Paul Saladino was the face of the carnivore diet. He wrote The Carnivore Code and called plants “poison“. He built a massive following as Carnivore MD. He helped kickstart an entire movement. Then he shocked everyone. He quit the diet he built his career on.
The side effects he couldn’t ignore
After two years on the strict carnivore diet, Dr. Paul Saladino experienced a “persistence of unpleasant symptoms”. He had sleep disturbances, heart palpitations, and muscle cramps. His testosterone dropped significantly. He felt generally horrible.
“I started to think, maybe long-term ketosis is not great for me,” he said on the More Plates More Dates podcast. He concluded that it’s “probably not a great thing for most humans”.
Registered dietitian Sydney Greene, M.S., RDN, says these health issues aren’t surprising. She explains that Dr. Paul Saladino was “possibly deficient in nutrients that are responsible for producing important hormones like testosterone and melatonin“. She also points out that “low glucose levels (a result of irregular carbohydrate intake) can cause heart palpitations“. Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy.
The turning point: adding fruit and honey
Paul Saladino realized that being keto on a carnivore diet didn’t work for my body. He added fruit and honey back into his diet. He arrived at what he now calls the animal-based diet (meat, organs, fruit, honey and raw dairy).
He now says fruit “makes up the majority” of his diet. His go-to plant foods include blueberries, asparagus, watermelon, cantaloupe, bananas, and yucca (also called cassava root). He eats yucca twice per day. He has also “experimented” with oats, white rice, potatoes, and bread.
He aims for around 300 grams of carbs per day now. That’s a huge shift from zero.
The 2026 diet | what he eats in a day now
Paul Saladino recently pulled back the curtain on his daily eating habits. He eats 3,300 calories daily, stays at 10% body fat, and never counts calories. His daily macronutrient distribution: 170 grams of protein (22% of calories).
| Time | Meal |
|---|---|
| Pre-surf (6 AM) | Raw milk, frozen wild organic blueberries, grass-fed whey, raw honey, pinch of sea salt |
| Post-surf (~10 AM) | Organic cantaloupe, 5-6 oz grass-fed skirt steak, boiled yuca with sea salt |
| Afternoon snack | Raw Greek yogurt, banana, duck egg yolk |
| Lunch | Skirt steak (for collagen), Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, fresh-squeezed orange juice, rambutans, half an ounce of beef liver with peeled cucumber |
| Dinner | Fatty ground beef (80/20), goat milk with honey, dragon fruit, watermelon juice |
He starts his mornings with approximately 300ml of raw goat milk mixed with honey and 5 grams of creatine before surfing. He’s a strong advocate for raw dairy. Post-surf breakfast includes four scrambled eggs cooked in tallow, watermelon juice, mango, and avocado.
The 2026 starches experiment
Now in 2026, he’s experimenting with starches. He tried white rice, which made him feel foggy and bloated. He tried sourdough and fermented oats, but they triggered his immune system. Now he’s eating yuca, a starchy root, and he feels great with it.
The point isn’t that you need to eat yuca. The point is that bio-individuality is real. Not every single-ingredient whole food works for every person. His non-negotiable foundation stays the same: quality animal protein, organs, healthy fats, and carbohydrates matched to your activity level.
The pickles controversy
In a 2025 video with YouTuber Bobby Parrish, Saladino made a notable claim when he picked up a jar of pickles: “I don’t know if you guys know this but pickles are animal-based“. He went on to say that he will eat a particular brand of pickles because “they taste good and the ingredients are not that bad … there’s no massive preservatives or anything in there”.
He doesn’t provide any further explanation about how pickles, which are cucumbers preserved or fermented in vinegar or brine, are animal-based.
The honey argument
Saladino also took Parrish to choose some honey and explained that he started eating it because he “wasn’t getting enough carbohydrates” on a strictly carnivore diet. He argued: “I would argue that honey is carnivore, it’s not a plant food. I mean a lot of vegans won’t eat it so it’s good enough for me if a vegan won’t eat it then I could eat it on a carnivore diet”.
His 2025 “ins and outs”
On his podcast, Saladino shared his 2025 ‘ins and outs.’ He prioritizes real foods like meat, organs, fruit, honey, and raw dairy. He focuses on whole, unprocessed foods. He cautions against trends like methylene blue. He recommends minimizing EMF exposure.
His philosophy remains centered on bio-individuality and metabolic flexibility. The biggest change is his acceptance of carbohydrates as a necessary and beneficial part of the diet.
What the experts say
The Guardian published an editorial in August 2025 criticizing the carnivore diet. It noted that followers of this diet eat meat, fat, seafood, eggs and butter, avoiding all vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes as if plants were, as Paul Saladino alleged, “poison“.
Dr. Saladino is a US psychiatrist and health influencer with a range of supplements called Heart and Soil that contain dried animal organ meat.
The LDL cholesterol concern
Dr. Paul Saladino has publicly shared his LDL cholesterol levels. He once claimed that high LDL isn’t a risk factor for people eating a carnivore diet, but the science says otherwise. A study called KETO-CTA followed 100 people eating a ketogenic diet for one year. All participants had LDL levels above 190 mg/dL. That’s considered dangerously high.
The study found that their coronary artery plaque progressed significantly. This is a clear sign of accelerated atherosclerosis. Even “metabolically healthy” people on a keto diet showed this progression heart disease risk increased. The authors couldn’t prove that LDL caused the plaque progression because the study lacked a control group. But the evidence is strong.
Elevated LDL remains a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Saladino changed his diet, but his LDL levels remain a concern. Health experts warn that long-term ketosis can have dangerous effects on heart health. If you’re on a carnivore diet, get your LDL checked regularly. Don’t ignore the numbers.
What this means for you
Paul Saladino proves that even experts can change their minds. He showed that dietary needs change over time. He found that fruit and starches like yuca help him feel great. He learned that inflammation, joint pain, and weight loss are complex issues.
If you’re on a carnivore diet and feel foggy or bloated, listen to your body. You might need carbohydrates. You might need fruit like blueberries or bananas. You might try raw dairy or bone broth.
Paul Saladino now eats a plant-based-inclusive diet with animal products as the base. He calls it animal-based. It’s about metabolic flexibility and nutrient density. The biggest advocate for carnivore changed his mind. That’s not weakness. That’s wisdom.
Frequently asked questions
What side effects did Paul Saladino experience on the carnivore diet?
Paul Saladino experienced sleep disturbances, heart palpitations, muscle cramps, and a drop in testosterone levels. He also reported electrolyte insufficiency and feeling generally horrible. These symptoms prompted him to reintroduce carbohydrates into his diet.
Why did Paul Saladino quit the carnivore diet?
Paul Saladino quit the carnivore diet because long-term ketosis negatively impacted his health. He concluded that being in a state of ketosis for an extended period is “probably not a great thing for most humans”. He added fruit and honey back into his diet and his health improved.
What does Paul Saladino eat now?
Paul Saladino now follows an animal-based diet. This includes meat, organs, fruit, honey, and raw dairy. Fruit now “makes up the majority” of his diet. He eats foods like blueberries, bananas, watermelon, cantaloupe, and yucca.
Is the carnivore diet safe?
Health experts warn that the carnivore diet lacks scientific evidence for its effectiveness. The diet is high in saturated fat, which may raise LDL cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease. Red and processed meat intake has also been linked to higher rates of certain types of cancers. The exclusion of highly nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains can also present a problem.
Disclaimer:
This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult your healthcare provider before making any dietary changes. Individual results vary. The author and publisher are not responsible for any adverse effects from following any diet discussed here.
