Healthier Low-Carb Alternatives to the Carnivore Diet
The Carnivore diet is a meal plan where your plate is always full of steak, bacon, and some more steak for dessert. Definitely a caveman’s dream, right? And hey, if you love meat, then it’s the ultimate low-carb experience.
However, can you imagine an alternative diet where you still get all the benefits of low-carb eating without necessarily saying goodbye to veggies, pasta, and even the occasional dark chocolate treat? Yap, you don’t have to survive on meat alone. In fact, there are better and healthier alternatives with the same, if not better, benefits.
So, What is A Carnivore Diet?
A carnivore diet is an all-meat meal plan, which really sounded weird to me at first because I could never imagine a healthy diet without vegetables.
Well, apparently, it is not that bad. In fact, many people swear by its benefits. And more and more people find it extremely appealing because of its simplicity, weight loss benefits, mental clarity, and that promise of superhuman energy that makes you want to wrestle a bear (please don’t).
But let’s be just a tiny bit real: while chowing down on endless ribeyes sounds like a lot of fun, going full carnivore has its drawbacks.
I’m talking nutritional deficiencies like vitamin C, E, and fiber that are primarily found in plant-based foods. No more immune system boosts or great gut health. Although some people claim the carnivore diet helped improve their gut health.
Secondly, the carnivore diet is just too restrictive for my liking. You will eventually crave something that is not on the carnivore diet food list.
Not to mention the social awkwardness when you try to explain your all-meat order at a dinner party.
Luckily you don’t have to totally stop taking your veggies. There are low-carb diet alternatives that, trust me, will still give you all the perks of the carnivore diet!
What Exactly is a Low-Carb Diet?
A low-carb diet simply means cutting back on carbohydrates, such as bread, rice, and, yes, sugary snacks. These diets primarily focus on proteins, healthy fats, and vegetables. The best part about low-cab eating is that there are many more options, so you don’t have to say goodbye to some of your all-time favorites.
Why go low-carb?
- Fat loss: Trying to stop squeezing into your jeans like you’re fighting for your life? Then, a low-carb diet is the way to go. Weight loss is the main reason a lot of people consider low-carb diets.
- Mental Clarity: Say goodbye to 3 pm face-planting on your desk or even blankly staring at emails, wondering if you actually sent that last one. No more brain fog from blood-sugar fluctuations.
- Better blood sugar control: Switching from carbs to proteins and healthy fats is better for your blood sugar.
- Appetite regulation: Ah yes, I know you want to quit all those little snacks in between meals. A low-carb diet is exactly what you need. Focusing on proteins and healthy fats will keep you fuller for longer.
I love that there are several low-carb alternatives to the carnivore diet. Because let’s face it, I’m different, and you’re different, but we can still all get the benefits of low-carb, healthy eating while being completely in love with what we eat. So here are some of my personal low-carb diet favorites.
The Best Low-Carb Alternatives to the Carnivore Diet
1. The Keto Diet
Why It’s Awesome
When it comes to low-carb alternatives to the carnivore diet, the Keto Diet definitely tops the list. It’s basically a high-fat, low-carb diet whose main aim is to put your body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of glucose.
What I Love About It
Almond flour, just a bit of mozzarella, and a little magic and you get yourself a satisfying low-carb keto pizza!
Keto diets offer you unbelievable transformations when it comes to weight loss and stabilizing sugars, and best of all, they give you mental clarity.
With the keto diet, you don’t have to sacrifice nutritional balance for low-carb gains; you can get both!
Meal Ideas
RELATED: KETOGENIC DIET TIPS AND TRICKS: THE ULTIMATE BEGINNER GUIDE
2. Targeted or Cyclical Keto – For the Active Folks
Why It’s Awesome
Targeted keto is extremely beneficial, especially if you love working out. Why? Because it’s like having a cheat code to the full Keto diet. With targeted keto, you get to sneak in small amounts of carbs just before you start your workouts, and this gives you that extra boost of energy when you need it the most.
For Cyclical keto, you get a bit more structure. Some days, you intentionally consume higher carbs to refuel and keep your metabolism on its toes. This essentially keeps you in and out of ketosis over a long period.
Both of these forms of Keto definitely give you the best of both worlds. Where you are in the fat-burning mode most of the time but with strategic carb add-ons to keep you going strong.
What I Love About It
Lifting heavy on a strict keto diet isn’t such a great idea, and you really need to be on your A-game when doing any form of workout. So, if you don’t want to feel like a zombie and you want to improve your energy, these two diets are a game-changer.
With Targeted or Cyclical Keto, you can still eat carbs while maintaining benefits like burning fats, high energy levels, and mental clarity. It’s a nice package.
Meal Ideas
3. Low-Carb Paleo Diet
Why It’s Awesome
The reasons why this specific diet is amazing are endless. So, what exactly is the Low-Carb Paleo diet?
A paleo diet only focuses on whole foods and is mostly derived from ancestral practices that go way back before modern agriculture. Some of the foods that form this diet are grass-fed meats, nuts, seeds, seafood, and seasonal fruits, just to name a few.
The benefits of low-carb paleo diets are whole-some, to say the least. From losing weight, regulating blood sugar levels, and lowering blood pressure to stopping fatty liver inflammation. It’s a good alternative to the carnivore diet because you will not miss out on anything.
Unlike the carnivore diet, where you give up basically everything except meat, with this one, all you have to cut out are dairy products and other processed foods. Doable right?
What I Love About It
If the thought of almond butter or paleo pancakes waters your mouth, this diet would be a great fit for you! I think it’s a good alternative because you can get all nutrients without sacrificing anything in particular. And it’s also really great for your gut health.
It is a great option because good nutrition has a lot more to offer than meat.
Easy Meal Ideas
4. Low-Carb Mediterranean Diet
Why It’s Awesome?
Before I got into holistic nutrition and learned about all these different types of diets, I honestly thought that I would always have to sacrifice flavor and variety for healthier foods. I have since learned that this isn’t the case at all.
My personal favorite in this list is the Low-Carb Mediterranean Diet. With this option, you get all the benefits of low-carb eating without even a hint of restriction. If you want to eat like you’re on an exotic island without actually booking a flight, then this is a winner for you.
So why do I love this diet?
Well, It gloriously combines nutrition and flavor with olive oil, fish, nuts, and guess what? Even wine. Who said low-carb has to be boring?
The carnivore diet will probably have you dreaming of a never-ending steak buffet, but with the Low-Carb Mediterranean Diet, you get to live your best life with a little more diversity and variety.
If I can still enjoy seafood or Greek salads and still fit into my favorite jeans, count me in!
Basically, this diet is all about balance, feta cheese, olives, and tomatoes. Simply put, the best of all nutrient-dense foods. All these food options will eventually lead to better gut health, more sustainable eating habits, and low-carb benefits, all wrapped in one.
The Mediterranean diet is the darling of nutritionists all around the world when it comes to low-carb options. And for good reason! You won’t have to cut out entire food groups; just make better, healthier choices.
Meal Ideas
RELATED: MEDITERRANEAN DIET FOR BEGINNERS
5. Protein-Sparing Modified Fast (PSMF) – The “Get Lean Fast” Diet
Why is it Awesome?
I want you to imagine this: the quickest way to lose fat but, at the same time, retain all your hard-earned muscles. A pretty good deal, right? The PMSF diet is a diet that has extremely low quantities of calories, is highly packed with proteins, and is purely designed for fast fat loss. If you ask me, it’s the perfect way to lose fat loss while maintaining gains.
Please note that this diet isn’t suitable or sustainable for longer periods, but it’s a strategy that actually works in the short term. Besides, unlike the carnivore diet, PMSF allows you to include some vegetables in your diet, keeping your meals nutrient-packed and flavorful.
Why is it better?
With PSMF, you get the same fat-losing benefits as the carnivore diet. However, PSMF allows you to enjoy variety and balance. No steaks on repeat here.
Meal Ideas
6. Low-Carb Pescatarian For the Seafood Lovers
Why is it Awesome?
The low-carb pescatarian diet is definitely for seafood lovers. If you don’t like seafood, please skip this. Low-carb pescatarian mainly focuses on seafood, healthy fats, and plant-based proteins. It’s literally the perfect blend of low-carb living and seafood.
The diet is packed with nutrients, including omega-3, a game changer for healthy hormones.
Why do I love it?
I can’t emphasize enough all the great healthy options you can get with the low-carb pescatarian diet. The carnivore diet is great, but as we’ve mentioned before, holistic nutrition has much more to offer than meat. No more fiber struggles with this amazing diet.
Meal Ideas
Personal Favorite
My Favorite
If I were to pick one diet that is balanced and great, I would go with the Mediterranean diet.
Why? Well, because our main emphasis is on holistic, healthy eating and not restrictive eating habits.
The low-carb Mediterranean Diet is balanced, super delicious, and has a lot to offer in terms of variety and flavor.
But hey, all these low-carb alternatives to the carnivore diet are great, and it all comes down to what you feel works out most for you.
Final Thoughts
The carnivore diet is great in its ways. Indeed, it’s simple: it has amazing weight loss benefits, gives you mental clarity, and some swear it improves energy.
But as much as it’s great, it also has a couple of downsides, and that’s why we have all these great low-carb alternatives to the carnivore diet.
Not only do they offer you a variety of choices and many options, but they also don’t compromise on the benefits you get. You’ll still enjoy all the perks of the carnivore diet, from looking fabulous to being healthy both mentally and emotionally.
Whether it’s Team Keto, Mediterranean, or even Paleo, you can eat healthy and still love what you eat.
