Fad Diets and Controversies: Anthropological Analysis of the Carnivore Diet in Modern Society
Fad diets, characterized by their absolute dietary restrictions, have been at an
exceptional climax in modern society. Among these numerous different fad diets, the carnivore
diet acts as an advocate for the exclusive consumption of animal meat, as well as the exclusion of
plant products. This diet has gained rapidly growing interest among people for various reasons
and while there are advantages, there remain many disadvantages. The carnivore diet is highly
controversial, due to its extreme restriction of plant, non-natural meat foods and lack of scientific
consensus on its health benefits. The increase in participants is not solely driven by individual
health claims, but broader cultural, societal and economic factors. From an anthropological
perspective, the appeal of such diets reflects a deep-seated cultural nostalgia for ancestral eating,
a societal obsession with body image and economic factors that capitalize on dietary trends
where healthy food is deemed “expensive”.
One major factor that is beginning to convert individuals to the carnivore diet is their
cultural background. Many cultures involve the consumption of protein that comes from animals,
and it is known to provide considerable sustenance that we need to function in our everyday
lives. Historically, our ancestors had a high-protein diet needed to complete their day-to-day
tasks such as hunting and gathering, which were physically demanding tasks. This meant that the
food consumed needed to be nutrient-dense to support them for long periods of time. Although
they had an abundance of plant foods around them, it was discovered that plants provided
insufficient energy, which led to the development of a high-protein diet (“Meat in the human
diet”, 2007). Analyzing today’s society, we, living in the 21st century, are not going outside,
hunting chicken, buffalo or any other animals to eat. We simply walk or drive to the nearest
grocery store and pick out what we want to eat from the array of foods already slaughtered and
prepared for us to take and cook whenever we desire. In a statement by Boys Eaton of Emory
University, he states that we are heirs to characteristics held by our ancestors, and we still require
a diet with protein. This causes some people to want to revert their diets to what they were
before, natural and basic (“Meat in the human diet”, 2007). An anthropological view on people
turning to this way of life is due to not only the dietary value, but they simultaneously crave that
“ancestral nostalgia”, which is the ideology of returning to their roots and eating whole, natural
foods as we once did.
The societal turn towards the carnivore diet is driven by many factors such as modern
beliefs regarding health and image and a skeptical mindset towards modern-day eating habits.
Since many advocates argue that we are genetically adapted to eating animal-based foods, we see
people turn to different diets which resonate with being slimmer and “healthier”. Most fad diets,
the carnivore diet being one of them, have short-term success with weight loss, as it can only be
achieved by following it perfectly. Regardless of the benefits, a significant problem that will
occur is the lack of minerals and nutrients such as fibre and vitamins B and C (“Meat in the
human diet”, 2007). Socially, people have experienced a key defect in today’s modern diet, with
such constant access to saturated and processed food. These fad diets are appealing because they
target a main factor about the mentality of people today. That is, to get slim as fast and as easily
as possible without having to work hard for the body they wish to achieve. However, this is
where the carnivore diet differs from other fad diets. Working out and maintaining adequate
fitness levels is necessary to attain the desired body. With this extra protein intake, it will match
our Paleolithic intake (“Meat in the human diet”, 2007). During the Paleolithic era, protein intake
was 37% of our overall diet and now, it is less than half of that, at only 15% (“Meat in the human
diet”, 2007). Comparing our bodies to our closest relatives, Neanderthals, we see that we are
extremely similar in bone structure and physique. They were strong and that is why most people,
especially males, have decided to take on this diet as they hope to build muscle and have a better
physique than the average body of today’s society (Week 5 Lecture 1, 2024). Looking from an
anthropological perspective, the Neanderthals needed this excessive amount of protein for their
well-being, but now, we have evolved drastically where plants and agriculture have become a
major part of our diets through the agricultural revolution millions of years ago (Week 8, Lecture
1, 2024). Weighing the options of what we have now and what we once did, there are reasons for
a person to decide to follow the carnivore diet or another diet in the 21st century with all these
options of food available to us. The ideal body will come from the decision you make but the
outcome of those decisions is dependent on if you follow the steps to the best of your abilities.
Economic factors significantly influence individuals’ decisions to adopt any type of diet.
The main question that is being asked throughout this debate is: “Is the carnivore diet
economically sustainable?” The abundant amount of meat a person will be purchasing may seem
daunting, but if strategically planned, it can be cost-effective. Looking at the conducted
experiment on a processed vs carnivore diet grocery trip, we see that while both are budget
conscious, the carnivore diet totalled $80.94, and the processed diet totalled $94.99 (“How much
does the carnivore diet cost”, 2007). This budget was built based on buying in bulk, however, not
everyone can do that. Low-income families who sometimes live paycheque-to-paycheque and
are unable to spend large amounts on groceries, do not have the opportunity to choose this kind
of diet (“How much does the carnivore diet cost”, 2007). Looking from an anthropological
perspective, most humans, being omnivores, are going to demand meat in their diets. This
excessive push for only meat items by a percentage of the population would cause for there to be
an increase in animals being bred on farms. All the meat we consume such as cows, chickens,
and pigs, have all been domesticated and are not projected to go extinct (Week 6 Lecture 1,
2024). If farmers keep producing the same or even greater amounts, it seems to be a sustainable
diet from an economic perspective.
In conclusion, many fad diets, especially the carnivore diet, are highly controversial in
today’s era and have caused heated debates on whether they are beneficial or disadvantageous to
take part in. Through this essay, we have discussed various reasons as to why the carnivore diet
is controversial. The cultural perspective is that individuals desire a natural, Paleolithic diet. The
social constructs of body image and economic status all play significant roles in the decisions to
partake in the carnivore diet. Ultimately, a person’s financial stability and mental well-being are
pivotal factors in making such a deeply personal decision.
Reference Cited
Mann, N. (2007, August 15). Meat in the human diet: An anthropological perspective - mann.
Meat In the Human Diet. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.17470080.2007.00194.x
McAuliffe, L. (2023, December 22). How much does the carnivore diet cost? budget tips and
tricks. Dr. Robert Kiltz. https://www.doctorkiltz.com/carnivore-diet-cost/
Spence Morrow, G. (2024) American Museum of Natural History: Seven Million years of human
evolution [Week 5 Lecture 1] Retrieved from http://avenue.mcmaster.ca
Spence Morrow, G. (2024) Food is… [Week 8 Lecture 1] Retrieved from
http://avenue.mcmaster.ca
Spence Morrow, G. (2024) Scavengers or hunters? [Week 6 Lecture 1] Retrieved from
http://avenue.mcmaster.ca