The Animal Based Diet: A Complete Guide
What is the animal based diet?
Taking a deep interest in the food we eat as humans opens our eyes to the benefits and negative effects our nutrition choices have on our day to day lives. As people become more fixated on calories and energy balance in the chase of a muscular phyique, rather than a holistic view on the effect food has on our digestive health, brain function, organ health, as well as body composition, we often see people miss out on the benefits of a diet that has true benefits to cognitive wellbeing and physical performance as well as physical health.
This is where the animal-based diet comes in. Made popular by the likes of Paul Saladino, the animal based diet follows the central idea that we should be consuming most of our foods from nutrient efficient foods such as red meat, organs, eggs, honey, and fruit, as well as raw diary (if tolerated). Vegetables are typically minimised (if not completely eradicated) with the idea that they have negative effects on digestive health, as well as grains, seed oils, and similar foods.
The aim is to reverse, or remove the chance of disease, particularly people that may suffer from autoimmune diseases, and individuals that are experiencing brain fog, or general low day-to-day energy.
Why should I eat the animal based diet?
An animal-based diet offers plenty of health benefits that stem from the high-quality nutrients found in animal-derived foods. As you will know at The Masculinity Project, we are obsessed with maximising testosterone and hormone health,
1. High-Quality Protein
Animal meats provide high-quality protein, containing essential amino acids necessary for muscle growth and repair.
Consuming a variety of animal meats, including organ meats and gelatinous cuts, ensures intake of a wide range of essential and non-essential amino acids, as well as high quality fats, which we stimulate testosterone production.
Gelatinous meats, rich in collagen protein, offer unique amino acids like glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, which are often lacking in standard diets.
2. Essential Nutrients
Animal-based diets provide essential nutrients such as iron, zinc, choline, copper, vitamin A, and vitamin B12 in highly bioavailable forms. Again, this is great for supporting testosterone, and will help with cognitive health too.
These nutrients play crucial roles in cell growth, immune function, brain health, metabolism, and overall well-being.
Consuming whole foods allows for better absorption of these vital nutrients compared to supplements or fortified foods.
3. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Animal-based diets, particularly those incorporating fatty fish and grass-fed meats, offer higher levels of essential omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3s have potent anti-inflammatory properties beneficial for brain health, joint health, and reducing inflammation associated with various chronic diseases.
4. Reduced Carbohydrate Intake
Animal-based diets often naturally contain lower carbohydrate levels, which can aid in blood glucose control and reduce inflammation and weight gain. You will likely experience a reduction in brain fog from reducing carb intake from the likes of rice, pasta, bread, switching to fruit and honey as your primary source of carbs.
Lower carbohydrate intake may be beneficial for individuals managing conditions like type 2 diabetes or those seeking to optimize weight loss and metabolic health.
5. Satiety and Weight Management
Animal-based diets rich in protein and healthy fats promote satiety, leading to reduced calorie intake and potentially aiding in weight loss efforts.
The consumption of high-fat and high-protein foods triggers feelings of fullness quicker, reducing the likelihood of overeating.
6. Muscle Growth and Strength
Animal-based diets provide optimal fuel for muscle growth and strength with their high-quality protein content.
Meeting daily protein requirements supports muscle protein synthesis, making it easier to build and maintain muscle mass, especially when combined with resistance training.
Carnivore Diet vs Animal Based Diet
Unlike the carnivore diet, where you just eat meats such as steak, ground beef, chicken etc., the animal-based diet is focused around supplementing meats with fruits, honey, raw diary, eggs, and other beneficial foods such as kefir, dates, maple syrup etc. This is a more realistic diet for many, and allows for variation in foods, and is typically much more enjoy.
What Foods Can I Eat?
Protein
In terms of protein sources, you are looking at red meats such as grass fed beef, venison, sheep and bison. You should cut out meats that are typically corn and soy fed, such as pork, chicken, and turkey. Fish is allowed in small quantities, however should be limited due to the accumulation of toxins and heavy metals present in fish. Stick to wild-caught whilst shopping for fish.
Depending on budget, consuming organs is also great. Liver, heart, and bone marrow is ideal, however, if necessary, you may use supplementation, as many do not like the textures/feel these particular foods bring, or have difficulty sourcing.
Fats
For fats, incorporating dairy into your animal-based diet can offer valuable nutritional benefits. However, it's important to be mindful of potential sensitivities, particularly to a protein called 'casein.' In terms of dairy, there are two main varieties: A1 and A2, referring to the type of casein protein present. While A1 casein is predominant in most cows’ milk in the United States, the A2 variant is found in the milk of a small percentage of US cows, as well as in other ruminants like buffalo, goats, and sheep.
When sourced from grass-fed cows and consumed raw and unpasteurized, milk can probably be considered a superfood. Rich in both fat- and water-soluble vitamins, it offers these nutrients in highly bioavailable forms. Additionally, raw milk contains a variety of enzymes, beneficial bacteria, and unique peptides that can contribute to improved digestion, microbial diversity, and overall health.
Avoiding vegetable oils is essential in an animal-based diet, as they can negatively impact metabolic health due to their high polyunsaturated fatty acid content. Opt instead for sources rich in stearic acid, such as grass-fed, grass-finished beef, fatty steaks, suet, bone marrow, tallow, ghee, or butter. Other excellent sources of healthy fats include eggs and avocado.
Carbs
As highlighted earlier, carbohydrates from specific sources play a significant role in the animal-based diet. Among the most favored sources are:
Organic fruits that are in season (and fresh fruit juices)
Raw Honey
Milk
Cheese
Maple Syrup
Additionally, many individuals on an animal-based diet incorporate organic sweet potatoes and white rice without encountering issues. For a visual representation of the recommended foods, check out our animal-based infographic.
You might be wondering about vegetables. As discussed in Paul Saladino MD's work, "The Carnivore Code," many plant foods produce defense chemicals to deter consumption. These compounds, if consumed excessively, can potentially harm our health.
Such chemicals may contribute to various health issues including autoimmunity, neurological issues, digestive problems, and joint pain. Therefore, we advise minimizing consumption of plant foods such as leaves, stems, roots, and seeds (including nuts, grains, and legumes) in favor of the animal-based diet.
Animal Based Diet on a Budget
Typically, for an animal-based diet, you want to be consuming 1g per lb of bodyweight in protein, 0.5 to 1g of carbs per gram of protein, and 0.5g of fat per gram of protein. Of course this is based on a healthy individual with a normal metabolism, who has no desire to gain or lose weight. If you would like to gain weight, taper up these guidelines, and vice versa if you’d like to lose weight.
Whilst trying to minimise spending, focus on eating 20% beef mince / ground beef, plenty of eggs, and frozen fruit (this is often cheaper, but also contains more micro nutrition than ‘fresh’ fruit. If possible, extend your budget to full fat yoghurt and honey. If necessary, white rice is the most acceptable source of carbs when trying to really push carbohydrates up (say if you are bulking for the gym)
Sample Meal Plan
The idea of this diet is to eat maximum 3-4 times a day. Many suggest to eat less frequently, however if you train hard in the gym (which most of our audience do), 3-4 is the sweet spot. If you do not train, and are purely eating this way to maximise cognitive output and physical health,, you can tailor this to a meal frequency of 2-3 times a day. Tailor the quantity to the calories you require individually, but use this as a guideline for food choice.
Meal 1: Eggs, banana, mango, dates
Meal 2: 20% mince, raw diary, pomegranate, (scope to add rice if for training benefits)
Meal 3: Steak, raw cheese, avocado
Meal 4: Full fat yoghurt / kefir, mixed berries, honey, dates
Conclusion
The animal-based diet offers a compelling approach to nutrition that prioritizes nutrient-dense animal-derived foods while minimizing or excluding certain plant-based options. By focusing on high-quality protein sources, essential nutrients, and healthy fats, adherents of this dietary approach aim to optimize cognitive wellbeing, physical performance, and overall health.
With an emphasis on foods like red meats, organ meats, eggs, honey, and select fruits, the animal-based diet provides a diverse array of nutrients in forms believed to be highly bioavailable and supportive of bodily functions. By reducing reliance on carbohydrates from grains and vegetables, individuals may experience improvements in blood glucose control, inflammation levels, and metabolic health.
The inclusion of dairy, particularly raw and unpasteurized varieties from grass-fed sources, adds another dimension to the diet, offering additional nutrients and potential benefits for digestion and microbial diversity.
While there is ongoing debate and varying perspectives on the ideal diet for human health, the animal-based approach presents a compelling option for those seeking to prioritize nutrient density, hormonal balance, and overall vitality in their dietary choices. As always, individual needs, preferences, and health considerations should be taken into account when determining the most suitable dietary approach.
