At first glance, The Carnivore Diet may sound a bit mad (cow) – especially if you grew up with the food pyramid like us. Keep digging, though, and you may eventually start to question everything you thought you knew about diet and nutrition.
The Carnivore Diet takes what we thought was true and completely tips it on its side (yes, that's an attempt at a cow-tipping joke). After the Ketogenic Diet took off in popularity, we understood that you could replace your carbohydrate intake with fat to fuel your body. So completely eliminating carbohydrates, kind of not that crazy, right?
Now, the complete elimination of plant matter and fiber from your diet… that's where things got squirrely for us! There are many interesting theories, though, that will make you think twice about eating plants. Many of the theories, along with science-backed data, references, testimonials, and more, can be found in the fantastic books on this list!
Regardless if you are fresh meat to the Carnivore Diet or a seasoned vet (is seasoning allowed?), this page will be the ultimate resource for carnivore-based books. We include books covering everything from the rules and science behind this diet to creative animal-based recipes and even how to butcher animals!
Keep reading to learn more about the best Carnivore Diet books!
1. The Carnivore Diet by Shawn Baker MD
Shawn Baker has played an integral role in increasing the popularity of the Carnivore Diet. He is a world-record-holding athlete, orthopedic surgeon, veteran, and carnivore! As a jacked man in his 60’s, Dr. Shawn Baker is a walking testament of what Carnivore Diet results look like.
Since he first appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience back in 2017, Baker has become the carnivore diet community's prominent face. Two years later, he published the most popular book on the animal-based diet: "The Carnivore Diet." The book is written in an easy to digest format, which is why we recommend it for people looking for an introduction to the carnivore diet.
Shawn does an excellent job addressing all the major concerns raised around consuming a meat-based Carnivore Diet. He covers all areas of life on the diet, from science, nutrition, and myths, to social aspects (such as eating out), testimonials, and references.
If you're looking for a complete and comprehensive overview of the carnivore diet, this is the book for you!
2. The Carnivore Code by Paul Saladino, MD
Dr. Paul Saladino (much like Shawn Baker) appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience to discuss the Carnivore Diet and his book The Carnivore Code. Saladino has first-hand experience with carnivore diet benefits and utilizes his accrued knowledge on the subject to help others transform their health.
This book is perfect for those that are looking for a more thorough understanding of the diet. Dr. Saladino uses his background as a physician to dispel the myths and concerns surrounding an animal-based diet. He also does a great job referencing scientific studies and data to support his carnivorous approach to healthy living.
Saladino covers the full spectrum of living a carnivore lifestyle. We love that he focuses on optimizing overall health through diet to relieve certain diseases and autoimmune illnesses. From the truth about our modern diets to sample carnivore diet meal plans, you can bet that this book will answer all of your carnivore questions.
3. Carnivore Cure: The Ultimate Elimination Diet to Attain Optimal Health and Heal Your Body by Judy Cho, NTP
Judy Cho is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and an emerging leader in the carnivore community. Her new book "Carnivore Cure," explains the toxicities occurring in our modern diets, how to eliminate them, and how to optimize your health through an animal-based diet.
This book doesn't just discuss the carnivore diet, though. Judy also speaks to the roles played by stress, sleep, fasting, and exercise in optimizing your health, which we find incredibly important. In order to truly optimize your health, you need to reset and re-evaluate your lifestyle and daily habits.
What makes "Carnivore Cure" unique is the focus on gut health and the advice on reintroducing plant-based foods back into your diet. We recommend this book as it's easy to digest and features incredible infographics and photos to help you better understand the data backing Judy's approach!
4. The Carnivore Cookbook by Craig and Maria Emmerich & Craig Emmerich
The Carnivore Cookbook is a wealth of information, and much more than just a carnivore diet menu in cookbook form. The book is broken into three sections, and begins by explaining the science behind the carnivore diet and how to implement it into your daily life.
Following these sections, Maria and Craig's detail carnivore diet meal plans: one meal plan addressing weight management and one meal plan addressing autoimmune protocol (each plan complete with an accompanying carnivore diet food list). We love the approach that they took with these carnivore diet meal plans, and know you will too!
Finally, in the third section of the book, the cooking begins! Due to the diet's restrictive nature, it would be easy to fall into a repetitive rut with your eating. However, Maria and Craig do an excellent job forming captivating and creative carnivore recipes to keep meals fresh and exciting! We also love that they include macros and calories per serving, the number of servings, preparation times, and cooking times!
5. Whole Beast Butchery by Ryan Farr
While this isn't directly a carnivore diet-related book, we felt it would be beneficial to anyone who plans to adopt the all meat diet long-term. Anyone that has purchased meat in the past can attest to the fact that it is expensive. So, imagine eating only meat and animal-based products; that tab can run up at a rapid rate!
Thankfully, Whole Beast Butchery is here to help you save money on meat by purchasing in larger quantities and butchering the meat yourself! Not only will you learn how to save money by butchering meat, but you will also learn to understand better animal anatomy, which we find extremely useful if you plan on eating strictly animal-based products.
Ryan begins the book by going over basic guidelines, tools, and techniques, followed by the various beasts you will learn to butcher. The big three in this specific book are beef, lamb, and pork. The book also boasts some recipes that demonstrate how to use that meat you butchered. Disclaimer: they are not all carnivore-friendly recipes. However, we still think this is an excellent addition to any carnivore's bookshelf!
6. The Carnivore Code Bible 2023 by Blake Reed
Blake Reed's latest book, "The Carnivore Code Bible 2023," offers a comprehensive guide with over 365 days of delectable recipes for committed followers of the carnivore diet. Similar to other authors in the low-carb space, Reed guides readers in rediscovering vitality and energy, emphasizing that a return to a meat-centric diet is the optimal path for achieving these goals.
7. The Carnivore Diet for Beginners by Chris Irvine
Chris Irvine's "The Carnivore Diet for Beginners" serves as a comprehensive guide, providing all the essential information for those looking to adopt a meat-based eating plan. The book covers a range of topics, offering tips on weight loss, health, and healing. Irvine contends that research supports the effectiveness of high-protein, low-carb diets in promoting weight loss and alleviating chronic disease symptoms. Additionally, he emphasizes the accessibility of these foods for most people to easily incorporate into their diets and achieve their health goals.
8. Hard Core Carnivore: Cook Meat like You Mean it by Jess Pryles
Published in 2017, "Hardcore Carnivore: Cook Meat Like You Mean It" by Jess Pryles is a cookbook designed to enhance the flavor of meat dishes. With over a hundred recipes covering various cooking methods such as broiling, grilling, and roasting, this book is tailored for individuals deeply passionate about meat and eager to elevate their cooking prowess. The recipes strike a balance between being accessible and occasionally presenting a challenge for those looking to expand their culinary skills.
9. Keto Carnivore Cookbook by Mel Brown
Completing this list is "Keto Carnivore" by Mel Brown. The book explores the importance of steering clear of carbohydrates in a meat-centric diet and emphasizes the benefits of maintaining ketosis throughout the day. With a focus on transitioning to fat metabolism from glucose, the book provides numerous recipes. It's an essential read for those embarking on their keto-carnivore journey or seeking weight loss.
Bottom Line
Each book on this list offers unique and beneficial insights on the Carnivore Diet. So, grab yourself a book to read and some of our carnivore-friendly jerky to snack on while reading!
