TY  - JOUR
AU  - Goldman, David
AU  - Waterfall, Thomas
AU  - Nagra, Matthew
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/13
TI  - The Carnivore Diet and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: A Narrative Review
JO  - Recent Progress in Nutrition
SP  - 026
VL  - 06
IS  - 04
AB  - The carnivore diet consists of meat, fish, eggs, and animal fats, and excludes all plant-based foods. Controlled prospective studies have not evaluated the implications of the carnivore diet for cardiovascular safety, and the existing evidence base remains limited in quality and scope. This narrative review evaluated the scientific literature on the carnivore diet to assess nutrient adequacy, metabolic effects, and alignment with established dietary guidelines for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention. We searched PubMed and Google Scholar through April 2026. Eligible studies included modeling research, surveys, case reports, and reviews of carnivore diets; findings from ketogenic and low-carbohydrate diets were drawn upon extensively, given the absence of carnivore-specific trial data. Carnivore diets provide high intakes of saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, heme iron, and protein and lack fiber and essential nutrients such as folate, vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium. Reported short-term benefits (e.g., improved glycemic control, weight loss, and elevated HDL-cholesterol) are derived primarily from self-reported survey data and case reports, and are therefore highly susceptible to selection, recall, and reporting biases, alongside the absence of objective clinical verification. Significant elevations in total and LDL-cholesterol were also documented. The carnivore diet is inconsistent with public health guidelines recommending plant-based dietary patterns for CVD risk reduction, and current evidence does not support its long-term safety. Based on currently available evidence, the carnivore diet cannot be considered a heart-healthy eating pattern; however, well-designed prospective trials are needed to definitively characterize its long-term cardiovascular effects.
SN  - 2771-9871
UR  - https://doi.org/10.21926/rpn.2604026
DO  - 10.21926/rpn.2604026
ID  - Goldman2026
ER  -