In recent years, various diets have gained popularity, and among them are the carnivore and keto diets. The carnivore diet focuses on consuming animal-based foods, whereas the keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat approach. As these diets share some commonalities, many people wonder if the carnivore diet is keto or not.
The ketogenic diet is known for its potential health benefits, such as weight loss and improved mental clarity, while the carnivore diet has been praised for its simplicity and ability to eliminate food sensitivities. Both diets involve limiting carbohydrate intake, but there are some key differences that distinguish them from each other.
I’ve lived through both diets and in this article, I’ll share:
- The similarities and differences of both diets
- My personal experience on both diets
- which one might be right for you
Let’s begin by defining each one…
What Is the Carnivore Diet?
The carnivore diet, also known as the zero-carb diet or animal-sourced foods (ASF) diet, consists of 100% animal foods such as meat, fish, eggs, high-fat dairy products, and animal fats. Some people who follow this diet only consume meat, salt, and water, while others allow for exceptions like coffee, tea, and small amounts of spices used in cooking.
The main focus of the carnivore diet is to eliminate carbohydrates from one’s food intake altogether. This diet emphasizes the consumption of fat and protein, just like the ketogenic diet does, but it’s more restrictive since it doesn’t allow any plant-based foods.
The idea behind the Carnivore Diet is that by consuming only animal products, we can return to a more primal way of eating that our ancestors might have followed.
Some of the typical meals can include:
- scrambled eggs and bacon
- chicken breasts with melted cheddar cheese
- organ meat kebabs
- smoked salmon and a sausage patty
- turkey burgers topped with fried eggs
- steak and eggs
A strict carnivore diet excludes all other foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and grains.
It’s important to note that this diet can be seen as extreme, and therefore it’s assumed that it may not be sustainable for everyone. However, there are countless examples of people who have remained on this way of eating for years and even decades and are thriving on it.
I’m certainly thriving on it, and I have surprised myself as to how sustainable it is for me and my lifestyle. But as with any diet plan, it’s crucial to listen to your body, take into consideration any pre-existing health conditions, and consult with a healthcare professional before making drastic changes to your eating habits.
Now let’s take a look at the Keto diet…
What Is the Keto Diet?
The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat eating plan designed to put your body into a metabolic state called ketosis.
When in ketosis, your body effectively burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. To achieve this state, you need to limit your carbohydrate intake to around 20 grams per day while consuming adequate amounts of protein and lots of fat.
The macronutrient ratios for the keto diet usually break down into the following percentages:
- 70-80% of calories from fat
- 15-30% calories from protein
- 5-10% calories from carbohydrates
Some common foods I enjoyed when I was on the keto diet include meat, fish, eggs, dairy products like cheese, avocados, nuts, seeds, and low-carb vegetables like spinach and kale.
In terms of meals, the choice is endless with a really wide variety of low carb vegetables and proteins to choose from. However, being mindful of which foods have hidden carbs is essential; it’s particularly important to avoid sugary foods and grains, as these can quite easily kick you out of ketosis.
Differences Between Carnivore and Keto Diets
As someone who understands and has experienced both diets, I can tell you that the main difference between the carnivore and keto diets is actually the aim behind the diet.
The keto diet aims to keep you in a state of ketosis, whereas the carnivore diet aims to keep you eating animal foods only.
You can be on a carnivore diet and not always be in ketosis. (Granted, you will likely spend large amounts of time naturally in ketosis anyway on carnivore). For example, if you eat a large amount of protein in one meal, it can kick you out of ketosis. But that’s ok, because the point of carnivore is not the ketosis, it is the ‘animal foods only’ rule.
On the other hand, the keto diet involves eating foods that stay within the range that is going to keep you burning fat for fuel (ketosis), regardless of what foods you eat. The main difference lies in their food restrictions and macronutrient balance.
Their ethos for both diets is different. However, they both have many crossovers in terms of the benefits both diets can achieve.
In terms of ease, some people find the keto diet easier to follow because it has a wider variety of permitted foods. However, those with a strong carb addiction (like me!), or those who like to keep it simple (me again!), might experience better results on the carnivore diet (totally me), thanks to its simplicity and elimination of all carbohydrate sources.
Here’s a summary of the differences between both diets:
| Carnivore | Keto |
|---|---|
| Animal products only | Any low carb foods |
| Higher protein | Higher fat |
| Zero carb | Low carb |
| Aim to avoid all plants | Aim to stay in ketosis |
| More restrictive | More variety |
Those are some of the differences, but what about some of the similarities…?
Similarities Between Carnivore and Keto Diets
Both the carnivore and keto diets fall into the low carb category, and they share some key similarities. In this section, I’ll explore the main aspects that make these two diets similar.
Firstly, both diets focus on consuming high amounts of fat and protein. This is important because it allows our bodies to switch from using glucose as the primary source of energy to utilizing ketones, which are produced from fat. This metabolic state is called ketosis and can lead to weight loss and other health benefits.
Another similarity between these two diets is the elimination of certain food groups. While the carnivore diet eliminates all plant-based foods, the keto diet significantly restricts carbohydrates, which leads to the exclusion of most high-carb fruits, vegetables, and grains.
In doing so, both diets aim to optimize our bodies’ performance and overall health by removing foods that are considered inflammatory or have negative effects on our metabolism.
Additionally, adherents of both diets often experience similar health benefits, such as:
- weight loss
- improved mental clarity
- increased energy levels
- better digestion.
This can be explained by the fact that both diets involve low carb intake, which leads to stable blood sugar levels and helps avoid insulin spikes, promoting a better hormonal balance and functioning of various body systems.
DID YOU KNOW? Not everyone finds weight loss success on the carnivore or keto diet. Check out my article here, speaking about why you may not be losing weight even on the more restrictive carnivore diet.
Lastly, since both diets promote the consumption of whole foods and natural sources of nutrition, they tend to encourage improved gut health and a stronger immune system.
By consuming fewer processed foods and sugars, both carnivore and keto dieters can experience a decrease in inflammation and an overall improvement in their well-being.
Here’s a quick summary of the similarities between keto and carnivore:
| Similarities of Keto & Carnivore Diets |
|---|
| Whole unprocessed foods |
| Restriction of certain foods/food groups |
| Anti-inflammatory(ref) |
| Healthier Blood Sugar Regulation (ref) |
| Potential weight loss benefits |
The similarities between the carnivore and keto diets lie mainly in their low-carb nature, focus on high-fat and high-protein foods, elimination of certain food groups, and potential health benefits.
However, it’s important to remember that each diet has its unique aspects and may work differently for different individuals. To learn about why you don’t always lose weight on this kind of diet, check out my article here. I discuss some of the reasons losing weight is not always a given on carnivore (that was my experience, as I explain here).
Is the Carnivore Diet Keto?
So, the original question in this article was, “Is the Carnivore Diet Keto?” I mentioned earlier on that the aim of following carnivore was not ketosis, but rather eliminating all plant foods. So, let’s discuss whether the Carnivore diet can be considered keto or not…
The keto diet focuses on consuming low-carb foods, in the following macronutrient levels:
- 70-80% of calories from fat
- 5-30% from protein
- 0-10% from carbohydrates
This leads the body to reach the metabolic state of ketosis, where it uses fat for energy instead of glucose. The question is, does being on the carnivore diet naturally put you in a state of ketosis?
Although the carnivore diet may not have specific macronutrient targets like the keto diet does, it naturally leads to very low carbohydrate consumption due to the nature of the animal-based food sources.
This also results in increased fat and protein intake, but the focus is more on meat consumption, and the macronutrient ratios can vary between carnivore dieters. But because the carnivore diet contains almost zero carbohydrates, it’s highly likely that a carnivore dieter will spend the majority of their time in a ketogenic state.
The only exception would be if they consumed a lot of lean meat in one sitting without much fat with their meal. This could potentially kick someone out of ketosis but given the zero carbohydrates, it’s also likely that this person would get back into ketosis very quickly too.
So, although there’s a chance you might not be in ketosis all the time on carnivore, it’s highly likely that you’ll stay in ketosis for the overwhelming majority of the time, with few exceptions around mealtimes, and only if you are consuming very large amounts of protein in one go.
NOTE: Check out my article, “Does the Carnivore Diet Keep You in Ketosis?” for more details and explanation about the carnivore diet and ketosis. You might be surprised at the answer!
Which Diet is Better? Carnivore or Keto?
Now that we know the similarities and differences, which one is the better approach? There are a few things to consider…
Do You Enjoy Simplicity or Variety?
To make a diet work, it has to be something you can stick to. So, taking your personality into consideration is key.
The keto diet offers a lot of variety, but the carnivore doesn’t. And this is key to helping you decide which one will be easier to stick to. Do you prefer having a really simple diet to stick to that doesn’t require much thinking? Or do feel you won’t be able to stick to something so restrictive, and would like more options available to you?
I’ve been on both keto and carnivore, and I can tell you from experience, that I found the carnivore diet far easier to follow than keto. Following the carnivore way of eating was so simple, it took all the thinking and overwhelm out of trying to adjust and this was a big part of helping me stay on track.
When I was on keto, I felt I had to plan every meal, and I never managed to get rid of cravings for sweet things. I ended up trying to make ‘keto friendly desserts’ all the time, and I eventually went off plan.
On the outset, it seems as though the keto diet would have been easier to follow because it has more choice in terms of food, but there is a certain simplicity to eating very few foods that makes it easier to follow.
But that is just me, and it’s important to take your own personality into consideration when deciding which way of eating is best for you.
Which Do You Believe Is Best for You?
I’m not here to argue the science of each diet and which study proves to have the most evidence. But I do believe that the way you eat should be in line with the values and beliefs you have about food. I do think you should keep an open mind about what is or isn’t healthy, but if it doesn’t feel right to do something, it won’t be long before you stop doing it.
Take this into consideration before deciding which one is right for you, and remember that what works for me may not work for you. It’s essential to find the dietary approach that aligns with your unique needs and lifestyle.
When it comes to which diet to choose, remember that the keto AND the carnivore are both very beneficial in terms of:
- reducing inflammation
- healing your body
- weight loss
- better energy levels
- better mental clarity
And both diets mean you will be cutting out:
- processed foods
- sugars
- carbohydrates
And cutting out these things will improve your health considerably, no matter which diet you choose out of the two.
NOTE: I’ve also compared the carnivore diet to the Lion diet here, and the Mediterranean diet here.