What Is The Meat and Fruit Diet? Can I Eat Fruit on A Carnivore Diet?

What Is The Meat and Fruit Diet?

As its name suggests, the Meat and Fruit Diet is based on meat and fruit while excluding or limiting other foods, including grains, dairy, and vegetables. This diet aims to help dieters lose weight and improve health by imitating the eating habits of our early ancestors.

Why ancestors’ diet? Because their eating habits were simple and healthy, recent diets containing high amounts of processed food, carbohydrates, and sugar cause most of the health problems we face today.

But that’s not all about this diet. This article will explore it from A to Z to determine whether it’s healthy and effective. Let’s start with the benefits of the Meat and Fruit diet.

The Meat and Fruit Diet Benefits

• Nutrients: The Meat and Fruit Diet combines animal products (meat) and fruits to provide various essential nutrients. Meat is a nutrient-dense food containing high-quality protein, iron, zinc, and B vitamins. Fruits are full of vitamins, antioxidants, dietary fiber, and natural sugars.
• Macronutrients: The Meat and Fruit Diet gives you meat protein and fruit carbs, so you’ll get a balanced macronutrient profile that stabilizes energy levels and supports your overall health.
• Healthy Fats and Proteins: This diet focuses on fatty ruminant meats like beef, lamb, and bison, which contain healthy fats, complete proteins, and many bioavailable nutrients, including zinc, B vitamins, iron, selenium, CoQ10, and carnitine.
• Variety and Flexibility: The Meat and Fruit Diet is flexible and customizable. You can choose different fruits in varying quantities as you prefer.
• Insulin and Electrolytes: Eating fruits on a daily basis can regulate insulin levels and balance electrolytes.
• Better Athletic Performance: Athletes need to consume lots of protein to keep their muscles strong. Also, fruits can refill muscle glycogen stores, which helps athletes perform well during intense training sessions.
• Weight Loss and Ketosis: Some Meat and Fruit dieters eat low-carb fruits to reach ketosis (burn fat instead of carbs) to lose weight.
• Satiety and Calorie Intake: Meat protein is so filling, meaning that you don’t need to eat a lot of food, which decreases your overall calorie intake and eases weight loss.
• Hydration: The high water content of fruits helps you stay hydrated.

Although the Meat and Fruit Diet provides various benefits, it comes with some drawbacks too. It doesn’t mean that everybody will experience them, but it’s good to know them in advance to plan accordingly and avoid health problems.

The Meat and Fruit Diet Side Effects

• Nutrient Imbalance: If you can’t find the most effective combination and amount of meat and fruit, you may face nutrient imbalances.
• Digestive Issues: Some dieters face digestive issues like constipation or diarrhea when eating meat and fruit.
• Blood Sugar Changes: Although fruits contain natural sugars, eating too many of them can fluctuate blood sugar levels, which can be a concern for  diabetic or insulin-resistant individuals.
• Ketosis and Carb Intake: To reach ketosis, you must go for low-carb fruits, and eating low levels of carbs may cause keto flu, which shows itself with headaches, fatigue, and irritability.

Let’s add up the pros and cons and find out whether the Meat and Fruit Diet is healthy or not based on experts’ opinions.

Is a Meat and Fruit Diet Healthy?

Some experts believe that the Meat and Fruit Diet creates a toxic combination!

Fruits are sweet and contain sugar, which is why some people believe they aren’t good for your teeth. The truth is that sugar is a toxin, and it's best to avoid it as much as possible.

Dr. Anthony Chaffee follows a strict meat-only diet that doesn't allow any fruit at all because he believes it causes cancer and other diseases. If you want to learn more about his diet, check out the video at the top of this page!

Also, on a zero-carb diet, you cannot eat fruit as it contains fructose, which is a sugar. Do you want to know more about why it is bad? Keep scrolling to the next sub-section to find out.

So What Is Fructose?

Fructose is one of the main sugars found in fruit. It's also a type of sugar that occurs naturally in many vegetables and honey.

Fruit contains fructose, but it doesn't contain as much as other foods high in added sugar. For example, most sweetened beverages (soda, juice drinks) contain a lot more fructose than an equivalent-size piece of whole fruit would have.

Is Fructose a Toxin?

The most important thing you should know is that fructose is a toxin. I don't say this to be alarmist or to scare you—it's just the truth. Fructose isn't healthy, despite what you might have been told by popular culture and many diet gurus who recommend it.

Fructose causes insulin resistance and fatty liver disease, which leads to type 2 diabetes and heart disease, among other things.

It also causes obesity and metabolic syndrome in children. All this makes sense if we remember that fructose is metabolized in the liver instead of being absorbed into the muscle as glucose does for most people.

So, based on these benefits and side effects, can we lose weight by consuming fruits and proteins?

Can You Lose Weight by Eating Fruits and Protein?

It’s your lucky day, and the answer is yes! You can lose weight by eating fruits and protein for various reasons.

• Satiety: The Meat and Fruit Diet helps you lose weight as it contains a lot of protein, which is highly satiating and decreases hunger and the overall calorie intake. Fruits can also make you feel full because of their fiber.
• Lean Muscle: Protein can also maintain lean muscle mass, which activates metabolism and prevents muscle loss when losing weight.
• Thermic Effect of Food (TEF): Protein has a higher thermic effect on food than carbohydrates and fats, i.e., your body needs to expend more calories to digest and process protein-rich foods, which again leads to fat melt and weight loss.
• Carbohydrate Moderation: The fiber in fruits prevents insulin spikes, which helps weight loss by reducing the risk of overeating due to blood sugar crashes.
• Hydration: Watery fruits help you stay hydrated and feel full.

However, to lose weight by eating fruits and protein, you need to pay attention to these points:

• Caloric Intake: Don’t think that fruits are healthy, so I can eat as much as I want. To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories. So, eat in moderation and be careful about portion sizes.
• Balanced Diet: Mix meat and fruits and reach a balanced diet that provides the necessary nutrients, minerals, and vitamins.
• Personalization: Your weight loss plan should be based on your needs and goals. So don’t think everybody’s plan will work for you. Talk to a professional and plan a personalized weight loss schedule. 
• Physical Activity: Regular exercise together with the Meat and Fruit Diet can help you achieve better weight loss results.

So, to start a healthy Meat and Fruit Diet, you need to know what to eat. But you don’t have to spend hours searching the net for a standard Meat and Fruit Diet food list, as I’ve provided the list here for you!

The Meat and Fruit Diet Food List

As its name suggests, the Meat and Fruit Diet contains different kinds of meat and fruit. Just remember that it’s better to choose low-calorie and high-quality foods.

• Meat: Fatty ruminant meats (beef, lamb, bison), ribeye steak, pork (limited due to higher fat content), fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), poultry (chicken, turkey), organ meats (liver, kidney, heart)
• Fruits: Berries (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries), citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits, lemons), kiwi, avocado, coconut (meat and water), melons (cantaloupe, honeydew), stone fruits (peaches, plums), non-sweet fruits (cucumber, tomato, bell pepper), limited quantities of higher-carb fruits (pineapple, apples, mangoes)

As we’ve learned so far, the Meat and Fruit Diet can help you lose weight, but there are healthier options like the Carnivore diet. To learn more, check How to Start a Carnivore Diet? When Should I Start? [Expert Guide]

Can You Eat Fruit on a Carnivore Diet?

No, the Carnivore diet eliminates or severely limits plant-based foods and products, including fruits, vegetables, and grains. So, you cannot consume fruit on a Carnivore diet, unlike the Meat and Fruit Diet.

The rationale behind eliminating fruit from the Carnivore diet is that it includes natural sugars, which can raise blood sugar levels and insulin levels in the body.

Also, the Carnivore diet is based on the idea that carbohydrates are not necessary for the proper function of the human body, and consuming fruits can interfere with the fat-burning process that occurs during a state of ketosis.

Learn More: Free Ultimate Carnivore Diet Food List

How to Replace Fruits on the Carnivore Diet?

As the Carnivore diet does not include fruits or generally plant-based foods, some may find it hard to replace the nutrients found in these foods. However, some animal-based foods can provide similar nutrients to those found in fruits. Let’s dig them!

• Liver: It is a rich source of vitamin C, which is mainly found in fruits. It's also a good source of other essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, iron, and zinc.
• Shellfish: Shellfish such as oysters, clams, and mussels contain high amounts of antioxidants like selenium, zinc, and copper, which can reduce inflammation and improve the immune system.
• Organ Meats: Organ meats such as the heart, kidney, and brain are full of nutrients and contain various vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin A, and iron.

In addition to these foods, you can consume various supplements to meet your body’s needs for vitamins and minerals. But remember to consult a healthcare professional beforehand to find the best supplements and avoid health problems.

Learn More: How to Get Vitamin C on a Carnivore Diet? What Are The Best Sources?

Summary

So, as you’ve read in this article, the Meat and Fruit Diet cannot be considered a healthy diet choice because of creating toxic combinations. Also, we’ve learned that, as experts believe, a Carnivore diet can be healthier.

Also, it is no secret that you need to consult a healthcare professional before making drastic changes to your eating habits to find the best strategies and stay healthy while reaching your fitness goals.

Speaking of the best strategies, I suggest this Carnivore diet course, which eases you into this diet and helps you find the best routines and recipes.

FAQ

The following Q&As will help you find answers to any other questions that may have been left unanswered.

Is it OK to Just Eat Meat and Fruit?

As explained in the article, eating meat and fruit can create toxic combinations, and it should be avoided as a long-term diet. There are healthier competitors like the Carnivore diet.

Can Carnivores Eat Fruits and Vegetables?

Generally, no. Because the Carnivore diet is based on meat and animal-based products and doesn’t allow plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables.

Can You Eat Fruit on a High Protein Diet?

On high-protein, zero-carb diets, you cannot eat fruit as it contains fructose, which is a kind of sugar.

Why Is Fruit Allowed on the Carnivore Diet?

Some Carnivore dieters may add fruit to their eating routines to inhibit ketosis, as they believe long-term ketosis may make it difficult for the body to maintain and balance electrolytes. They eat fruits to help regulate insulin levels.