Plant-Based or Carnivore Diet

Throughout modern times, a variety of recommended diets have been unleashed upon the public, especially in regard to low-carb diets. One of the most recent and possible extreme examples is the carnivore diet, which stems from the idea that our ancestors ate foods that were primarily animal-based. The conclusion drawn is that eating mostly meat is optimal for human health.

According to those who promote the carnivore diet, research that associates meat diets with an increased risk of chronic diseases is flawed, and carbohydrates that include whole-plant foods and minimally processed plant-based foods are not what the human body needs.

There’s also the notion of plant anti-nutrients that are harmful compounds for humans because a plant produces them to defend itself from being eaten. However, research shows that these phytonutrients actually have health benefits for the human body.

The fact of the matter is that there is no evidence-based research that supports going carnivore as a long-term steady diet. The few studies conducted are limited to short-term use, whereas decades of research supports the health benefits of a plant-based diet. Besides, essential nutrients are severely lacking in a meat-based intake only.

There will always be people who jump on a new fad diet, experience short-term results and then swear it is the answer to eating well. And it is also true that some people have physiologies that require limiting certain plant-based foods. But for the vast majority of the world’s population, a primarily plant-based diet remains the healthiest choice on the planet.