The Lion Diet is primarily a meat-based diet that focuses on consuming only salt, water, and meat from cows ruminant animals.
According to Mikhaila Peterson, a recent health and wellness podcaster, people who follow a lion diet claim remissions of certain diseases, autoimmune disorders, and digestive issues.
While similar to a carnivore diet, the lion diet usually allows beef, salt and water and is a more restrictive version of this protein based plan.
What can you eat on the lion diet?
While all ruminant animal meat is permitted on this diet, people consume mostly beef because of the accessibility and convenience.
Ruminant animal meat consists of any animals with a four-chambered stomach including:
- Cattle
- Sheep
- Goats
- Buffalo
- Elk
- Deer
Ruminant meat is a great source of high-quality protein, B vitamins, and trace minerals and will keep you fuller longer.
What can you NOT eat on the lion diet?
This diet is extremely restrictive. In fact it excludes the following:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Legumes
- Grains
- Nuts
- Seeds
Benefits of the Lion Diet
While there hasn't been many studies analyzing the health benefits of a lion diet, there has been extensive data on the health effects of a very low carb diets.
Some of those benefits include weight loss, decreased inflammation, improvements in mood, and relief from headaches, insomnia and allergies.
Risks of the Lion Diet
It's important to note that there are risks of consuming only ruminant animals which include protein poisoning, vitamin deficiencies, and reduced thyroid function.
Because this diet is extremely restrictive and doesn't include other healthy food groups, it can cause a diet to become deficient in important vitamins and minerals.
Bottom Line
There hasn't been much evidence proving the lion diet is an effective and safe meal plan. Consuming a strictly meat based diet instead of whole foods is not only unhealthy long-term, but it's also not sustainable.
