Fresh green sorrel, vintage wooden background, selective focus
Liam McAuliffe

Top 20 High Oxlate Foods to Reduce or Eliminate

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Oxalates are one of the many natural chemical defense mechanisms common in plant foods. In small doses, oxalates aren’t acutely harmful. However, repeated exposure to high oxalate foods can contribute to serious issues, including mineral deficiencies, fungal infections in the intestines, kidney stones, and increased risk of renal failure. 

In this article, we’ll explore what you need to know about oxalate in your food, the risks of oxalate exposure, and a list of high-oxalate foods to eliminate or avoid. 

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What You Need to Know About Oxalates

calcium oxalate crystal in urine analysis.

Oxalates are naturally occurring organic compounds in plants. They play a key role in regulating a plant’s internal mineral content and help defend against predation. [1]

But as with other natural plant toxins and antinutrients, what’s good for plants is often bad for humans. 

It’s important to remember that from the perspective of a plant, humans are predators. Though we’ve been told that vegetables are our friends, they are equipped with sophisticated chemical defenses. In small doses, these chemicals don’t do much harm. But consuming an abundance of plant toxins over time can lead to serious health problems. 

 

Some of the problems caused by consuming high-oxalate foods include

  • Inflammation and oxidative stress
  • Impaired absorption of important nutrients, including iron, calcium, and magnesium. Oxalates are behind the surprising fact that virtually none of the iron in spinach is absorbed by your body.
  • Suppressed immune function and reduced mitochondrial activity.
  • Kidney stone formation.
  • Fungal infections in the intestine

How do You Eliminate Oxalate from the Body?

The most straightforward and effective approach to eliminate oxalate is to cut out high oxalate foods. Once the source of oxalate is eliminated, your body will naturally metabolize oxalate and excrete it through the stool and urine. 

What is Oxalate Dumping?

“Oxalate dumping” is the term given to the metabolic process of expelling oxalate. 

It is thought to occur when you significantly reduce oxalate intake. 

Though oxalate dumping is not a medical term, thousands of people report the phenomenon, especially all meat carnivore dieters. This detox process can come with some uncomfortable side effects, including

  • Body and joint pain
  • sore throat
  • burning tongue
  • bladder pain.
  • Cloudy urine and frequent urination for the body to expel oxalates.
  • painful bowel movements
  • skin rashes
  • mood swings
  • fatigue
  • dizziness
  • painful urination
  • brain fog
  • Panic and overwhelm
  • depression

These symptoms are remarkably similar to the detox process known as the  Jarisch–Herxheimer reaction that takes place when candida yeast die off in the intestines. These similarities suggest a link between resolving fungal infections associated with oxalate crystals.

20 High Oxalate Foods

Foods are considered to be high oxalate when they contain more than 50 mg per 100-g serving.

This list of high oxalate foods will help you avoid the worst offenders. 

1. Beet Greens 1,200-2,300 mg of oxalate per 100 grams

Beet greens aren’t crunchy because they’re just dirty–it’s all that oxalate. That’s right, the crunchy or sandy texture of many leafy greens is actually the abundance of poisonous oxalate crystals. 

Beetroot has less, but is still considered a high oxalate food with 125 mg per 100-gram serving. 

2. Swiss Chard 500-900 mg per ½ cup

Swiss chard is loaded with a natural toxin called oxalate. Just one half-cup of steamed white-stalked swiss chard has about 500 mg of oxalate and ½ cup of steamed red swiss chard has over 900 mg of oxalate

3. Spinach: 755 mg per ½ cup

Spinach and many other leafy greens are high in oxalate. Though they’re often heralded for their supposed mineral content, oxalates impair binding to these minerals, rendering them useless. 4

4. Rhubarb: 541 mg per ½ cup

Bye-bye, rhubarb tarts. Granted, most of the rhubarb oxalate is in the leaves, so if you stick with the stalks, you’ll be in better shape. But it’s probably not worth the risk.\

5. Cacao (Cocoa powder) 360 to 567 mg per 100 g

Though cocoa is delicious and high in magnesium, it’s not a good choice for people trying to reduce their oxalate intake. 

6. Soy products 235-336 mg per 3 oz. 

At 235 milligrams of oxalate per 3 oz. serving, there are certainly better options for getting your protein. How about a zero oxalate ribeye steak? 

At 336 mg per serving, soymilk and yogurt are even greater contributors to your oxalate load. 

And oxalate is only one of the numerous plant toxins contained in soy products. 

Soy has high concentrations of phytohormones that can disrupt hormone levels in the human body, distorting the male androgen to female estrogen balance, and leading to disruptions in egg formation and sperm production.  

7. Peanuts 187 mg per 100 grams

As a legume, peanuts contain another plant toxin called lectin. These sticky proteins can team up with oxalate to damage the lining of your gut leading to intestinal permeability.  

When your gut barrier is compromised, lectin can enter your bloodstream, where they bind with bacteria and viruses making it easier for them to reach their targets in your body.

8. Almonds 366 mg  per 100 grams 

This works out to 122 mg of oxalate per 22 nuts–about a handful. 

Recent studies also suggest that alternative plant-based milk, including almond milk, are underappreciated sources of oxalate that can lead to kidney stones.

9. Buckwheat Groats: 133 mg per ½ cup

Buckwheat groats are like nuttier rice, but they don’t have a place on a low oxalate diet. 

And if you’re lamenting the loss of fiber, don’t. Consuming fiber and oxalate together can amplify the ways that both compounds impede mineral absorption.

In addition to fiber and oxalate, buckwheat also contains another antinutrient called phytic acid. This compound blocks the absorption of zinc, magnesium, and calcium. And studies show that calcium is needed to reduce oxalate damage. 

10. Potatoes 97 mg per medium baked potato

Since much of the oxalate is in the skin of potatoes, occasionally consuming peeled potatoes won’t add much to your oxalate load. Good news for those of you who enjoy the occasional tallow-friend french fries carnivore “treat” day special. 

11. Navy beans 76 mg per ½ cup

Like peanuts, navy beans are another legume with a potentially harmful combination of oxalate and lectin. 

Other High Oxalt Foods to Avoid

The following foods round out the bottom of the list. 

12. Bulgar: 86 mg per cup

13. Raspberries: 48 mg per cup

14. Dates: 24 mg per date

15. Okra: 57 mg per 1/2 cup

16. Cashews: 49 mg per 1 oz

17. Lentil soup: 39 mg per cup

18. sweet potatoes: 28 mg per cup

19. Bran flakes: 57 mg per cup

20. tar fruit juice: 800 mg per 4 oz. 

High Oxalate Foods: The Bottom Line

Oxalates are compounds that occur naturally in many popular plant foods. 

Consuming too much oxalate (oxalic acid) has been linked to various health issues, including kidney problems, intestinal fungal infections, and inflammation. 

The good news is that by reducing high-oxalate foods, your body will naturally metabolize and expel oxalate.

Overfishing and depletion of ocean resources, concept of Pollution and Habitat Loss, created with Generative AI technology
Liam McAuliffe

What is a Carnitarian?

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A carnitarian is often confused with someone on the all-meat carnivore diet. However, many people on the carnivore diet are carnitarians. So what is a carnitarian anyway? 

A carnitarian is someone who intentionally avoids eating seafood but who still eats a lot of meat. 

In this article, we’ll explore the main environmental and health reasons that motivate people to go carnitarian, along with its benefits and drawbacks. 

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Why Go Carnitarian? 

People go carnitarian for three main reasons.

  1. To maintain the unmatched nutrient density of animal products harvested from land animals. Numerous nutrients found in meat are virtually unavailable to vegans and vegetarians. 
  2. To reduce exposure to environmental and natural toxins like mercury, microplastics, and ciguatoxins
  3. To reduce the negative ecological effects of overfishing 

Let’s take a closer look at each of these factors. 

Meat is Healthy

Carnitarians know that fresh meat is the supreme source of various bioavailable nutrients. Carnitarians also base their choices on research showing that eating meat is associated with various markers of health, fertility, and longevity.

Nutrient Density in Meat

Some of the essential nutrients found in abundance in meat include

When considering the nutrients in meat, it’s not surprising that researchers have correlated consuming more meat with greater life expectancy.

The increased longevity linked with eating meat has been found to be independent of total caloric intake, economic status, urban advantages like access to higher income jobs and better healthcare, and obesity.

When compared to vegetarian diets, low-carb high-fat diets result in better health markers regarding heart health, weight loss, and blood sugar regulation, mood, and mental health.

ribeye steak with nutrients

Carnitarianism for Mental Health

Many carnitarians chose to eat meat as a way to balance mood and support mental health, and modern studies support this approach. 

For example, a 2021 meta-analysis including data from 20 studies and 171,802 participants across the globe revealed the following

  • “significant association between meat consumption/abstention and depression and anxiety”
  • Meat eaters had lower average depression and anxiety levels than meat abstainers. This was true for both men and women.  
  • Veganism and vegetarianism were linked with psychiatric disorders and a significantly greater likelihood of depression
  • The higher the quality of each study, the greater the benefit of eating meat for mental health

How Eating Meat Can Be Good for the Environment

Many carnitarians also consider the environmental impact of eating meat by choosing meat that is raised with sustainable and regenerative practices. 

“Regenerative agriculture” or “carbon farming” is a way of raising livestock that sequesters carbon while maximizing soil health.

diagram of regenerative beef farming cycle

Toxins in Seafood

Carnitarians eliminate seafood partly because of various toxins found widely among nearly all types of seafood. 

Toxins in seafood can come from both industrial and natural causes. Global oceans have been dumping grounds for industrial waste for over a century. 

Natural toxins produced by marine microorganisms can infect seafood, making them poisonous when consumed by humans. 

Mercury

Mercury is a toxic metal that can accumulate in the tissues of fish, particularly large predatory fish like sharks, swordfish, and king mackerel.

Consuming seafood contaminated with mercury can cause it to accumulate in the body. High levels of mercury can be harmful to the nervous system and can cause developmental problems in children.

Though seawater itself contains only very low concentrations of methylmercury, sea plants absorb it. When fish eat the algae they absorb the mercury into their tissue. 

When these smaller herbivorous fish are consumed by larger fish, the mercury accumulates at much high levels. This process is called bioaccumulation.

It’s important to highlight that mercury poisoning from seafood is not just a theory. It shows up in studies on people. 

For example, a 2003 study of 89 Americans found that 89% of participants had higher mercury levels than the official maximum limit.

And what does all this mercury do to our health? 

Studies have found that mercury exposure is linked to

  • Alzheimer’s
  • Parkinson’s
  • Depression
  • Autism
  • decreased motor skills
  • decreased dexterity
  • poor memory
  • impaired attention
  • Increased risk of heart attacks
  • Higher “bad” LDL cholesterol

A study involving 1,800 men found that participants with the highest levels of mercury were 200% more likely to die from heart problems than those with lower levels.

Here’s a list of some of the highest mercury seafood :

Type of SeafoodMercury concentration
Swordfish0.995 ppm
Shark0.979 ppm
King mackerel0.730 ppm
Bigeye tuna0.689 ppm
Marlin0.485 ppm
Canned tuna0.128 ppm
Cod0.111 ppm

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) 

PCBs are toxic compounds that used to be common in many industrial chemicals. 

PCBs have been banned 1970s, but they still contaminate many freshwater, saltwater fish.

PCBs are found in especially high concentrations in farmed salmon.

As with mercury, PCBs can accumulate in human tissue, including muscle, brain, liver, and lungs. 

Exposure to PCBs can cause a range of negative health effects in humans, including developmental and reproductive problems, immune system suppression, and cancer.

Detoxing from PCBs can take a long time since they have 10-15 years half-lives. 

Microplastics

Microplastics are small plastic particles that can be ingested by marine animals and accumulate in their tissues. Consuming contaminated seafood can cause these particles from seafood lead to health problems. 

Some studies show that microplastics can cause inflammation in the body and may be linked to other health problems such as cancer, reproductive and developmental problems, and disruption of the immune system.

Additionally, microplastics can contain chemicals that are known to be harmful, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which can accumulate in the body over time and increase the risk of various health problems. 

From: Effect of microplastics in water and aquatic systems

Naturally Occurring Toxins in Seafood

Carnitarians also cite the prevalence of various naturally occurring toxins in seafood. These include

  • Histamine is produced by bacteria in spoiled fish. Exposure to histamine can result in allergic reactions.
  • Ciguatoxins are produced by a type of algae. They can accumulate in some species of tropical reef fish, such as barracuda, grouper, and snapper. Ciguatera fish poisoning can lead to gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms.
  • Saxitoxin is produced by certain types of marine plankton. It can accumulate in shellfish, such as clams, mussels, and oysters. Consumption of contaminated shellfish can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning, a potentially life-threatening issue.

But there for carnitarians, there is one type of oyster that is always on the menu: the rocky mountain oyster. 

Overfishing

Carnitarians are often motivated to eliminate seafood because of the detriments of overfishing. 

Overfishing means catching more fish than can be replenished naturally through reproduction. 

Negative consequences of overfishing include

  1. Depletion of fish populations can lead to the collapse of entire fish stocks. This can have serious consequences for the ocean ecosystem, as well as for the people and communities that rely on fish for food and income
  2. Loss of biodiversity when some species are targeted more heavily than others, and some may be caught unintentionally as bycatch
  3. Damage to marine habitats is caused by practices like bottom trawling, where large nets are dragged along the ocean floor. This can damage fragile marine habitats, including coral reefs and seafloor ecosystems
  4. Negative economic impacts on fishing communities, as well as on the seafood industry as a whole
  5. Negative impacts on food security, particularly in developing countries where fish is an important source of protein and other nutrients
  6. Negative contributions to climate change from fishing vessels and processing plants that produce large greenhouse gas emissions 

In 2003, researchers estimated that industrial fishing had depleted the population of large ocean fish to only 10% of their pre-industrial population.

Why Carnivore Dieters are Often Carnitarians

Carnivore dieters are often carnitarians for all the reasons listed above. 

Furthermore, there is no nutrient found in fish that a carnivore dieter cannot get from land animal products like beef, lamb, eggs, and full-fat dairy. 

In the table below, you can see that even common ground beef provides all of the essential macro and micronutrients aside from vitamin A and vitamin D. 

However, vitamin D can be found in abundance in pasture-raised pork–nearly as much as in cod liver oil. While conventional pork spareribs contain a significant 138 IU per 4-ounce serving. 

As for vitamin A, a small 1 oz serving of beef liver or duck liver contains between 200% and 400% of your RDV. 

chart comparing nutrients in ground beef with seaffod

Source: USDA nutrition data

Carnitarian: The Takeaway

Carnitarians are people who eliminate fish but still consume large amounts of meat and animal products from land animals. 

Carnitarians base their eating habits on the fact that meat is a nutrient-dense and healthy center of the human diet. However, meat from fish is often contaminated with industrial waste and natural toxins. 

Furthermore, carnitarians chose not to support industrial fishing practices that promote overfishing that damages ecosystems and the environment in general. They often choose meat from land animals that are raised with environmentally sustainable and regenerative practices. 

Though fish are sources of numerous nutrients, carnitarians know that they can get all the nutrients found in seafood from land animal sources. 

Selection food for CARNIVORE DIET. Seafood, Meat, megs and fat. Zero carbs diet concept.
Liam McAuliffe

Is the Carnivore Diet Healthy? Follow the Science

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The carnivore diet is beloved by tens of thousands of enthusiastic adopters, including popular media figures like Jordan and Mikhaila Peterson, Joe Rogan, and influential health professionals like Dr. Kiltz, Dr. Ken Berry, Dr. Paul Saladino, and Dr. Shawn Baker. This all-meat approach to eating is also feared by mainstream nutritionists biased by a grain-based industrial agricultural paradigm. So the question for many people remains: is the carnivore diet healthy? 

In this article, we’ll answer the question, “is the carnivore diet healthy?” by looking at the most recent scientific studies on the carnivore diet and on meat eating in general. And we’ll investigate the factors that carnivore dieters identify as the key to its health benefits. 

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Health Benefits of the Carnivore Diet

Despite what the mainstream nutrition establishment says, there are numerous researched benefits of eating meat, and they’re amplified on an all-meat diet. 

Tens of thousands of carnivore dieters report a variety of powerful, healthy benefits, including

graphic of a piece of steak and benefits of carnivore diet

Evolutionary Foundations for the Health Benefits of the Carnivore Diet

Is the carnivore diet healthy? Well, according to researchers like Miki Ben-Dor and Amber O’Hearn, humans evolved on a primarily carnivorous diet of large fatty prey for nearly two million years. It was only around 10,000 years ago that we turned to agriculture.

Figure-1-Human-brain-Dr.-Miki-Ben-Dor-1536x689-2-4

Source:  Dr Miki Ben Dor

Over eons of relying on large prey resulted in the development of a digestive tract and metabolic system that is primed to thrive on fatty meat. 

Examples of Healthy Traditional Carnivore Diets

Though most humans alive today consume a grain-based Western diet, a few traditional cultures that consumed a carnivore diet have persisted long enough to be studied by modern science. 

The arctic Inuit people thrived on seal, walrus, whales, and fish.

inuit woman

In the 1960s, doctor and professor George V. Mann studied the Maasai of Eastern Africa, who consume a diet of meat, milk, and cows’ blood.

He was looking for populations that thrived on high-fat, low-carb, and no-vegetable diets. His work was aimed at confronting what he called the “heart mafia.” 

This consisted of people in the American medical establishment who built their careers creating and defending erroneous links between the consumption of dietary fat, high cholesterol, and an increase in heart disease. 

Not surprisingly to Mann, despite the Masai’s high-fat, carnivore diet, their blood pressure and weight were about 50% less than an average American.  And they were essentially free from heart disease, cancer, or diabetes—the so-called diseases of civilization.

Maasai Mara man in traditional colorful clothing showing traditional Maasai jumping dance at Maasai Mara tribe village famous Safari travel destination near Maasai Mara National Reserve Kenya

Doctor and anthropologist Ales Hrdlicka surveyed the health of Native American populations in the American Southwest between 1898 and 1905. 

Studying Native American elders who had lived most of their lives on a diet based on meat from wild game, especially buffalo, before their traditional ways of life were destroyed, Hrdlicka found them in incredibly good health. 

Malignant diseases were extremely rare, as were dementia and heart disease, of which he found only 3 cases out of the 2,000 people he surveyed. 

Hrdlicka also discovered many more centenarians among the Native Americans (224 per million men and 254 per million women) compared to white settlers (3 per million men, and 6 per million women). His research was compiled into a nearly 500-page report for the Smithsonian Institute.

Is the Carnivore Diet Healthy? Follow the Science

After the findings of these early researchers, the carnivore diet disappeared from popular view until it was resurrected by a few influential doctors like Dr. Kiltz, Dr. Berry, and Dr. Baker as a natural extension of the high-fat, low-carb, ketogenic diet. 

Since the early 2000s, the diet has been gaining in popularity. So much so that in 2021, it caught the eye of researchers from Harvard University and prompted a major survey study. 

screen shot of harvard carnivore diet study title

The bellweather Harvard carnivore study explored the health effects of the carnivore diet for 2,029 people who had been eating carnivore for at least six months.

Speaking directly to the question, is the carnivore diet healthy? The researchers concluded, “Contrary to common expectations, adults consuming a carnivore diet experienced few adverse effects and instead reported health benefits and high satisfaction.” 

The powerful health benefits of carnivore 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

details from harvard carnivore diet study

Since this data is self-reported and not harvested from a randomized control trial, it cannot attribute cause, only correlation. Nevertheless, these findings are remarkably positive and warrant more detailed research. 

Similar findings to those of the Harvard study were found in an even larger survey by Revero–a carnivore diet coaching service. 

Data from 12,000 carnivore dieters found that after at least three months on an all-meat diet.

  • 96% of participants fully resolved or experienced significant improvements in all diseases
  • 96% improved skin disorders
  • 95% improved gastrointestinal issues
  • 93% improved mental health
  • 91% lost weight
  • 79% eliminated or reduced all medications

Research on Eating Meat and Health

If you’re coming from a mainstream nutritional perspective that has long promoted a so-called balanced diet based on industrial grains and toxic vegetable oils, the idea that meat could be good for you might be hard to swallow. 

But in fact, numerous “gold-standard” randomized control trials and systemic reviews published in the world’s most respected journals have been setting meat free from the anti-meat misinformation that has dogged us since the 1960s. 

Here’s a rundown of what the actual science says about the health benefits and risks of eating meat

  • Saturated fat (the kind you get a lot of on a carnivore diet) is not significantly associated with heart disease, stroke, diabetes, death from heart attacks, and cancer. This means that not only is it not causally linked by randomized control trials, but that even large-scale population studies cannot even find mere associations.
  • Saturated fat is healthy when consumed as part of fresh meat.
  • Fresh meat is a fantastic source of numerous highly bioavailable nutrients and is associated with various markers of health, fertility, and longevity
  • Total meat consumption is correlated with greater life expectancy. Living longer from eating meat is found to be an independent variable that is not influenced by total caloric intake, economic status, urban advantages, and obesity
  • Cardiovascular health, weight loss, and blood sugar regulation are all substantially better on low-carb, high-fat diets compared to vegetarian diets.

Factors Behind the Health Benefits of the Carnivore Diet

Based on the prevailing evidence, the carnivore diet does appear to be healthy for many people.

The carnivore diet means eating only meat. This makes it a type of elimination diet.

The inflammatory and irritating foods that you’re eliminating are likely as important to your health as the nutritious animal products you’re adding in. 

Plant and processed foods subject the body to excess carbs, plant toxins, and antinutrients.

Gone are the nightshades, grains, toxic vegetable oils, and all FODMAPS offenders. 

Welcomed are nutrient-dense superfoods like ribeye steak, eggs, butter, fatty fish, and organ meats. 

Eliminates Plant Toxins and Antinutrients

If you’re new to carnivore, remember that all living things strive to survive, including plants. 

Since plants can’t strike, bite, claw, or run from threats, they’ve developed a sophisticated arsenal of chemical defenses known as plant toxins. 

Many of these plant toxins are lethal to smaller predators and can damage human tissues. Especially the delicate gut membrane. 

Plant toxins are strikingly abundant, and humans consume around 1.6 grams per day. These natural pesticides account for more than 10,000 times the load of synthetic pesticides that people fruitlessly try to scrub off their produce.

Plant toxins like lectins and phytates are common and can cause intestinal permeability, AKA leaky gut, leading to chronic inflammation and autoimmune disorders.

Unlike humans, ruminant animals like cows, bison, and sheep are equipped to ferment plant foods into fatty acids. This process eliminates most plant toxins and incorporates these fatty acids into their body tissue. 

Doctor Kiltz has a saying, “we came out of the trees not to eat the grass but to eat the grass eaters.” 

Learn more about the effects of common plant toxins below: 

Common-Plant-Chemicals-and-their-Effect-1-1536x1314-1

Eliminates Excess Fiber 

The myth that you need fiber in order to poop is persistent but scientifically not accurate. 

Contrary to popular dogma, research shows that not only is fiber unnecessary, but we’re likely better off without it.

A 2012 study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology examined the effects of fiber on constipation. The researchers concluded,

“The previous strongly-held belief that the application of dietary fiber to help constipation is but a myth. Our study shows a very strong correlation between improving constipation and its associated symptoms after stopping dietary fiber intake.”

Another 2012 control trial looking at the effects of fiber on constipation and IBS found significant reductions in symptoms after only two weeks of eliminating fiber. And as soon as participants began eating fiber again, their IBS symptoms came back.

Effects-of-Reducing-Dietary-Fiber

 

Fiber can also act like an antinutrient by binding to minerals, including iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium, preventing the absorption of these nutrients. And by inhibiting digestive enzymes, thereby impairing protein absorption. 

Resets Gut Bacteria

Removing fermentable fibers and carbohydrates reduces harmful bacteria. 

Fermentable, fibrous plant foods promote the overgrowth of bacteria in the intestine that are associated with chronic inflammation of the gut mucosal lining.

While high carb diets have been found to promote the growth of harmful proteobacteria and to reduce beneficial bacteriodetes in the gut. 

Bacteriodetes protect against endotoxins–toxic substances that are released when bacteria disintegrate–while reinforcing the gut membrane.

By removing fiber and carbs, the carnivore diet promotes a healthy gut by allowing the gut lining to heal and by restoring a healthy microbiome.

diagram of intact vs damaged gut lining

Eliminates Carbs and Processed Junk

The carnivore diet eliminates ultra-processed, hyper-palatable foods. 

These modern industrial products are engineered to override satiation signals and keep you eating even when you’re full. 

Research shows that overconsumption of all this high-carb crap results in hormonal imbalances that drive obesity and inflammatory disease, especially leptin resistance.

When you lose sensitivity to leptin signaling, your hunger switch gets stuck on “on,” and you lose the motivation to move your body. A deadly recipe. 

Increases Nutrient Intake on the Carnivore Diet

The carnivore diet means dramatically increasing your intake of the most nutrient-dense foods on earth. 

The nutrients found in meat and animal products are essential for bodily functions, including 

diagram showing nutrients in ribeye steak

Grass-fed-butter-benefits@2x-1536x1249

Some of the essential nutrients–many of which are found only in meat–dramatically increased on a carnivore diet include

Is the Carnivore Diet Healthy? The Bottom Line

Large-scale preliminary studies and the personal report of tens of thousands of carnivore dieters suggest that, yes, the carnivore diet can be remarkably healthy. 

This may come as a surprise to people raised in a grain-based paradigm inundated with “eat your veggies” dogma. However, the healthiness of meat and eating only meat is evident when you look under the hood of the carnivore diet. 

One way to understand the benefits of carnivore is that animal products provide structure, while plant foods create stressors. 

The fats, proteins, and micronutrients you get from animal products are the building blocks of healthy cell structures and hormone formation. 

Conversely, plant products subject the body to unnecessary and stressful substances, including fiber, carbs, antinutrients, and plant toxins.

Though not acutely harmful in small doses, chronic exposure to these substances damages the intestines and promotes chronic inflammation at the root of most modern diseases. Learn how to start a carnivore diet here.

browned ground beef in cast iron skillet
Liam McAuliffe

Carnivore Diet Ground Beef: Recipes and Benefits

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Ground beef is often an afterthought on the carnivore diet. Influential adopters like Joe Rogan extol the virtues of savoring wild elk steaks, while pop psychologist Jordan Peterson details the benefits of tucking into 2-inch ribeyes. But high-quality ground beef can be a cost-effective and surprisingly nourishing carnivore diet staple. 

In this article, we’ll explore the nutrition and benefits of ground beef on the carnivore diet, and we’ll offer a few simple and delicious carnivore diet ground beef recipes.

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I Scream, You Scream, We all Scream for…Ground Beef!  

Of the 26 billion pounds of beef consumed by Americans each year, 46% is ground beef. This makes ground beef by far the most popular type of beef we eat. [1] 

If you’ve recently transitioned to a carnivore diet, you may be wondering if you can bring your burgers with you. The answer is yes, but with a couple of caveats. 

Of course, you’ll have to leave the bun, lettuce, tomato, and most condiments behind. However, there are some carnivore diet condiments that you can make yourself. 

The most important thing to remember is that an all-meat carnivore diet is low-carb, high-fat, moderate-protein way of eating. This means ditching anything resembling “lean.” 

Select at least 80% ground beef. 70% is better when you can find it. You’ll also want to load it up with other animal fats like butter, tallow, and creamy carnivore cheeses. 

Why is Fatty (70/30 or fattier) Ground Beef so Important on Carnivore? 

Yes, humans are carnivores, but more accurately, we’re “fatavores.” 

Research suggests that we evolved as hyper-carnivorous apex predators feasting on giant, fatty animals known as megafauna for nearly two million years.5

Our evolutionary penchant for fatty meat is reflected in the fact that we can only get around 35% of our calories from protein without getting protein poisoning. 4

On the carnivore diet, the other 65% of our calories have to come from animal fats! 

You could always start with leaner 80, or even 85% ground beef if that’s all that you can source, but you’d just have to dress it up with more fat. 

Best Ground Beef on the Carnivore Diet

ground beef in a paper bag on the table

Dr. Kiltz has a few favorite sources of grass-fed, grass-finished ground beef that you can order directly. 

  • U.S. Wellness Meats: Provides 55% lean ground beef. Definitely the fattiest ground beef on the market. High quality from grass-fed cattle. They also offer ground beef blended with organs including heart and liver to support nose-to-tail eaters. 
  • Snake River Farms provides premium American Wagyu ground beef. Ultra-fatty with 34 grams of fat to 19 grams of protein–a perfect carnivore macro ratio. 
  • Porter Road: offers delicious dry-aged ground beef at a great price

If all that fat scares you, remember that we’ve had a scientific reckoning over the last few years. Saturated fat from whole foods sources like fresh meat is, in fact, healthy. 

Now let’s take a quick look at some of the other health benefits of carnivore diet ground beef. 

Vitamins and Minerals in Ground Beef

Ground beef is a remarkably nutrient-dense food.

Nutrient density means that per calorie, ground beef provides an abundance of macronutrients like saturated and monounsaturated fats, complete proteins, along with essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs to survive and thrive. 

B Vitamins

1 lb of 80/20 ground beef offers 

  • 142% of B12
  • 68% of niacin
  • 64% of B6
  • 34% of riboflavin

This complex of B vitamins supports many of the most important functions in your body, including 

  • converting food into energy
  • Forming new red blood cells that carry oxygen to your brain
  • Enhancing cognition and protecting against age-related cognitive decline.B12 deficiency is associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. [16]
  • Supporting mood. B12 is now considered an antidepressant. [15]  

Keep in mind that vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in carnivore diet foods. [2]

Heme Iron*

One pound of ground beef provides 46% of your RDV of heme iron. 

Heme iron plays critical roles 

  • the formation of red blood cells
  • energy metabolism
  • immune function
  • cognitive ability. 
  • Without enough iron you’ll get anemia [17]

On a carnivore diet, it’s important to cook your ground beef in animal fats. Studies show that when high-iron foods are cooked in toxic vegetable oils like corn and soybean oil, they can produce carcinogenic compounds.[18]

Zinc 

One pound of ground beef provides 128% of your RDV of zinc. 

The zinc found in meat is 400% more bioavailable than zinc found in grains. [19]

Zinc is critical for various bodily functions, including

  • healthy immune function
  • synthesis of proteins and DNA
  • wound healing
  • childhood growth and development 
  • antioxidant effects in the body

Selenium

One pound of ground beef provides 92% of your RDV of selenium. 

This is probably one of the most important nutrients you’ve never heard about. 

The importance of selenium is linked to its role as a piece of numerous compounds called selenoproteins. Selenoproteins are involved in [20] : 

  • Proper thyroid function 
  • immune function
  • Infection fighting
  • Protection from cell damage
  • reproductive health 
  • DNA synthesis
  • Antioxidant effects [21] [22]
  • Protection against cancer [23]
  • Protection against neurological disorders [24]
  • lung health [25]  

Complete Proteins

One pound of, 80/20 ground beef burger provides 80 grams of protein–over 160% of your RDV. 

Proteins are the building blocks for the growth and repair of muscle, tissue, and bone. They make hormones and transport oxygen throughout the body.

Ground Beef Nutrition

NutrientAmount per ½ lb (80/20) Ground Beef%RDV
Fat25.9 g
Saturated Fat9.8 g
Monounsaturated Fat11.5 g
Protein40.2 g80%
Riboflavin0.3 mg17%
Niacin8.7 mg43%
Vitamin B60.6 mg32%
Folate16.4 mcg4%
Vitamin B124.3 mcg71%
Pantothenic Acid1.2 mg12%
Iron41.7 mg23%
Magnesium4.1 mg9%
Phosphorus337 mg34%
Potassium566 mg16%
Zinc9.5 mg64%
Selenium32.5 mcg46%

Carnivore Diet Ground Beef Recipes

These simple carnivore diet ground beef recipes will help bring some variety to your carnivore diet meal plan. 

Carnivore Diet Beef Stroganoff Recipe

Stroganoff is a delicious Russian dish of beef stewed in a creamy gravy. 

It’s a favorite with real staying power. In fact, it was created back in 1891 by a French chef working for a wealthy Russian family. After it won a contest, it was named in the custom of the day after the chef’s employer, Count Pavel Alexandrovich Stroganov.

This carnivore diet adaptation leaves out any plant foods, including the familiar mushrooms. 

Ingredients: 

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 cup Beef Bone Broth
  • 4 ounces organic cream cheese with creme fraiche or sour cream: you can even try a blend of triple cream brie, creamy blue cheese, and creme fraiche or sour cream
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions:

  1. In a hot skillet, lightly brown the meat, making sure to separate clumps with a spatula
  2. Add in bone broth and cheeses
  3. Reduce to a simmer and cook until liquid is reduced by 50%. Around 5-10 minutes
  4. Enjoy hot! If it cools too much the fat congeals and it’s just not as scrumptious

Carnivore Diet Scotch Eggs Recipe

The UK classic wraps a soft-boiled egg in ground beef and bakes them together. They’ve been around for over 200 years and can still be found at corner stores throughout the UK. 

Carnivore scotch eggs are a perfect picnic food, or a carnivore snack when you’re on the run. 

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds of ground beef or pork
  • 2 tsps salt
  • 12 large hard or soft-boiled eggs–soft-boiled will give you a delicious blend of textures. 

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C)
  2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper
  3. In a large bowl combine beef or pork and salt in a large bowl
  4. Mix ingredients together and form into 12 meatballs–using your hands works best
  5. Place six meatballs on each sheet
  6. Press the meatballs flat
  7. Place one boiled egg in the center of each flat meat circle. 
  8. Wrap the meat around each egg–use care to close up all gaps or holes
  9. Bake for 10-15 minutes–until the top appears cooked
  10. Flip each ball and cook for another 10 minutes

If you want it crispy, place under a broiler for 5 minutes. At this point, you can also top it with creamy blue cheese and broil. 

Carnivore Diet Ground Beef: The Takeaway

Though ground beef is often given peasant status when compared to more regal carnivore cuts like ribeyes, New York strips, and T-bones, ground beef should not be shirked. 

Ground beef from high-quality producers is a cost-effective way to get into the premium meat carnivore diet realm. You can get wagyu ground beef for $12 a pound, and premium dry-aged ground beef for less than $10. 

But the price isn’t the only factor supporting the role of ground beef on carnivore. Like nearly all other cuts of steak, ground beef is incredibly nutrient-rich, providing essential macro and micronutrients. And it has the added benefit of being super versatile.

spirit-animal-coffee
William Kiltz

Mold Free Coffee: Best Brands to Choose From

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Pesticides aren’t the only thing to worry about when enjoying a “clean” cup of Joe. More coffee drinkers are looking for mold-free coffee. 

In case you’re new to the subject, a substantial percentage of coffees from around the world contain toxic mold substances called mycotoxins. 

In this article, we’ll tell you what coffee molds are, what they can do to you, and review the best mold-free coffee brands. 

[TOC]

Why Mold-Free Coffee? 

Mold in coffee may be new to you, but coffee manufacturers have known about it for years. 

Various studies on the presence of mycotoxins in commercial coffee found that between 27% and 45% were contaminated.

photographs of coffee beans growing mold

From: Prevalence of toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in Arabic coffee (Coffea arabica): Protective role of traditional coffee roasting, brewing and bacterial volatiles

Some research shows that even though mycotoxin contamination is common, it only exposes people to a small percentage of allowable levels.

But as with most toxins in our modern lives, it’s not so much the acute exposure that we need to worry about. The main concern with mold in coffee is the possible effects of chronic exposure over time, and the addition of coffee molds to your overall toxic load. 

Both acute and long-term exposure to mycotoxins can result in various symptoms.

Symptoms-of-Mycotoxin-Exposure in coffee

 

Is Organic Mold-Free Coffee Worth it? 

The cleanest coffee will be both organic and certified mold-free. 

Non-organic coffee beans are grown with chemical fertilizers and sprayed with numerous synthetic pesticides and chemicals that are harmful to humans.

Not only are these substances harmful to coffee drinkers, but they can damage the environment in which the coffee is grown while affecting the health of farmers. 

However, the organic certification does not account for the presence of mycotoxins. That’s where certified mold-free coffee becomes essential. 

What About Decaf Mold Free Coffee? 

Studies show that decaf coffee generally contains more mycotoxins than caffeinated beans because caffeine naturally inhibits mold growth.

Furthermore, the typical way to decaffeinate coffee is to soak green coffee beans in solvents like methylene chloride or ethyl acetate. 

If these substances sound familiar (and scary) that’s because they’re used in common solvents like paint thinner. 

So if you’re sensitive to caffeine and drink coffee more for its flavor, it’s important to choose a certified mold-free brand that removes caffeine with the non-toxic “Swiss water method.” 

The Best Mold Free Coffee Brand

The best mold-free coffee brands will be tested by reliable third-party labs and make their results available to consumers. 

Some brands claim to be mold-free but don’t publish their tests. 

Spirit Animal

The most transparent mold-free coffee brand is Spirit Animal. 

Spirit animal is on a mission to connect rare, small-scale, high-scoring specialty coffee from Honduras with the world. They forge personal relationships with their small farm growers and support their sustainable farming practices. 

Each of their coffees also comes with a “Cup Score” that accounts for a number of factors: visual appearance of the beans, aroma, taste, aftertaste, acidity, body, sweetness, etc. 

All Spirit Animal coffees score from the upper 80s to the low 90s on a scale of 0-100. This classifies them all as “specialty coffee” (80-100). Most commercial coffees score between 60-80. 

Certifications: Certified Fair-Trade. Third-party lab tested “mold-free.” Though not organic certified, their small-scale farmers use practices that would likely be considered organic.

Price: $22-$69 per 12 oz bag. 

spirit animal coffee bag

Mold Testing: Yes, they publish their lab results on their website. Here’s an example.

lab test of mold free coffee

Natural Force

Natural Force was originally founded by two friends as a clean supplement company. They’ve since branched out to include coffee. 

The coffee doesn’t advertise cupping scores, but what it lacks in barista-bling, it makes up for with eco-friendly packaging and a wallet-friendly price tag. 

Natural Force Clean Coffee is also low-acid and gentle on sensitive stomachs. To boot, their decaf uses the nontoxic Swiss Water Process.

Certifications: Lab-tested for mold, mycotoxins, and pesticides. Available on their website. Certified B Corp, USDA Organic, and Direct Trade. 

Price: $24.99 for 12 oz. bag

Fabula

Fabula’s claim to fame is the freshness of its coffee, which is roasted right before shipping. Their beans are shade-grown at high elevations, giving them a low acidity. In coffee bean terms, this means they are gentle on your digestion. 

Certifications: USDA Organic, Mold Testing results are available upon request. In addition to mold, their lab tests look for over 350 unwanted compounds. 

Price: $29.99 for 12 oz bag

Mold-Free Coffee: The Bottom Line

Significant percentages of the world’s coffee is contaminated with toxic molds. Though much of these molds are neutralized by roasting and brewing, chronic exposure to even small doses of mycotoxins can be harmful. 

And let’s remember that most coffee drinkers enjoy their brews daily. 

Fortunately, there are a number of mold-free coffee brands that back up their claims with third-party lab tests. For the cleanest cup of coffee–both for you and the environment–go for organic mold-free coffee. This way, you’ll know that it’s pesticide and mold-free.

mold in the unwashed cup after cup of coffee on grungy wooden background, A cup of coffee left for several days until the fungus occurs.
William Kiltz

Mold in Coffee and Coffee Makers: Risks and Solutions

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Did you know that researchers have routinely found mold in coffee and coffee makers? 

And did you know that repeated exposure to even small doses of these toxic coffee molds (mycotoxins) can cause serious health issues?

In this article, we’ll explore what causes mold in coffee and coffee makers and how they can affect your health. We’ll also offer tips for choosing mold-free coffee and for getting rid of the mold in your coffee maker. 

[TOC]

Fast Facts About Mold in Coffee

Research on the presence and effects of mold in coffee is still emerging. Here’s a rundown of what we know so far. 

  • The toxic products of mold on coffee are called mycotoxins
  • Mycotoxins have been found in various concentrations in significant proportions of coffee from various countries
  • Green and decaf tend to have higher levels
  • Decaf coffee has more mycotoxins because caffeine inhibits the growth of mold
  • Studies have found that 33% of green coffee beans from Brazil had low levels of ochratoxin A
  • A 1996 study found that 45% of commercially available coffee beans contained Ochratoxin A
  • A study on Portuguese coffee found that 18% of commercial coffee beans contained ochratoxin A
  • A 2013 study found that 27% of all roast coffees tested contained ochratoxin A. Beans from Chile had the highest concentrations
  • A 2021 study found that there is no evidence that ochratoxin A in coffee is acutely toxic in small doses–but this study did not look at repeated exposure over time
  • A study in Spain found that drinking contaminated coffee exposed people to only 3% of the maximum allowable ochratoxin A levels
  • A study from 1996 found that if you drink four cups of coffee a day you will only be exposed to 2% of allowable ochratoxin A levels
  • Responsible coffee growers know about mycotoxins and have effective ways of reducing and eliminating them
  • “Wet processing” gets rid of most mycotoxins
  • Roasting has been shown to reduce ochratoxin A by 69-96%

What Mold is in Coffee? 

Researchers have found that significant percentages of global coffee beans are contaminated with toxic compounds called mycotoxins. 

Mycotoxins are the toxic products of molds in coffee beans that have been processed and stored improperly–usually in damp environments.

There are over 16 types of mold found in coffee, and two that are more prevalent and widely studied than others:

  • aflatoxin B1
  • ochratoxin A

diagram of mycotoxin molecules

Aflatoxin B1 is a carcinogen, meaning that it is known to cause cancer in addition to other serious health issues. 

Ochratoxin A is less studied and thought to have weaker carcinogenic properties. It may also damage the kidneys.

The images below show what toxic mold in coffee looks like. 

images of mold in coffee

From: Prevalence of toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in Arabic coffee (Coffea arabica): Protective role of traditional coffee roasting, brewing and bacterial volatiles

These graphs demonstrate how roasting and brewing can reduce mycotoxins in coffee.

According to the World Health Organization, exposure to the types of mycotoxins produced by mold in coffee can lead to long-term health issues, including

  • Immune deficiency
  • Severe allergies
  • nausea
  • dizziness
  • gastro-intestinal problems
  • In serious cases, cancer

Symptoms-of-Mycotoxin-Exposure@2x-1331x1536

Though studies suggest that drinking coffee exposes people to only small percentages of safe allowable limits, long-term low-dose exposure may cause insidious health issues. 

The good news is that there are a few rules of thumb you can follow to protect yourself. 

What Causes Mold in Coffee? 

Several factors contribute to moldy coffee:

  • Climate: Mold grows well in moist, tropical environments. Most coffee is grown in tropical latitudes around the globe
  • Soil conditions: In some areas, the mold that makes its way to the bean already exists in the soil or surrounding plants
  • Processing practices: Wets processing without proper drying promotes mold growth. Dry processing–leaving on the moist outer layers– means the beans are intrinsically damp for longer
  • Storage: Beans that sit longer in storage areas that are not carefully climate-controlled are more susceptible to mold 

Tips for Avoiding Mold (Mycotoxins) in Coffee 

Despite the prevalence of mold in coffee, these tips will go a long way in ensuring that your cup of Joe is mold-free

1. Choose High-Altitude Coffee Beans

High-altitude coffee beans are grown in cooler and dryer environments than low-land varieties. This makes them far less likely to contain toxic molds. They’re also lower in pesticides since there higher altitudes tend to have fewer pests. 

2. Select Wet-Processed Beans

Beans that have been wet-processed and sun-dried have fewer mycotoxins than standard industrial processes. 

3. Go With Certified Toxin Free Coffee

The reality in the coffee industry is that most companies know about mycotoxins in coffee, but few actually test for it. And even if they say they do, and that they’re “mold-free,” they generally don’t release the data. 

That’s why certified mold and toxin-free coffee are the only truly safe ways to avoid exposure to coffee mold. 

Certified Clean Coffee Companies

The more reliable and transparent of the so-called “clean coffee companies” is Spirit Animal Coffee. 

They provide certification from a third-party lab that tests for sixteen possible mycotoxins. 

certification of mold free coffee

 

Natural Force Clean Coffee is another company that practices industry-leading standards. 

Brands like Bulletproof Original Coffee and Peak Performance are the next tier when it comes to trust. These brands were built on being mold-free promises, but they don’t share the testing results. 

Mold In Coffee Maker and Water Reservoir

If you’re concerned about mold in your coffee, the beans aren’t the only place to look. 

A 2011 study found that nearly 50% of coffee makers (basket-and-carafe type) had yeast and mold in their reservoirs. With 1 out of 10 breeding coliform bacteria.

To put this in perspective, the average home coffee reservoir contains more potentially harmful germs than toilet seats and bathroom door handles.

Fortunately, there are a few easy steps you can take to clean the mold out of your coffee maker and water reservoir. These steps also provide the added benefit of making better-tasting coffee. 

  1. Fill the coffee maker’s water reservoir with equal parts white vinegar and water. Set to brew through a paper filter until half of the vinegar/water solution is drained. 
  2. Turn it off and let sit for 30 minutes. Then turn on again and let the maker finish brewing the other half of the solution.
  3. Rinse by brewing a full reservoir of plain water through a paper filter. Repeat this step twice.
  4. Gently clean the carafe by filling it with warm, soapy water–you can add a handful of rice as a gentle abrasive: swirl and scrub. 

And there you go–an easy routine for germ-free coffee pleasure. 

Mold in Coffee and Coffee Makers: The Bottom Line

Coffee beans and at-home coffee makers are often contaminated with toxins formed from mold. 

Though low levels of exposure to mold in coffee and coffee makers aren’t immediately harmful to most people, there has not been any research looking at repeated exposure over time. 

Since mycotoxins can be remarkably harmful in even small doses, it is wise to choose certified mold-free coffee and to clean your at-home coffee maker and reservoir regularly. 

It’s also important to store your coffee in a cool and try place.

Physician holds three wooden blocks with IBS acronym. IBS Irrita
Liam McAuliffe

The Carnivore Diet for IBS

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Early studies and thousands of individual reports suggest that the carnivore diet is a highly effective approach to treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). 

A 2021 study out of Harvard surveying over 2,000 carnivore dieters found that 97% of those with gastrointestinal issues, including IBS, resolved or improved their symptoms.

In this article, we’ll explore what IBS is and why the carnivore diet is so effective in treating it. We’ll also offer a carnivore diet for IBS 7-day meal plan to help you get started. 

[TOC]

What is IBS?

IBS is a bit mysterious–at least from the perspective of mainstream medicine. In fact, the mainstream view is that we don’t know what causes IBS. 

The problem is that when doctors don’t know what causes something, they can’t actually treat the root of it, only the symptoms. 

However, when considering how effective the carnivore diet is at resolving IBS, we can be confident that it is, in part, caused by the modern standard American diet (SAD).

Since mainstream medicine doesn’t identify a cause, the diagnosis is based on the type and prevalence of a set of digestive symptoms. 

Symptoms of IBS include

  • Abdominal pain and cramping
  • Gas/bloating
  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation

People are diagnosed with IBS if these symptoms occur for at least three days in a month for at least three consecutive months.

How Common is IBS

Research from 2021 indicates that  7–16% of Americans have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

While worldwide, it is estimated that between 10–23% of adults suffer from IBS.

Out of all people experiencing IBS, between 60% and 65% are female.

Possible Causes of IBS

Though there is yet to be a consensus, evidence suggests strongly suggests that IBS is related to the Western diet and lifestyle factors. Let’s explore. 

Microbial Overgrowth and Mood Disorders

Studies show that IBS is related to the presence of unhealthy microbes in the gut. 3 While other studies show that it is strongly associated with depression, stress, and anxiety.

This may be a bit of a “chicken or the egg” problem: Diets high in toxic vegetable oils, added sugars, and grains are all associated with microbial overgrowth, gastrointestinal issues, and poor mood and mental health.

While chronic depression, stress, and anxiety often lead to poor eating habits and unhealthy lifestyle choices that can result in microbial overgrowth, intestinal permeability, and exacerbated IBS.

The carnivore diet targets both the mood and microbial factors in IBS. 

diagram of factors associated with IBS

Source: Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol., 09 September 2020

FODMAPS

Other studies show that IBS may be triggered by FODMAPS. This is an acronym for a group of carbohydrates called Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols. 

High FODMAP foods include all grains, most legumes, and most other popular vegetables. 

FODMAPS are believed to promote intestinal overgrowth associated with chronic inflammation of the gut mucosal lining associated with IBS.

High Carb Diets

Aside from FODMAPS carbs, recent studies simply looking at high-carb diets have found that they promote the growth of harmful proteobacteria while simultaneously reducing beneficial bacteriodetes in the gut. 

Bacteriodetes are important because they protect against endotoxins–toxic substances that are released when bacteria disintegrate–while reinforcing the gut membrane.

How the Carnivore Diet Benefits IBS

As we mentioned above, there haven’t been any direct studies looking at exactly how the carnivore diet resolved IBS. We only have large survey studies of outcomes and the reports of thousands of carnivore diet enthusiasts. 

That said, we do know enough about what causes IBS, and what the carnivore diet both removes and contributes to your diet to have a good idea of why it is so effective. 

Here’s a rundown; 

  • The carnivore diet is a ketogenic diet. Animals studies have shown that keto reduces the harmful effects of stress on the gut microbiome of rats with irritable bowel syndrome
  • Removes most carbs, including FODMAPS, which have been directly linked to increased IBS symptoms 
  • Eliminates lectins: Studies show that these inflammatory plant proteins cause leaky gut and IBS
  • Eating meat is strongly associated with lower incidences of depression (depression is strongly associated with IBS) 5
  • Gut reset: The removal of fermentable fibers and carbohydrates dramatically reduces harmful bacteria. Combined with removing plant toxins, the carnivore diet allows the gut lining to heal and promotes the restoration of a healthy microbiome
  • More vital nutrients: Animal products are the most nutrient-dense foods on earth, providing of fatty the micronutrients your body needs for vital for healthy immune response, and 

Mechanism-of-Lectin-Agglutinin-Binding-to-Human-tissue-Lectins-Agglutinins-have-an

Source: Lambert, Jama & Vojdani, Aristo. (2017). Clinical & Cellular Immunology Correlation of Tissue Antibodies and Food Immune Reactivity in Randomly Selected Patient Specimens. Journal of Clinical & Cellular Immunology. 8. 5-521. 

7-Day Carnivore Diet for IBS Meal Plan

Day 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7
Ribeye Steak smothered in blue chees, Eggs+

raw oysters

Eggs and bacon+

Salmon pan-fried basted with butter

70/30 ground beef covered in butter and sour cream+

soft boiled eggs

 

Braised Pork belly+

Raw oysters

Picanha steak with blue cheese butter+

Duck Liver Foie Gras

Proscuitto and cheese charcuterie+

Rack of lamb dipped in own fat drippings and butter

 

Beef short ribs+

Prawns/shrimp drenched in butter

The Carnivore Diet for IBS: The Bottom Line

IBS is a group of digestive disorders linked to bacterial overgrowth and mood disorders. 

Both of these causes have their roots in the modern Western diet loaded with sugar, plant toxins, and industrial seed “vegetable” oils. 

The carnivore diet is a remarkably effective approach to overcoming IBS because it removes the carbs, FODMAPS, and toxins that lead to IBS. And it replaces these dietary stressors with healthy, nourishing fats, proteins, and micronutrients that reset your microbiome, reduce inflammation, and repair your intestinal tissue.

top view of milk cream in a container on table .
Liam McAuliffe

Carnivore Diet Ice Cream: Recipes, Benefits, and Tips

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One of the great gifts of the carnivore diet is that when you cut out hyper-palatable, processed, sugar-sweetened junk, you begin to truly taste your food again. Cue the homemade carnivore diet ice cream. This sugar-free frosty treat tunes you into the rich, surprisingly sweet, yet low-carb flavor of fresh heavy cream.

In this article, you’ll find a couple of delicious high-fat, low-carb homemade carnivore diet ice cream recipes. And we’ll also highlight some of its health benefits.

Can You Have Dairy on the Carnivore Diet? 

Before jumping into the recipe, it’s worth taking a moment to address the question of dairy on the carnivore diet. 

Since a carnivore diet calls for consuming only animal products, and since dairy is an animal product, it is technically allowed on carnivore. 

However, lower-fat dairy, like milk, is high in carbs, and carnivore is a high-fat low-carb diet. 

Additionally, many people come to carnivore in order to overcome digestive issues and food allergies. And dairy can be irritating to some people.

For these reasons, many people begin the carnivore diet with a strict elimination protocol of red meat, salt, and water.  

After 30-90 days on the “Lion Diet,” as this approach is called, it’s common for people to reintroduce raw and full-fat dairy. 

But if, like the majority of people, you digest dairy just fine, then feel free to enjoy this carnivore diet ice cream from the start. 

It’s also worth noting that heavy cream provides special fatty acids like Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), which has been shown to support heart health and offer powerful anti-inflammatory effects.

Boost Your Fat Intake on Keto and Carnivore

The carnivore diet is an extremely low-carb way of eating–meat has essentially zero carbs. 

When you cut carbs you need to get most of your calories from fat. This is because of a metabolic principle known as the “protein constraint,” which refers to the fact that we can only get around 35% of our calories from protein before suffering protein poisoning. The other 65-70% of calories need to come from fat. 

This makes Kiltz’s homemade ice cream a delicious way to dramatically boosting your fat intake to meet your carnivore maco ratios. 

Guilt Free Every Day (No Sugar) Kiltz’s Carnivore Ice Cream Recipe

This no-sugar carnivore ice cream recipe is so pure and nourishing that it can be eaten every day, even for breakfast. 

The vanilla is optional. If you’re going to be a strict carnivore, go ahead and leave it out. 

Even without sweeteners or vanilla, it’s still surprisingly sweet, especially when you’ve become accustomed to the carnivore diet. 

Ingredients

  • 1 Pint of high-quality heavy cream, best from grass-fed, pastured, and/or local sources
  • 1 egg or 5 egg yolks (pasture raised is best)–egg yolks will make it richer and more custard-like, yum!
  • optional: 1 Vanilla Bean (or vanilla extract)
  • optional: salt to taste – start with 1-3 pinches (1/16 to 1/4 tsp) of sea/Himalayan salt

Kiltz’s Guilt-Free Everyday Carnivore Ice Cream Nutrition

kiltz-keto-ice-cream-original-recipe

Instructions

  • combine egg, salt, and vanilla (optional) in a large bowl and whisk thoroughly
  • combine and whisk heavy cream with egg mixture
  • pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and follow the specific instructions of your ice cream maker

Follow Along with Dr. Kiltz as He Makes His Guilt Free Keto Ice Cream 

https://www.doctorkiltz.com/kiltzs-keto-ice-cream/

Original Kiltz’s Keto Ice Cream Recipe (Treat Version w/ Sugar)

For those of you practicing less restrictive low-carb diets like the BEBBIIS diet, and various other ketogenic diets, this one is for you. 

This ecipe calls for only a small amount of sugar or alternative sweeteners like honey or maple syrup. 

If you’re on a pure carnivore or zero carb diet, consider this a treat/cheat. 

This recipe makes four servings. Per serving, this recipe contributes 

  • 6.5 grams of carbs 
  • 44.1 grams of nourishing fat 

Most people can handle these carbs, and the trade-off in terms of fat boost is well worth it. 

Ingredients 

Makes 1 pint (4 servings)

  • 1 Pint of high-quality heavy cream (preferably grass-fed, local, and/or organic)
  • 1 egg or 5 egg yolks (pasture raised is best). Egg yolks will give it a richer, more custardy texture. Egg yolks are also the portion of eggs that have the most nutrients. 
  • 1-2 TBSP of granulated pure cane sugar. You can also substitute sugar for honey, maple syrup, or alternative sweetener). Cane sugar contributes 13 grams of carbs per tablespoon. This comes out to as little as 3 grams per serving (¼ pint)
  • 1 Vanilla Bean (or vanilla paste/extract)
  • Optional: Salt to taste – start with 1-3 pinches (1/16 to 1/4 tsp) of sea/Himalayan salt

Kiltz’s Original Keto Ice Cream Nutrition

Instructions

  • combine egg (or egg yolks), salt, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk together 
  • Whisk heavy cream into the egg mixture 
  • Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and follow instructions specific to your ice cream maker 

Follow Along With Dr. Kiltz’s How To Video

Pro Tip #1: Use Raw Heavy Cream

Raw heavy cream may offer numerous benefits over pasteurized cream. 

Studies have shown that when children regularly consume raw dairy they are 50% less likely to develop allergies and 41% less likely to develop asthma.

Raw dairy has also been shown to protect against various illnesses due to what scientists call “naturally immunizing effects.”

In raw dairy, the proteins, enzymes, and immunoglobulins are 100% intact, and levels of vitamin A, E, zinc, calcium, iron, and B vitamins are substantially higher.

Pro Tip #2: Use A2 Heavy Cream

If possible, source raw A2 dairy. Most dairy contains A1 casein protein.

In the body, A1 casein protein is broken down into beta-casomorphin-7. This peptide has been shown to damage the pancreas and set off autoimmune responses throughout the body.

 A2 dairy has been associated with less digestive discomfort and does not get broken down into BC7.

Carnivore Diet Ice Cream: The Bottom Line

If you’re craving ice cream on the carnivore diet, these recipes are not only satisfying but nourishing. 

Carnivore diet ice cream, even with a little sugar from time to time, may be just the treat you need to keep you on the carnivore wagon while leveling up your fat/protein ratios.

Portrait of a handsome sports man in black t-shirt biting raw meat steak indoors
Liam McAuliffe

What is the Raw Meat Carnivore Diet: Benefits and Risks

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The carnivore diet calls for eating only meat and other animal products. This marks a return to the way our ancestors ate for millennia. The raw meat carnivore diet is seen by some carnivore enthusiasts as the apex of ancestral eating. This makes sense when considering that humans were hypercarnivorous apex predators thriving on raw meat for over a million years before our species learned to cook with fire. 

But just because our ancestors ate and thrived on raw meat, does that mean it’s healthier for us modern humans? 

In this article, we’ll explore the raw carnivore diet by looking at the rationale behind it, along with the possible benefits and drawbacks. Let’s dig in. 

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What is the Raw Meat Carnivore Diet? 

It’s all in the name: The raw carnivore diet means eating only raw animal products. 

If you’re practicing the raw “Lion,” carnivore elimination diet of red meat, salt, and water, “raw” refers exclusively to ruminant meats, like beef, bison, lamb, and elk. 

A more inclusive approach to raw meat carnivore incorporates raw fatty fish, shellfish, and raw cheese and cream. 

Keep in mind that chicken and pork are almost never eaten raw since these meats are much more likely to contain harmful pathogens.

Raw vs. Cooked Meat? 

Raw carnivore proponents believe that raw meat has more nutrients and that they are more readily absorbed in the body. 

Does science support these views? 

Well, the jury is still out. There haven’t been any human studies on the benefits or drawbacks of eating raw meat. The lack of human research is due to the prevailing belief that raw meat contains too many pathogens to experiment with it safely. Yet raw meat is on menus across the world–beef tartare, anyone? 

So, there seems to be a disconnect between nutritional fears and actual human eating habits. 

For now, most of the people promoting the raw carnivore diet are ancestral eating enthusiasts, taking their personal experimentation to another level. 

However, they often cite a few modern studies on nutrient depletion from cooking, and a couple of classic animal experiments–more on these below. 

Nutrients: Raw vs. Cooked

There are studies that support the view that cooking meat reduces the presence of certain vitamins and minerals, including

However, these same studies also show that levels of important minerals, including copper, zinc, and iron, actually increase with cooking.

In one widely cited 2009 study, researchers compared rats fed raw and cooked meat or sweet potatoes. They then tracked changes in body mass and exercise performance. 

The researchers determined that cooked meat provided more energy than raw meat and that hungry mice had a much stronger preference for cooked food.

Fewer Carcinogens

Meat cooked at high temperatures has the potential to form a few compounds that have been found to be carcinogenic at high doses. These compounds include Advanced Glycation End-Products, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Heterocyclic Amines.

These compounds have been found to be carcinogenic in animal studies where the subjects were fed extremely high levels that even BBQ enthusiasts wouldn’t come close to. 

While in human studies, the link between increased consumption of well-cooked meats and cancer is inconclusive.

Whether the risk is real or not, on a raw meat diet, you don’t have to think about it. Raw meat is free of these potentially harmful compounds–though it may contain other harmful pathogens. 

Pottinger’s Cats

Back in the 1930s, Francis Pottenger, Jr. used cats as part of experiments to look for links between tuberculosis and adrenal gland deficiencies. 

Pottinger originally fed his cats a diet of cooked meat, bones, and organ meats. Sounds good, right? Not so fast…

As the number of his test subjects outgrew his original food source, he brought in a new source that provided raw meat. To Pottinger’s surprise, the cats fed raw food showed remarkably better health outcomes. 

Naturally, this piqued Pottinger’s scientific interest, and for the next ten years, he diligently tested and documented the multigenerational effects of raw vs. cooked diets. 

The food sources he tested included raw and cooked meat and raw and pasteurized milk.

To sum up his findings, Pottinger discovered that cats fed raw meat and milk were remarkably healthy. The health of cats fed cooked foods dramatically deteriorated to the point of near extinction after only four generations. 

The dramatic health declines seen with generations of cats eating cooked meat included: 

  • dental infections 
  • Mother cats had difficulty carrying offspring full-term
  • Higher rates of miscarriages and infant mortality
  • Mother cats were often too weak to nurse
  • Mother cats died in labor
  • Kittens were born with varying skeletal structures and weaker bones, and were prone to infections, allergies, and respiratory illnesses.
  • Low energy
  • Smaller in size
  • Anxiety
  • Allergies
  • Poor coat quality

From the first to the third generation of cats fed cooked food, the calcium content in the bones was reduced by 97%.  In other words, the health problems increased as they were passed from generation to generation. 

Pottinger also tested the ability of a raw diet to regenerate health. His experiments yielded positive results, with only minor lingering health issues. 

Now, decades later, Pottinger’s experiments are a source of inspiration for raw carnivore dieters who view our reliance on cooked and processed foods as an epigenetic factor in the dramatic increase of modern diseases known as the “diseases of civilization.” And they view eating raw meat as the best way to reclaim our metabolic health. 

Ugolev’s Raw vs. Cooked Frog Experiment

In 1984 Alexander Ugolev, a Russian scientist who devoted his life to studying digestion conducted an experiment involving two dead frogs. 

Both frogs were dead, but only one was cooked. He placed each frog into a beaker of hydrochloric acid that mimicked the stomach acid of a carnivore. 

The cooked frog remained mostly intact, with only moderate degradation to its surface. 

While the raw frog completely dissolved. 

The difference in the “digestion” of the frogs had to do with a process called “autolysis,” meaning self-destructing. 

When the raw frog came into contact with the acid, ions from the acid penetrated the cells, destroyed the lysosomes, and released the cells’ own enzymes, which themselves began a process of self-digestion. 

diagram of cell undergoing autolysis

The reason autolysis didn’t occur in the cooked frog was that the heat had destroyed the enzymes within the frog’s cells. This meant the acid could only break down external tissues. 

Raw carnivore dieters cite this study to support the idea that since raw meat can digest itself, it is more thoroughly and effortlessly digested than cooked meat.

However, cooked meat digests thoroughly in the human system anyway, so these claims seem to be misguided.  

Is it Safe For People to Eat Raw Meat? 

Some of you may be wondering if humans can even eat raw meat without getting sick. 

Well, the fact that we’re here is a testament to the ability of our ancestors to proliferate on a diet of mostly raw meat for nearly 1.5 million years before we learned to make fire. =

More recently, Inuit and other northern tribes still consume significant amounts of raw meat from caribou, elk, seal, and beluga whale and show remarkably robust health markers.

The Acidity of Our Stomach is Made to Digest Meat

Our evolution as raw meat eaters is reflected in the fact that our stomach acidity is even higher than that of normal carnivores. 

In fact, it’s equal to the acidity of some scavengers. Bathing raw meat in hydrochloric acid allowed our ancestors to eat large animals over a period of days and weeks, even as pathogens accumulated in the meat.

Does this mean you should, too? Nope, but it does suggest that you can do just fine on a diet of raw meat if it’s sourced fresh, and handled minimally by a reputable purveyor. 

It is worth noting that various studies have found that raw beef can contain illness-causing bacteria, including Salmonella, Escherichia coli (E. coli), Shigella, and Staphylococcus aureus. All of these pathogens can cause food poisoning, and all are destroyed by cooking.

But let’s not forget that despite these risks, raw carnivorous fare is safe enough to be a mainstay on the menus of the world’s best restaurants. 

Common Raw Meat Dishes

Carpaccio of beef on a plate with mustard and spices

Some common raw meat dishes from around the world include:

  • Steak tartare: minced raw beef steak mixed with raw egg yolk
  • Tuna tartare: raw, chopped tuna 
  • Carpaccio: an Italian dish of raw, thinly sliced beef or fish
  • Pittsburgh ”blue” steak: seared on the outside and left completely raw on the inside 
  • Mett: a German delicacy of uncooked minced pork 
  • Sushi and sashimi: raw fish and other sea creatures like urchins and eels
  • Torisashi: thinly cut strips of chicken, seared on the surface and raw within

Delicious served tartare steak.

Raw Liver as Medicine

Back in 1934, researchers George Minot and William Murphy were awarded the Nobel prize for discovering that eating raw liver cured anemia (iron deficiency).

Anecdotal Benefits of Raw Carnivore

Numerous raw carnivore adopters are chronicling their experiences and sharing the benefits they personally experience. 

For instance, writer Mariko Lockeridge has found that her poops are “kind of amazing” and worth a high-five with her boyfriend every morning. 

She also concurs with the reports of hundreds of other raw carnivores that her energy levels and sex drive shot up and remain consistently high. She even reports having orgasms sooner and in quick pyrotechnic succession.

Raw Meat Carnivore Diet Tips

If you’re intrigued by the raw carnivore diet and want to give it a try, here are some tips to make it as safe and successful as possible. 

Freeze your meat for seven days and eat immediately after you thaw. 

According to the USDA, freezing meat to 0 °F neutralizes any microbes, bacteria, yeasts, and molds present in food. 

However, once the meat is thawed, microbes can become active and multiply if the conditions are right.

Once thawed, eat your meat right away! Letting your meat sit at room temp allows contamination from airborne pathogens. 

Eat the Highest Quality Meat

If on a normal carnivore diet, it’s important to know where your meat comes from, on the raw carnivore diet, it’s essential. 

You want to be sure that the meat is from healthy animals and is processed and stored in ways that minimize contamination with harmful pathogens. 

The Bottom Line on The Raw Meat Carnivore Diet

Thousands of anecdotal reports suggest that the raw carnivore diet boosts energy and improves digestion. 

But eating raw meat does come with its potential risks. Raw meat is easily colonized by potentially harmful pathogens and parasites. Cooking eliminates these dangers, while “cooking” the meat in your stomach acid, doesn’t always do the trick. 

To minimize the risk from raw meat, freeze your meat for at least a week and consume it immediately after thawing. 

Or avoid any risks and simply enjoy a normal carnivore diet. Searing your steak on the outside where it’s been exposed to air can dramatically reduce the risk of contamination while leaving the inside raw and tender. 

Foods rich in natural vitamin D as fish, eggs, cheese, milk, butter, mushrooms, canned sardines
Liam McAuliffe

Top 6 Whole Foods High in Vitamin D

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Though we can get most of our vitamin D from sunshine, an estimated 24% of Americans and 40% of Europeans are vitamin D deficient. Depending on the latitude and weather where you live, it may just be impossible to get enough vitamin D from the sun alone. This makes consuming foods high in vitamin D an important supplemental source.1

Vitamin D is a nutrient that is extremely important for the proper functioning of crucial physiological processes, including bone health and immune protection against viruses, infection, cancers, and chronic inflammation. 1

In fact, most organs and body tissues have vitamin D receptors, suggesting many more important roles that scientists are still discovering.2

In this article, we’ll introduce you to the top 6 whole foods high in vitamin D. 

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What is Vitamin D? 

Vitamin D3 structural molecular chemical formula isolated on whi

Vitamin D is both a nutrient we eat and a hormone that our bodies produce when exposed to ultraviolet-B rays from the sun. That’s why it’s often called the “sunshine vitamin.” 

It’s also an essential vitamin, meaning that our bodies need to get if from outside sources–in this case, the sun and through our diet. 

Roles of Vitamin D in Your Body

Vitamin D plays several other critical roles in the body, including:

  1. Bone health: Vitamin D helps the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus from food necessary for the development and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth.6
  2. Immune function: Vitamin D helps to regulate the immune system and may play a role in reducing the risk of various autoimmune diseases.5
  3. Antiviral properties: Studies also show that vitamin D is effective in reducing the severity of viral infections, including COVID-19. 3
  4. Muscle function: Vitamin D promotes muscle cell growth and reduces inflammation, both of which support strong, healthy muscles.5
  5. Cardiovascular health: Vitamin D reduces blood pressure and improves blood sugar control.5
  6. Cancer prevention: vitamin D may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, including colon, breast, and prostate cancer.6

How Much Vitamin D Do You Need? 

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin D looks at the necessary amount to maintain only one key role in the body–the maintenance of healthy bones, and protection against rickets, a disease characterized by weakening bones. 

However, keep in mind that the RDA of vitamin D assumes very little sun exposure. What this tells us is that the optimal amount of vitamin D from food isn’t well established. And that it can change depending on the climate and the time of year. 

In any case, here are the official RDAs

  • Adults 19 years and older: 600 IU (15 mcg) 
  • Adults 70 years and older: 800 IU (20 mcg) 

Keep in mind that people with darker skin are more likely to have lower levels of vitamin D, and may need to get more vitamin D from food and supplements. 

This is because melanin–the pigment that makes skin dark–effectively shades the skin from UVB rays. Studies show that 20% of white adults and 75%-80% of black adults have low vitamin D levels in their blood.7 8

While an estimated 1 billion people worldwide are deficient in vitamin D. These deficiencies span all ethnicities and age groups.5

A word of warning: Sitting near a window while working or soaking up rays while driving won’t contribute to your vitamin D levels. Window glass blocks UVB ultraviolet light. 

Can I Get Enough Vitamin D from Food? 

The short answer is, yes, you can get plenty of vitamin D from foods high in vitamin D. 

Since vitamin D is found mostly in animal products like fatty fish, egg yolks, cheese, pasture-raised pork products, and beef liver, people on meat-based diets like carnivore and keto have an easy time getting enough vitamin D from food. 

For vegans and vegetarians, it’s more of a challenge. And across the board, many people rely on vitamin D supplements for their dietary RDA. 

Top 6 Foods High in Vitamin D

These fatty whole foods will boost your vitamin D intake along with various other essential macro and micronutrients. 

1. Pasture-Raised Lard

pasture raised lard

Pork, in general, is a decent source of vitamin D. While pasture-raised pork that gets to hang out in the sunshine can offer significantly higher concentrations. 

Surprisingly, pastured lard is one of the best vitamin D sources on the planet, offering 1,000 IU of Vitamin D per tablespoon.[6]  This makes lard nearly as high as cod liver oil.

Popular pork spareribs contain lower but still significant, 138 IU per 4-ounce serving. 

graph comparing vitamin D in pastured pork

Source: Larson-Meyer DE, Ingold BC, Fensterseifer SR, Austin KJ, Wechsler PJ, Hollis BW, Makowski AJ, Alexander BM. Sun exposure in pigs increases the vitamin D nutritional quality of pork. PLoS One. 2017

2. Salmon

Chef's hand holding fresh piece of salmon

Salmon is loaded with healthy fats, including omega-3s. Stored amidst this fat is an abundance of vitamin D. 

  • 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of farmed salmon contains around 526 IU or 66% of the RDV. 4
  • 3.5-ounce (100-gram) wild salmon can contain up to 160% of the RDV 5

2. Atlantic Mackerel 

Board with tasty raw mackerel fish on wooden table

Atlantic mackerel is one of the most nutrient-dense foods out there, and most people it flys (er, swims) under the radar. 

  • 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of Atlantic mackerel provides 643 IU, or 91% of vitamin D 10

In addition to vitamin D, mackerel also offers a whopping 2990 mg of omega-3 per serving. 

3. Oysters

huîtres ouvertes sur un plat

Oysters are a bonafide superfood with high levels of various essential nutrients. 

In fact, the combination of zinc, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and selenium act as antioxidants in the body, combatting oxidative stress and reducing inflammation. [11] [12]

  • 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of oysters provides 320 IU, or 80% RDV of vitamin D. 

5. Egg yolks

Egg yolk in white bowl on wooden table, top view

Eggs are another superfood loaded with nutrients. And this makes sense when considering that eggs need to contain all the essential ingredients for building an entire creature. 

Keep in mind that the vitamin D in eggs is stored in the yolk–egg whites are a waste of nutrients. And if you haven’t heard, there is no longer an upper limit cholesterol. Our science has gotten better and we’ve finally admitted that dietary cholesterol is not associated with heart disease. 

  • One large conventional egg contains 37 IU of vitamin D, or 5% of the DV 18
  • Eggs from hens fed a diet vitamin D-enriched diet may provide 250% of your RDV in vitamin D per egg.21

As with pork, pasture-raised chicken eggs have up to 6 times more vitamin D than conventional eggs. 19, 20 

Two scrambled pastured eggs can provide over 200 IU of vitamin D. 6

6. Various Other Fish

Assorted canned fish in a tin over gray concrete background: sardine, smoked sardine, mackerel. Tinned fish as a convenient, fast, healthy food and source of omega-3 fatty acids, protein and vitamin D

Noticing a trend? Fatty fish provide excellent to good amounts of vitamin D. 

  • Canned light tuna packs up to 269 IU of vitamin D in a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving, which is 34% of the DV (15
  • Fresh Atlantic herring provides 214 IU per 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving or 27% of the DV. 6
  • Halibut and mackerel provide 190 IU and 643 IU per 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving
  • Pickled herring is also a good source of vitamin D, providing 113 IU per 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving, or 14% of the DV
  • A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of canned sardines provides 193 IU or 24% of the DV 8

Beware that most fish is contaminated with pollution. And the bigger the fish, the greater the likelihood of mercury contamination. 16

Foods High In Vitamin D: The Bottom line

Our bodies can make most of the vitamin D we need from sunshine. However, depending on your lifestyle and the climate and latitude of where you live, getting sufficient vitamin D from sunshine isn’t always possible. 

This is where foods high in vitamin D become important dietary sources. 

The top sources of vitamin D include

  1. Pasture-raised lard (and pork products to a lesser extent)
  2. Salmon
  3. Atlantic mackerel
  4. Oysters
  5. Egg yolks–especially from pasture-raised hens
  6. Various fatty fish, including sardines, anchovies, and herring

In addition to vitamin D, these whole animal products provide a dense matrix of other essential nutrients. 

Though it is possible to get vitamin D from supplements, and from foods fortified with vitamin D (milk and organ juice), sticking with whole food sources is a smart way to increase your intake of all your macronutrient and micronutrient needs.