Who Is A Carnivore?

(Karim Wassef) #21

No. I get it… just pointing out that it’s not “zero” for anyone who wasn’t aware that it’s a misnomer.

(Edith) #22

I’m just getting started in a no carb way of eating. I will admit I haven’t researched all the ins and outs of the name, but I had interpreted no carb to be different than carnivore. I imagine zero carb using spices or vinegar for example, but carnivore being restricted to meat and salt. Is zero carb considered carnivore?

(Chris) #23

So there’s a few ways of looking at this.

The Zero Carb diet is the Carnivore diet. You eat only animal foods, you eat no plant foods - actual carbohydrates are not necessarily excluded except for milk. Allowed foods are meat, water, organs if the user pleases, dairy and eggs if the user tolerates. (this is covered in the linked article in the OP)

Then there’s a ketogenic diet which is restricted to 0 carbohydrates - this would mean you eat meat but also include things like olive oil or coconut oil, and perhaps some no-carbohydrate spices.

Then there’s another fork of Carnivore becoming known as Keto Animal foods, where the user adheres to 80% calories from fat and keeps animal carbs to an absolute minimum in order to maintain therapeutic ketosis. That’s another discussion entirely.

(Edith) #24

Ah, thank you for the clarification.

(Chris) #25

“Zero Carb” is a misnomer - it was the name originally given to “carnivore” when the first known internet group formed to discuss it. Seemed like the next logical step from “low carb”, though it was a bit of a logical mis-step, haha. Amber has been trying hard to push better-fitting names like “Carnivore” in order to more closely define it by the user cutting plant foods entirely for animal foods.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #26

Don’t forget the other dairy problem, that even lactase-persistent people can have: an allergic reaction to milk protein. I suspect that this, along with most other autoimmune problems, results ultimately from the standard Western diet, since autoimmune problems took such a big jump once the U.S. dietary guidelines were issued (I know, correlation, not causality, but still . . . ). The problem is that once the immune system gets put on guard against something, it is very hard to desensitize it.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #27

Neither ZC nor carnivore is exactly right, which is why some people say “ZC/carnivore.”

While precision in language is a virtue, sometimes it becomes necessary to cope with linguistic inexactitude, and we can all agree that we know what we mean.

Otherwise, you have to stop saying “dawn” and “sunrise” and say instead “the time at which my part of the earth rotates into the sunlight,” and “the time at which my part of the earth rotates to make the sun visible.” (Edited for precision.)

(Chris) #28

To simplify, the purpose of the article was partially to point out that it’s a proper noun for a group. :blush:

(Karim Wassef) #29

it’s possible to be zero carb carnivore - just need to eat muscle meats and you’re just about there. can’t have liver or oysters or most dairy or even egg yolk!.. too carby :smiley:

now I’d say that’s a real elimination extreme way of eating.

(mole person) #30

This makes a ton of sense to me.

(Bruce) #31

I eat almost entirely animal foods (meat, eggs, dairy) with very occasional keto veggies. The reason for this is that while I had huge benefits when I went keto I found that veg heavy days would make my bowels extremely uncomfortable. The more I cut out fibrous veg the better my guts, even better than cutting out starchy veg and carbs to go keto. I try and stick to just one meal a day with veg as a small component if I have any at all. Any more and gut issues become apparent.

(Chris) #32

It’s become the most pretentious diet in cliques. People out doing each other. Himalayan salt vs Redmond
Fat ratios vs each other
Grass fed bone meal

Baker was right along. Just eat a damn steak

(Chris) #33

Humans ruin everything.

(Alec) #34

A la @juice, are there really people who care whether they are considered a carnivore or not? That is a seriously First World Problem for someone who’s got far too little else to worry about!

(Bruce) #35

There probably are people who care but I just eat what makes me feel good- Given the research pointing out the issue with carbs (and some with fibre too) it makes sense to how it affects me and makes just about all my indicators good (apart from the pesky LDL which Docs just won’t leave alone).

(Karim Wassef) #36

Humans like to put things in buckets… it’s a coping mechanism to help our brains simplify the reality we are perceiving… if it matters.

Classification is kind of a mental game that should save brain energy but it can end up alienating people, creating caste systems, supporting team building, … all kinds of chaos. :slight_smile:

We’re here because we self identify as keto … it created a “group” of common beliefs and principles. Others may want to self identify as carnivore for similar reasons … a sense of kinship and community… and seeking mutual support.

It’s all a matter of degree and something that could be constructive can just as well become very destructive.

Then there’s that English teacher who is very very keen on proper use… yikes :smiley:

#37

It’s just basic tribalism and gatekeeping. I might personally be fine identifying as Carnivore, even if I drink coffee and eat the occasional plant matter, but there’s always that one person who’s gotta be like “but you’re not a true Carnivore and you shouldn’t tell people you are.”

But like I said, let Carnivore go the way of Vegans with it caring way more about its tribalist parameters than anything else.

(Norma Laming) #38

Remembering of course that carnivore plants eat animals. I’m not sure if they also take up nutrients through their roots

(Chris) #39

What’s the point of roots if not? :cry:

(Karim Wassef) #40

Well. Corals are sessile animals… they’re “rooted” but they’re simple animals like upside down jellyfish with a hard shell. They’re both photosynthetic, sessile and eat small animals…

So… a carnivorous plant and a coral have a lot in common.

So is eating coral considered carnivory?

Jellyfish are eaten in Asia, by the way.

this is all in fun - in case anyone doesn’t get weird sarcasm - … poking fun at our classification folly.