Jesse Orozco, 21, of Burbank, stands in the self-checkout line at Ralphs with five items: a hamburger patty, pork sausage links, thinly sliced beef sirloin, ground beef and a pack of American cheese. single.
Orozco is embarking on the latest diet fad, the carnivore diet.
“I felt sick after eating foods that were high in carbohydrates,” Orozco said. “I feel tired and my stomach hurts.”
Orozco limits his diet to animal products and avoids plants. Proponents of the carnivore diet, such as Sean Baker, author of The Carnivore Diet, claim that the diet helps with weight loss, regulates blood sugar levels, and improves mood.
There are more than 2 million posts on Instagram with the hashtag #carnivore, and more than 113,000 posts on TikTok with the same hashtag. Although this fad’s popularity has skyrocketed, it hasn’t received the same support from nutritionists.
“Fad diets don’t work,” says Amanda Sauceda, a nutritionist and professor of nutrition and dietetics at Long Beach State University.
Lack of nutrients is the main concern with this diet. According to the U.S. government’s 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, meat is a good source of iron and B vitamins, but most U.S. adults are deficient in potassium, fiber, and calcium.
Nutrient deficiencies can negatively impact your digestion, energy levels, and mental health. The easiest way to get these nutrients is through fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods.
However, according to government guidelines, nearly 90% of the U.S. population does not meet the recommended intake of vegetables and 80% do not meet the recommended intake of fruits.
Meanwhile, nearly 70% of the U.S. population exceeds the recommended intake of meat, poultry, and eggs, which are central to the carnivore diet.
Multivitamins can fill in nutrient gaps in carnivore diets, but they are unreliable and not regulated by the FDA.
“[About 44% of] Multivitamin and mineral supplements analyzed by ConsumerLab.com in 2020 were found to have quality issues, including containing more or less of the vitamins and minerals listed on the label. , according to a Consumer Reports article about vitamins. “Some of them may contain contaminants.”
Not everyone is consistent in taking their own vitamins.
“I feel like I don’t need it. [multivitamins] But I still try to take it a few times a week,” Orozco said.
While a primitive diet that eliminates processed foods can be intentional, Kia Octaviano, a registered dietitian at Long Beach State, says extreme diets can lead to eating disorders. He said that there is a sex.
According to Octaviano, low-carbohydrate diets amplify the negative stigma against carbohydrates, even though carbohydrates are the brain’s preferred energy source.
“It’s definitely difficult because you want to eat a lot of carbohydrates,” Orozco said.
Instead of restricting foods, Sauceda and Octaviano recommend a personalized approach that focuses on moderation, affordability, and adding nutritious foods for a healthier diet. I am. This looks like a plate that combines a juicy steak with plant foods such as lentil, plantain, and cucumber salad.
“[Diet fads] They become afraid of food and feel ashamed of eating food,” Sauceda said.
Long Beach State University students can schedule an appointment with Octaviano through Student Health Services to discuss their health goals and dietary needs.
“Many diets are variations on the same low-carbohydrate diets,” Octaviano says. “So if they really work, why do we keep reinventing them?”
