Carnivore Diet

by Shawn Baker

A groundbreaking approach to nutrition that will help you break away from traditional dietary habits that leave you sick, weak, tired, or depressed!

Challenge everything you thought you knew about health, learn how to safely adopt a meat-based diet, and walk away with all the tools you need to achieve lifelong success.
 
This revolutionary, paradigm-breaking nutritional strategy takes contemporary conventional nutrition science theory and dumps it on its head. The carnivore lifestyle breaks just about all the “rules” and delivers outstanding results. At its heart is a focus on simplicity rather than complexity, subtraction rather than addition, making this style of eating both easy to follow and incredibly effective for weight loss, reducing inflammation and joint pain, improving digestive health, and stabilizing mental health.
 
This game-changing guide
·       Evolutionary, historical, and nutritional science that explain the benefits of a meat-centric way of eating
·       Practical steps for reversing common diseases thought to be life long and progressive
·       A comprehensive strategy for incorporating the Carnivore Diet as a tool or a lifelong eating style
·       Common misconceptions about this diet and a troubleshooting guide for transitioning
·       Anecdotes and case studies
·       A list of foods to add/avoid and modifications that will suit your lifestyle
·       A section on cuts and grades of meat
·       Temperature charts for cooking meat properly and safely
·       A guide to monitoring health markers and more!
 
Highlighting dramatic real-world transformations experienced by people of all types, The Carnivore Diet offers an alternative lifestyle with practical solutions for taking charge of your own health.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Nutrition, Food, Diets, Cooking, Cookbooks

344 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 19, 2019

About the author

Shawn is a doctor, an athlete, a father and proponent of a carnivorous lifestyle.

Reviews

[Flybyreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this book, along with the author’s podcast with Jo Rogan plus Mikhaila Peterson’s inspirational talk I watched on Youtube was a disturbing slap-in-the-face and I can easily say that I am on board with this.
I always had a feeling that food was the worst enemy of humankind and most diseases and ailments were the direct cause of our food intake and dietary choices. I am convinced by the arguments presented here, our evolutionary background, biological requirements, how in 50-60 years our consumption choices have drastically changed, how we have difficulty processing most of the food presented to us as healthy. Hell, sugar was publicly supported as the best nutritional source about 30 years ago, so it’s a safe bet to invest in this. The multi-billion food and medicine industry would never allow this kind of dietary choice to be fully researched and proved right, so I do not think that we will see the day his theories are proven in a controlled environment with example groups but I will try this for my own health and record the results.

[SL · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has excellent credentials:

* a world champion/elite athlete while on the carnivore diet (Not just a bookish theorist)

* a medical doctor who is also a medical specialist, with a lot of experience - in peacetime and in war zones

* well versed in the scientific literature

* well-trained and well-practised in critically assessing evidence

* author does not say this is 'the only good diet', but does say it can and does do a lot of good for many people

* author capably debunks various counter-arguments: eg dietary, environmental, 'ethical' etc

A good read if only to challenge your biases (an antidote to confirmation bias?)

S

[R. Moores · Rating 4 out of 5]

An honest review from a vegetarian.

This is a good book that raises plenty of interesting points and gives you a lot to think about. Of particular interest were the counter points against common vegan/vegetarian arguments. These points actually make a lot of sense.

My key takeaways are that anything is better than the standard American (read Western) diet, meatless meat is just another layer of processed food in our diet and probably not great for our health in the long run, and that agricultural reform with particular focus on organic animal/plant growth and soil and water health is a far more beneficial to the planet than everyone going vegan and the abandonment of any animal farming in favour of monocrops of grains and vegetables.

Everything is not black and white, and the diet space is just another place where this combative style the right/wrong dichotomy dominates. We need to look at the big picture when considering anything, which if we are honest, we don't: not in politics, not in climate change solutions, not in health, not in energy, not in science, not in religion etc etc etc.

I hope everyone can eat the diet that works for them but also be fully aware of the implications of their diet. I hope we can all work towards eating locally sourced food and growing/raising our own food. I hope we can move beyond the government guidelines for diet which are woeful and just move away from government "solutions" in general.

Thank you for to Shawn Baker and all those carnivore's out there for making me think and for moving us outside the paradigm.

[Fred Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just eat a steak!

It is so ironic yet infuriating that eating meat will probably cure most of our health problems yet our government and media outlets do not see it that way.....yet.

[Shona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first time I have read a diet/nutrition book where the author does not seem to have some desperate desire to convert as many people as possible. Infact there are places in the book where Dr Baker states that, depending on your motives there may be better regimes for people. He also says he has no intention for commiting to this way of eating for life in a dogmatic way, but rather intends to stick with it as long as it brings him the health benefits he's currently experiencing. The writing is exceptional. It raised many points I'd not considered before. I'm considering participating in World Carnivore Month in January 2020 based off what I have just read.

[Natalie Park · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had heard about this book on a podcast and was interested in learning about this strange diet as it’s so far removed from how I eat. There were several interesting points about how we eat veggies that have toxins and can be disrupters of good health for many, vegan and vegetarian diets lead to deficiencies, and the great results many people have received with this sort of diet. I think the truth is somewhere in the middle but I’m certainly not convinced that this diet is best in the long term. This book scratches the surface and I plan to read Dr. Paul Saladino’s book which I hope will have more scientific information.

[Jacqie Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really great resource for the Carnivore diet, but is filled with tons of science! You can watch my whole review video here: https://youtu.be/CI2gIwbdIm0

[Guilherme Zeitounlian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short book about the growing carnivore movement.

It starts with a rather long intro about Shawn Baker and many of his life accomplishments.

Then, it proceeds to remind us of the chaos that is the current public health situation, the obesity epidemic...

And tells us that a possible answer relies on eating (nothing but) steaks.

The author does not go deep into the main topics, doubts and objections that people may raise - he talks in passing about cholesterol, insulin, mineral and vitamin deficiencies, climate change... and asserts to us that everything will be alright.

And that is an approach that does not leave much space for nuance.

However, Baker is not dogmatic, as he accepts that people may have different views on the necessity of eating organ meats, the benefits of grass-finished beef, or the choice of going strict carnivore.

He encourages everyone to experiment with the diet, and assess the results.

The testimonials and anecdotes are interesting, and the overall tone of the book is "since everything you've tried before was complicated and didn't work, why not try eating some steaks?".

In all honesty, this is not wrong. And could be beneficial for many people.

All things considered, I prefer Dieta Carnívora: Como Consertar Sua Saúde, Aumentar Sua Energia E Viver Mais Feliz Comendo Carne Todo Dia(in Portuguese). (Also, I know I'm biased.)

But this book is a good intro, as he incentivizes the reader to try things out.

The fact that it motivates people to actually do something (instead of just reading books and doing nothing - which is what most people seem to do) gives it an extra star. So, for me, that's a 4/5.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to read this book after a few recommendations to try the diet. I wanted to gain further insight into the essence of this way of eating and this book delivered!

The author has great credentials, backs up what he can with science, fact and testimonies and admits when he doesn’t have all the answers. What more can you ask for?

I think whether you agree or disagree with the diet itself is irrelevant to the way the book is presented. It is easy to read, easy to follow and well written.

[Ursula S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview and resource covering the carnivore diet. Provides information that is easy to read and inspiring. Also includes resources at the end of the book that address various cuts of meat and safe cooking temperatures.

Recommended for those curious, clueless, or convinced.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book makes the thought of a diet, what your eating and why stand on it's head! Wow! Baker starts off with his backstory, leads you through the science of a meat diet, how-to, and anecdotes from people in the lifestyle.

This is from an evolutionary standpoint and when megafauna were dying off and man became a gatherer in addition to a hunter and how it has changed our bodies over time. I would be curious on a creationist conversation as vegetables such as garlic, leeks, cucumbers, etc. were mentioned in the Bible.

It's an assertive, badass type of writing that comes through. Pulls no punches to sugar coat the carb/sugar industry, how industry manufacturers and growers make strange bedfellows, and his evidence against veganism.

All the while reminding readers on how to take it slow, variances for each person, and what to look out for transitioning and why. This is an ultimate ketogenic diet as it's meat, salt, water, with some eggs or other non-vegetable protein.

Time to get me a steak on the grill!

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read

It’s time to rethink what you think you know about nutrition. This is a great introduction to a completely different paradigm on health and nutrition that will definitely make you open your mind to new possibilities. Great read!

[Chevi]

Life-changing book.
I have started a 30-day trial period of carnivore diet and so far so good.

[Benedict Stollas · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just pathetic.

[Christopher Desruisseau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book if you're thinking about switching to carnivore. Antinutrients that are in some vegetables are explained, and the most common arguments against carnivore diets are answered.

[Johnathon Vogel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful and well-researched book. My only real issue, and it’s a major one, is the evolutionary perspective the author takes.

[Audrey]

Not a bad intro to carnivore. I’ve become continuously more compelled by species appropriate food consumption over the last few months. When faced with inappropriate nutrition, both plants and animals will become sick in a myriad of different ways. As a biology hobbyist I’d learned this but never really applied it to people. By the time that I read this book I’d already done a ton of research on the significant healing benefits of a meat-based lifestyle (or all meat) for human beings, so a lot of the content was already familiar to me. That being said, it seems worth reading if you’re generally curious.

[As an aside, no nutritional supplements are needed on carnivore because beef, salt, and water are both nutritionally complete and is estimated to be over 80% bioavailable for the human body (unlike other non-meat items). I now get to save another $100+/month on all the vitamins I was pounding to no avail before.]

Importantly, Dr. Baker doesn’t say that everyone must adopt carnivore and he is also explicit that it won’t stop you from dying.

The author is a little intense but that doesn’t mean he’s wrong. I appreciate that he’s a doctor and has actually engaged in his own medical research on meat-only human health. The epilogue might be true but felt a little silly.

Some of my favorite takeaways: that fasting for one week (no food at all) actually raises your cholesterol by 36%. Or the numerous studies that have debunked the claim that high cholesterol causes heart-disease (a little harder to find because so many sources are parroting the the opposite without any scientific backing). You can also find interesting research in psychology and psychiatry that shows a direct correlation between low cholesterol and increased mental diseases (anxiety, depression, eating disorders, suicidal ideation/completion, schizophrenia, etc.). Obviously heavily processed foods and other toxins are a major contributor too so it’s not like high cholesterol simply equals happiness. But if you remove the junk and up your cholesterol we see improved mental health and general remission. It now makes sense why strict fasts make people feel happier (the ancient paradigm for religious fasting seems to have been not eating at all). Our brains use more cholesterol than any other organ in the body. We need it.

The author cites everything at the end of the book.

My healing on carnivore has been a Godsend and I hope it continues to improve. I look forward to continuing my research.

[Nital Jethalal · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't think this book could be as shady as some of the studies I've seen Baker share or misinterpret but, I was wrong

He promises vitality by cutting out every food group except meat, but delivers a grab-bag of cherry-picked anecdotes, misquoted studies, and convenient omissions that make most evidence-based clinicians wince.

I have been following his "work" for years but thought the book might legitimately try to include the risks, lest he incur a lawsuit down the road. I was mistaken.

Some general red flags both from the book and irl:

1. Cherry-picking & double standards
Baker dismisses nutritional epidemiology as “weak science” when it implicates red meat, yet happily cites the same methodology when it seems to ding plant-based diets. Even worse he's all about the n=1 when they're good and ignores the thousands of n=1 horror stories.

2. No long-term data.

Large cohort analyses (e.g., Lancet 2018 low-carb meta-analysis; JAMA 2021 animal-based keto study) link meat-heavy, carb-void eating to higher all-cause mortality and cardiovascular risk.

Decades-long work by others (eg Ornish, Esselstyn, and the Adventist Health Studies) and cardiology clinics *around the world* show real life successes of the opposite trend for whole-food plant-based (WFPB) diets - reversal of heart disease, lower cancer incidence, and improved longevity. Carnivore has zero comparable peer-reviewed trials. This doesn't bother Baker at all.

3. Other carnivore authors have even bailed out
Paul Saladino, once co-author of the carnivore craze, now eats fruit and honey.

4. Conflicts of interest
Baker sells pay-wall coaching, branded supplements, and a private social platform - all propped up by the book’s sensational claims. Financial incentive ≠ scientific validation.

5. Anecdotes ≠ evidence
Scroll through @carnivorecringe on Instagram: thousands of posts detailing kidney stones, lipid panels in the stratosphere, severe constipation, and rebound weight gain after initial water loss. “Feeling great” for three months is not data - it’s a honeymoon phase.

6. Author’s own admissions
On podcasts Baker has conceded long-term data are “not available yet.” And as this book reveals, that translation: you are the experiment.

Bottom line: If you value your arteries, microbiome, and lifespan, look elsewhere. The overwhelming balance of peer-reviewed science supports diverse, fiber-rich diets - not all-meat menus.

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s not a lot of information on how to follow the diet in this book. There’s no counting calories, weighing food or timing meals. Basically eat steak, eggs, bacon, butter ect until you’re full. Don’t eat anything else; no vegetables, grains,processed food or any sugar-just meat.
I’ve been trying this out for almost two weeks and I’ll say I’ve noticed that a few of the claims that seem a bit outrageous in the book happened pretty quickly.
My energy level is much more stable and my overall mood is much improved. I also lost a few pounds. I plan on giving it 30 days to decide for myself.

He spends a lot of pages refuting the claims of vegan activists and reading his own hate mail. There’s even a “the vegans are coming for your steak” warning at the end that I thought was a bit over the top.
As for his own not fully substantiated claims about the carnivore diet, I guess I’ll find out for myself. I will say the carb withdrawals were no joke and took over a week to mostly subside, that’s gotta say something.

*update*
I’ve been following this diet for 30 days and it’s been a success for the most part. After a solid week of brutal sugar/carb cravings I lost almost 15lbs had a steady energy flow with no crashes or hangry episodes.
My overall mood was also improved and I didn’t feel hungry or crave snacks very often. It didn’t cure my eczema, cure my nearsightedness or any of the other more outlandish claims made by the author. Also, happily, I wasn’t attacked by militant vegan gangs in the street.

In light of the positive results I’m going to go another month.

[Guillermo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually think that extremes are bad, and recently I've been sick of listening, watching and seeing all the vegan nonsense that has been pushed to us through different propagandist means. Don't get me wrong, I eat and enjoy vegetables and fruits and both are to some extent part of the nutrition path that I've chosen for myself after many different trials and errors. Although there's nothing I enjoy eating more than a medium rare rib eye, I don't plan to become a 100% carnivore anytime soon; but what I'm fully willing to do is to recommend you reading this book. It definitely provides good information and helps to balance things out, by allowing people to be better inform, more conscious and self responsible of their nutrition; which ultimately is something with high repercussions in terms of our quality of life. P.S.- Eat more meat!

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great!

Best introduction and explanation of the carnivore diet, It’s a quick read, and an easy regimen to begin. I enjoyed this book immensely!

[cellomerl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basically: a medical doctor says to just eat meat and drink water. Nothing else.

Try it. It is not as crazy as it might sound.

[Joe Warren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an intriguing read that I was gifted by a friend and it makes a compelling argument. Whether it's societal conditioning, potentiality of a fad or how controversial this diet is; the notion of calling 'bollocks' on the whole thing continued to rise within me. The setup and cadence of this reads much like those lengthy cure-all 30 minute YouTube ads that claim to be the next godsend. I still rate this three stars as the aim it set out for seems to be accomplished. Will see if this pans out or is just snake oil, if I choose to embark on this nutritional journey myself.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I keep wavering on if it’s a 3 or 4 star book. It’s interesting and compelling at points, but I kept wishing for a long term study on the effects of such a limited diet.

There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence that it’s a great diet in the short term but also anecdotes of people abandoning it after a few years due to health concerns.

[Claudio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used to be vegetarian, then vegan, now mostly paleo and keto. This book makes sense to me and I am about to embark on this journey.

I loved the author style, history, and the all book makes sense to me. While we all want to believe in science, when it comes to diet it often becomes almost a religious conversation, and we all take sides instead of being curious and experiments or keep an open mind. In my experience with food, conventional wisdom failed me many times and this is why I have no problem with the concept expressed in this book

[Michael Everson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good.

[Tim Verbergt · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5/5

[Cas]

sometimes you're majoring in public health and sometimes public health majors you

[Peter Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first heard about the Carnivore diet back in 2018 on the Joe Rogan Podcast, where Joe himself and also guests like Jordan Peterson was getting benefit out of it - the latter had his skin glowing after years of doing it. After witnessing this I gave the diet a half-assed attempt with pork chops and some carrots, had diarrhea and then went back to eating normally soon after.

It was not till this summer I decided to really give it a try. I was water fasting and I paid special attention to how my dandruff was minimized when I fasted, that my scalp was no longer red, and my skin becomes shiny, free from anything resembling acne.

There was aleady no doubt in my head: what I eat is triggering these maladies - and I've thought of carbohydrates as a necessary evil, to feed my insatiable desire for muscle and strength gains, Joe Rogan's words echoing in my head, that he lost his fifth gear in the gym on the diet. I assosicate glucose with the explosiveness you need for bodybuilding or fighting, etc.

However, my priorities had shifted a bit during this time, maybe due to the water fast, and I have come to admit to myself that actually, in terms of pure aesthetics-- a little bit of extra muscle doesn't actually make up for the unhealthy look on my face. I had to get my priorities right, being lean, having healthy skin and hair is actually more sexy than benching five kilos more, or a slightly wider bicep. Not to mention the mental clarity and focus of having the brain run on ketones. I was optimistic, and the tradeoff seemed definitely worth it.

Additionally there was the issue of candida, which I know I have. And I've read from Paul Chek that you can starve the fungi by dropping glucose to zero for eight weeks or so, from thereon you can reintroduce carbs safely when the fungi is dead. So I wanted to try at least for a couple months and see if I could reintroduce a normal diet later on.

I considered the ketogenic diet, but landed on starting with the carnivore after the water fast, using this book as a starting guide on how to do it. It seemed to make sense to a elimination diet with as few complications as possible. This diet seemed actually pretty simple and practical to follow.

The first thing that surprised me was how I could eat meat with no problems as the first thing I ate after a water fast. I was taught you needed fruit, which was easily digested, and that meat was very heavy for the digestive system and could only be introduced after a few days after breakfast. Quite the opposite in my experience. Last time I water fasted for a long time, I broke the fast with salads and fruits, and I had horribly painful constipation -- so I asked ChatGPT and Google and Reddit, and there was an unanimous verdict -- MORE FIBER -- I was told, and the result? More constipation! The bathroom became a warzone. But this time, with carnivore, I didn't even have to go for days on end to the bathroom. I had one loose stool the first time, due and the rest was okay. Infrequent and perfect shit.

Carnivore appealed to me immediately when I heard you don't produce a lot of shit. It just makes intuitive sense that if you eat a diet that makes you shit less, it means your body is using the food more effectively, it goes into directly into your flesh, producing less byproduct trash, than were you to eat suboptimal foods such as grains or vegetables. Poop is garbage. If a diet makes you have less garbage in your body, then it's good in my eyes. I really don't understand how anybody can think that having tons of shit in your body is good for you. People are really confused when they think that meat causes constipation because you poop less frequently. It's not that the poop gets stuck in there, it's that the nutrients you eat is absorbed by the body more effectively.

The reason why you have a little of loose stool in the beginning is not because fiber is required to make good shit, but because you're shifting your microbiome. It really doesn't make sense to me that the "optimal foods", such as vegetables or sweet potatoes, require you to have a whole village of foreign bacteria to digest. You're essentially feeding organisms in your body which isn't you. It doesn't make sense to me that you can't digest that the healthiest food out there by yourself - and you need foreign bacteria to do that for you.

In the beginning, I ate a diet consisting of entrecôte, lamb, ground beef, burger patties, cod, salmon and beef liver. What was striking was I was losing weight, even after the water-fast, down from 90kg to 80kg, but my strength increased, even to the point where I regained the strength of before I fasted when I weighed 87 kg. In other words, I was pound-by-pound stronger on a carnivore diet than I was on a normal diet fueled by carbohydrates, which was actually shocking to me.

Another striking thing is after losing all this weight, I realized from looking at photos of myself taken months earleir, I've actually looked sort of fat in my face - something I've never thought of before. After the fast, or on the carnivore diet, my face is more defined, and in my opinion, better looking. So, I have more defined facial structure, clearer skin, healthier hair, *gasp of air* I'm stronger in the gym, leaner, I've got more muscle to fat ratio, I'm never bloated, and my mental clarity and energy levels has been improved - plus I didn't need as much sleep.

Shawn Baker recommended staying away from eggs for the trial period, and then reintroduce things you suspect might be problematic one at a time. For me, I've been experimenting, though I have a suspicion that eggs bloat me a bit more than usual, and the glow of my face fades when consuming eggs with butter. That's just me tho.

That was sort of my testimonial, anyways, the book... What's nice about it is the amount of practical tips. For example, I learned that you can buy duck fat to replace oils or butter when cooking the meat in the pan.

He talks you through what you might expect and some common problems or concerns. A precaution relevant to me is that athletes might notice a drop in performance - but the phase of adaptation could last for several weeks to several months.

I think the strength of Shawn Baker's approach is how relaxed he is in providing the information. He isn't a health fanatic (like Paul Saladino) and makes the bar of entry very approachable. He doesn't insist on eating only grass-finished beef, or advocate eating the balls of goats or the raw brains of cows etc. and he doesn't try to scare you by the dangers of eating not perfectly organic.

What I like is his emphasis on what's most important is that you choose to meat in a way to maximize the enjoyment of your life. He's a credible doctor, has been eating pretty much strict carnivore for years on end, and he provides some easily digestible scientific background to the validity and safety of only eating meat. I think this is a great introduction to carnivore diet, and only if you want to go deeper, go to Paul Saladino's book.

I've been doing carnivore for almost two months now - been eating occasionally some vegetables and fruit for social purposes. Though recently I decided to experiment with honey on the recommendation of Paul Saladino. What happened was I got a huge energy kick, like a drug, but also I found my hand went up to my scalp to scratch it. Immediately I got a burst of dandruff. I also tried Jersey Milk, but immediately felt very heavy in my stomach.

However after consuming carbohydrates, I noticed a sudden increase in muscle mass. Then I ate "true dates" during workouts and felt a rush of energy, bigger muscles, albeit every carb had diminishing returns. Soon I was throwing oatmeal, milk, peanut butter, dates, and fruit inside of me. My strength and muscles increased, but so did my body weight, and inflammation - avalanches of dandruff, scalp and face dry and red as hell. So screw that, I'm back on carnivore.

Even if you don't follow the carnivore diet for the rest of your life, it's still a very worthwhile to read this book and give it a try. For example, I learned more effective strategies for eating meat economically: "Buying in bulk and freezing is an effective strategy. I often buy 40 or 50 pounds at a time from a supermarket when the price is right."

And more importantly, you'll start to realize that carbohydrates, vegetables and fruits are just optional -- even for athletic performance. You can live off of only meat. And unlike any other food, you won't get tired of it. It changes your perspective on how the mainstream nutritionists got it all wrong.

I don't think you can do this unless you truly enjoy it. And to do that, you need to invest money into your food. If you decide on the economical way of only eating ground beef, pork, sardines, as if you're in prison, it's eventually going to be a completely miserable experience, and you'll be fatigued due to lack of proper nutrition. The diet is relatively easy to follow, and especially practical and convinient given that I don't spend any extra time making food -- actually less. What I tend to focus on right now is a good protein to fat ratio and get a couple hundred grams of organ meat each week, which Shawn Baker didn't prescribe, probably because it would make the diet seem complicated. Anyway you'll figure these things out by yourself as you go. If you have creamy poop, you're eating too much fat. If you don't have that extra fifth gear in the gym, you're eating too much protein.

My diet now consists of (in order of consumption): Lamb (various parts, liver), Beef (Entrecôte/Ribeye, ground beef, burgers, beef strips, T-bone, liver, butcher's steak, tenderloins), Cod and other wild white fish (various parts), Chicken (whole, breasts, liver), Duck (liver). Occasionally eggs, oysters, and miscellaneous stuff. I tend to cook in either duck fat or butter. So far I've spent about $1,200 on food a month, yikes. I live in the country where meat is most expensive in the world, so that's one of the reasons why I'm keen on reintroducing carbs. What's nice about this elimination diet is that sensitivity increases to what's not good for you. I heard the argument the reason I'm inflamed by stuff now is that my gut flora or digestive system isn't used to carbs/veggies anymore, but I have trouble entirely buying that argument. I don't think anyone gets inflammation if they've been vegan for years and eat a codfish.

My conclusions is that this is a great introductory book. It's not super in-depth, but argues well against anti-meat science, provides practical tips on how to do this and has lots of testimonials. He started off his book defending himself, understandably as he has been under a lot of reputational attacks. Which was okay, but the last part of the book which contained synthetic testimonials were useless to me. I skipped that part. Really liked the book overall.

[Laura Bugbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a good introduction to the carnivore diet and the logic behind this style of eating. The book covers Baker’s backstory, some of the logic and science behind a meat-based versus grain-based diet, some testimonials and case studies, and a little how-to and what to expect.

The book was designed with a casual reader in mind, so the citations are not thorough, which can be frustrating for anyone wanting to follow up on specific claims, but there is a decent list of references and further reading in the back.

Best read with an open but critical mind, as at least a few of the claims smell a bit bro-science-y, though overall the information seems pretty sincere and legitimate.