Low-Carb Diets Have REAL Benefits with MAJOR Costs

Summary

The video script discusses the benefits and drawbacks of carnivore and low-carb diets, particularly their impact on gut health. It highlights how these diets can alleviate symptoms of autoimmune diseases by reducing gut dysbiosis and inflammation. The script also points out the potential long-term costs of such diets, including nutrient deficiencies, and emphasizes the importance of understanding the types of carbohydrates consumed and their effects on gut health.

Takeaways

• 🥩 The carnivore diet, which involves eating only meat, can lead to improved gut health by reducing fermentable carbohydrates that feed dysbiotic bacteria in the gut.
• 🌿 Autoimmune diseases like arthritis can benefit from the carnivore diet as it starves pathogenic bacteria that thrive on carbohydrates, potentially reducing symptoms.
• 🔍 The diet's focus on easily digestible proteins from meat can alleviate symptoms for those with gut dysbiosis or small bowel overgrowth.
• 🚫 The absence of grains and other fermentable foods in the carnivore diet may provide relief from gut irritation caused by compounds like oxalates and lectins found in plant foods.
• 🥦 While the carnivore diet is nutrient-dense with meats and dairy, it lacks the wide range of nutrients provided by a varied diet including carbohydrates.
• 🌽 The script challenges the notion that all carbohydrates are harmful, emphasizing the importance of the type and source of carbs in a diet.
• 🧬 The discussion points out that gut health is not just about the presence of 'bad' bacteria but the ecological balance of the gut microbiome.
• 🍚 The script suggests that reintroducing carbohydrates after a period on a carnivore diet should be done carefully, starting with less irritating sources.
• 🌟 The benefits of the carnivore diet are significant for some individuals, but they come with potential long-term costs due to the exclusion of certain food groups.
• 🔄 The script highlights the importance of considering the overall diet quality, including the nutrient density and the potential for certain foods to cause gut irritation or autoimmune responses.

Q & A

What is one of the primary benefits of carnivore or low-carb diets mentioned in the script?

One of the primary benefits mentioned is the improvement in gut health or function, particularly by eliminating grains and fermentable carbohydrates, which can be beneficial for people with conditions like colonic dysbiosis or small bowel overgrowth.

How does a carnivore diet affect the digestion of meat compared to other foods?

Meat is mostly protein that's easily digested and absorbed in the small intestine, leaving less residue to be fermented in the colon, which can be beneficial for those with dysbiosis.

What is the role of gut dysbiosis in autoimmune diseases according to the script?

Gut dysbiosis, where there's an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria, can lead to the production of bacterial products that cause immune activation, which is postulated to be related to autoimmune diseases.

Why might someone feel better after transitioning to a carnivore diet?

Individuals might feel better due to the reduction of gut irritants and the cessation of feeding pathogenic bacteria in the gut, which can alleviate symptoms associated with autoimmune conditions and improve overall gut health.

What is the significance of easily digestible and absorbable nutrients in a carnivore diet?

Easily digestible and absorbable nutrients are significant because they provide a high level of nutrition without causing irritation to the gut, which can be particularly beneficial for those with gut health issues.

What are some potential drawbacks of long-term adherence to a carnivore diet as discussed in the script?

The script suggests that while there are benefits, there may be long-term drawbacks, particularly regarding the lack of certain nutrients and the potential for an overly restrictive diet to be unsustainable.

How does the consumption of carbohydrates in a standard diet differ from that in a carnivore diet?

In a standard diet, carbohydrates often come from grains, processed foods, and fruits, which can feed dysbiotic bacteria in the gut. In contrast, a carnivore diet eliminates these sources, potentially reducing gut irritation and inflammation.

What is the role of breastfeeding versus formula feeding in setting up gut health according to the script?

The script suggests that being formula-fed instead of breastfed can set up individuals for gut health issues later in life, potentially leading to dysbiosis and other related problems.

Why might reintroducing carbohydrates after a carnivore diet cause symptoms?

Reintroducing carbohydrates, especially if they are not the right types or if they reach the colon, can cause symptoms in individuals with gut dysbiosis, as these carbs can feed pathogenic bacteria and disrupt gut integrity.

What is the importance of choosing the right carbohydrates when transitioning off a carnivore diet?

Choosing the right carbohydrates is important to avoid irritating the gut and to support the healing process. It's suggested to start with carbs that are less likely to reach the colon and cause issues.

How does the script relate gut health to overall health and autoimmune conditions?

The script relates gut health to overall health by explaining that a dysbiotic gut can lead to the production of toxins that cause immune activation and inflammation, which are linked to autoimmune conditions.

Outlines

00:00

🥩 Benefits and Drawbacks of Carnivore Diets

The first paragraph discusses the benefits and potential long-term drawbacks of carnivore diets, particularly in relation to gut health. It uses Michaela Peterson's case to illustrate how a diet low in carbohydrates and high in meat can improve gut function by reducing dysbiosis and the overgrowth of harmful microorganisms. The paragraph also questions whether such diets truly heal the individual or merely alleviate symptoms by starving harmful bacteria of their food source. The importance of a healthy gut microbiome is emphasized, and the role of diets like paleo and keto in promoting gut health through the consumption of easily digestible proteins and the reduction of fermentable carbohydrates is explored.

05:01

🌱 The Role of Gut Health and Nutrient Density in Diets

The second paragraph delves deeper into the role of gut health in overall well-being, emphasizing the impact of a diet high in fermentable carbohydrates on gut integrity and the potential for the release of harmful bacterial compounds. It discusses how certain plant foods, such as sweet potatoes and spinach, can cause gut irritation if the necessary bacteria to break them down are absent. The paragraph also touches on the concept of 'disbiosis' as a collective imbalance of different species of bacteria, fungi, and parasites in the gut, often caused by dietary factors. The benefits of nutrient-dense diets, particularly those high in animal proteins and fats, are highlighted, especially for individuals transitioning from a standard American diet that is typically low in nutrients.

10:02

🚫 The Impact of Removing Carbohydrates on Gut Health

The third paragraph focuses on the benefits of removing carbohydrates from the diet, especially for those with gut dysbiosis or autoimmune conditions. It explains how certain carbohydrates can feed pathogenic bacteria in the gut, leading to a breakdown in gut integrity and the release of toxic compounds that can cause immune activation and autoimmune diseases. The paragraph also addresses the importance of maintaining a healthy gut barrier and the potential benefits of a carnivore diet in achieving this. It contrasts the nutrient density of a carnivore diet with the potential deficiencies and issues associated with a diet high in processed foods and improperly prepared grains, suggesting that while a carnivore diet may have benefits, it also comes with significant costs and may not be suitable as a long-term dietary solution.

Keywords

💡Carnivore Diet

The carnivore diet is a dietary approach that involves consuming only animal-based foods, typically meat, and eliminating all plant-based foods. In the context of the video, it is discussed as a method to improve gut health by reducing the intake of fermentable carbohydrates that can feed dysbiotic gut bacteria. The video mentions Michaela Peterson's case as an example where the carnivore diet helped alleviate symptoms of autoimmune arthritis.

💡Gut Health

Gut health refers to the condition of the gastrointestinal tract and the balance of microorganisms within it. The video emphasizes the importance of gut health in overall well-being, suggesting that an imbalance in gut bacteria (dysbiosis) can lead to various health issues. The carnivore diet is presented as a way to improve gut health by reducing the intake of foods that can exacerbate dysbiosis.

💡Dysbiosis

Dysbiosis is an imbalance in the gut microbiome, where harmful bacteria or other microorganisms overgrow, potentially leading to gastrointestinal issues and other health problems. The video discusses how certain diets, like the carnivore diet, can help manage dysbiosis by eliminating fermentable carbohydrates that feed these harmful microorganisms.

💡Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseases are conditions where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues. The video suggests a link between gut health and autoimmune diseases, proposing that managing gut dysbiosis through dietary changes, such as the carnivore diet, can help alleviate symptoms of these diseases.

💡Fermentable Carbohydrates

Fermentable carbohydrates are types of carbohydrates that are broken down by bacteria in the gut. The video explains that these carbohydrates can feed pathogenic bacteria in the gut, leading to dysbiosis. The carnivore diet, by eliminating these carbohydrates, aims to starve these bacteria and reduce symptoms associated with gut imbalances.

💡Nutrient Density

Nutrient density refers to the amount of nutrients a food provides relative to its calorie content. The video highlights that the carnivore diet, by focusing on nutrient-dense animal foods, can provide essential nutrients that may be lacking in a standard diet, thus supporting overall health.

💡Oxalates

Oxalates are naturally occurring compounds found in some plant foods that can be problematic for some individuals, especially those with gut issues. The video mentions that the presence of oxalates in certain plant foods can cause irritation in the gut if not properly broken down, which is why their elimination in the carnivore diet might be beneficial for some.

💡Lectins

Lectins are proteins found in many plants that can have an impact on the gut lining and immune system. The video discusses how lectins, when present in a diet with poor gut integrity or dysbiosis, can cause irritation and contribute to gut health issues. The carnivore diet's avoidance of plant foods, therefore, might help reduce such irritation.

💡Gut Integrity

Gut integrity refers to the health and proper functioning of the gastrointestinal barrier, which prevents harmful substances from entering the bloodstream. The video explains that a compromised gut integrity can lead to increased permeability, allowing toxins and bacteria to pass into the body and cause inflammation and autoimmune reactions. The carnivore diet is suggested as a way to support gut integrity by reducing irritants.

💡Mitochondrial Function

Mitochondrial function is critical for energy production within cells. The video suggests that toxins produced by dysbiotic gut bacteria can interfere with mitochondrial function, leading to inflammation and autoimmune states. By improving gut health through the carnivore diet, mitochondrial function and overall energy production may be enhanced.

Highlights

People may feel better on certain diets due to changes in gut health, but there are long-term drawbacks.

Michaela Peterson's case illustrates benefits of carnivore diets for autoimmune arthritis.

Eliminating grains and fermentable carbs can alleviate symptoms of gut dysbiosis.

Meat is easily digested, reducing residue for harmful fermentation in the colon.

Diets low in fermentable carbs can starve pathogenic bacteria, reducing autoimmune symptoms.

The carnivore diet's primary benefit is improving gut health by reducing dysbiosis.

Gut health issues can manifest as autoimmune conditions, joint pain, or insulin resistance.

Studies show specific strains of bacteria can cause issues, but it's often an ecological imbalance.

Diet and lack of breastfeeding are theorized to contribute to gut dysbiosis.

Carnivore diets help by removing fermentable carbs that feed dysbiotic gut bacteria.

The focus on easily absorbable and nutritious foods in carnivore diets is beneficial.

Transitioning to a carnivore diet can provide relief from inflammation and improve nutrient intake.

The carnivore diet's benefits come at a cost, potentially not being the best long-term option.

Carbohydrates are often grouped negatively in low carb communities, but not all carbs are harmful.

The quality of carbohydrates consumed is crucial, not just their presence in the diet.

When reintroducing carbs after a carnivore diet, start with non-irritating sources to support gut healing.

Transcripts

there are a lot of reasons why people do

feel benefits on these diets and feel

better in some ways but there are also a

lot of drawbacks especially in the long

term so let's talk about some of those

differences and why some people might

feel better when they transition towards

this type of diet and then the cost of

of being on a diet like this yeah I mean

I guess a good example to use to start

is the Petersons and specifically

Michaela Peterson to talk about one of

the main benefits of the diet and if

anyone's not aware of her situation I'm

pretty sure she had an autoimmune

arthritis disease that led to the

replacement of multiple joints I think

was ankle and hip and I'm not sure of

her specifics but in talking about that

the one of the primary benefits of

carnivore or low carb or keto or

anything like that starting out is that

it has uh uh it changes gut health or

gut function and things along those

lines and just by getting rid of grains

and getting rid of fermentable

carbohydrates and different things like

that um in the presence of a a colonic

dysbiosis or small bowel overgrowth of

of microorganisms can cause huge

benefits for people who are suffering

from those and I think that a lot of

people are finding that they have issues

with their microbiome and things like

that and that that actually is uh

talking point in paleo one of the main

talking points of paleo for a while was

gut health with a focus on fixing gut

health and um bone broth and all these

different things to sort of move gut

health in the right way so with

carnivore the this first primary benefit

is that when you just go to only eat

meat meat is fully digested U mainly in

the small intestine it's not really

fermentable unless you have a lot of uh

I would say like connective tissue

cartilagenous tissue from the meat so if

you're eating like the different joints

but just eating steaks or RI eyes it's

mostly uh Protein that's easily digested

and absorbed in a small intestine and it

doesn't leave a lot of residue to go def

fermented in the colon so if you do have

a dysbiosis present in the colon you do

have some pathogenic bacterial strings

for example klebsiella pneumonia is

associated with crohn's disease and

anking spondilitis um and then different

types of bacteria and different Morgan

or microorganisms are associated also

with different types of autoimmune

diseases like ulcer colitis and Crohn's

disease and rheumatoid arthritis and

things like that so if you're not

feeding those bacteria in the gut with a

lot of perable carbo hydrates which is

the main substrate that they're going to

feed off of then you can effectively get

rid of symptoms um and a lot of people

notice that they get rid of a lot of

symptoms or they reverse autoimmune

diseases when they go on these diets and

I think it's because of the lack of

feeding a dysbiotic vow so the question

is in this scenario is it really healing

the person when they go on on these

diets or are they just getting rid of

and if and say they are getting rid of

symptoms they don't have all these

bacterial products being formed from the

fermentation of these carbs in their

colon or if they have a small bow

overgrowth in their small intestine they

may have some healing but does it solve

the underlying issue of the dysbiosis I

just want to summarize what you were

saying for gut health which is basically

that if you're gut health is if you

don't have good gut health if you're the

bacteria and other microbes like fungi

in your intestine you have different

overgrowths or if the quote unquote bad

bacteria are you have excessive amounts

of them if basically if your gut health

is not good then it can be pretty

difficult to eat carbohydrates because a

lot of them will feed whatever bad

microbes are in there which produce a

lot of gut toxins which are disastrous

for our health they're in in every way

and so you were saying that this that a

lot of people's symptoms whether it's

autoimmune conditions or joint pain or

weight gain or insulin resistance can

come back to this sort of gut health and

when we go to a low carb diet whether

it's carnivore or Primal or some other

offshoot it can lead to relief from uh

from those symptoms because you're not

feeding these this uh disbiosis in your

I I think it's important to point out

too it's a lot of the studies look at

specific strains of bacteria or fungi or

parasites and whatnot in the in the GI

track and they can have a lot of issues

uh they can cause a lot of issues

individually but a lot of times it's a

it's like it's an ecological thing so

it's a a lot of different species of

bacteria and fungi and parasites

together in sort of and that's why they

call it a disbiosis rather than just

purely an infection um and that's

because it's a multiple different things

going wrong

simultaneously um and it generally it is

caused by diet it is caused by diet and

then the other thing that is a a main

cause of this and that's at least a

theorized in the literature is lack of

breastfeeding and being formula fed and

things like that setting you up for a

ton of issues going forward so

considering the state of most modern

people being formula fed not being

breastfed and then growing up on on

diets that can that have a lot of

potential to cause disbiosis is in the

bowel it's not surprising that these

diets these uh carnivore diets with lack

of fermentable carbs are actually

helping people I mean neither of us is

really arguing that getting rid of some

of these things isn't helpful I mean I

think it is helpful I think that maybe

going down to the a diet that's

extremely uh or irritating overall is

really helpful for a period of time for

people so it's not that we're saying

it's terrible there these are these

benefits are legit um it's just it's

just that it may not be the best

long-term option so it comes at a cost

yeah it comes at a cost and as I was

saying before there's some other

irritating compounds and they talk this

is one of the other things they talk

about um and this goes hand inand with

the disbiosis as well because a lot of

the irritating compounds like the one of

the ones they talk about in the gut is

oxalates um which can be found in in uh

sweet potatoes it can be found in

specifically in spinach and Shard a lot

of those uh plant foods can actually

cause irritation in the gut if you don't

have certain species present to break

down the oxalates and if your gut

barrier or your gut Integrity isn't

doing so hot um so there's there's a

tons of different there's tons of

different compounds in Plants you have

oxalates you have lectins which are like

protein carbohydrate comp com ation that

bind to the uh the intestinal wall and

the intestinal lining and can strip it

and then they can interact with the

immune system and tons and tons of

different plants have le I think almost

every single plant has lectins animal

animal uh animal Foods also are loaded

with lectin as well and they they have

all different effects it's not that

lectins as a whole are terrible it's

just that different ones have different

effects and meant for a particular

reason uh and so these different foods

can cause a lot of irritation especially

if you have a disbiosis and especially

if your gut Integrity is is poor and so

the getting rid of these foods for

period of time can essentially allow the

gut to rest of sorts um and allow it to

to not be under a constant assault

especially cuz some foods that are

considered Health Foods currently are

some of the biggest contributors to

causing gut issues including whole

grains and including uh legumes for

certain people and then some of the

vegetables and things like that all

right actually very irritating for

people and then the the last part that

goes with this is there's a strong focus

in the carnivore diet on having easily

absorbable and highly nutritious foods

and that is definitely a benefit

especially if you're including dairy in

the diet and you're tolerating Dairy

then the combination of just milk and

milk and meat uh and then organ meats

and and fats from from these animals or

if you're eating eggs in the diet that's

a very nutritious diet in and of itself

and covers a lot of bases that aren't

met when you're coming from a if you're

coming from a standard American diet

especially and even when people go on

keto diets I mean the keto diet it does

include plant foods but often the plant

foods are like green vegetables and

things like that which are very

nutrient-dense and then they also have

the high amount of animal foods that are

nutrient-dense so you get a complete

diet coming and and this is especially

when you're coming from something where

you have a heavy wheat-based diet it's

processed is from genetically modified

monoculture crops with pore soil

nutrients and things like that and then

you're eating just uh factory farm

chicken breasts cuz I mean the main diet

there's there was an article that looked

at this over the Hundred Years looking

at the American diet there's a decrease

in consumption of beef and pork and

things like that with a or I think it

was mainly beef and then there's a

decrease in Dairy and then there was an

increase in consumption of chicken and

vegetable oil uh and then grains even

dropped a little bit as well so the diet

and but uh refined sugar increased to

some extent as well so the diet really

shifted to to be less nutrient dense and

so just going from standard American to

going to keto is is beneficial even if

you don't have the carbs or if you're

going to paleo and you do but you're low

carb and you have carbs or even if

you're going carnivore if you have a

serious issue because you increase

nutrients you get rid of things that are

irritating and then one of the biggest

ones is not feeding to disbiosis

um and I just wanted one thing I really

want to point out about the disbiosis

just so that we can solidify what it

actually is is when you have uh certain

carbohydrate Foods so certain

carbohydrate foods are almost entirely

absorbed in the small intestine uh and

these would be things like white rice if

especially if it's not cooled where it

can produce resistant starch and then

juices with that have a specific ratio

of glucose to fructose um but a lot of

other uh fruits or vegetables or even

grains and things like that have

carbohydrates that make it to the colon

uh and these can these can feed these

different populations of bacteria and so

when they feed these populations to

bacteria if they are pathogenic bacteria

or there's a disbiosis then essentially

what you'll see is you have a a

dissolving of the mucus layer in the

colon and then a breakdown of gut

integrity and then you'll have a release

of toxic compounds from these bacteria

and the main one that they talk about in

the research is endotoxin which comes

from gr negative bacteria but there's a

whole host of compounds that can be

released by these bacteria and it causes

immune activation and a lot of

autoimmune disease are postulated to be

related to a chronic infection in the

gut from some of these bacteria with

consistent immune Activation so it's

really important that we keep the gut

sealed and that we um we don't have a a

dysbiotic bow or a chronic infection in

the colon or anything like that and I

think that is one of the primary

benefits that a lot of people are seeing

specifically the autoimmune component

espe in somebody like Michel Peterson's

case for carnivore diets yeah and it

goes beyond just immune activity the

reason for that is because these toxins

produced from from the gut directly

interfere with our ability to produce

energy on the mitochondrial level and

that directly causes inflammation which

leads to these sorts of autoimmune

States this stress State and so removing

those things leads to a a lot of relief

there yeah and I would say that this is

one of the main things that that

inhibits our ability to produce energy

which is really the foundational

component to our health which we'll

we'll briefly touch on but yeah that

that was a good summary we have had a

few episodes talking specifically about

gut health in more detail how different

foods interact with our gut which ones

are ideal and so I'll I'll link to those

but yeah so so the point being there

that there are several important

significant benefits from removing carbs

from the diet whether it's a low carb or

keto or carnivore and sometimes

especially with something like carnivore

because even if you have some of those

leafy greens in in your diet and you're

just doing low carb or you're doing keto

and you have some other vegetation in

your diet for people who are even more

sensitive those things can still be

irritating so yeah the point being that

the main benefits from the carnivore raw

Primal diets are nutrient density and a

relief from from inflammation and gut

and health disrupting factors from our

gut so those are kind of the the most

important things and and they are

benefits but they come at a at a pretty

big cost and again this this is in many

ways much better than the conventional

diets because the types of carbohydrates

that most people are eating are grains

or you typically improperly prepared

grains unrip fruit a lot of processed

foods a lot of processed foods that's a

huge one right and so these come with a

lot of problems that are separate from

the carbohydrates themselves and when

you're in this in the low carb Community

there is this

grouping of all carbohydrates as being

the same and because of that all

carbohydrates are not only not ideal

they're like the worst thing as far as

health is

concerned but in reality in the same we

we talked about you know these diets

being pretty nutrient dense there's a

huge nutrient that they're missing out

on and that is carbohydrates and we've

talked about we've talked about this in

detail in several episodes so I'm not

going to dig into it too much but I'll

at least give a brief overview before

you continue I do want to say that a lot

of people find this stuff to also be

self-evident for themselves and form a

confirmation bias because when they do

eat after they go on these diets and

they eat carbohydrates they tend to get

symptoms but it really depends on what

carbohydrates you're eating and how much

when you start so if you have a

disbiosis and then you go and you start

eating potatoes again or pasta again or

you start eating certain fruits again

that can irritate your gut or that have

fibers that reach the colon that can

cause issues and then you start getting

symptoms the question is really what

carb sources are you eating and when I

talk to people and they talk they're

tell me they're having issues with carbs

and things like that the first thing I

always ask is what carb Source are you

eating because people say oh I'm only

eating pasta and then they start to get

issues with it and then it's like okay

and then oh I'm eating whole grain bread

or I'm eating this or I'm eating that

and they start to get symptoms or they

start to get weight gain and then they

start to wonder oh so maybe it is just

the carbs but there's other things in

the food besides carbs there's different

types of carbs there's mble

carbohydrates that we can't digest so it

really is important to ask what carbs

are you using and when we talked about

later when you're starting to transition

off a carnivore diet using the right

carbs to start especially if you went

into the diet with some sort of

autoimmune disease or gut disbiosis it's

important to use ones that aren't

reaching the colon to start while you're

trying to build things and get things uh

going in the right direction