Meat sits atop the U.S.-RFK, Jr. food pyramid. How healthy is the carnivore diet?

red-meat-cancer-connection-1030x749

Meat is king, according to the U.S. government. The new dietary guidelines encourage people to consume red meat regularly, and illustrations of steak and ground beef sit prominently at the top of the food pyramid.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said he only eats meat and fermented foods – and has even alluded to the idea that eating this way can drastically reduce fat in the body. Is that actually true?

In a review of past research in Nutrients, researchers noted that people who consume less processed foods, sugar, saturated fats and alcohol have significantly lower levels of visceral fat. It doesn’t say anything about eating red meat that is high in saturated fat.

Follow the latest news and policy debates on sustainable agriculture, biomedicine, and other ‘disruptive’ innovations. Subscribe to our newsletter.

Beyond consuming too much saturated fat, there are other problems with eating mostly meat and not much else. One of the biggest issues is that people may miss out on important nutrients. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes are all good sources of fiber, an important nutrient with extensive health benefits, such as supporting a healthy gut microbiome, regulating blood sugar and keeping digestion regular. 

This is an excerpt. Read the original post here

{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.singularReviewCountLabel }}
{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.pluralReviewCountLabel }}
{{ options.labels.newReviewButton }}
{{ userData.canReview.message }}

Related Articles

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Does glyphosate—the world's most heavily-used herbicide—pose serious harm to humans? Is it carcinogenic? Those issues are of both legal and ...

Most Popular

ChatGPT-Image-Jun-11-2026-01_15_03-PM
Selective Pressure, Selective Silence
ChatGPT Image Jun 3, 2026, 03_54_37 PM
Viewpoint: “Turn on, tune in, drop out”—Kennedy embraces the Timothy Leary psychedelic revolution
Screenshot 2026-05-26 at 10.15
Viewpoint: Double standard—Why does the wellness industry get a free pass while Big Healthcare is treated as morally suspect?
Screenshot-2026-06-11-at-3.40.06-PM
'Toxin' detox: A gastroenterologist weighs in on $71 billion health trend
Screenshot-2026-06-11-at-4.00.17-PM
Gen Z burned by sunscreen misinformation and tanning myths
Screenshot-2026-06-05-at-1.44.09-PM
Viewpoint: Scientists have scrapped the worst-case climate scenario. Is that proof that climate change is a hoax, as Trump claims?
Screenshot-2026-06-05-at-2.12.30-PM
Some plants can poison you. So how did humans figure out what is safe to eat?
Screenshot-2026-06-03-at-3.33.44-PM
Viewpoint: Vaccine deniers are attacking a life-saving Vitamin K shot for newborns that isn’t even a vaccine
ChatGPT-Image-Jun-11-2026-10_34_44-AM-2
Will hi-tech genetic fortune-telling really help parents make healthier children?
Screenshot-2026-06-08-at-1.35.30-PM
Viewpoint: Social media and fake natural health propaganda fuel surge in use of mostly useless supplements
ChatGPT-Image-Jun-10-2026-12_57_24-PM
Viewpoint: Why gene-editing babies is moral and certain to happen
ChatGPT Image Jun 3, 2026, 03_14_43 PM
Viewpoint: How Earthjustice became the poster child for the abuse of special interest activist funding
Credit: ACSH
Viewpoint: Who and what’s to blame for the surge in vaccine-preventable diseases?
glp menu logo outlined

Get news on human & agricultural genetics and biotechnology delivered to your inbox.