Animal foods only. Simple, therapeutic, ruthless about removing friction.
Carnivore is an all-animal way of eating, popularized by Dr. Shawn Baker (author of "The Carnivore Diet" and founder of the MeatRx community). By eating only animal foods and cutting carbohydrates to near zero, the body shifts to running on fat and protein, which many followers report simplifies eating and stabilizes energy.
Meat, fish, eggs, and animal fats. Plants are removed entirely: no fruit, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, or seeds. Salt and pepper are fine; plant spices are typically out in stricter versions.
The base is fatty cuts of red meat: ribeye, NY strip, ground beef. With carbs gone, dietary fat becomes the main fuel, so fattier cuts are preferred and lean cuts get fat added.
Many emphasize organ meats (liver, heart, kidney, marrow) to cover the full nutrient spectrum without plants. Baker himself stresses that success is achievable on common cuts (ground beef, steak) for accessibility, even if not everyone goes full nose-to-tail.
Often called nature's multivitamin in this world. A cornerstone, eaten freely.
Salmon, sardines, oysters, shellfish. The simplest way to round out fats and minerals without leaning on plants.
Cutting carbs makes the body excrete more sodium and water, so deliberately increasing salt and water is standard. It's also the practical fix for early cramps and headaches.
Animal foods are highly satiating, so most followers eat when hungry until full, often landing on one or two large meals a day. Baker argues you generally don't need to count macros as long as you stay animal-based and avoid carbs.
Because it removes nearly every common dietary trigger (grains, nightshades, gluten, fiber, nuts, legumes), many use it as a reset to discover food intolerances.
The macros that matter here are just fat and protein, both high. Carbs are near zero by design. Unlike keto, protein isn't kept low.
The rhythm is the opposite of grazing: one or two meals, eaten to fullness, with no snacking culture in between.
Often skipped. The food is satiating enough that many followers eat by hunger, not schedule, and just have coffee or water with added salt until they're genuinely hungry.
A large ribeye, or several eggs cooked in butter, with salt. Some add bacon. A big, fatty, satiating plate; no side dishes needed.
Salmon, a tin of sardines, or oysters, for omega-3 and minerals, especially on days without organ meat.
Ground beef patties or a fattier cut. Slow-cooked short ribs work. Sometimes a side of organ meat (liver or heart) for nutrients, with bone broth alongside.
Water with added salt to stay ahead of sodium loss. No carbs, no plants, no snacking on sweets, often just two meals eaten to fullness.
Portion sizes are large; Baker himself eats a lot of meat daily. The instruction is to eat enough fatty animal food to be genuinely satisfied, not measured grams.
Carnivore is a relatively new, debated framework. Research on this exact pattern is limited, so it's best read as a community-driven approach with reported benefits and real open questions, not settled science.
Orthopedic surgeon, author of "The Carnivore Diet," founder of the MeatRx community.
Long-running resource on animal-based, high-fat eating.
Author of "Cancer as a Metabolic Disease," central to the metabolic-therapy literature.
Researcher on ketogenic and animal-based metabolic approaches.
BasedCal presents this as a framework, not medical advice. Claims here are attributed to Dr. Shawn Baker and the carnivore community, not the app. Baseline and follow-up bloodwork are strongly recommended.