🥩 Animal-Based Diet: A Nutrient-Dense Way to Eat
The Animal-Based Diet is a modern, nutrient-focused approach to eating that emphasizes whole, animal-sourced foods while allowing for moderate intake of easily digestible fruits and raw honey 🍯. Unlike strict carnivore diets that eliminate all plant foods, this approach is more flexible—focusing on nutrient density, digestive health, and ancestral eating patterns.
🧬 Core Philosophy
At the heart of the Animal-Based Diet is the belief in eating as our ancestors did—minimally processed, nutrient-rich foods that support optimal health. The primary components include:
- Red meat: beef, lamb, venison
- Organ meats: liver, heart, spleen (packed with vitamins)
- Eggs: whole, preferably pasture-raised
- Animal fats: butter, ghee, tallow
- Fruits and raw honey (in moderation) 🍌🍓
This way of eating avoids modern processed foods, seed oils, grains, legumes, and high-fiber vegetables—many of which are thought to contain anti-nutrients that can cause digestive discomfort for some.
✅ What You Can Eat
Here’s what typically makes up an animal-based plate:
- 🥩 Fresh meat: beef, lamb, poultry, game
- 🐟 Wild-caught fish & seafood
- 🧈 Animal fats: ghee, butter, tallow
- 🥚 Eggs
- 🍯 Raw honey (small amounts)
- 🍉 Seasonal fruits: bananas, berries, mangoes, watermelon
🚫 Foods to Avoid
To stay consistent with this diet, eliminate:
- ❌ Refined sugars
- ❌ Industrial seed oils (canola, soybean, sunflower)
- ❌ Grains (wheat, oats, corn, rice)
- ❌ Legumes (beans, lentils, soy)
- ❌ High-fiber vegetables (kale, broccoli, spinach)
These exclusions are based on concerns about gut irritation, anti-nutrients, and modern food processing.
👤 Who Is This Diet For?
The animal-based diet may benefit people dealing with:
- Autoimmune disorders
- Digestive issues like IBS
- Inflammatory skin conditions
- Carb sensitivity or insulin resistance
⚠️ Not ideal for everyone. Individuals with the following conditions should consult a healthcare provider:
- Kidney disease
- Cardiovascular concerns
- High cholesterol levels
- History of disordered eating
👍 Potential Benefits
- High intake of bioavailable nutrients (iron, B12, retinol, etc.)
- Improved satiety and fewer cravings
- Enhanced blood sugar stability
- Simplified digestion for sensitive individuals
👎 Potential Drawbacks
- Low in fiber and some vitamins (e.g. vitamin C, folate)
- May raise cholesterol levels
- Socially restrictive, especially at events or restaurants
- Requires planning and nutrient variety to avoid deficiencies
🗝️ Guidelines to Follow
- Aim for 80–90% of calories from animal-based sources
- Keep fruits and raw honey at 10–20% of intake
- Prioritize organ meats 2–3 times weekly
- Avoid all processed foods, artificial sweeteners, and vegetable oils
- Stay well-hydrated 💧 and consider adding Himalayan salt for electrolytes
🗓️ Sample 7-Day Meal Plan
📅 Day 1
- Breakfast: Eggs + ground beef + avocado
- Lunch: Ribeye steak + grilled liver
- Dinner: Lamb chops + berries
📅 Day 2
- Breakfast: Eggs cooked in ghee + smoked salmon
- Lunch: Grilled kofta + a spoon of raw honey
- Dinner: Chicken thighs + banana
📅 Day 3
- Breakfast: Boiled eggs + chicken liver
- Lunch: Beef cooked in butter + mango
- Dinner: Bunless burger with cheese
📅 Day 4
- Breakfast: Omelet with butter and cheese
- Lunch: Grilled spleen + an apple
- Dinner: Salmon with avocado
📅 Day 5
- Breakfast: Eggs + beef
- Lunch: Ribeye steak + watermelon
- Dinner: Lamb kebabs + raw honey
📅 Day 6
- Breakfast: Eggs + grilled lamb heart
- Lunch: Roasted chicken + banana
- Dinner: Lamb with butter
📅 Day 7
- Breakfast: Eggs in ghee + nitrate-free bacon
- Lunch: Beef + bone marrow + grapes
- Dinner: Salmon + avocado
📝 Final Thoughts
The Animal-Based Diet combines the simplicity of carnivore eating with the natural nutrition found in fruit and honey. It offers a path to healing, clarity, and nutrient optimization—especially for those struggling with modern digestive or inflammatory issues. However, it requires a mindful approach, smart planning, and possibly the support of a nutrition expert or functional medicine practitioner.
Want to give your body a reset? This ancestral-inspired way of eating might be exactly what you’re looking for 🦴.