thrived on for two million years until the dawn of agriculture a mere 10,000 years ago. 

Cutting plant foods eliminates nearly all carbohydrates and thousands of plant toxins and antinutrients. The result is a low-carb, high-fat diet plan that can dramatically reduce inflammation, improve mood, stabilize energy, and heal digestive issues. 

Foundational Carnivore Meal Ingredients

All of the following carnivore diet meals and recipes revolve around an array of animal-based foods. These include

Fatty Meat from land-based animals: Most carnivore meals derive the majority of their calories from ruminant animals and/or pork. Fat-rich cuts of steak, ground beef (80/20 or fattier) , lamb, and pork, (lots of bacon and pork belly). 

Animal fats: Butter, ghee, tallow, and lard are key to nourishing your body with the fat it needs to thrive–remember carnivore diet meals and high-fat, moderate-protein, and zero-carb affairs. Need to boost your fat intake, enjoy a tablespoon of butter as a snack. 

Eggs: Eggs are loaded with every nutrient needed to grow a living being. They are also incredibly versatile and key part of carnivore diet “bread” recipes. 

Organ meats: The nose-to-tail approach to carnivore includes the most nutrient-dense parts of animals–their organs. Beef liver, bone marrow, pancreas, spleen, and even brain can make regular cameos in many carnivore diet meals. 

Fatty fish: King salmon, Atlantic mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and arctic char are among the fattiest fish available and a great way to add variety to your carnivore diet meal ideas. 

Seafood: Seafood is yet another nutrient dense class of carnivore fair. Salmon roe, oysters, mussels, shrimp, and crab provide and abundance of zinc, B12, and can help boost potassium, which can be hard to come by with land meats. Keep in mind that seafood is relatively lean and is best enjoyed drenched in butter. 

Full-fat dairy: Grass-fed butter and ghee, creamy carnivore cheeses are common additions to succulent carnivore diet meals. For people who tolerate dairy well, heavy/whipping cream, and even keto-friendly yogurt (boosted with heavy cream) can be included.

Salt: Salt is a critical component of every carnivore diet meal, and all low-carb diets [2] When you cut carbs your body flushes electrolytes that need to be replenished liberally. 

Now lets turn to twelve creative carnivore diet meal ideas and their ingredients. 

1. Carnivore Diet Shepherd’s Pie

shepherd's pie

In its most traditional form in Ireland, shepherd’s pie was made with lamb. But if you’re in a pinch, you can concoct it the British way with ground or minced beef. 

This carnivore version substitutes out the potatoes and replaces them with a fluffy topping of sour cream, eggs and hard cheese. 

Serves 8Prep time: 20 minutesCooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 800g (28 oz) minced lamb or mutton
  • 2 tbsp tallow (or butter)
  • 8 large eggs
  • 300g (10 oz) sour cream
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 4 tbsp grated hard cheese (we used goat cheese)

Optional ingredients for non-carnivores. 

  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried celery or parsley
  • 1 tsp dried thyme, peppermint or sage
  • 1/2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon
  • 1 tsp freshly ground red peppercorn (or juniper berries)

You can follow the entire recipe at Greekgoesketo.com 

2. Classic Carnivore Club Sandwich 

close up of a club sandwich

Sandwiches usually mean bread, which means grains, which is a big no no on the carnivore diet. That is unless your bread is made with only eggs, pork, ghee, and salt! Enter the mighty carnivore club sandwich. 

This dish is loaded with at least three different meats, cheese (the recipe creator suggests “raw), and duck fat carnivore mayonnaise. 

Serves 4 sandwichesPrep time: 1 hourCooking time: 1 hourRest time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Carnivore Sandwich Bread:

Duck Fat Mayonnaise:

  • Duck fat
  • Eggs 
  • Lemon
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Dijon mustard
  • Sea salt

For the Club Sandwiches:

To follow the entire recipe, hop on over to the always-fantastic Ash Eats

3. Carnivore Diet Meatza

carnivore diet meatza

Searching for a sneaky carnivore diet meal that increases your organ meat intake? Look no further than the carnivore diet meatza. The recipe calls for 225g of beef liver blended into the ground beef “crust,” but you can add any minced organ meat you want. 

Serves 3Prep time: 10 minutesCooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 450 g ground beef (at least 15-20% fat)
  • 225 g Beef Liver (and/or other organ meats)
  • 3 large Eggs
  • 50 g Bacon
  • 50 g Mozzarella
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder Optional
  • 1 tsp Chilli Optional
  • 1 tsp Salt

Follow the recipe in its entirety at FitAwakening. 

4. Carnivore Eggs Benedict

carnivore eggs benedict

Saucy and bready aren’t terms usually associated with the all-meat carnivore diet. But this carnivore eggs benedict recipe is up to the challenge. 

Serves 3Prep time: 20 minutesCooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Easy Baked Eggs

  • 6 eggs
  • Salt to taste

Hollandaise Sauce

  • 3 Egg yolks
  • 1 tsp. Lemon juice
  • 1 stick of butter, melted but not hot

Follow the recipe step-by-step at ketogenicwoman

5. Hearty Crockpot Carnivore Beef Stew

carnivore diet beef stew

Craving tender meat that falls off the bone? You’ll love this slow-cook crockpot masterpiece. No carbs, not fiber, no nonsense. Just nourishment. 

Serves 6Prep time: 20 minutesCooking time: 8 hours

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 pounds beef shank
  • 4 pounds chuck roast
  • 2 teaspoons salt divided
  • 2 tablespoons tallow or other cooking fat, divided
  • 4 cups Carnivore Bone Broth

Follow the recipe by Jessica Haggard over at Primal Edge Health. 

6.  Bacon, Egg & Cheese Roll-Ups

close up of bacon wrapped around eggs and cheese

Bacon, Egg + Cheese Roll Ups are the finger licking product of only 3 carnivore ingredients. Try them for breakfast and take them on the road for a certified carnivore snack.

Serves 2Prep time: 5 minutesCooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Follow the recipe with Rachel Mansfield

7. Tripe Noodles with Creamy Carnivore Alfredo Sauce

tripe noodles

Tripe is often used in creative carnivore recipes like these tripe noodles from Carnivore Minimalist. You can use these as the basis for carnivore meat sauce or a creamy carnivore alfredo. 

For a quick treat, enjoy your tripe with a simple topping of butter, parmesan, and salt, or add it to a premade bone broth recipe. 

Take it a step further and drench it in this creamy carnivore sauce recipe below. 

8. Carnivore Burger with 2-Ingredient Bun

carnivore diet burger

Are you missing your hamburgers yet? Not to worry. This creative carnivore meal idea with 2-ingredient buns is sure to return you to pre-carnivore burger paradise. 

Serves 6Prep time: 5 minutesCooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the buns:

  • 1½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 2 large eggs

For each burger:

  • 1 4-ounce burger patty
  • ½ ounce cheese 
  • 1 slice bacon optional, cut in half so it fits under the bun
  • 1 large fried egg 

Follow Jessica’s step-by-step recipe at Primal Edge Health. 

9. Organ Meat Pie (Carnivore Quiche) 

close up of a meat pie in cast iron pan

If you’re having trouble figuring out how to incorporate more organ meats, this carnivore meal idea is right up your alley. 

Ingredients

  • ½ pound ground beef
  • ½ pound ground beef heart
  • ½ pound ground beef liver
  • 1 tablespoon beef tallow or butter, ghee, other cooking fat melted
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Full recipe here. 

10. Ribeye Roast with Bone Marrow on the Grill

Blow the socks off even the most carnivore skeptic friend with this insanely delicious ribeye roast covered all around with succulent bone marrow. Pull this off and you’re an instant legend. 

Cooking time: 1 hour on the grill before reverse searing the meat.

Ingredients

  • Ribeye roast
  • Salt
  • Bone marrow

11. Carnivore Fried “Rice”

close up of carnivore friend rice in white bowl

In case you’re new here, there is no “rice” in carnivore friend rice. The substitute in this case is white fish flakes. Dare we say it’s better than the original? 

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs
  • 10 oz (280g) ground beef
  • 10 oz (280g) white fish
  • 10 oz (280g) cooked prawns or about 15 oz (430g) of fresh prawns
  • 2 strips bacon (pasture-raised if possible), chopped into small bits
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 4 tbs tallow

Follow the recipe at allthingscarnivore

12. Beef Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

close up of shrimp wrapped in beef bacon

These finger licking surf and turf wraps are as easy as they are delicious. They make a savory appetizer or a filling meal depending on if you’re up for sharing them or not. 

Serves 4Prep time: 20 minutes (with sauce)Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 oz Wellshire Beef Bacon 
  • 12 oz peeled shrimp
  • Toothpicks

For a dipping sauce use carnivore diet mayo or drawn butter. 

Follow the recipe with GrassFedGirl here. 

Creative Carnivore Diet Meal Ideas: The Takeaway

The carnivore diet is anything but bland and these creative carnivore diet meal ideas are here to prove it. 

From club sandwiches and burgers to fried “rice”, the carnivore diet provides an array of uber-delicious options made from the most nutrient dense foods on earth with no additives and no needless plant products. 

Tuck into the carnivore diet meals and put your cravings to bed. 

Meat collection on white background. Beef, pork, chicken, fish isolated on white. Set of natural food. Top view. Flat lay.
Liam McAuliffe

Top 12 High Glycine Foods and Health Benefits

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Glycine is an important amino acid that plays crucial roles in various bodily functions, from supporting muscle growth to promoting better sleep and cognitive function. Though the body can produce glycine on its own, increasing glycine intake from high glycine foods can support numerous health benefits.

In this blog article, we’ll explore the benefits of glycine and the top foods that are rich in glycine, empowering you to enhance your diet for greater health and vitality.

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What is Glycine?

C2H5NO2 glycine amino acid molecule

Glycine is a simple amino acid, which means that it is one of the building blocks of proteins. 

Though small in size and molecular weight, glycine plays a major role in many important physiological processes. 

Considered non-essential because your body can synthesize glycine from other amino acids, getting glycine from the food you eat is still important for the health of your muscles, liver, skin, while providing numerous other benefits. 

Benefits of Glycine

The functions of glycine. Amino acid glycine chemical molecular formula. Vector illustration on isolated background.

More than just a protein building block, glycine is one of the most versatile amino acids. Let’s take a brief tour of the specific benefits that can be enhanced by consuming high glycine foods. 

Calming Neurotransmitter

Some amino acids, including glycine, act as neurotransmitters. The main amino acids we get from muscle meats are considered “excitatory” to the central nervous system. And though this is healthy, our bodies need a balance between excitatory and inhibitory amino acids.

Glycine has inhibitory effects and normalizes GABA levels to improve mood and promote relaxation and calmness.

The inhibitory effects of glycine have been studied for their positive impacts on neurological disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Glycine for Sleep

The inhibitory effects of glycine, along with its ability to increase serotonin factors in numerous studies showing that glycine enhances sleep quality, helps people fall asleep faster, and decreases daytime drowsiness.

A 2016 study found that taking 3 grams of glycine helped improve sleep along with daytime cognitive ability and better memory.

Improves Digestion and Nutrient Absorption 

Your body uses glycine to create bile acids in the liver. Adequate bile acids are critical to the ability to digest fats and absorb fat-soluble vitamins in the small intestine.

This fat-digesting factor makes high glycine foods particularly important on high-fat, low-carb diets like keto and carnivore. 

Glycine has also been found to protect against gastric ulcers.

Protects Against Oxidative Stress

Glycine is a precursor to a powerful antioxidant called glutathione. By helping to restore glutathione, glycine foods enhance the body’s defense against oxidative stress, which is associated with numerous autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, and dementia. 

Through its positive effects on glutathione, glycine foods benefit nearly every cell in the body.

Glycine Neutralizes Methionine

When we eat a lot of muscle meat we are consuming another amino acid called methionine. Methionine has been shown to temporarily increase levels of yet another amino acid, homocysteine, high levels of which have been linked with cancer.

Glycine has been shown to significantly reduce homocysteine levels after protein-rich meals.

It’s important to note that studies exploring possible links between methionine and cancer find that in order to increase base levels of homocysteine, we need a very high dose of pure methionine– around 500% of normal daily intake.

Even high methionine doses, like you’d get consuming even a high meat animal-based diet, are not enough to increase homocysteine levels to dangerous thresholds.

Though there’s no convincing evidence healthy people eating diets high in muscle meat increase baseline levels of homocysteine, if you’re still concerned, give yourself peace of mind by increasing your intake of high glycine foods. 

Promotes Skin Health

Glycine is a building block of collagen, a protein that supports skin health

High glycine foods can boost collagen, helping to maintain skin hydration, firmness, and elasticity. 

Collagen also helps heal wounds and may protect the skin against the effects of aging.

Top Glycine Foods

To ensure and increase the above-mentioned benefits of glycine, focus on the following glycine-rich whole foods. 

1. Gelatin and Collagen powders

Gelatin is actually a whole food made by boiling animal bones, cartilage, and connective tissues. Then, they’re dried and ground into a fine powder. All that collagen-rich animal product yields a tremendous amount of glycine. 

A single ounce of gelatin provides 5334mg of glycine. 

Collagen powder is almost identical to gelatin in terms of glycine content. But it is processed in a way that makes it more digestible. 

A single ounce of collagen powder provides 5202mg of glycine. 

3716mg per 20grams (28grams in ounce)u collagen powder

2. Ground Beef Patty

Ground beef is one of the most underrated whole foods. It’s loaded with complete amino acids along with a complex of B vitamins, iron, zinc, and selenium. 

6 ounces of ground beef provides 3091mg of glycine. 

3. Lamb Shoulder

Lamb is loaded with 2951mg of glycine per 6 oz. serving. 

In addition to copious amounts of glycine, lamb provides an abundance of the “master antioxidant” glutathione along with the highly beneficial, anti-cancerous fatty acid called Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). 

4. Ground Turkey

Ground turkey is a budget-friendly whole food that provides 2944mg per 6 oz serving. 

5. Skirt Steak

Skirt steak provides 2491gm 6 oz 

6. Pork Tenderloin

Pork, an often underrated yet nutritious whole food, provides 2478mg per 6 oz serving. 

7. Pork Chops

Pork chops provide 2472mg per 6 oz serving. 

8. Ribeye Steak 

Ribeye steak is the centerpiece of most animal-based diets, and for good reason. 

Ribeye provides 171% of your RDV in zinc and  242% of vitamin B12  and 112% of selenium. Together these nutrients fight depression, stabilize mood, support reproductive health, and boost immune function. 

6oz of ribeye provides 2410mg of glycine. 

9. Roast Duck 

Duck straddles the divide between red and white meat, but it doesn’t equivocate when it comes to glycine, providing 2237mg per 6 oz serving. 

10. King Salmon

King salmon is loaded with 2232mg of glycine per 6 oz. In addition, King salmon provides over 300% of B12 per serving. 

11. Roast Chicken Leg

 Roast chicken leg provides an abundance of protein, including  2038mg of glycine.

12. Bone Broth

Bone broth is a fantastic source of collagen and glycine, with 1700 mg per cup. 

Top Glycine Foods: The Bottom Line 

Glycine is an abundant amino acid that supports numerous critical physiological functions, including skin health, stable mood, digestion, and sleep. Consuming foods high in glycine will ensure that these functions will get the fuel they need. 

 

Moroccan tajine made with Eid al Adha lamb sacrifice ingredients as offal or entrails making a delicious and gourmet halal dish.
Liam McAuliffe

Tripe: Nutrition, Benefits, and Easy Recipes

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Organ meats are among the most nutrient dense foods on earth and a common staple in traditional diets around the world. Recently, with the revival of ancestral animal-based dietary practices like carnivore, and ecologically conscious nose-to-tail eating, interest in organ meats is flourishing. Tripe is one of the overlooked jewels of the global culinary cannon. 

Tripe is the stomach lining of various farm animals. The most common edible tripe is beef tripe from cows. 

In this article, we’ll explore the nutrition and health benefits of tripe, and offer a few easy ways to incorporate tripe into your diet. 

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What is Tripe?

Tripe is a type of edible lining from the stomachs of various ruminant farm animals. 

The most common edible tripe comes from cows, but many cultures consume the tripe of buffalo, sheep, goat, and pig. 

Tripe is common to many global cuisines, including European, African, Latin American, and Asian cultures. 

Known for its chewy texture and mild flavor, tripe acts like a sponge that incorporates the often rich flavors of the dishes it features in. 

For this reason, tripe is most often found in soups and stews–many of which are believed to have therapeutic or curative properties. For example,  the Mexican soup menudo is often consumed as a hangover cure with the belief that consuming tripe will soothe and repair a person’s stomach lining after a night of drinking. 

Though tripe is mild in flavor, it’s not muscle meat, and it has a unique chewy texture that most people accustomed to the modern Western diet need to get used to. 

Types of Tripe

Other than pig, the animals that tripe comes from have a ruminant digestive system with multiple stomach chambers that serve to ferment the plants they graze on into fatty acids.

Tripe is classified by the particular stomach chamber it is made from. Here are the four types of tripe

  • Blanket Tripe (also known as smooth tripe): Made from the first stomach chamber, called the rumen. This is the most common type of tripe and has a smooth texture. Though common, it is the least desirable type of tripe.
  • Honeycomb Tripe: Made from the second stomach chamber, called the reticulum. This is the most distinctive type fo tripe, sought for its spongy honeycomb-like appearance and texture. 
  • Book Tripe: From the third stomach chamber, the omasum. Book tripe takes its name from the way it resembles the layered pages of a book. 
  • Reed Tripe: From the fourth stomach chamber, the abomasum. Reed tripe is the least common type of edible tripe. It has a smooth texture, and unlike other types, can have a stronger flavor. 

Beef Tripe Nutrition

NutrientAmount per 150 grams (5.29oz)%RDV
Fat5.5g
Saturated Fat1.9g
Cholesterol183mg
Carbohydrate0g
Protein18.1g
Vitamins
Riboflavin (B2)0.1mg7%
Niacin (B3)1.3mg8%
B5.34mg7%
Choline292.2mg53%
B122.1mcg 87%
Minerals
Calcium103.5mg8%
Iron.89ng5%
Magnesium10.5mg5%
Phosphorus96mg8%
Zinc2.1mg19%
Copper0.11mg12%
Selenium18.8mcg34%

Benefits of Tripe

Beef tripe is a zero-carb, moderate-fat, high-protein whole food that offers significant amounts of vital nutrients, including B vitamins, choline, zinc, and selenium. 

In addition to the nutrients on the label, tripe is also a great source of collagen, a highly beneficial amino acid. Let’s examine how these nutrients in tripe can benefit your health. 

Collagen in Tripe

The same compound that gives tripe its tuff chewy texture is one of its most beneficial features. 

This toughness comes from tripe’s collagen-rich connective tissue content. 35% of the protein in tripe is made up of collagen.

Collagen protein supports healthy bones, skin, joints, hair, and the newly discovered collagen-rich organ called the interstitium. 

The benefits of all this collagen are enhanced through the common practice of boiling tripe.  When boiled, the collagen in tripe breaks down into health-promoting amino acids such as glycine, proline, and glutamine.

Proline

  • Accounts for 17% of the amino acids in collagen
  • Has been shown to support cell growth while providing antioxidant protection against free radicals. 
  • An important factor in wound healing and healthy immune response.

The amino acid glycine has been linked to various physiological benefits, including

  • reducing homocysteine levels after consuming meals high in protein
  • improving sleep, and controlling blood sugar. 
  • as a precursor to creatine, a compound that can enhance athletic performance and recovery, while offering powerful antidepressant properties
  • positively impacting neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
  • protection against gastric ulcers and helps digest fat.

Glutamine is another beneficial amino acid amino that has been found to 

  • fuel the growth of immune cells and intestinal cells
  • offer anti-inflammatory properties
  • maintain the health of your gut lining and protect against intestinal permeability.

Choline

A 150-gram serving of tripe provides 292.2mg, for 53% of your RDV of choline. 

Haven’t heard of Choline? You’re not alone. This important nutrient wasn’t fully understood until 1998 when it was deemed “essential,” meaning that you need to get it from food to survive.

The essential nature of choline is evident in the many vital roles it plays in the body, including : 

  • Synthesizing neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine that support mood and cognition
  • Supports proper cell function by maintaining the integrity of cell membranes
  • Improves memory and cognitive function, particularly in older adults.
  • Helps fat digest
  • Crucial for brain development and healthy memory function in infants
  • Can lower the risk of neural tube defects in infants

B12 

Tripe is an excellent source of vitamin B12, providing 2.1 mcg, for 87% of your RDV per 150-gram serving. 

B12 is another essential vitamin that plays a critical role in physical and mental health, including 

  • Maintaining a healthy nervous system
  • the production of DNA and red blood cells
  • Turning the food we eat into useable energy
  • Maintaining proper cognitive function 
  • Psychological and mood stabilization–including prevention of depression
  • Protects heart health by decreasing homocysteine levels associated with heart disease.

Selenium 

Selenium is a mineral that factors in the creation of various enzymes and proteins called selenoproteins. This function makes the selenium in tripe supportive of numerous bodily processes including including : 

  • healthy thyroid function
  • proper immune function, and the ability to fight infection
  • Protection from damage to cells
  • reproductive health and the creation of DNA
  • Antioxidant protection, including an increase in the powerful antioxidant glutathione
  • Protection against various cancers
  • Neuroprotective properties
  • Supports lung health

How to Incorporate Tripe into Your Diet

Since tripe has a very mild–some might say, “bland”—flavor, it is easy to add to most savory dishes. 

It’s worth noting that most tripe sold in markets has already been cooked and bleached in chlorine. It’s best to source unprocessed tripe from a local butcher or farmers market rancher. Be sure to clean the tripe thoroughly before cooking. 

You can also source tripe from most Latin American and Asian specialty markets. 

For mainstream pre-cooked tripe, be sure to rinse it well to get rid of any residual chlorine. 

Tripe Menudo Recipe

Beef tripe soup on wooden table top view

For a nourishing traditional tripe soup, try this menudo recipe. 

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds cleaned tripe, cut into large chunks
  • ½ cup white vinegar
  • 1 Tbs salt, or more to taste
  • 1 Tbs chili powder
  • ½ Tbs cumin
  • ½ Tbs oregano
  • ½ Tbs garlic
  • ¼ tsp cayenne (optional)
  • 1-2 bay leaves
  • Water, as needed

Instructions

  1. If not pre-cooked, boil tripe for 30-45 minutes in a large pot, then drain the water.
  2. Return tripe to the same pot and add in the remaining ingredients.
  3. Fill pot with twice as much water a tripe by volume. 
  4. Bring ingredients to boil, then reduce to a simmer. 
  5. After 2 hours check on the texture of the tripe. If it is still chewy, continue cooking for 30 minutes to 1.5 hours. 

Tripe Noodles

Tripe is often used in creative carnivore recipes like these tripe noodles from Carnivore Minimalist. You can use these as the basis for carnivore meat sauce or a creamy carnivore alfredo. 

Instructions

  • Slice 1-2 lbs of pre-washed smooth tripe into thin noodles–reference rice noodles
  • Add sliced tripe to a pot, cover with water
  • Bring water to a boil and reduce to a simmer
  • Simmer for two to three hours
  • Strain noodles

For a quick treat, enjoy your tripe with a simple topping of butter, parmesan, and salt. Or add to a premade bone broth recipe. 

Take it a step further and drench it in this creamy carnivore sauce recipe below. 

4 Ingredient Creamy Carnivore Sauce to Go with Your Tripe Noodles

Tripe: The Bottom Line

Tripe is an organ meat commonly sourced from cows. Though popular in traditional cuisine around the world, tripe is often overlooked in the Western diet that prioritizes muscle meats. 

Tripe is a nutrient-dense food that offers an abundance of complete, high-quality protein, including substantial collagen, along with B vitamins, choline, and selenium. 

Tripe’s neutral, spongy texture makes it well-suited for stewing. On all meat diets, it can add desired variety to food texture while making a great stand-in for noodles. 

Chef bodybuilder in protective apron cracking eggs into a bowl
Liam McAuliffe

Protein In Eggs: Everything You Need to Know

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In the world of superfoods, few others come close to matching the nutritional quality and variety of the humble egg. Eggs stand out in large part owing to their abundance and quality of protein. 

In this article, we explore the protein found in eggs, uncovering its composition, benefits, and role in promoting overall health and well-being. 

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What is Protein, and Why Does it Matter? 

Proteins are long molecular chains made up of amino acids. The body uses only 20 amino acids to make up thousands of different proteins in the body. 

Protein is an essential macronutrient that the body uses as an energy source. Proteins play a vital role in nearly all essential physiological processes in our body, including

  • regulating gene expression
  • regulating the immune system
  • providing structural support for all cells
  • forming our muscles
  • repairing and building body tissue
  • housing amino acids that play crucial roles in the creation and function of neurotransmitters and hormone regulation

Of the 20 amino acids, there are 9 “essential” amino acids that we can only get from the food we eat. Essential amino acids help the body maintain proper metabolic functions like digestion and energy production. .

How Much Protein in Eggs? 

A single egg contains, on average, six to seven grams of protein. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of protein per day is 0.36 grams per pound of body weight. To calculate your RDA, simply multiply your weight by .36 to estimate the RDA of protein in grams. 

For example, at 150 person requires at least 54 grams of protein daily. 

While pregnant, the RDA of protein in women goes up to around 75-100 grams of protein per day. That extra protein is critical for developing fetal tissue, enlarging the placenta and breasts, and increasing blood supply.

An unbeatable low-cost source of protein, eggs come pre-packaged with a bevy of natural vitamins and minerals like selenium, choline, and vitamin B12 that together provide our body with sustained energy, improved cognition, and improved fertility and fetal development. 

Let’s take a look at the amino acid profile of the protein in eggs. 

Complete Amino Acids in Egg Protein

Proteins and Amino Acids per 2 Eggs (100 grams)

NutrientAmountDV
Protein10 g25%
Essential Amino Acids
Histidine309mg44%
Isoleucine671mg48%
Leucine1086mg40%
Lysine912mg43%
Methionine380mg52%
Phenylalanine680mg78%
Threonine556mg53%
Tryptophan167mg60%
Valine858mg47%
Conditionally Essential Amino Acids
Arginine820mg
Cystine272mg95%
Glycine432mg23%
Proline512mg
Tyrosine499mg57%
Non-Essential Amino Acids
Alanine735mg
Aspartic Acid1329mg
Betaine0.3mg
Glutamic Acid1637mg
Serine971mg
Proline0.256 g
Serine0.485 g

Protein in Eggs vs Plant Protein

In comparison to proteins from plant foods, protein in eggs is superior in various ways, including

  • providing all nine essential amino acids–only animal foods such as eggs have a “complete” protein profile
  • have higher bioavailability ratings (improved absorption by the body).
  • contain higher levels of leucine–an amino acid essential to muscle building and recovery
  • increase satiety and feelings of fullness, which in turn benefits weight loss
  • greater density and variety of micronutrients like B12, zinc, choline, iron, copper, and selenium, as well as fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K2. 

Eggs Provide the Highest Quality Protein of Any Food

Eggs contain the highest quality protein of any food as it relates to wholeness and bioavailability. 

While providing your body with all nine essential amino acids, eggs are also among the top-ranking foods for protein quality. 

  • #1 Digestibility Score: A measure of protein quality based on the specific essential amino acid requirements of humans and their ability to digest them
  • #1 in Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER): This metric considers how much a protein contributes to the rate of physical growth. Eggs are measured at 3.9 compared with beef at 2.9 and peas at 1.4
  • #2 in Biological Value: Determines how efficiently your body uses the protein you eat based on the proportion retained by the body. Eggs come in at 100, second only to whey protein at 104
  • #1 Net Protein Utilization: This measures the ratio of amino acid mass converted to proteins that are used by the body. Eggs score a 94. Soy only comes in at 61

Quality rankings of proteins in eggs compared with various animal and plant foods

Protein TypeProtein Efficiency RatioBiological ValueNet Protein UtilizationProtein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score
Beef2.980730.92
Eggs3.9100941.00
Milk2.591821.00
Casein2.577761.00
Whey protein3.2104921.00
Soy protein2.274611.00
Peanuts1.80.52
Black beans000.75
Wheat gluten0.864670.25
Rice2.064740.50
Pea1.458n/a0.59

Source: Nature’s Source and Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.

This ranking table highlights the fact that out of 1 gram of protein, the body accesses and utilizes more egg protein when compared to protein from any other food. 

Protein in Eggs Provide Special Amino Acids

In addition to containing all nine essential amino acids, egg proteins also contain tyrosine, glycine, and tryptophan. 

Tyrosine and glycine are two very important “conditionally essential” amino acids. In nutritional terms, “conditionally essential means that the body can produce enough on its own to survive unless there are underlying illnesses or conditions that prevent it from doing so. 

Tyrosine in Eggs

Two eggs provide 57% of your RDV of tyrosine. 

Tyrosine is an amino acid that plays a significant role in the production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. These chemical messengers:

  • boost cognitive function, especially in situations involving stress.
  • regulate mood
  • support your response to stress
  • improve thyroid function

Due to its crucial role in creating neurotransmitters, tyrosine has also been found to help with multitasking. A 1999 study concluded that “tyrosine may sustain working memory when competing requirements to perform other tasks simultaneously degrade performance…”

Glycine in Eggs

Two eggs provide 432 mg or 23% of your RDV of glycine.

Another potent conditionally essential amino acid that eggs contain is glycine. Glycine helps the body break down and transport nutrients, specifically fat. 

Though your body can produce glycine from the synthesis of other amino acids and vitamins, research shows that under normal dietary conditions, humans do not produce enough of their own, and require some glycine from their diets–enter the mighty egg! 

Studies show that glycine is

  • is vital for building muscle mass
  • supports mental health and can act as an antidepressant
  • promotes healthy sleep
  • manages blood sugar
  • positively impacts neurological disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s
  • protects against gastric ulcers
  • helps digestion of fat
  • helps restore levels of glutathione–a powerful antioxidant that protects nearly every cell in your body from damage by free radicals 

Tryptophan in Eggs

Two eggs provide 167mg of tryptophan for 60% of your RDV.

Well known for its purported role in Thanksgiving turkey naps, the effects of tryptophan are far more vital and complex. 

The amino acid Tryptophan plays a crucial role in the production of serotonin, melatonin, and NAd and, therefore, promotes numerous benefits, including

  • Mood regulation
  • Reduced depression
  • Improved learning
  • Improved memory 
  • Improved visual cognition
  • Regulation of aggressive behavior
  • Reducing seasonal affective disorder
  • Reducing premenstrual discomfort
  • Supports quitting smoking by reducing anxiety

Protein in Egg Whites vs. Egg Yolks

As the egg white trend has gripped American diet culture over the last few decades, it tells an incomplete story. 

According to the USDA, there are approximately 3.6 grams of protein in the egg whites of a large egg. The majority of egg whites are roughly 88% water. Whereas the egg yolk contains 2.7 grams of protein per one large egg.

While egg whites do contain slightly more protein than egg yolks, the majority of nutrients and healthy fats are in the yolk. 

Some of these nutrients are vital for the synthesis of the amino acids in the eggs into other beneficial compounds. This means that if you only eat the egg whites, not only are you missing out on a significant portion of the protein in eggs, you’re not able to fully absorb and unlock the nutritional value of the protein you do get.

Protein in Eggs: The Bottom Line

By nearly every measure, the protein in eggs is the highest quality protein available on earth. Eggs provide a significant amount of all nine essential amino acids, along with potent doses of various other beneficial specialized amino acids that support dozens of vital physiological processes. 

If you’re looking for a convenient, complete, and powerful protein source, eggs should be at the top of your list.

Meat diet plan web banner template. Weight loss meal, healthy eating. Animal products dishes on plates. Carnivore restaurant menu. Human hands cutting roasted beef steak. Fried fish and chicken
Liam McAuliffe

How to Start a Carnivore Diet: 12 Steps

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In recent years, the carnivore diet has gained popularity as an approach to radically transforming your health and well-being. Advocating for the sole consumption of animal products while eliminating all plant-based foods, the carnivore lifestyle can promote various health benefits, including weight loss, improved mental clarity, and relief from autoimmune conditions. However, it can be daunting to make such a dramatic departure from the standard American diet loaded with grains and processed foods. In this article, we’ll offer the practical tips you need to start on the carnivore diet, enjoy it, and receive its bevy of powerful benefits. 

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1. Commit to a Time Period (30-90 days)

Commitment is key. Starting on the carnivore diet is a major physical and mental change for most people. 

The transitional to carnivore can be rife with sugar cravings and potentially uncomfortable yet temporary side effects like nausea, lethargy, diarrhea, and constipation. 

To get through this period, which can last anywhere from a day up to two weeks, it’s helpful to expand your carnivore diet goals to a longer timeframe. 

For most people, 30 days is the minimum. A 60-90-day commitment gives you enough runway to adjust your food choices and meal plans according to your needs. A longer time frame will allow you to see the benefits fully develop and take root. 

The 30-day commitment is the approach taken by prominent carnivore diet enthusiasts like Dr. Ken Berry and Dr. Shawn Baker. Both men came from keto backgrounds, experimented by eliminating all plant foods for 30 days, and never looked back. 

2. Remove Temptations: Clean Out Your Pantry and Fridge

The Standard American Diet (SAD is primarily made up of grains, added sugars, and vegetable oils. Together, these “foods” make up over 60% of the SAD caloric intake. Studies show that sugar alone is addictive and becomes even harder to resist when packaged with carbs and fat.

Most of us don’t consume junk food because our bodies are actually hungry for it. We eat junk because we’re addicted. High-sugar foods have been found to stimulate reward receptors in the brain more powerfully than cocaine and heroin.

As with any drug, letting go of non-carnivore foods isn’t a matter of willpower. It’s a matter of strategy. 

The most powerful step you can take to support your carnivore journey is to get rid of any food in your house that isn’t on the carnivore diet food list. 

Think of it like this: Would you rather wage a battle 24/7 against the chips, cookies, sweets, bread, and pasta in your cupboard? Or would you rather stave off your cravings for the few seconds it takes you to pass the junk food aisle in the supermarket? 

Part and parcel to removing temptations from your house is to let your friends and family know that you’re on a carnivore challenge. They’ll probably be shocked. Explain that you’re eating this way to improve your health, and you’d like them to be open to it and not guilt trip you into eating food that doesn’t align with your goals. 

And don’t worry; the temporary cravings will subside. You’ll be rewarded by the satiating power of nutrient-dense superfoods. Once your hunger hormones re-adjust to healthy levels after kicking sugar, you’ll be free from hunger cravings. 

3. Join a Carnivore Community

Joining a carnivore community online or in person can make or break your carnivore diet experience. 

Carnivore communities are a place to share and learn with others on this powerful journey of transformation.  

4. Go Shopping for High-Quality Meats and Animal Fats

This step is fun! A carnivore diet is a low-carb, high-fat way of eating, which means that you have to load up on succulent, fatty meats. 

Aim for at least a 1:1 gram of fat to protein ratio. Since fat has about twice as many calories per gram as protein, you’ll nourish your body with the fat it needs without risking protein poisoning. 

But don’t worry if you have trouble getting all the fat from your meats alone. Add a couple of tablespoons of butter, ghee, or tallow to your meals, and you should have no problem meeting your macronutrient goals. 

Here’s a rundown of the best cuts of steak, lamb, and pork to choose from, along with animal fats, seafood, and carnivore-friendly cheeses. 

Fatty Cuts of Steak

Beef CutCaloriesFatProteinCarbs% Calories from fat% Calories from protein
Boneless short ribs440411608415
Tri-tip roast340291807721
Beef Back Ribs310261907525
Ribeye310252007326
Porterhouse280222107030
Top Sirloin240162206037
80/20 Ground Beef30719.630.505941
Skirt Steak26516.52705842
Brisket24514.72805446
Flank Steak20083203664

Cuts of Lamb

Lamb CutCaloriesFatProteinCarbs% Calories from Fat% Calories from Carbs
Chop/Rack330223006337
Loin Chop330223006337
Leg29218.729.305941
Shank27614.73205248
Shoulder148622.803763

Carnivore Cuts of Pork

Pork CutCaloriesFat Protein% Calories Fat% Calories Protein
Pork Belly5886010.4927
Baby back ribs31527187723
Pork Hocks28524177624
Shoulder28523197327
Bacon60047.241.97128
Butt24018196832
Leg Ham3052030.45940
Loin26515.530.85346
Chop24112334555
Tenderloin1584302376

Carnivore Diet Animal Fats

Nutrition info per 1 tablespoon

TypeSFA%PUFA %CarbsTotal Fat Notes
Beef Tallow49.83.10g12.8Mild beef flavor

Can be heated

Lard41120g13gMild flavor

Can be heated

Butter503.40g12gMildly Sweet

Lower Heat

Ghee4850g9gMild nutty flavor

Can be heated

Duck Fat25130g13gRich Duck flavor

Can be heated

Heavy Cream624.5g5.4Sweet and rich

Fish 

Nutrition info per 100g

TYPE OF FISHCALORIESFATPROTEINCARBS% CALORIES FROM FAT% CALORIES FROM PROTEIN
Atlantic Mackerel29020.32706337
Farmed Arctic Char208121905842
Anchovies25615.92805644
Farmed Salmon234142505644
Wild King Salmon195132205446
Sardines13981905050

Carnivore Diet Roe and Shellfish

Type of SeafoodCaloriesFatProteinCarbs% Calories from fat% Calories from protein% Calories from carbs
Salmon Caviar (Roe)26014292.945523%
Oysters581.96.53.1293328
Mussels972.813.54.5265619
Shrimp1352.025.81.718784
Dungeness Crab1072.022017820
Lobster1161.825014860
Clams821.1153127315
Scallops971.019397812

Carnivore Diet Cheese

Nutrients Per 100 grams (3.5 oz)Creamy Blue CheeseCream CheeseTriple Cream Brie (Saint Andre)CheddarSwiss CheeseParmesan 
Fat43.335g 42g33g31g28g
Carbs.2g1g0g3g1g4.1g
Protein13.37g10.5g23g27g28g
Fat: Protein Ratio by grams3.25:15:14:11.4:11.1:11:1

5. Eat from 1-3 times a day (1-2 is best)

Most people coming to Carnivore are accustomed to eating at least three meals a day with snacks in between. This constant hunger and feeding cycle is a response to staving off the energy crashes caused by chronically high blood sugar. 

But on a carnivore diet, you’ll be consuming extremely nutrient-dense foods, getting your energy from satiating fats and complete proteins. This means you won’t have blood sugar spikes and troughs.

For most people, 1-2 highly satiating carnivore meals daily is the sweet spot. In this way, the carnivore diet promotes a spontaneous intermittent fasting regimen. 

This ancestral feasting/fasting cadence allows your body to fully transition from a feeding state into “rest and digest” mode. Doing so supports fat burning, reduces inflammation, and stimulates a therapeutic process of cellular repair called autophagy. 

6. Eat Until Full, Don’t Count Calories 

Don’t hold back on your carnivore diet meals–don’t worry about portion size, and eat until you’re comfortably full.

Our hyper-carnivorous ancestors abided by a “feasting” and fasting cycle. Meat had to be eaten in the short time that it was fresh. The modern 1-2 meal a day carnivore diet simulates this ancestral fasting and feasting pattern. 

7. Center Meals Around Ruminant Meats

Ruminant meats such as fatty cuts of steak,  lamb, bison, goat, and venison are the centerpiece of a well-formulated carnivore diet. 

The rumen stomach metabolizes the grasses that ruminant animals graze on into nutritious saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids and a minimum of inflammatory polyunsaturated fatty acids. 

Ruminant meats also have the most favorable fat-to-protein ratios, along with an abundance and wide array of micronutrients. 

8. Transition Slowly if Needed

If you can, it’s best to “rip off the bandaid” and make the transition from carbs and processed foods to carnivore as soon and completely as possible. You’ll enjoy the simplicity and benefits of the carnivore diet more quickly. 

However, for many people, a slower transition is necessary and supportive. 

Start by eliminating all processed foods, sugars, and grains. Then, give yourself a 1-4-week window to eliminate all carbs and plant foods completely. 

This tapered approach gives the stomach, gallbladder, and liver more time to adapt to metabolizing the significant increase in fat and, to a lesser extent, protein. 

Here’s a breakdown of the physiological changes your body goes through in order to metabolize a meat-based diet.  

  • Your stomach increases acidic from pH 3-5, which is used to break down sugars and grains, to the pH 1.3-2.0 required to metabolize primarily fat and protein. 
  • Your gallbladder upregulates the bile necessary for digesting the increased fat intake
  • The smooth muscle of your gallbladder strengthens in order to process increased fat intake
  • Your liver will increase the storage of bile in its ducts to help digest increased fat intake

During this transition period, you may experience some temporary carnivore diet diarrhea. 

9. Supplement if Needed

The carnivore diet is loaded with nutrients, and there’s no need to supplement with vitamins. However, it may be helpful to support your body with digestive supplements during the transition to a higher-fat diet. 

Ox bile and Betaine HCL supplements can help reduce the discomfort and side effects that can occur as your body upregulates the bile needed to emulsify fats into substances that your intestines can absorb.

Bile and betaine HCL supplements may be especially helpful for people with IBS/IBD.

Electrolyte supplements can also be supportive during the transition to carnivore., As a response to cutting carbs, your body flushes significant electrolyte-rich fluids in the process of unlocking glycogen from your muscles. This fluid accounts for the first 5-25 lbs of weight that people rapidly lose on carnivore. 

Keto Chow is an electrolyte formula created by Carnivore enthusiast Dr. Ken Berry. It’s strictly focused on supporting low-carb eaters with essential minerals like copper, magnesium, chromium, zinc, boron, and selenium, in addition to sodium. And it’s without sugar or flavorings. 

10. Salt Your Meat

Another way to replenish your electrolytes and keep them balanced is by liberally salting your meat. 

The general consensus among carnivore diet enthusiasts is to consume 12 grams (2 tsp) of salt daily in the first few days of transitioning to carnivore. 

Once you feel like you’re thoroughly adapted to this no-carb lifestyle, consume at least 5 grams (about 1 tsp) of salt daily.

11. Drink plenty of water

You’ll be flushing liquid, so it’s important to replace it. Focus on still or sparkling water. 

You can also drink black coffee or tea. Some carnivore dieters consider these off-limits, but Dr. Berry and Dr. Kiltz are fine with them. 

Eating nose-to-tail by including organ meats and unconventional meats mirrors the way our ancestors ate animals. 

Nose to tail provides the greatest nutrient density. And it helps us to be the best shepherds we can for animals and our planet. By not wasting any parts, we’re honoring the life of the animal. 

12. If You Slip, Get Back up

Cheat, treat, or just slip up. There will be times when you simply eat things that are not on the strict carnivore diet meal plan.

Tell guilt and shame to relax. And bring your thoughts back to your goals and your gains so far. Dust yourself off and sizzle up a juicy ribeye slathered with blue cheese. 

image of doctor with high carb foods
Liam McAuliffe

What is the Dr Berg Keto Diet? How To and Review

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The ketogenic diet has been around for at least 100 years, but only since around 2010 has keto emerged as a bonafide nutritional movement, helping countless people reclaim their metabolic health, lose weight, and enhance overall well-being. The popularity and widespread adoption of keto can be largely attributed to enthusiastic proponents, from health experts to social media influencers. Dr. Eric Berg is both. Dr. Berg reaches over 10,000,000 YouTube subscribers and has personally worked with over 40,000 people using an approach that he calls “Healthy Keto®” combined with intermittent fasting. 

In this article, we’ll explain what the Dr. Berg Keto diet is, how it works, and the possible benefits and drawbacks of this particular approach to a low-carb, high-fat lifestyle. 

[TOC]

Who is Dr. Berg

Dr. Eric Berg is a popular proponent of the ketogenic diet; however, he is not an actual medical doctor like other keto and carnivore enthusiasts such as Dr. Robert Kiltz, Dr. Paul Saladino, Dr. Anthony Chaffe, and Dr. Ken Berry. 

Dr. Berg earned a Doctor of Chiropractic degree in 1988 from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. Chiropractors do not have an M.D. degree, so they aren’t medical doctors, dietitians, or physicians. 

After practicing chiropractic for 29 years, Dr. Berg became a full-time YouTube blogger who bills himself as “one of the top ketogenic diet experts in the world.”6

What is a Ketogenic Diet?

A ketogenic diet is a way of eating that triggers the body to turn dietary and body fat into powerful energy molecules called ketones.

diagram of how ketogenic diet works in body

To produce ketogenesis, keto diets call for limiting the intake of carbohydrates to less than 60 grams per day. At the same time, they require getting around 70% of your calories from fat and the remainder from protein. 

Percent of total calories (2000 daily)Macronutrient
70-80%Fat
15-30%Protein
0-10%Carbohydrates

 

In contrast, if you’re eating a standard American diet, you’re consuming about 50% of calories from carbohydrates, mostly from grains and added sugars. [6]  This amounts to around 235 grams of carbohydrates per day on a 2000-calorie diet.

percent of calories per food group chart

What is Dr. Berg’s “Healthy Keto” All About? 

Dr. Berg advertises his approach to keto as “Healthy Keto.” According to Dr. Berg, traditional approaches to keto are too focused on macronutrient ratios and don’t focus enough on the quality of food and ingredients. 

The result, according to Dr. Berg, is that you may rapidly lose weight and reduce epileptic symptoms, but you won’t maximize the potential of keto, and you may not even improve your overall health.

To protect against the impacts of unhealthy “keto” foods, Dr. Berg’s diet eliminates all processed and genetically modified foods, along with gluten products, unhealthy trans fats, and synthetic vitamins. 

At the same time, to unleash the full, transformative potential of keto, Dr. Berg calls for centering the keto diet around pasture-raised red meat, wild-caught fatty fish, seafood, organic eggs and poultry, organic full-fat dairy, and organic low-carb vegetables. 

Following these rules reframes the approach to keto from losing weight to get healthy, to getting healthy to lose weight. 

This is a clinically valid view, considering that studies on the Mediterranean keto diet for obese people found that all participants reversed metabolic disorders (and lost some weight) even though they were still clinically obese at the end of three months.[21]

Though Dr. Berg’s emphasis on eliminating healthy processed foods and consuming only high quality whole foods is good advice, it hardly constitutes a unique approach to keto. Granted, there is a trend called dirty/lazy keto, where it’s all about ratios, but this approach is an outlier. Most low-carb, high-fat dieters are already very conscious about food quality. 

Dr. Berg’s “Healthy Keto” Rules

To help dieters get the most out of their low-carb lifestyle, Dr. Berg created a list of simple rules: 

  • Center your meals around grass-fed beef. Add variety with wild-caught fish, high-quality eggs, and organic poultry and dairy. 
  • Eliminate grains, sugar, and starches.
  • Avoid nearly all fruits, except for avocados, and moderate consumption of black and raspberries.
  • Practice intermittent fasting by confining your calories to one or two meals a day consumed within a strict timeframe.
  • Eat 4-5 eggs a day[15]

Dr. Berg recommends a gradual approach to reducing carbs and increasing fat. He warns that when you increase fat quickly, you run the risk of overwhelming your gallbladder. The gallbladder has to increase bile production needed to digest more fat. At the same time, the smooth muscle of the gallbladder needs to strengthen in order to process the fat. 

If you’re experiencing side effects like indigestion, nausea, or diarrhea you may want to supplement with ox bile and/or Betaine HCL.

Dr. Berg’s 7 Healthiest Foods

Though Dr. Berg’s views are consistently inconsistent, AKA evolving, here is one of his various lists of “the healthiest foods” to eat on his version of keto:  

  1. Grass-fed beef
  2. Fatty, wild-caught fish like wild salmon
  3. Shellfish: Clams, oysters, mussels, shrimp, lobster
  4. Eggs: Buy the highest-quality you can find. Pasture-raised and organic are best. Be sure to eat the yolk; this is where the majority of nutrients reside. 
  5. Fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut and kimchi because they provide probiotics.
  6. Leafy greens: arugula, spinach. 7-10 cups per day. 
  7. Herbal vegetables: Garlic, onion, sage, and oregano because Dr. Berg believes they provide various compounds that may be beneficial.

Potential Health Benefits of the Dr. Berg Keto Diet

Though Dr. Berg’s version of keto hasn’t been clinically studied, there is a vast and growing body of research on the keto diet in general. Studies show that keto can provide numerous and powerful health benefits, including: 

  • Improved cholesterol and triglyceride levels. [1]  
  • Increased insulin sensitivity [2]
  • Increased leptin sensitivity
  • Can reverse symptoms of type 2 diabetes
  • Resolves metabolic syndrome [3]
  • Resolves PCOS [4]
  • Can enhance the treatment of certain cancers [5]
  • Reduces the severity and slows the progression of neurological disorders such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease [6] [7]
  • Supports stable mood and has been shown to reduce the severity and even resolve acute psychiatric issues [8]
  • Promotes weight loss [9]
  • Reduces food cravings[10]
  • Regulates inflammation [11] [12]
  • Protects the glycocalyx, a membrane that covers the surface of every cell and plays a key role in overall health. The glycocalyx is damaged by high carbohydrate intake. [14]

Drawbacks to the Dr. Berg Keto Diet? 

The Dr. Berg keto diet has a lot going for it, specifically its emphasis on cutting out processed foods and getting most of your calories from high-quality, nutrient-dense animal products. You could consider this diet animal-based, which is an ancestrally aligned way of eating.

However, consuming 7-10 cups of leafy greens and significant amounts of other vegetables daily is problematic. Vegetables are high in plant toxins and antinutrients as well as fermentable fibers. 

Leafy greens, in particular spinach, chard, and beet greens (among others) are high in oxalic acid. Oxalates cause damage to the body in two ways. 

  • As abrasive compounds that can directly damage body tissue, especially the delicate mucosal lining of the intestines, and the kidneys.[15] [16] [17] 
  • Binding to and blocking the absorption of essential nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, and iron.  [4] [5]

Many people turn to the keto diet for help resolving inflammatory disorders and digestive issues. Studies show that inflammatory conditions such as lupus, intestinal permeability, and rheumatoid arthritis may be worsened by a diet rich in oxalates. [11] [12] It follows that if you are serious about reducing inflammation, you’re better off leaving out the greens. 

diagram of oxalate effects on body tissue

Source: Effect of Crystal Shape and Aggregation of Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate on Cellular Toxicity in Renal Epithelial Cells. ACS Omega. 2017

The Bottom Line on the Dr. Berg Keto Diet

Though not a medical doctor nor nutritionist, Dr. Eric Berg, has had a large influence on the global low carb community, mainly through his YouTube videos. 

Dr. Berg promotes a version of keto that he calls “Healthy Keto” which shifts the focus from percentages of macronutrients to the quality of the foods that make up those macro ratios. 

His diet is based around fatty meat, specifically beef, with the addition of wild-caught fish, eggs, organic dairy, and low-carb vegetables. 

 

Junk food brain health and unhealthy nutrition choices for mental function as a human thinking organ being hit by a cheeseburger sugar soft dring fried chicken and cake with 3D illustration elements.
Liam McAuliffe

What are the Effects of Sugar on the Brain?

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Most people know about the adverse effects of high-sugar diets on physical health, such as obesity, diabetes, premature aging, heart disease, and various inflammatory diseases. But the effects of sugar on the brain are only beginning to receive the attention they deserve.

In this article, we’ll explore the ways that excessive sugar consumption can be harmful to brain health, and how these effects can show up as issues like impaired memory, mood disorders, sugar addiction, and dementia. 

[TOC]

The Role of Sugar in the Brain

All carbohydrates from table sugar to grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables, get broken down into glucose, AKA blood sugar. 

Your brain is an energy-hungry machine and uses 20% of the glucose in your blood to feed its cells.

However, your body can make all the glucose it needs from protein without you having to consume any carbohydrates whatsoever. 

In fact, only fat and protein are essential nutrients. In nutritional jargon, “essential” has specifically means that you need to consume them from food in order to survive. 

The U.S. Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, states,  “The lower limit of dietary carbohydrate compatible with life apparently is zero, provided that adequate amounts of protein and fat are consumed.”

Yet, when consuming a Standard American Diet (SAD) loaded with grains and added sugars, you’re getting over 250 grams of carbohydrates per day. With 82 grams coming directly from added sugars, and nearly all of the rest coming from grains and starches.

Keep in mind that the human body evolved over 2.5 million years of evolution on a hypercarnivorous diet of mostly fatty meat. There was no such thing as processed sugar, fruit was only sporadically available, and nothing like the ultra-sweet Frankenfruits created by industrial agriculture, and cultivated grains, legumes, and tubers didn’t exist. 

Simply put, no part of our bodies is made to handle all this excess sugar, including our brain. And since our brain is the control center of our bodies, the effects of sugar on the brain can have a devastating impact on our health and well-being in various ways. 

Let’s turn to these specific effects of sugar on the brain now.

Sugar Addiction 

Sugar has been found to reinforce neural pathways associated with addiction and to drive addictive sugar cravings and behavior.

This makes sense when considering that early humans would seldom come upon sources of sugar like ripe fruit and honey. When they did, the brain compelled them to eat as much as possible. 

The body responded to this torrent of glucose by secreting insulin which turned the sugar into body fat that could be broken down for energy in leaner times. Insulin also triggers hormones and neurochemicals that both increase hunger and heighten the pleasure of sweet tastes.

This process was meant to be temporary and intermittent. But in our modern food system, sugar is easily available so the addictive system never turns off. 

A 2013 study by Harvard researcher David Ludwig found that people who consumed simple carbohydrates had significant activation of opiate and dopamine receptors in the craving and reward center of the brain.

Repeatedly stimulating the reward center of your brain with simple carbs has been found to create a higher set point of your body fat levels. Once you increase body fat levels from excess sugar, your body undergoes hormonal changes in an attempt to preserve the fat.

A 2013 study on rats found that the rewards experienced by the brain after consuming sugar are even “more rewarding and attractive” than the effects of cocaine.

Another animal study at Connecticut College showed that Oreo cookies activate more neurons in the brain’s pleasure center than cocaine!  And in case you’re wondering, just like humans, the rats ate the filling first.

The ability of sugar to create superior and often irresistible neurological reward signals that override self-control mechanisms is a leading cause of overconsumption of sugar that leads to obesity and various other metabolic diseases.

Impaired Memory and Cognitive Ability

Sugar consumption has been linked to changes in gut bacteria, inflammation in the brain, and damaged nerve and glial cells which all contribute to various cognitive impairments. 

A 2016 study on rats found inflammatory markers in the hippocampus that negatively impacted memory of rats fed a high-sugar diet.

A 2021 study found that daily intake of sugar-sweetened beverages during teenage years is associated with decreased learning abilities and poorer memory in adulthood. The researchers linked these impairments to altered gut bacteria.

The good news, however, is this inflammatory damage from sugar may not be permanent.

A 2017 study in the journal Appetite found that the memory damage caused by sugar consumption can be reversed by following a low-sugar, low-GI diet.

Alzheimer’s Disease

That temporary ‘sugar high’ that many of us get addicted to may actually be a stress response to dangerously high blood sugar levels.

Various studies link chronically high blood sugar to Alzheimer’s disease to the point where many researchers have taken to calling Alzheimer’s “type 3 diabetes.”

A 2015 review of various studies on the impact of insulin resistance on cognitive decline found that diabetes and Alzheimer’s overlap by around 80%.

One link between sugar and Alzheimer’s has to do with how excessive insulin can damage the hippocampus, an area of the brain where early signs of Alzheimer’s often show up.

Diets high in added sugar have also been found to reduce the production of a hormone called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).5 BDNF is critical to the creation of new neural networks that facilitate memory formation and learning.

A 2019 review of 15 studies found that lower levels of BDNF are linked to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Brain Shrinkage and Vascular Dementia

High sugar consumption has been found to cause impaired glucose metabolism and abnormal insulin function in the brain, which contribute to brain shrinkage and restricted blood flow to the brain. These effects can lead to vascular dementia.

Dopamine Imbalance and Psychological Disorders 

High sugar consumption has been found to have negative impacts on mood.

A 2017 study looking at the effects of consuming sweet food and beverages on 23,245 participants found a 23% increase in risk of being diagnosed with common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety after five years. These findings were independent of exercise, socio-demographic factors, other dietary factors, body fat levels, and other diseases. 

The study authors concluded, “Our research confirms an adverse effect of sugar intake from sweet food/beverage on long-term psychological health.”

A 2023 study on obese individuals found that higher total sugar consumption was significantly associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms that required clinical treatment.

Researchers revealed similar findings in a controlled animal study where a diet high in refined carbs was shown to result in anxiety and depressive-like behaviors after the animals were stressed.

One of the factors in the negative impact of sugar on mood and psychological health may have to do with dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter with significant impacts on mood, behavior, learning, and memory. 

Studies have found that consuming a chronically high-sugar diet can affect both the gene expression and availability of dopamine receptors in certain areas of the brain.

The good news is that dramatically reducing carbohydrates can have profoundly beneficial effects on mental health, even for people with medicated psychiatric disorders. 

A bellwether 2022 controlled feeding study looking at the effects of a very low-carb ketogenic diet on 31 psychiatric inpatients who were not being helped by standard treatment methods such as medication and therapy found

  • The 28 patients who made it past day 6 ate a keto diet for between 14 and 248 days
  • All patients experienced significant and substantial improvements in depression and psychosis symptoms and multiple markers of metabolic health.
  • 100% of participants had improved symptoms
  • 96% of patients lost weight
  • 64% of patients reduced or discontinued medication
  • 43% achieved clinical remission

diagram summarizing benefits of ketogenic diet for bipolar

Similar findings were revealed in a 2020 study conducted by researchers at Harvard University. Examining data from over 2,000 people who ate an essentially zero-carb keto-carnivore diet for at least six months found that 96% of participants improved or resolved psychiatric symptoms.

How to Protect Your Brain from Excess Sugar

Woman hands holding human brain shape made from paper on light blue background. Awareness of Alzheimer, Parkinson's disease, dementia, stroke, seizure or mental health. Neurology and Psychology care.

The key to protecting your brain from the negative effects of sugar is to take steps to reduce sugar intake. But since sugar is addictive for most people, you have to implement strategies and behaviors that don’t focus on willpower alone. 

  • Discard all sugar in your house: Scour your fridge, freezer, and pantry, and get rid of all carb-heavy foods. 
  • Practice mindful eating: Take note of your emotional and environmental triggers. Ask your self-judgment to relax and make some space. By bringing awareness to the link between craving and behavior, you break the automatic response circuit and create the potential for healthier choices. 
  • Adopt a Ketogenic or Carnivore Diet. These high-fat, low-to-no-carb diets realign your metabolism with the whole foods humans evolved to thrive on. Your body undergoes significant metabolic changes that reduce inflammation and rebalance hormones in the brain. Numerous studies have found that a ketogenic diet can be beneficial for various brain conditions, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Carnivore enthusiasts such as Joe Rogan, Jordan Peterson, and Mikhaila Peterson have expressed the profoundly positive impacts of the carnivore diet on their mental health challenges. 
  • Game plan: Before going into situations like birthdays and sporting events where high-carb foods are the norm, load up on healthy fat and protein-rich superfoods like red meat and eggs. 
  • Consistent physical movement: Being more physically active has been found to stimulate the release of happy chemicals like endorphins and dopamine that can fill the void that you’d otherwise plug with sugary foods.  Walking, cycling, yoga, and swimming are all fantastic low-impact ways to achieve a natural high. 

Effects of Sugar on the Brain: The Bottom Line

The human body and brain evolved over millions of years on a diet of very low-carb animal-based foods. Yet, our modern food systems are based on high-carbohydrate grains and added sugars. The chronic overconsumption of sugar has profoundly negative impacts on the brain.

The negative effects of sugar on the brain include overstimulation of reward centers, leading to addictive consumption of high-sugar foods, resulting in obesity, inflammation, mood disorders, impaired learning and memory, and neurodegenerative disorders. 

To reverse and resolve the various neurological, psychological, and physiological ailments caused by excess sugar intake, it is appropriate to treat sugar like the addictive substance that it is. Eliminate easy access to sugary foods in your home and adopt a lower carbohydrate lifestyle.