The carnivore diet is often criticised for being nutritionally incomplete. Many believe that eliminating plant foods leads to deficiencies in essential nutrients like carbohydrates, fibre, antioxidants, and vitamins such as A and C. But is this really the case? Let’s break down these common myths and see why a well-structured carnivore diet provides everything your body needs.
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Carbohydrates: Are They Essential?
“Glucose is essential for energy.”
It’s true that glucose is a primary energy source, but that doesn’t mean you need to consume carbohydrates to obtain it. Your body has a powerful metabolic process called gluconeogenesis, where the liver produces glucose from protein and fat as needed.
This means that while glucose is important, dietary carbohydrates are not essential. Unlike fats and proteins, there is no minimum requirement for carbohydrates in the human diet. A well-balanced carnivore diet ensures stable blood sugar levels and sustained energy without the spikes and crashes associated with carb-heavy diets.
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Fibre: Do We Need It for Gut Health?
“Fibre is essential for producing healthy fats.”
Fibre is often praised for its role in gut health, specifically in producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) through fermentation in the colon. However, what most people don’t realise is that your body can produce even higher levels of SCFAs from ketone bodies when fat is metabolised.
This means fibre is not essential for digestive health or the production of beneficial fats. Many people on carnivore diets experience improved digestion, reduced bloating, and even relief from conditions like IBS—without fibre.
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Carotenoids: Does Meat Lack Vitamin A?
“Beta-carotene (Vitamin A) isn’t found in meat.”
This is a common misconception. While plant foods contain beta-carotene, the body must convert it into the active form of vitamin A: retinol. The problem? This conversion process is highly inefficient, especially in people with genetic variations that hinder it.
Animal products, particularly muscle meat and fat from large ruminant animals, provide more than sufficient preformed vitamin A (retinol), which is highly bioavailable and does not require conversion. In other words, meat provides a superior form of vitamin A compared to plant foods.
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Vitamin C: Is It Lacking in Meat?
“Meat has no vitamin C.”
While it’s true that meat contains less vitamin C than fruits and vegetables, it still provides enough for your body’s needs. More importantly, when carbohydrates are removed from the diet, your body requires far less vitamin C because glucose competes with it for uptake.
This is why cases of scurvy—caused by vitamin C deficiency—are rare in carnivores who eat fresh meat. The muscle meat and fat of large ruminant animals supply adequate vitamin C for human needs.
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Antioxidants: Do You Need Them from Plants?
“You will lack antioxidants without fruits and vegetables.”
Many believe that antioxidants must come from plant foods, but oxidative stress is largely driven by high-carb diets. When you remove processed foods, sugars, and excess carbohydrates, your body experiences less oxidative stress and inflammation.
Even better, your body produces its own antioxidants, such as glutathione, which is one of the most powerful antioxidants known. And here’s something even more fascinating—the greatest antioxidant of all lies beneath your feet: the earth itself. Grounding (walking barefoot on natural surfaces) allows your body to absorb free electrons from the earth, which neutralise oxidative stress and reduce inflammation.
In essence, your body is fully capable of maintaining antioxidant defences without relying on plants.
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Final Thoughts: Can a Carnivore Diet Provide Complete Nutrition?
A well-structured carnivore diet meets all of your nutritional needs without the need for plant foods. That doesn’t mean deficiencies are impossible—individual factors like pre-existing conditions, stress, and food choices all play a role in nutrient absorption.
However, if done correctly, a carnivore diet is not only nutritionally complete but can optimise digestion, reduce inflammation, and enhance metabolic health in ways that conventional diets cannot.
The key is consuming muscle meat and associated fat from large ruminant animals, which provide all essential nutrients in highly bioavailable forms.
The result? A diet that supports optimal energy, satiety, and longevity—without the need for fibre, carbs, or plant-based antioxidants.
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The Takeaway
You don’t need plant foods to thrive. Your body is a self-sustaining machine, capable of producing its own energy, antioxidants, and essential nutrients. The carnivore diet, when properly executed, provides everything you need for peak health.
