The beef only carnivore diet is the healthiest diet.

Question

Many foods people consume in today's society are too processed when the reality is that the healthiest way to eat is only beef. Beef has all the nutrients that you need. You can put salt on your beef, but no other foods should be in your diet.

Answer 1

The claim that “the beef-only carnivore diet is the healthiest diet” is scientifically unsubstantiated. While Jordan Peterson and his daughter Mikhaila Peterson have publicly claimed—through podcast interviews and social media posts—that consuming only beef, salt, and water improved their mood, energy, and autoimmune symptoms, these are anecdotal experiences without empirical validation. Their statements function as primary sources, yet they lack the methodological rigor and peer review required to support health claims of this magnitude.

To evaluate this assertion, I consulted several authoritative scientific and expert sources. A primary scholarly source, Farvid et al. (2021), published in the European Journal of Epidemiology, conducted a meta-analysis of 148 prospective studies examining red and processed meat consumption. The findings revealed that individuals with the highest intake of red meat faced a 10–26% increased risk of major cancers—including colorectal, colon, rectal, lung, breast, and liver cancers—compared to those with the lowest intake (Farvid et al., 2021). This large-scale study provides strong epidemiological evidence that high red meat consumption poses significant long-term health risks, directly contradicting claims of its superiority as a “healthy” diet.

Additional secondary sources further reinforce these conclusions. According to Lisa Marsh (MS, RD, LD), a registered dietitian cited by Healthline, an all-beef diet is dangerously high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, while severely deficient in fiber and essential vitamins such as A and C, which are vital for cardiovascular and digestive health. Marsh warns that these deficiencies can lead to heart disease, constipation, and colon cancer, making the diet nutritionally unbalanced and unsafe (Healthline, 2024).

Similarly, Jack Gilbert, faculty director of the University of Chicago’s Microbiome Center, explains that exclusive reliance on beef and salt would cause severe metabolic dysregulation, eliminate short-chain fatty acids, and devastate the gut microbiome, resulting in hormonal imbalance and cardiac complications within six months. His findings highlight the essential role of microbial diversity and dietary fiber in maintaining metabolic stability and long-term health (BigThink, 2023).

Each of these expert perspectives carries some inherent bias—Healthline tends to adopt conservative positions on extreme diets, BigThink emphasizes scientific skepticism, and Farvid et al.’s conclusions are correlational rather than causal—but together they form a consistent, evidence-based consensus: the beef-only carnivore diet is not safe or nutritionally adequate. In contrast, those promoting the diet, such as the Petersons, may exhibit confirmation bias by interpreting personal improvements as universal truths without accounting for placebo effects, caloric restriction, or preexisting conditions.

To ensure fairness, I attempted to contact Jordan Peterson through his verified Twitter (X) and Instagram accounts to inquire about medical documentation or peer-reviewed data supporting his dietary claims. As of this writing, no response has been received.

In conclusion, after reviewing primary testimonials, peer-reviewed research, and expert commentary, it is clear that the claim “the beef-only carnivore diet is the healthiest diet” is false. Extensive scientific evidence demonstrates that excessive red meat consumption is linked to heightened cancer risk, metabolic disruption, and nutrient deficiency. True dietary health arises not from restriction to one food group, but from balance, variety, and sustainability—principles consistently supported by decades of nutritional science.

Answer 2

There is an extensive amount of research that proves the claim "a beef-only carnivore diet is the healthiest diet" is false. To begin with, the article that you linked does not support this claim. Although it provides a story from an individual who experienced benefits from a carnivore diet, the point of the article is to demonstrate how difficult it is to live on a carnivore diet and all of the daily struggles and side effects that come with it. In your description, you state that "beef has all the nutrients that you need", which is also completely false. Although it is true that eating only beef provides a person with a substantial amount of protein, cutting out other food groups such as fruits, vegetables, and grains can be detrimental to a person's health. In an article by Tara Smith, a registered dietitian, and instructor of nutrition, she states that eating a full diet that includes all suggested food groups "decreases all-caused mortality, heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers". Additionally, Howard E. LeWine, the chief medical editor for Harvard Health Publishing, states that the carnivore diet introduces a large number of health risks, including "an increased risk of kidney stones, gout, and osteoporosis". Because of this research and more, it is reasonable to conclude this claim is entirely false. 

Comments

I agree with your FactCheck and really appreciate how thorough it is. You cut to the point while also adding multiple sources which shows that you did proper research.

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This is a very thorough fact check. You found multiple reputable sources that disprove this original claim and also give reason as to why it is an incorrect claim. You also did additional research deep into the original article which is always important when fact checking.

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I think you did a great job fact checking and providing feedback that this is more an opinion than fact based post. The articles you provided give great information and are helpful in learning more about this matter.

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I really liked how you found other solid sources that were more based in actual research instead of something that was more based in opinion like the original article.

Answer 3

This is incorrect and a very harmful claim. Other than people's own personal anecdotes, there is absolutely no scientific research or facts that confirm that the 'best diet' is a carnivore one. In fact, it's shown to be detrimental to health. The carnivore diet is a ketogenic diet, a type of eating that induces weight loss due to cutting out carbs and forcing your body to use your fat for fuel. The all-meat consumption does this, but leaves out significant nutrients your body needs. Not everything is about weight loss! The carnivore diet cuts out carbs completely, not just minimizing it, and can cause extreme nutrient deficiencies. Not only that, but eating such significant amounts of meat can lead directly to heart problems due to digestive issues and saturated fats that elevate LDL cholesterol. And since meat is often packed with sodium, high blood pressure, kidney and liver issues are also a factor. Fruits and vegetables provide many substances (such as carotenoids and polyphenols) that are linked to lowering risks of chronic illnesses as well as certain types of cancers. In short, medical professionals highly advise against this diet! Besides health issues, the industrial meat production is terrible for our planet, so an increase in production is detrimental to the environment.

https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-student-contributors-health-and-nutrition/taking-bite-out-carnivore-diet#:~:text=Eating%20lots%20of%20meat%20can,increase%20risk%20of%20heart%20di

https://www.bswhealth.com/blog/meat-madness-the-risks-of-the-carnivore-dietsease.

https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/carnivore-diet-terrible-idea/

Answer 4

The claim that the healthiest way to eat is only beef, is not only false, but carries many side effects. First and foremost, the link that “sourced” your information from actually refutes your argument. In the article, the author is testing the positive or negative effects of an all beef diet inspired by Jordan Peterson, who is a best selling author and personality. In the conclusion of the experiment, the author states that while he saw significant reduction in weight, he lacked sufficient energy to engage in exercise, and resorted to sleeping excessively to fuel himself. It can be discerned from this information that an all beef diet is unhealthy and quite smelly.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2018/sep/10/my-carnivore-diet-jordan-peterson-beef 

In spite of this early rejection of the beef diet, the news outlet Healthline does provide ways in which it may contribute to your daily life. Beef is very high in protein and is a big contributor in building lean muscle mass. Individuals who lack sufficient animal meat can see age-related muscle loss and lengthened recovery times from injury.  Beef also has an important amino acid named carnosine that reduces fatigue and improves performance. The key about red meats like beef is that there is a diminishing return effect. Where consumption in moderation has more benefits than cons, and an excess of consumption can lead to unwanted effects. One of the most common red areas is heart disease, which is linked to processed and unprocessed meats. Of paramount concern is when the meat is cooked at very high temperatures which produce carcinogens. Carcinogens are cancer inducing synthetic chemicals that should be avoided. 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/beef#cancer 

Not only is beef a delicious meal that is a staple for so many global cuisines, it has great benefactors towards overall physical health. Nonetheless, beef should not be a daily choice, such as many other food groups.

Answer 5

This claim argues that eating only beef and nothing else is the healthiest way to get your body’s nutrients, especially considering society’s normalization of processed foods. The claim comes from an article published by The Guardian, where a man named Jordan Peterson shares his diet journey consisting strictly of beef, salt, and water. However, after further research, this claim is false, and this diet is not recommended by most dietitians.

I explored an article posted by Men’s Health that (https://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/a24488031/carnivore-diet-results) shared the experience of a man named Jack Crosbie, who followed a similar carnivore diet with very different results. By the third day, Jack said “I have zero energy and it feels, literally, like I’m punching under water.” After the diet, he consulted with a dietitian who explained that the diet caused glucose deprivation and noted the lack of research on its long-term effects.

Another article I found from the British Heart Foundation (https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/) examined the same claim and also found it to be false. They concluded that while there may be short-term benefits such as weight loss and improved blood sugar levels, the overall verdict was that this diet is not recommended and can be very harmful to heart health.

Finally, according to an evidence-based article by Healthline (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/meal-plans) explores diets that are scientifically proven to be healthy and none of them include an all-beef diet. Their “bottom line” emphasizes that diets should be supported by scientific evidence and that different diets work for different people depending on individual needs.