Diet guide
Carnivore Diet: What It Is, the Numbers and the Cautions
In short
The carnivore diet eats only animal products, such as meat, fish and eggs, and in some versions dairy, with no plant foods.
By CalorTracker Team. Published .
What carnivore eating is
It is the narrowest pattern on this site: animal foods only. Beef, lamb, pork, poultry, fish, eggs and animal fats form the plate, and stricter versions use only ruminant meat, salt and water. Vegetables, fruit, grains, legumes and nuts are all excluded.
It has spread through personal testimony rather than through trials, and we are not aware of long-term controlled research on it. A page that describes the pattern should say that plainly.
The macros it produces
With no plants, carbohydrate is close to zero and the day is made of protein and fat. The ratio between them is set by the cut: lean steak and chicken breast lean toward protein, while ribeye, bacon and ground beef bring a large fat share. The table shows the difference in grams per 100 g.
Calories still count. Fat is dense, so the leaner the cut, the more food fits in a given budget. Choosing between a lean and a fatty cut is the one real dial the pattern gives you.
What the log cannot tell you
A food log records energy, protein and fat. It does not record the nutrients the pattern removes, such as fibre and vitamin C, and it does not show how you feel. Official sources, including the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, base their advice on patterns that include plant foods.
If you try it, treat that as a reason to keep notes beyond calories and to review the pattern with a clinician rather than with a forum.
Foods that fit, per 100 g
Cuts differ widely in fat. Compare the fat column for two beef cuts before you compare anything else; it is where most of the calorie difference sits.
| Food | Calories | Protein (g) | Carbs (g) | Fat (g) | Fibre (g) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ribeye Steak (Grilled) | 271 | 24.9 | 0 | 19 | 0 | A well-marbled cut with a large fat share. |
| Ground Beef 80/20 (Cooked) | 270 | 25.8 | 0 | 17.8 | 0 | Fat content varies by grade. |
| Sirloin Steak (Broiled) | 183 | 30.6 | 0 | 5.8 | 0 | A lean cut for comparison. |
| Eggs | 143 | 12.6 | 0.7 | 9.5 | 0 | Whole eggs, protein and fat together. |
| Bacon | 468 | 33.9 | 1.7 | 35.1 | 0 | Very high in fat and sodium. |
| Pork Chop | 201 | 21.1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | A middle ground between lean and rich. |
| Chicken Thigh (Roasted) | 179 | 24.8 | 0 | 8.2 | 0 | Dark meat, more fat than breast. |
| Salmon (Cooked) | 206 | 22.1 | 0 | 12.4 | 0 | An oily fish. |
| Sardines (Canned in Oil) | 208 | 24.6 | 0 | 11.5 | 0 | A small whole fish, eaten with its bones. |
Values are USDA FoodData Central figures for the food as listed, per 100 g. Each food name opens its own page with portions and every nutrient.
Calculators for this way of eating
These run on the same formulas as the rest of the site, so the numbers match what you see in the app.
- Macro CalculatorSplits a daily calorie target for your goal (lose, maintain or gain) into grams of protein, carbs and fat.
- Protein CalculatorSuggests a daily protein range in grams from your body weight and goal.
- Calorie CalculatorTurns your maintenance calories and a goal (lose, maintain or gain) into one daily calorie target, a weekly pace and a per-meal split.
Food lists to browse
Ranked tables of foods by a nutrient, computed from the same USDA data.
Side-by-side food comparisons
Two foods at the same weight, so a swap is one glance.
Read next
Guides from the CalorTracker blog.
Terms used on this page
Short definitions with worked examples.
Safety and who this is not for
Eating only animal foods removes fibre and several nutrients that plants supply, and the long-term effects have not been established in controlled studies. High intakes of processed meat and saturated fat are things mainstream health bodies advise limiting. Do not attempt it if you have a kidney, heart or liver condition, are pregnant, or are under eighteen.
Treat this as a reason to check in with a clinician before and during, not an instruction. This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition, take medication, are pregnant or are under eighteen, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before you change how you eat.
Tracking carnivore in CalorTracker
- There is no carnivore setting in the dietary preferences, so describe the pattern to Pepperly or set your macro targets by hand.
- Log a plate by photo or text and check the fat estimate, which is the least certain number for meat dishes.
- Use the weight tracker alongside your log to see how your intake and your weight move together.
Carnivore: common questions
Is the carnivore diet backed by research?
Do I need to count calories?
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020.
- World Health Organization. Healthy diet (fact sheet).
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B12: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
- Food values: USDA FoodData Central, as described on how we calculate. Every outside source we use is on sources.
Count carnivore without the arithmetic
Log a meal from a photo, by text or by voice, check the estimate, and watch the day against your own targets. Free to start, no card needed to explore.
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