drink wholesome is the best carnivore protein powder.
Written by Jack Schrupp & endorsed by Baylee Reller, RDN
What is the carnivore diet?
The carnivore diet is a restrictive diet that, in its extreme form, limits food to meat, fish, and eggs. It excludes all other food groups including vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.
The carnivore diet claims to help with weight loss, sleep, mood, and blood sugar regulation, and was founded on the belief that diets high in carbohydrates are the leading cause of chronic disease. A recent survey from over 2,000 individuals who self-reported their experience with the carnivore diet produced overwhelmingly positive results, with 93% of participants improving or resolving obesity, 93% improving or resolving hypertension, 98% improving or resolving diabetes or insulin resistance, 97% improving or resolving gastrointestinal symptoms, and 96% improving or resolving psychiatric symptoms.
Although the data quality is poor given the high risk for selection bias with self-reported outcomes, this study does suggest that the carnivore diet, in some form, leads to positive health outcomes. That said, there are several drawbacks to eating only animal products.
For starters, cutting carbohydrates out of your diet completely can lead to micronutrient deficiencies and damage to your gut microbiome. Cutting fiber out your diet specifically can also cause constipation, which can have serious complications. The carnivore diet, at least in its most extreme form, is thus likely not a long-term solution to health problems like those described above.
Is protein powder allowed on the carnivore diet?
Some protein supplements are compatible with the carnivore diet, others are not. First of all, whether or not a protein supplement is allowed on the carnivore diet depends on how strictly you follow the diet. If you are truly limiting your food to only meat, fish, and eggs, then you can use only protein supplements made with these food groups. Protein supplements made with whey, casein, peas, and other plant proteins are strictly prohibited. Protein supplements that contain additives and sweeteners are also prohibited. \
That said, if you are taking a more balanced approach to the carnivore diet – simply increasing the proportion of your calories that come from animal products – then the number of protein supplements that you can use is greater. The main ingredient still needs to be meat, fish, or egg, however, and the number of added ingredients should be small.
